And the award for best actress goes to...

This week was the much anticipated, celebrity event of the year, awarding the silver screen’s finest with that recognisable golden statue. If you were one of the millions that tuned in to the Oscars, you may have failed to notice glamorous young Joanne in her pearl earrings strutting confidently down the red carpet and wondered to yourself just how she managed to keep her “English rose” skin tone over in sunny LA.



"I'd just like to thank...."

Ok, so maybe Vintage Twee didn’t quite make it to the star studded Oscars but this week was quite possibly the beginnings of a new relationship with a camera of the motion kind. Joanne had previously agreed (in one of those moments where you agree to something without really thinking it through, e.g., signing up for a 5km run when you can barely trot round the block) to filming two adverts for Warrington Market to be shown on prime time TV and soon found herself panic buying the Spanx and hoping she didn’t fluff her lines!

Working together with Steve Pickering, the marketing manager for the fantastic Warrington Indoor Market, Joanne is the star of the latest advertising campaign which will be shown every evening the week before each of the markets, right before the North West settle down with their cuppa’s to watch Emmerdale. The first advert will see Joanne, in full party mode, introducing the Fair Trade Market to be held in Warrington on Saturday 12th March whilst the second will prove that Vintage glam really is the look of 2011 as she demurely promotes the Vintage Market on Saturday 30th April. Kitted out in a stunning floral dress and looking every inch the vintage beauty, Joanne enjoyed every second of the filming (despite wondering if the camera really does add 10 pounds) and is an interesting mix of excited, nervous and downright terrified to see the finished version be screened next week!

Make sure you don’t miss a) the advert and b) the unique, fabulous fairs, on from 10am-4pm, so pencil them in your diaries now! Joanne tells me she’s sharpening her quill ready for the barrage of autograph requests sure to come pouring in as she is aiming to flutter her TV lashes at the Vintage Market in April! Come down, say hello and purchase something from the brilliant Vintage Twee range (Joanne has assured me she’ll stay grounded despite the fame….)

The link to the adverts will follow for all Vintage Twee fans not living in the North West and it will be put on the Vintage Twee Facebook page once it's available.

Joanne would like to add thank you to Steve and colleague Paul for the wonderful opportunity to be part of the best indoor market in the UK and is looking forward to the offers flooding in from Tinsel Town!

Carrie on glamour with Simply Love Vintage...

If you have ever pictured your wedding, tea party or special event appearing just as if it was straight from a bygone era, then Vintage Twee recommend you take a look at the beautiful website, http://www.simplylovevintage.com/ Owned by the lovely Carrie, her eye for all things nostalgic and eclectic is prominent in the vast array of vintage crockery, linen, cutlery, glass and vintage inspired accessories she has for hire at your convenience throughout Dorset and parts of Hampshire.

Choose from authentic mis-matched rose patterned vintage tea cups, stunning cake stands and fantastically floral table linen to compliment your vintage theme. All products will be packaged perfectly to make it easy for you to set up- the team will even box them up table by table to make sure Auntie doesn’t end up with too many tea cups and not enough plates! The sheer originality of these delicately decadent accessories are sure to enthral your guests and have them marvelling at your fabulous taste in décor.

If however, your talents lie purely in the idea of a vintage inspired party and not in turning that idea in to a reality, then fear not! Simply Love Vintage also offer a “Styling” service where they will come and transform your special occasion in to a vintage wonderland of pure elegance. They offer an initial consultation as well as accompanying you to your venue for a site visit plus all the help you need on styling your big day. Trust Carrie and her team to wave their vintage wands and adorn your venue with as much or as little as you desire leaving you to relax, get glammed up and enjoy the day!

Carrie can be contacted at carrie@simplylovevintage.com where she will be only too happy to discuss your requirements. And if you are lucky enough to be at the following places, pop over and check out the gorgeously cute range of items available to create your dream vintage party!

Simply Love Vintage are attending two wedding fairs in Dorset as follows...

