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What will be vintage?

Its no secret at all that my favourite vintage period is the 1940s and 50s and that our children join us on our 1940s reenactment adventures, infact it seems one of the most favourite vintage periods for people of my generation!

I often wonder if, my children will continue with this love of this period or as they grow if they (along with another generation) will embrace a new vintage period.

Putting aside other factors the 1940s / 50s is a period when alot of our parents were born and grew up.

So, how much of that has influenced our enthusiasm for the period? Our parents nostalgia influencing our subconcious, rose tinted stories of  'the best days of their lives' increasing our love for the period.

There is alot being asked these days about when is vintage? how old does something have to be vintage? Well, experts will quote anything over 25 years can called Vintage which takes us to the 1980s.  Fastforward 25 years till my daughter is the about the age as I am now and the 70s and 80s will be 50/60 years ago.  not too far away from my 60/70 years since the 1940s and50s!

70s without the fancydress!!

Although we wouldn't rush to dress from the period -(the above piccy might change that!!)
hubby and I definitely embrace the nostalgia of the 70s. Often buying original childhood games for the kids and rewatch our GoodLife DVDs with them!!

And there'll always be a babycham or snowball offered to visitors on xmas day, before dinner....

So will they jump into the 70s and 80s (the decades I was born and grew up) with as much enthusiasm as I have for the 40s and 50s or will those post war years always remain the desired vintage period?

Modern Or Vintage Part Two

Creating our own vintage modern television was lots of fun and we loved the results, but I've also bought a few vintage styled items in the past...

Retro Classic DAB radio 

I've had this one for years now, it must of been just as they came out. I imagined myself taking it on wonderful summer picnics but after realising just how many batteries listening to digital radio uses up I have it in the kichen so I can listen to JazzFm as I bake! 

I'm now looking for a portable record player for picnic duty....

Vintage styled fridge 

I've long been an admirer of retro styled kitchen appliances, I think as a vintage car enthusiast, the chrome styling and curved lines hooked me in. I spent many years longingly looking in the window of the Smeg store in Bath, picking out my favourite colour of refrigerator - it changed with the seasons! So when we redid the kitchen this year, we were definitely getting a retro fridge! After looking online I found one, not a Smeg but the same familiar lines and a good deal cheaper, a gorenje.

Retro bicycle 

I just can't comprehend the thought of few or NO gears, I struggle to keep up withthe children on rides as it is!! I was lucky with this bike, vintage styling with up to date gears, brakes and comfort etc. Now I just need to find 'the right' wicker basket for the front!

There are many lovely vintage style goodies on the market today with modern technology with looks spanning several vintage ages. Here are a few of my favourites...

 

 Retro 3 in 1 breakfast station

amazon

 Vintage Digital camera 

Rolleiflex mini 

The ease of a digital camera is just so convenient. I want to know I've 'got the shot' before I move on, but whipping out a digi at events isn't always proper so one of these would do me just nicely! I've also had thoughts of frankensteining a new camera into an old brownie (shh...don't tell hubby!)

USB keyboard 

Etsy 

Our computer lives in our lounge, hidden within a vintage wooden bureau, but one of these would look great on a big leather topped desk! It looks like you just use a tablet for your screen, which itself is a clever idea, take the tablet away and all thats left is your vintage typewriter!

The downside of my set up is that the monitor lives on top of the bureau. Now that the TV is hidden away, it stands out even more!  If anyone has got any ideas how I can hide the monitor I'd be greatful...

I'm sure everyone reading this will have a different view on whether these are great or naff, a brilliant solution or a complete cheat.
For me its the technology I need inside something that is pleasing to the eye, so its win win for me! 

What do you think? 

Do you have any modern vintage items in your home? 

What would be on your wish list?

Friday Night Comedy

Last week, on Friday 13th, the weekend of the titanic's sinking centenary, in a rainstorm, we dressed up and went out for a meal on a boat....

And thats where the comparisons stop.

The 'Penny Lane'

Our trip out was to the premiere of the 'River Giggle' an Evening of Comedy on the River Avon. The format of the evening, run by promoter and gangster character act  Sal Monello, is simple -  a three course meal followed by 4 comedy acts. The venue, aboard The Penny Lane River Cruiser , gives a nice twist to the evening.

The evening was an absolute blinder, with some great comedians and  delicious food! Luckily we had a great crowd on our table so the banter over dinner was fun too! Unfortunately the rain put pay to any photos, so you'll have to imagine  how fabulous we looked!!!

They are looking to run this regularly the 2nd Friday of the month, if you're near Bath  its a great night out, you can book here. And Sal holds other comedy nights around the area too, if boats aren't your thing!*

*The boat is moored for the evening so no sea sickness to worry about!!

Vintage or Modern? Part One

What do you do when you live in a modern house but yearn for vintage? You love the look of the old but need the technology of the modern day?  Last week I bought this lovely little 1950s cabinet on EBay, declaring it 'something a little special' to friends. Of course it doesnt seem special at all until you sneak a peek inside....

Its a 1950s Decca  Television - how cool!  Of course since the digital switchover here in the UK there was no way this was actually going to recieve a signal (scart lead? hdmi socket? this thing has screws to adjust placement and a lever to twiddle for focus!!) So what should we do, leave it as a curio prop in our already over crowded lounge , maybe not!

Hubby took it out into the garden and had a fiddle, 20 minutes later , the kids were watching a Winnie the Pooh Movie on our new fifties styled HD Television!!!

The Little Paris Kitchen

Have you seen this cookery program yet? I bought the cook book last week after catching a couple of episodes. Its the last one tonight but you should still be able to catch them on bbc.co.uk/iplayer still for a little while.

Rachel Khoo left Croydon in the U.K for Paris six years ago where she trained as a french pastry chef. She lives in a tiny but lovely French apartment, cooking in a kitchen where she can touch all four walls from the same place! From a two ring burner and compact oven she cooks simple French food with minimal fuss and even ran a resturant from her front room!

Betty Bee  interviewed Rachel a little while ago on her blog here

Rachel is totally living my fantasy of living in Paris and cooking whilst wearing red lipstick and running about from patisserie to boloungerie in a wonderfully vintage inspired wardrobe!! She's had many outfits this series I've fawned over...unfortunately not many seem to be on the net!!

 This was my favourite dress!!!

 

Polka dots feature very heavily in Rachels wardrobe

 Classic French Mac

 Deviation from her normal dresses, Rachel in a jumper and skirt.

Apparently I'm not the only one and Easy Living has an online section, where you can 'Shop Her Look'

New Skirts And Skate Parks....

Forgive me, again, for the lack of posts. Its the Easter hols and family life has taken over a bit! Easter break also meant the last of my sewing lessons. I finished my skirt in time -and begun a new dress - but since the holidays began I haven't had time to pull out the machine at all :-(

I must of had a subconcious Thursday (sewing lesson night) pull though because yesterday afternoon, I bought this fabric and knocked up something with little miss. Nothing vintage, just a self drafted skirt in a Retro pattern! We sewed it together - fun challenge! 

It only took an hour or so from measuring to wearing - most of that threading the elastic and breaking the bodkin in an all to narrow channel! Little miss was rather impressed I'm pleased to say, but did turn round at the end and ask....'but mummy why did YOUR SKIRT take so long to sew?' 

Today she wore it when we headed back to her new found hobby of skateboarding! 

Of course her second favourite pastime is modelling!!

Son swapped between bike and board all day. They're still beginners but they've got alot more confidence in the past few days!!