Treasure Hunting

I'm so behind on blogging it's shameful - life has got in the way the last couple of months and blogging has taken a back seat. Over the next few days I'm hoping to get back into the blogging loop and tell you all what's been happening with me and my little handmade business. 

So, this weekend I decided to have some me time - but couldn't help go on a treasure hunt for china plates. I took a little trip to Matlock and invited my friend who's never been - also an avid treasure hunter! We spent the day strolling around the shops - theirs quite a few vintage ones!

I'm currently converting my dining room into my studio so I was on the look out for interesting storage ideas. I fell in love with these wire storage boxes from Bow Boutique - the coral colour is dreamy.

I picked up these cardboard cotton cones from The Vintage Rooms, a great way to display my bakers twine - I definitely feel like I need to get organised - making everything look prettier is my way of making things easier to sort out. 

Another purchase which came in useful for my washi tapes was this vintage fold up hanger - I'm addicted to buying these - you can never have enough washi tapes!

My home is mostly mid century finds, however, I feel I am being drawn to the 'floral side', my guest room has a wall display of charity shop floral finds. I noticed these stunners on my trip - I love the colours and they have inspired me to bring more of the outdoors into my home.

We also managed to sneak a car boot into the day - I try not to look for anything in particular. I feel everything has a second use and I'm a strong believer that someones rubbish is someone else's treasure. I came across these beauties - apart from being great props in my product photos I want to try and up-cycle them too, maybe a few pages into art prints and incorporate the illustrations into plate designs.

I couldn't resist picking these lovelies from the car boot field - free flowers!!!! what did you all get up to this weekend? find any treasure?

Prima Makes - Press

In the latest issue of Prima Makes magazine Heart Vintage features in 'Be My Valentine'. Readers will be able to have a go at making a up-cycled vintage plate following my 'easy makes' instructions.



Styled by London stylist Selina Lake, the feature includes other handmade loveliness, photographed with beautiful fresh flowers & vintage finds....bloomin' lovely.

'love you' & 'bloomin' botanical' ranges feature vintage bird illustrations and botanical drawings, perfect for Valentine's & Mother's Day gifts, available from my online shop now.

New Stockist - Taylor'd Bundles

Another stockist!!!! Heart Vintage will now be collaborating with online store Taylor'd Bundles bringing new exclusive personalised up-cycled vintage plate designs for every occasion. 

Taylor'd Bundles are based in London, selecting handmade products from all over the UK to bring you bundles of loviness for every occasion including new baby gifts, wedding & new home to name but a few.

The 15 collaborators design and create personalised gifts for your loved ones bringing you one off designs. All items are handmade so completely one offs, just like Heart Vintage...no two designs are the same, which I love.

I'm chuffed to be a part of the 'crafty family' and look forward to launching the new designs next month!! here's a sneaky peek of the new baby design for you to see which include adorable vintage rabbit illustrations....

Period Living - Press

At the back end of last year I was approached by Period Living magazine to appear in there monthly feature 'My Vintage World'. How bloomin' exciting!!! I obviously jumped at the chance. It gave me chance to let readers know about what inspires me, my earliest childhood memories, my vintage heirlooms as well as my recent vintage purchases and my love for up-cycling.

In the March issue I chat about one of my personal heirlooms, a locket given to me by my grandmother, which my mother also have engraved for my 30th Birthday - I don't leave the house without wearing it, it's one of my favorite pieces of vintage jewellery, it probably doesn't hold much value but it is dearly sentimental to me. I share how I'm addicted to vintage fairs and shops, we have quite a few in Leicester and the surrounding area. I spotted these Luminarc vintage drinking glasses in an interiors mag years ago, I luckily came across a set in one of my stockists stores - Alkaline I'm totally smitten with the pretty bird & floral designs.  Also I share one of my recent up-cycling projects - updating an old vintage lampshade. I really enjoyed doing the piece and was really happy with how the final article turned out.

