S.W.A.L.K {Vintage Valentine GIVE AWAY}

Kitsch, cute and mixed in with love to boot, for it's the season of love and what could say it more then a vintage Valentine card. 

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These highly sought after cards for their sweet illustrations with quirky sentiments makes them irresistibly cute. I've never managed to get one for my collection, so when I saw this wonderful book of reproduction press out Valentine greetings I had to snap a few up! I hope you will love it to and make a lovely edition for your collection. 

This collection, originally produced in 1945, and reproduced in 2005 with flocked red velvet effect onto the cards, it truly is a lovely collection.

Twelve pages in total, which included greetings cards and envelopes to pop out, lovely to treasure as inspiration, or for your vintage collection.

{Peek inside}

Cupid is at the ready with his bow to pick one lucky winner. 
{Give away now CLOSED}

If you would like to enter: simply be a follower of our blog, Facebook or Twitter page, all three counts as three chances to win. Please retweet this post on twitter, like & share our give away post on Facebook, or leave a blog comment for a chance to win.

Give away is open to UK residents. Closing date is Friday February 10th, on Saturday we will announce the winner in time for Valentines day.

Cupid is sending luck your way with the flapping of his little wings.

Good Luck from us to.

H

x

Thank you Lola Nova - such a treat.

In November I was lucky enough to win a wonderful flirty fabric wallet created by Alexandra Smith, you may know Alexandra's creations as Lola Nova, wonderful designs from vintage fabrics. I absolutely adore the fabrics chosen for the wallet, I love the contrast and bold colours of the roses, working alongside pink pinstripe and delicate flowers, complete with green fabric, I  imagine it as the grass they bloom amongst. 

A total "wow" moment, I couldn't believe I had won, truly really made my day, along with the amusing and novel way the winners had been chosen, imagine firing a pencil, hitting the numbered target to select the winners.

Our love of winter became our entry on Lola Nova - What Ever Lola Wants blog - I wrote:

# 39 is Jamboree of Whitley Bay who said : "Winter, for all it brings the cold and dark nights, I love to think something magical is waiting to happen. The first snowfall, the hope of an adventure with James and the Snowman. Christmas, a time with family and reminiscing about childhood, reading a good book all snuggly inside and sipping hot chocy."

 The lyrics from "The Sounds of Music" are spot on 

it was a true treat just to unwrap the package adorned with Russian doll motifs this morning, not to mention the lovely discovery of a bauble inspired decoration to, thank you so much Alexandra for such a wonderful treat.

If your a reader of Mollie Makes you may remember the Lola Nova wallet tutorial and the pretty rosy wallet featured in Issue 5 to. 

I'm really looking forward to starting the free projects that came with each issue of Mollie Makes, and being inspired by tutorials inside. Time to indulge, relax in a total craft overload and nibbling chocie's over the festive period.

Do you love Mollie Makes to? be sure to check it out, a new copy out is out, and be sure to visit Lola Nova.

H

x

♫ ♪ O Kitschmas tree! O Kitschmas tree!

Today officially felt festive, transported back in time to being a kid with "The Never Ending Story" on ITV and pretty much glued to the films that followed, preparations for Sunday giving the living room a blitz, tidying crafty goodies and such. Even time to nibble a festive biccy or two and edit snaps of our Christmas tree.

To say we didn't love kitsch and vintage decorations would be a fib. Collected throughout the years and the introduction of new goodies the tree seems to take on a life of it's own, full of characters and creatures. I didn't realise just how many snowmen and angels guarded the tree. 

I think this year I bought one of the kitschest decorations I've bought in a long time, in memory of our Yorkshire Terriers to. Fluff and beaded detailing for the dress I couldn't resist the glass Yorkie decoration from Fenwicks, I really loved a juke box decoration to, but was finally tempted by a glass toadstool. I was surprised the Yorkie was about £3.95 - £4.95 I think, later discovering it was £6.95 in Paperchase.

Discovered last year: Two part Russian doll dec's from Accessorize, along with house dec from B&Q & gingerbread man from Pound Stretcher.