1. The Crown Hotel Wedding Fair, Blandford Forum Dorset
Sunday 6th March 2011, 10am-3pm

2. The Kings Arms, Dorchester, Dorset

Sunday 27th March 12noon-4pm

Sweet sensation for St Valentine

Ladies, it’s that time of year again when we succumb to the demands of commercialisation, renounce our feminist ways and resort to peeking behind the curtain as the postman arrives on Feb 14th just to see if he has anything in a red envelope. Yes, St Valentine’s day is once again upon us and try as we might, we just can’t help but gush over the deep red roses in shops and secretly hope our partners don’t take us seriously when we say “don’t get me anything…”

Vintage Twee decided to join in with the romance, after all, what better time of year to have an excuse to tell someone you love them in a unique and special way? Especially if it involves cupcakes…

Take a look at the new and specially designed best selling party picks, guaranteed to whet the appetite of your loved one or your wedding guests! Hand crafted in love themed colours since as ivory and pink or ivory and red, they have cute captions to include, “Love is Sweet”, “I Do” and “Eat Me”. Should you have a particular message for a particular person they can of course be custom made to suit!! So if you fancy spelling out your love in cupcakes (but without scrawling on the cakes with your less than professional icing bag), secure your bags of party picks today!

Now talking of all things sweet, coming soon are the new Sweetie Jar labels which are currently just available as custom orders. Ideal for popular candy tables and sweetie jar favours, they are the perfect accomplishment to your sweet treats and can be embellished with tea roses or pearl hearts to add the vintage touch. Email joanne@vintagetwee.com with your desired sweet labels to match whats in your jars!

Come and see for yourself the latest additions to the Vintage Twee collection at the following fairs this weekend! Meet Joanne and the beautiful creations that are taking the table décor world by storm!

Vintage and Craft Fair
Warrington Indoor Market
Saturday 12th February 10-4pm


Vintage Valentine Event
The Old School Rooms, Haworth, Yorkshire
Sunday 13th February 2011 10-4pm

A Bird's Eye view of all things chic and unique

Fur shrug courtesy of Lovely and Vintage

 On Sunday 30th January, Vintage Twee had a stand at the most coveted event of the year so far, the Vintage Chic Wedding Fair. Located in Birmingham's newly renovated arts and media hub, The Custard Factory, the venue for the fair, The Old Library was built in the 1850’s but fell in to disrepair during the mid 20th century. Luckily for us vintage wedding lovers in 2001 it was renovated after receiving funding and now stands as one of the cities most versatile and unique event space- you can even hold your wedding here!
Helped by the lovely Nia of Gallery6 Studios, Vintage Twee began to meet future brides from the Midlands and the fair was soon in full swing with talk of all things lacy, vintage and tea-related! In particular our Party Picks proved to be extraordinarily popular with packs flying off the stand! Now coming in a range of colours, they are an easy way to add a little fun to your special occasion!

Now, proving the desire for something unique at your wedding is still burning strong, the stalls were an amazing range of the loveliest vintage styled products any bride could wish to see! A few Vintage Twee favourites are pictured here and as you can see fun was to be had! The exhibitors all had the same thing in common- the responsibility to provide brides with that special something to make her wedding day full of elegance, glamour and of course, vintage chic!



Cotton and Crumbs



Vintage Glamour Days



Beautiful tea cup ring

One of our favourite vendors was the talented Amy, from jewellery company, Blanche and Lola. Creating the most beautiful jewellery from authentic vintage pieces, each Blanche and Lola creation is individual- you will never be caught wearing the same thing as anyone else!
Hand crafted and original, combining vintage with modern, the collection includes the gorgeous tea cup ring, the vintage carousel necklace and stunning pearl necklaces. A new contender on the vintage jewellery and accessories market, be sure to check out the website for that special piece for your big day!



Vintage Carousel Necklace
Available from Blance & Lola

Lovely vintage necklace, perfect for brides
Available from Blance & Lola

 So it seems we have Mr Alfred Bird, the inventor of our favourite winter warmer, custard, to thank not only for the sweet yellow dessert we all love, but, for the fantastic Custard Factory where we got to meet some great people, share a passion for all things vintage and of course, dress ourselves up all girly and gorgeous!

