*Day Dreaming*

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Dear pretty white garden house, 

I do so wish you were mine!

*sigh*

Love

Alison

x

♥

Via

♥

Linking to White Wednesday at Faded Charm

*Blog Love*

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I just wanted to let you know that the Cosmo Blog Awards are happening again & I would love for my lovely readers to nominate the Vintage Amethyst blog.

I was so lucky last year to be nominated & to be shortlisted in the E-tailer category.

I was up against some huge contenders such as Dorothy Perkins, Topshop, River Island & Asos, who won the award!

I was so honored to be amongst these giants of the E-tailer world, little old me amongst these biggies I was very proud indeed!

*blush*

So I would love it if my lovely readers would take a moment & kindly nominate the Vintage Amethyst blog in the E-tailer category.

Us little independent shops need to show the world we are great & certainly do a wonderful job within the retail industry, I personally don't think that big companies can compete on our customer service & I think the Cosmo blog awards is a great way of showing that to the world.

So please if you would like to vote pop along

*here*

Don't forget vote for Vintage Amethyst in the E-tailer category & hurry your nominations need to be in by the 31st August!!!

*thank you so much lovelies*

*You + Me = Us Sign*

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How crazy sweet are these signs?

You + Me = Us

I'm so in love with them & they have just arrived in the

Vintage Amethyst Boutique.

They are also this weeks

*Product of the Week*

♥

This is a really wonderfully large sign in a vintage style with the words You + Me = Us.
These are sweet for any couple & any home & are perfect as a gift.
They can be propped up or hung on a wall as they have 2 hooks on the back for hanging.
These are so lovely for vintage style weddings with their lovely rustic look & perfect as a wedding gift too.

They would be fantabulous used as props for wedding photo's, for your wedding photo booth or for your engagement photo shoot.

So lovely for any wedding but perfect if you are having a black & white wedding.
The signs are big & measure 66cms long & 16cms wide.

They are only £16 each & you can find them

*here*

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*A Cheerful Blog Post*

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I had quite the morning this morning with copyright issues galore ~ people taking my photos to sell on Ebay again!

So when I received a lovely e-mail from Krissie of Shabbily By The Sea letting me know she loved her recent purchases & had blogged about one of them, I was delighted & it instantly cheered me up & so I popped on by!

♥

I then became much cheerier after seeing how Krissie had used the Vintage Style Organiser she had bought from Vintage Amethyst! Her photos are adorable & I stole one above (a copyright issue in itself I hear you cry, but don't worry I did ask if I could use it, which I was very kindly grated permission. *giggle*)

Anyhoo pop on by the pretty Shabbily By The Sea blog & see all the cuteness *here*

Thank you Krissie for such a pretty blog post.

♥

I'm afraid the Vintage Style Organisers are out of stock now, greedy old me did keep one for herself though, sorry lovelies but I fell in love with them, they were so shabbily lovely!

 

Linking to Pink Saturday

*Pretty Pastel Kitchen*

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How pretty is this pastel kitchen?

I think it is completely scrummy!!!

♥

Pastel chinaware and canisters displayed on an open shelf in the kitchen, not only keep things readily to hand, but also give the room a retro feel.

Floral tins
Cath Kidston
Crockery
Typhoon
Toaster
Dualit

From Country Homes & Interiors

♥

*Shabby Chic is Available at House of Fraser*

♥

Shabby Chic is now available at House of Fraser!

There are lots of pretties available but being the greedy girly I am, I wanted more!!!

More pretties & more soft ruffles I think.

♥

♥

Shabby Chic Meadow 2 Drawer Sofa Table ~ £319.00

♥

I'm so glad there are some lovely grey pieces in the collection too as you may well know, my love of grey is almost equal to my love of white!!!!

The furniture isn't cheap folks, but we knew that would be the case didn't we & of course it seems especially expensive if you are like me & paint your own furniture in pretty soft greys & whites!

*eek*

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I really love this soft grey mug Shabby Chic Gosford Grey Mug ~ £4.50 but I do love grey & it isn't often you see it in a pretty china setting is it!?

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Shabby Chic Kew Side Plate ~ £7.00

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His & Her Mugs ~ £5.00

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Shabby Chic Floral Etched Glass Cakestand & Dome ~ £60.00

♥

If you haven't seen it yet pop along to the

House of Fraser

website *here* to view the full collection.