One of our oldest decorations from when I was a child, the angel I believe is meant to hold a candle, can't quite believe candles were used to decorate trees in Victorian times - match anyone?. 

Glass baubles: remind me of Christmases gone by to, although the amount of our vintage glass baubles have dwindled over the years, adore the vibrant colours and shapes.

Snuck Hello Kitty chocolate baubles on the tree to - they have all been counted and their will be daily investigations of said baubles for anyone tempted for a nibble - you know who you are! ;)

Each year I love to create decorations for the shop, but always forget to keep a few for our tree, this year this little owl flew into our collection. 

A reindeer and his hoodie, thankfully without a ban from shopping centres. And it wouldn't be Christmas without the nativity.

Another oldie from my childhood, now we know what Santa does after Christmas day - Play tennis, I bet Rudolf cheats ;)

Gingerbread folk always tempt me, I don't know why, maybe it's the total sweetness both nibbled and decorative :) the gingerbread house was a lovely edition from a dear friend, I thought it would look cute paired up. 

A close favourite of the festive season has to be "The Snowman" I have to confess I have been know to fly the mini snowman around the room whilst singing "Walking in the air"...and moving on lol. The larger snowman I rescued from a car boot, in need for some TLC of the bath variety he came up practically like new for a bargain of 50 pence I think it was.

You'll have to excuse the mess, quick snap the other night when the tree was finally up. Decided to fiddle with the camera settings, I think the second pic looks more like viewing the tree after a tipple.

These pic's I have called contemporary Christmas tree aka more camera fiddling trickery.

Throughout the bay I have found treats for the family, but just in case they are spying, other treats discovered recently further a field are two lovely tins discovered in TKMaxx. The temptation of the gingerbread striked again - snapped up for £5.99 with chocolate chip cookies inside. 

The stocking I discovered at Boundary Mills, although it was a pound our two cheaper in Fenwicks, but I had already bought it. The two sweet houses were a charity shop discovery, the pair for £1.50. I had hoped to use them for the shop as display, but they have came in useful for decoration at home. 

What is your Christmas tree theme this year? maybe a different colour scheme each year, or treasurer of decorations collected over the years to. We love hearing your festive traditions.

If you didn't know already we have entered The Best Dressed Window competition as part of a North Tyneside project for local businesses.
That's not only, their is also a chance to WIN a pair of tickets for one lucky winner for a performance of your choice at the Whitley Bay Playhouse. 

I thoroughly enjoyed creating the displays for the Christmas window, I think my favourite is Daisy the mouse, she was such fun to create along with Gingerbread Elvis and his fans.

If you would like to have a peek at our window pics - take a peek here. Any votes are truly appreciated - good luck & thank you.
It's lovely to see Whitley Bay decorated, shop windows and street decorations, I especially love the trees decorated of St. Paul's, I keep meaning to take photos each year, but I never get the chance. 
Well just in case this is our last blog post of the festive season - we would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year.

Thank you for your custom in 2011 - here's to 2012.

H

x

And the winner is.......

With the help of my glamourous assistant Mimi the peg mermaid, we have drawn entries for our peg folk pack give away from a tea cup.

 And the lucky winners are.....

Jill Bee

Elaine Anderson Smith 

Up Toon Girl < love the name btw ;)

Congrats gals.

Just let me know if you would like to collect your pack from Jamboree, or alternatively please pop us an email with your address to jamboreebay@yahoo.co.uk to be delivered good ole snail mail. 

Thank you to everyone who entered, hopefully we will have more give away's soon, watch this space.

H

x

~*Friday Find - Who would live in a house like this?*~ New blog post

As Lloyd Grossman would say 

"Who would live in a house like this?"

Apparently four frogs and a squirrel.