The Art of Tea

Today has been one of the nicest Sundays I've had in a while. Sometimes you have to make the conscious effort to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of every day life to indulge yourself in a moment of relaxation in whatever form suits you. Of course, you cant take this creative tea lover completely out of her comfort zone...therefore what better than to combine the two loves of my life – art and tea.

Nestled away in the leafy suburban town of East Didsbury in Manchester, lies a hidden treasure called The Art of Tea. With it's old couches and armchairs, high beamed ceilings and antique mirrors, this place resembles that of a 1940s living room, complete with mismatched chintzy china and teacups. The walls were adorned with the work of talented local artists and the bar displaying all kinds of delicious cakes and pastries to tempt your tastebuds. My friend Charlotte and I ordered two hot chocolates with whipped cream and marshmallows (there is no other way to have hot chocolate, correct?) and shared a piece of strawberry cheesecake which came beautifully presented with a little fresh strawberry on top.

But venture further back into the depths of the café and you will find a whole different trove of treasures...as one of the best second hand bookshops I have been to in Manchester lies tucked away just waiting to be discovered. We were welcomed by the friendly owner, humming Sinatra classics as he tidied and restocked the many books that filled the small space. The shelves are lined with old copies of Charles Dickens novels, Penguin Classics and the Bronte sister's best sellers...their dusty book jackets and gold leaf pages calling us over to thumb through. We resisted the temptation to purchase the whole set of Shakespeare plays and just enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded by all this lovely literature in such a warm and inviting place.

I can say with some certainty that I will definitely be returning to the wonderful place known as the Art of Tea, having finally found somewhere that I can enjoy – with or without the company of a good friend, book or my trusty laptop.

The Art of Tea, 47, Barlow Moor Road, East Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6TW.

Open 9am-11.30pm Mon-Sat & 11am-10.30pm Sun
tel. 0161 4489323

Festive Frolics

'It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air' - W.T Ellis

I love this quote and couldn't agree more with Ellis who sums up the true Christmas spirit in one simple sentence. December would just be another month and Christmas another day if it wasn't for the way in which it ignites a nostalgic spark in all of us that keeps us toasty and warm throughout the freezing temperatures of the winter season.

We all have one thing that awakens that Christmas spirit inside of us and for me, it's baking. I always remember making chocolate cornflake cakes with my mum and sister on Christmas Eve whilst watching Mary Poppins & fighting over who gets to lick the spoon. Having eaten many chocolate cornflakes cakes in my 27 years, I decided that 2010 would be the year that I would start off my very own Christmas tradition and do something that I will always be known for.

After much deliberation & justification behind my choice (that is being a red head and representing my fellow ginger people) I decided that I will pursue a Christmas craft career into the art of gingerbread men. So, in true festive spirit, I enlisted the help of my sister Emma and new brother-in-law Lee who were here visiting and we set to work to create some little masterpieces for a Christmas party later in the week hosted by Anita from Itsamistry Design Studio.

Ok, so not everything went to plan and I severely miscalculated the flour-syrup ratio, ending up with a sloppy paste-like mixture that couldn't be picked up, let alone rolled out. We were also missing one major cog in the gingerbread production wheel which was that of the gingerbread cutter himself...! Being creatives, we were not defeated and of course just had to improvise and Lee drew up a perfect gingerbread man card template to use instead! Once they were baked we set to work on a 'Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be....' decoration task and after an overdose of glitter icing and jelly tots, we finished up with the likes of Simon Cowell, Elvis and Cher (the original of course) on our baking tray. And the bonus? They were not just edible, but delicious!

