03 January 2007

New Year - New Stock

I was hoping my "Vintage to Victorian" website would be ready for the New Year, but apparently it isn't, quite.



So! It's time to get busy! The holiday is over and I have 2 weeks to sort my stock for the next 3-day Shepton Mallet Antiques Fair. It's always a dilemma deciding what to take - whether to 'major' on enamelware and kitchenalia, household linen and fabrics, eiderdowns and quilts or baby gowns, or whether it's better to take a general mix.

This eiderdown is the latest eiderdown to cross our threshold. Each new one I find usually has pride of price at home for a week or two before it goes to either one of the antiques centres or I take it to a Fair. Some have been known to stay with me for nearly a year until I'm really firm with myself.




I usually have a table of kitchenalia with a shelf of jelly moulds for "my regulars", and then fill the rest of my pitch with the textiles. Sometimes the regulars just come for a chat and I go home with not one jelly mould sold, but on these occasions it seems to be the eiderdowns that sell. At other times I might go home with all the eiderdowns but may have a run on damask tablecloths. One thing is for sure, if I decide not to take something I get asked for it 3 or 4 times - linen bedding being a prime example. Two fairs ago I sold 8 single linen sheets so made sure I had plenty the next time and not one sold. I had no linen pillowcases left to take to the Fair and it seemed that every visitor to my pitch wanted a pair!




The blankets in the armoire are staying - they're being collected for the wedding. Odd? Not exactly! The seating in the bar area of the marquee will be straw bales (she is marrying a farmer after all), and the blankets will lie on top of, or over, the bales. At least that's the plan. Anything can change between now and May! The eiderdowns on the top, and the lovely pink one on the lower shelf, will be going to Shepton. The one on the right is one of a pair ... not sure about those yet. I have another pair on the single beds in our spare bedroom and I can't decide which ones to keep! Blogger won't let me show you the other ones at the moment.
I'm off to my storage unit shortly to sort through some of the linen and kitchenalia that hasn't yet seen the light of day. Hopefully I'll find something I'd forgotten about which can become the centrepiece to work from.
Well, I can't stay chatting all day - there's work to be done. I've unearthed my sewing machine and I have ideas for some of the damaged linens I'm expecting to find in the store. I may not have time to produce anything between now and Shepton, but at least the ideas are beginning to flow ...
I seem to be having a problem with the spacing between paragraphs on my posts at the moment. Not sure what I'm doing wrong!
Have a jolly day!

8 comments:

savvycityfarmer said...

I think if you click "enter" between each paragraph you can create space.

Happy new year.

Lovely comfy cozy blankies.

Nonnie said...

You have some beautiful things. I really must try to come to one of the Shepton Mallet fairs one day. It's a long way for me but if I got organised I could do it. Might need to save up first though!

Clare and Mike said...

Ooooh Sue, you've got some lovely eiderdowns - you know they're my weakness, don't you? That first one, now how much...?! Clare xx

The fabric of my life said...

This is the wonderful thing about selling vintage items Sue, you can enjoy them until it is time to let them go. I have things all round the house that I know one day will find a new home but in the meantime I get pleasure from them. The problem is I never want my customers to come to my home or they might just cajole me into selling something I'm not ready to part with! Happy New Year by the way :-)

lettuce said...

those eiderdowns are gorgeous! how can you bear to part with them?

Niki Fretwell said...

Hi Sue,
Lovely eiderdowns! See you there! Are you doing the flea market too, seeing as the both fall in January this year?
Niki

Vintage to Victorian said...

Hi Everyone

Thanks for your lovely comments!

Cityfarmer: the paragraph spacing seems to alter if I "preview" more than once, regardless of the number of paras I put in.

Nonnie: thank you - I'm sure it would be well worth the trip!!

Clare: Am hoping to pop in next weekend - do I need to bring any?

Donna and Lettuce: I hate parting with them, although I do try and buy with my "selling" head on first and foremost and then I get home with some wonderful items and my "must keep" head takes over for a while!

Niki: I've booked the Flea but another dealer is going to have my pitch as Mum's moving day is the Thursday right between the two and I think I'll be too involved here (or too tired!). I had fully intended being there until Mum's date was altered, but I question how busy it will be.

Sue x

Pigtown*Design said...

Are you in Shepton? We have great friends there - the Pattens...

I love the pix of your eiderdowns. I am doing a post about them today.