♥

Linking to White Wednesday at Faded Charm

*Popular Crafts Magazine*

♥

This month I'm delighted to tell you that Vintage Amethyst appears in Popular Crafts Magazine.
The issue which came out last week has a feature about blogs & Vintage Amethyst is one of the blogs featured with a link to the Vintage Amethyst Boutique

*Yay*

♥

If you haven't seen it before Popular Crafts has a wonderful website full of information & projects to do! There is also a forum where you can chat to other crafty people!

Also at the moment Popular Crafts are running a Matchbox Swap but you need to be quick to join in on this swap as you need to be signed up by the end of August! Find out all about the fun Matchbox Swap *here* & visit the Popular Crafts website *here*

♥

Thank you Popular Crafts for featuring Vintage Amethyst in this months issue.

*Welcome Home*

♥

This weeks *Product of the Week* are these really sweet

Welcome Door Hangers

♥

A lovely white door hanger/sign perfect for any home.
A pretty hanger to hang on your door knob to welcome people to your home.
The sign features a sweet little heart too, such a perfect little gift idea for any occasion.
Door hanger measures 23 cms high & 9 cms wide.

Only £4.50 each & you can find them *here*

♥

*Pink Pretties*

♥

Here are some of the

Pink Pretties

that are available at the Vintage Amethyst Boutique ...

A sweet pink Butterfly Garland ~ £8

♥

An antique style dark pink Rose Garland ~ £12

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A really pretty pale Pink Rose Garland ~ £10

♥

A cute pink linen Lavender Scented Hanging Heart ~ £4.50

Plus don't forget it's

*Free Delivery Weekend*

for all UK orders this weekend.

So pop along & take a peek at all the pretty goodies at Vintage Amethyst!

 

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

*Free Delivery Weekend!!!*

♥

This weekend is

Free Delivery Weekend

at

Vintage Amethyst for all orders being posted to UK addresses.

The free delivery offer will last all day Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st

so why not pop along & treat yourself ...

*visit the boutique here*

♥

*The Wonderful Doris Day*

♥

Doris Day, the sweetheart of 1950s music and film, is launching a musical comeback, nearly 20 years after her last studio album!

♥

Aahhhh I so love Doris Day.
My Mum was a huge huge fan & absolutely loved Doris Day.
Her favourite film ever was Calamity Jane.

I was brought up on Doris Day because of my Mum & her love of the sweet lady certainly rubbed off on me.

I am so in love with Doris Day films & really love the lady herself, she may have been dubbed the sweet 'girl next door' in films but what I also loved about her films is that that sparkle of mischieveousness she always seemed to portray. Her strong spirit & vigor always shone through her acting, I always felt.
She always seemed so fun & giggly, yet such a strong woman at the same time. It is a wonderful combination!

♥

BBC Radio 4 had an interview with the beautiful lady herself, who is now 87!

Pop along to the website *here* to read the article & listen to the interview.

*The Insider's Guide to Decorating with White ~ Shabby Chic's Rachel Ashwell*

♥

Ashwell sparked a craze for slipcovered sofas and flea-market finds when she launched Shabby Chic 22 years ago. Today, she oversees two furniture lines, as well as a collection for Target.

Her take on white decor? Pretty, but far from precious.

Think rumpled linens and chipped paint gussied up by crystal chandeliers and fresh flowers.

"My motto is 'beauty and comfort,'" Ashwell says.

"If you can embrace the lived-in look, white is very practical."

♥

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What I Know About Decorating with White, tips from Rachel Ashwell ...

WHITE IS NEVER BORING.
Beige can be boring, but not white. It's a very dramatic color. That's proven over and over again by weddings — we never tire of looking at them.

WHITE CAN BE COZY.
People think of it as cold, because they believe a white room must be neat and uniform with chairs lined up like good little soldiers. I avoid hard, modern pieces and use fluffy cushions and distressed finishes — so you still get that airy feeling, but with warmth to it.

WHITE MAKES FOR A FLEXIBLE AND FORGIVING FIRST STEP.
Paint a room white, and you have a blank canvas for anything. Start with bold wallpaper, and you're already committed.

♥

♥

WHITE IS EASY TO CARE FOR.