And so my brand new Christmas tradition has been born. Of course, to avoid looking like a 5 year old had made them, I baked a fresh batch for the party yesterday (with an actual gingerbread man cutter and the right amount of flour this time!) and decorated them according to who was on the guest list. That would be Anita herself from Itsamistry Design Studio, Shilpa from Mistry Marketing Events, Nia from Gallery 6 Studios and Sarah from TinTrunk. We were also joined by Toni from Lady, Behave! who escaped a personalised gingerperson but unfortunately Alan from Village Vintage Clothing wasn't so lucky and got his delivered by Sarah, which was complete with beard and braces! Now, I apologise for any offence caused but felt the world needed to see my handiwork...go on, post a comment and vote for your favourite one...if I can reach 20 comments, I shall post my secret gingerbread recipe on the blog... :)

Itsamistry's Anita complete with her trademark
matching jewellery set

Shilpa from Mistry Marketing Events in Christmas Party mode 

Gallery 6 Studios Nia and her paintbrush and palette

TinTrunk's Sarah in vintage black and white...

So the moral of this festive tale is to always take some time to think about what puts 'Christmas in the air' for you...and when you have figured it out, capture it, bottle it and bring it out once a year to release your own true Christmas spirit.

Vintage Twee would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year xxx

Left to right: Shilpa, Anita, Nia and me!

The Spirit of Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, the chilly air is filled with the magic and mystery of reindeers with glowing red noses, Santa and his amazing chimney act and snowmen that come to life in our back garden when we are sleeping at night..

But what about the other, darker kind of unexplained phenomena that we don't naturally associate with this jolly time of year? One of the most famous and quoted Christmas tales of all time is that of 'A Christmas Carol', where Charles Dickens brought an element of the supernatural to the festivity period through his Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come. The book was written in 1843 and, being a true literature lover, (as well as Ghost Whisperer fanatic at the moment!), I decided to indulge in Dicken's interest in the paranormal and tell you Vintage's Twee's very own tale about a Victorian ghost a little too close to home...

Since being a little girl, I have always been fascinated watching my dad carry out his daily profession as a gent's hairdresser and I often still call in to visit him in the barber shop he has occupied for over 20 years based in Heaton Chapel, Stockport.

 However, even now at 27 years old, I cannot walk to the kitchen to make my dad a cup of tea without closing my eyes tight at the sight of the crooked door to the shop's cellar. I can recall my dad's colleague locking my sister and I down there as a joke when we were young, as well as the story of a customer's dog who came out with all his hair stood on end. Tony's Barber Shop is well known in the area for it's terrifying ghost who resides in the cellar and has driven out many past female tenants who occupied the rooms above my dad's shop. The building itself dates back to the 18^th century and was occupied in the 1840s by Irish navvies who had been employed to carry out the heavy work during the building of Stockport's railway line. The men were said to be a nuisance to the neighbourhood with their constant drinking & the prostitutes that they brought home. When the work was done and the men left Heaton Chapel, the women and their children remained, some of which residing in the property on Manchester Road that is now my dad's barber shop. The council had to fumigate the property as it was in such a mess and when doing so, they uncovered a host of bones under the floor in the cellar.

Source: Taken from
'Supernatural Stockport' (1991) by M.Mills

Many years later, the house was occupied by a Polish family during the First World War, who experienced many sightings and presences of the ghost connected to the building. They experienced the figure of a man stood at the foot of the bed, invisible hands drawing the quilt off the daughter's father as he lay in bed and the opening and closing of the young girl's vanity box on her dresser. It seems the young sisters who lived in the house were MUCH braver than my sister and I would ever be and followed the man to the cellar, where they watched him descend the stone steps carrying a lantern and disappear through the wall. It has been said that the ghost that haunts the building is that of the man who killed the prostitutes and their babies and buried their bones under the cellar floor.

Now I'm never in there long enough to find out if this is true, but it seems that the ghost has a distaste for women as he seems to haunt all the female tenants of the building yet my dad has never had a problem in the 20 years he has been in there. Perhaps the male dominated environment of the Barber Shop keeps the ghost at bay? Or maybe that padlock dad put on there is working...

So there you have it! Let's hope the Heaton Chapel Phantom doesn't know the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and try to teach us some Christmas cheer...or I'm going to have to seek out Melinda Gordon to cross him over!