Leicester Mercury - Press

January was a pretty hectic month for Heart Vintage thanks to some great press features. Leicester Mercury More Magazine featured Heart Vintage TWICE!! Firstly in the shopping feature, but also a two page spread. I really didn't expect the piece to be this big. It was a little overwhelming when I opened the paper in my local newsagents....I'm totally chuffed, and I've had so much positive feedback and custom order requests which is great news! You can have a read of the full article here over on the Leicester Mercury website.

Make do & Mend

This month's make do & mend is.....vintage teacups.

As a lover and collector of vintage china, I often come across lonely teacups on my plate hunts to charity shops & carboots. Instead of leaving the abandoned little cups, I bring them home to sit on a shelf looking pretty in my workroom, however, I want to find another use to show these little fellas beauty off....

teacup lights via Kotivinkki

I adore these lights, an upside down teacup made into a quirky lamp. These would look beautiful grouped together to make a teacup chandelier, maybe with a bright pink lighting flex too,

similar to these below.

pink light flex via Dowsing & Reynolds

Or how about some wine glasses....perfect for a vintage themed wedding or dinner party. Love the contrast between the delicate pattern and shape of the teacup and the clean modern wine glass base.

teacup wine glasses via Festival Brides

teacup wine glasses via Apartment Therapy

I think one of my favorites is to make a collection of planters, I spotted this over at the Hema blog...

teacup planters via Hema

I love the mixture of vintage and modern cups with the washi tape highlights. I want to make NOW! Maybe Heart Vintage decals instead of the washi tape....a lovely addition to the up-cycled china family.

Hello 2015

Happy New Year everyone! I'm back in the studio today after a lovely couple of weeks off. I can't believe Heart Vintage is one already!

Some of you may know I also work as a graphic designer within the fashion industry for over ten years now. Although I design full time I feel like I need another creative outlet, especially as I've always been fond of home decor. With a passion for vintage & up-cycling Heart Vintage was launched.

I'm a massive list maker, I've got pretty notebooks full of them...starting a business I made a list of aims, things I wanted to achieve in the first year....

To start a blog and maybe design a website - I managed to do both although I'm not the most confident writer I do try my best, sorry for any grammar or spelling errors :) I wanted to create a diary more for my own benefit, but if others enjoy reading it it's a bonus. And the website, it's pretty basic for now but I'm super thrilled I did it all on my own (with the help of Google of course).

To get a Twitter account and actually use it - done! and my aim is definitely to tweet more in 2015...I was surprised at how many orders and enquiries I get from Twitter, as well as Instagram I couldn't live without either now!

To open an online shop - I have two...Etsy & Big Cartel. Both are doing well, in 2015 I'll be added lots of new products and designs.

To attend a Craft Fair with my wares - I attended a few, Selina Lakes Handmade Fete being my highlight. I remember being so nervous and excited at the same time. I was silly to be nervous though, as soon as I arrived everyone made me feel right at home, I learnt so much and had so much fun! I'm hoping to attend lots more this year.

Those aims were all achieved over 2014 along with some pretty big surprises which I never expected to happen in my first year of launching.....

Stockists - I never dreamt of having a stockist in my first year and now I have three...I didn't push for these they organically happened which was great. I'm so happy to work with like minded, supportive stockists, I'm looking forward to working on new ideas over the next year with these fab people.

A Photoshoot - I wanted to have a range of piccies to use on social network to promote my wares as well as to upload to my website. Although I'm quite good with a camera I know someone who is far better!!! Linda and I had a great day styling, looking forward to the next one!

Press - to have my designs written about and photographed is pretty bloody exciting. I've had some lovely feedback...I can't wait to see Heart Vintage is more press this year.

So what will 2015 bring...fingers crossed more of the same. But of course I wouldn't be able to do any of this without my lovely customers, followers, stockist, friends & family. Thanks for making a dream come true, leaving comments, reposted piccies, retweeting and for keeping me sane (well kind of). 2014 was my warm up year I have a feeling 2015 is going to be pretty special!