There's nothing worse than seeing someone go with an all-white room, then fear it. Let the white be lived in! I've raised two children in my homes, so all of my Shabby Chic slipcovers are preshrunk and machine washable. Of course, it helps to like the crumpled, imperfect look. I don't iron. If you're a human being and have a life, that gets old very quickly.

PAIR WHITE WITH PASTELS, BUT PROCEED CAREFULLY.

They can read as baby colors, so I choose mellow shades that impart just a whisper of smoky pink, blue, or green.

Read more: How to Decorate with White - Tips for White Decorating Ideas - Country Living

Linking to White Wednesday at Faded Charm

*Sweet Bug Cupcakes*

♥

Oh my, how absolutely adorable are these cakes!

I first came across them when I shared them on the Vintage Amethyst Facebook page from Martha Stewart, they are so so cute aren't they?

I love the pretty colours of them & although I love the word Ladybird (secretly I would love a little girl to call Ladybird, but shhhhhh!) I also love the cuteness of the American equivalent Ladybug don't you?

If you want the recipe for these cuties pop along to the Martha Stewart page *here*

♥

If you haven't already pop along & like the Vintage Amethyst Facebook page, you can find it *here*

*Vintage Style Cake Stand*

♥

This weeks *Product of the Week* are these wonderful 3 tier cake stands.

This is a really pretty vintage style cake stand.
The cake stand is made from pretty china plates mismatched for a delightful old vintage look with a gold handle.
Perfect for tea-parties or wedding table decor.

They are only £25 each & you can find them *here*

♥

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These are also sold by Urban Outfitters for £40!!! So they are bargain-licious at Vintage Amethyst!

*Sweet Stencil Idea*

♥

I came across this wonderfully cute idea from the House to Home website

through 25 Beautiful Homes magazine's Facebook page a while ago.

They had a post about stencilling & this sweet idea caught my eye as I thought it was just simply adorable!

♥

If getting the kids off to bed is a trial, maybe it'd be easier if they had a bedroom door they loved to open! The combination of images and script is a great idea and updating a door is a fun way to decorate with stencils.

Photograph by Tom Leighton

♥

*All Good Wishes for a Happy Day*

♥

I love vintage postcards, I always have done for some reason.

I remember when I was younger I used to buy them. I used to love going to car boots or flea markets when on holiday (we didn't really have many near us when I was little for some reason!)

I was always facinated with old postcards. Vintage jewellery too, but my Mum liked old jewellery & often bought vintage rings & small things for me which was simply wonderful. I thought they were such treasures!

We also had a fab second hand shop in town that I remember visiting on Sunday mornings with my Dad & this was before shops were generally open on a Sunday so it felt really exciting! The shop stocked the most wonderful collection of vintage postcards & old photos too & I used to love looking through them all. I often wondered about the people in the photos & what had happened to them & why such personal treasures had ended up in a second hand shop many years later.

I was really facinated with the beauty & charm of old postcards & often used to come home with a few of my favourites, that my Dad kindly bought for me!

I often wonder what happened to the cards I collected as I don't have them now, I think I must have got rid of them in my teenage years which is a shame.

♥

I still love old postcards & have a small collection now. I simply love their beauty & find the backs of them just as beautiful, if not more so on some occassions! I really love having ones that have been used to send greetings to a loved one, it seems wonderful to have such a small piece of time that has been captured so simply in writing & people seemed to have such beautiful writing in passed times ...

♥

♥

Written on 29th of May 1921 ...

All good wishes for a happy day.

Yours sincerely

Ethel.

♥

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound & Vintage Inspiration Friday at Common Ground & Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

*Vintage Amethyst's New Home!*

♥

Well I thought it was about time to show you Vintage Amethyst's new home!

I know it's not very glamorous is it!

*giggle*

These photos were taken the morning when we first got the keys to our new buisness unit.

I actually forgot to take some photos when we first got in when it was a blank space, but after a trip back with some things here we are!!!

♥

♥

This isn't everything believe me, we have had a few more trips with lots more things!!!
I am much more sorted now after a week, I have my shelving up, boxes & stock organised, a computer table, my wrapping station organised, craft area, a hanging wall for stock & even a little place to sit for a cup of tea or lunch!

♥

These photos aren't the best as we still had the shutters on the front window & door down here & so the lights were on, it is much lighter when the shutters are up!

I'm not running it as a gift shop, it is soley to run the online boutique, so we have frosted the front windows as it is a rather busy road & we are near traffic lights so people would be snooping in all the time!

♥

It is absolutely fantastic to have this much room, Vintage Amethyst has grown so much & I was so so desperate for space but it was hard to find the perfect space as retail spaces are so expensive for what I wanted as I didn't want to open a 'shop' (although perhaps one day I may!!!) & warehousing was far too big & thus expensive!

This place is absolutely ideal as they are a row of Victorian houses which have been made into business units, so some people run specialist shops which is fine as people will travel to visit them & others use them as workshops.
There are craft shops nearby alongside pottery & furniture restoration, a baby shop & cake makers, sign writers, framers (who actually makes up James' stretcher frames for his canvas so that's perfect!) & even a magician!!!!

♥

♥

Another great asset to this place is that there is room for both of us!
So James has the upstairs which consists of 2 rooms for his art studio.
James has become increasingly busy over the last year & also desperately needed the space, he has 25 commissions on the go at the moment & has to complete 8 paintings for a London Gallery by next month too! He is a busy bee!!!

So this place is really so perfect for us as it gives us both enough space & we are still together too!

♥

I will have to remember to take some more photos of how the place is looking now things are a bit more organised!

My Dad has been absolutely fantastic over the last week & has helped out so so much, we couldn't have done it as quickly without him, he even came round the other day with a new kettle for us! Which was really a hint to say 'I want a cup of tea when I come round'!

*giggle*  

We still have a few jobs to keep him busy though so he will earn those cups of tea believe me!

*Meet Rachel Ashwell: The Queen of Shabby Chic*

Photo from House of Fraser

♥

Well Shabby Chic is being launched this month in House of Fraser stores which is fantastic!

I can't wait to see it!

*squeal*

If you too are a lover of all things Shabby Chic I'm guessing you can't wait either!

♥

If you haven't seen it already, there is a sweet interview with the lovely Rachel Ashwell over at the House of Fraser blog!

If you haven't seen it, pop on over, you can find it *here*

♥

*Small Love Letters*

♥

This weeks *Product of the Week* are these cute Love Letters.

♥

A really sweet 'Love' shelf sitter.
Wooden letters painted off white & distressed for a lovely shabby country look.
A really adorable little gift idea.
The letters are 6.5 cms at the tallest & 13.5cms long.

They are only £4.50 & you can find them *here*

Also available in 'Home' Letters *here*

♥

*Pale Pink Cuteness*

♥

Here are some of my favourite pink photos over at Flickr.

Soft pale pink cuteness ~ aren't they all just too delicious!

♥

Click the links below to visit the original photos & photographers on Flickr.

1. Untitled, 2. Luxemburgerli, 3. Sweet Friday, 4. Pink Mailbox

♥
Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

*The Boutique is Open Again*

♥

Hey cuties, just to let you know the

Vintage Amethyst Boutique

is now open again!!!

♥

Back to work with a *bang* too with the first order being an urgent order for some White Heart Place Setting Tags for a wedding next week!!!

*I'm Back & I've Moved!*

♥

Hallo lovelies.
Well we had an absolutely fantastic time at my cousins wedding at Down Hall.

The weather was fantastic although a little cloudy on their wedding day but then again that meant it was a little cooler too, as the other days were really hot!

We spent Saturday in wonderful Cambridge & had a lovely boat trip along the river in one of the punts with my two sisters & their husbands, so it was really lovely. It was a beautiful afternoon too, so sunny & hot.

We got home Sunday afternoon & then first thing Monday morning we got our keys to our new business premises!

So the last few days have been sooooooo tiring!!! We had an awful lot of move, the whole of Vintage Amethyst is over there now, apart from a computer! My Dad has been a wonderful help, helping us along the way & doing lots of hard work!

I just about got sorted out yesterday & we had a quick trip to Ikea for more things that we needed but they didn't have the storage units I need so I am having to do without those for a while yet.
But most things are just about sorted out for me, so I am hoping to open the website again tomorrow!

 I will have to do all my computer work here at home for the time being though until we get our internet sorted, so orders will have to be printed off here then sorted out & wrapped over there then brought back home to have the postage printed from my online Royal Mail account, then dropped off at the PO Depot, but it will be fine I'm sure!