I haven't wrote a Friday find blog post in such a long time, yet the collecting has continued and trying to hide those new knick knack purchases took on a new scale in the form of this sweet dolls house. I found this abode at a carboot sale, it came with it's own sweet furniture, plastic in a 40's-1950's style with the addition of 1985 Sylvanian family. Repainted, and the roof in need of a little love, it's near perfect 1940's-1950's house, with opening front door and metal frontage, crazy patterned carpet from the 70's I think?. One thing worries me though, their is know toilet, I guess frogs just tinkle in a pond? ;)

I had a seen a few gorgeous vintage dolls houses on eBay, sadly a lot were out of the region and pick up only, so I was totally in awe of this house when I spotted it. I bought the the house in mind for display in the shop, and later on thinking it would look sweet under the Christmas tree in our window display, but their just wasn't room in the end. I think i'll leave the roof as it is, to fix it I think would just create more damage. For now it's being stored in our spare room, hopefully one day craft room ;).


Do you have a similar house to? or maybe an avid dolls house maker - collector. We would love to here your stories. We have also set up a photo album on our facebook for customers/friends to upload vintage - retro - antiques - kitsch finds/projects you may like to share, you may need to add images to the wall first - take a peek at the photos already added - link.


Last, but not least, our peg doll give away ends tomorrow, 3 lucky winners will win a peg doll kit each. More details can be found here - link.

Have a fab weekend
Jamboree
x

Thinking outside of the tin ~*New blog post*~

This year our theme for our Christmas window has been inspired by a love of vintage, but more notably Mrs Claus's kitchen. 

From Santa's cat a sleep on a chair, a naughty mouse painting on the naughty or nice list, to gingerbread Elvis whipping up a frenzy between the gingerbread gals. I couldn't quite find a vintage tin for Elvis's stage, so after last years nibbling of celebrations sweeties in store the tin came in handy.

I had some sparkly checked Christmas scrap booking paper/card I had been hoarding just right for adding some sparkle. Drawing around the lid onto scrap booking paper, wrapping paper could also be used, to continue the vintage theme. I left the edge of the tin exposed, but sticky backed ribbon would look sweet, or simply tie ribbon around as we did.

To fix the paper I used double sided tape, fixing the over lapped endings securely using glue stick.

And then your ready to rock and roll!

Lovely to store baked treats, fill with lots of mini present treats, or keepsake tin for Christmas photos etc.

How would you decorate your tin?

{Inspired - Christmas} New blog post

For the past few months I have been moon lighting as an elf, burning the midnight oil creating Christmas decorations for the shop and leaving trails of glitter and painty finger prints - oops ;). 
Theirs nothing we love more then vintage & kitschy Christmas decorations and graphics, notably a big influence upon our Christmas range. I really do hope you will love it, I'm still undecided about a batch of felt birds I have created, very kitschy - maybe I can post and you can tell me what you think?. 
Rustled up the above montage, proving hard not to get carried away with so many wonderfully influencing, inspirational and generally adored vintage and kitschy ideas whirling around. 


Which is your favourite inspiration for Christmas? Shabby chic, vintage, kitsch, retro, traditional or contemporary? 


I was hoping to introduce our Christmas goodies this week, but realistically it will be next week pinkies crossed - shall keep you posted.


H
x

♫ Because your sweetness is my weakness... Seaside memories {New blog post}

It's amazing how one scent can transport you back into the past, or a favourite memory. Has that ever happened to you before?
For myself, the sweet mint scent of a new candle in store - Peppermint Breeze transports me back to childhood memories of the seaside, rock pool exploring and finishing off the day with a treat of a mint stick of rock. 


Do you remember the rock shop in Cullercoats? Rock dummies, even plates of food: bacon, fried egg etc made of rock. Love how kitsch and quirky they were.

{Seaside memories}

Now that's a stick of rock!

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Royal mail stamps - Beside the Seaside - 15 May 2007

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 Love sunsets - just had to share this poster

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Jamboree

x

Create your own doilies bunting {New blog post}

Doilies, a cake and pastries best friend. Prettifying a sweet treat indulgence in all shapes and patterns. What could be cuter then heart doilies? 

Looking at the doilies every day in the shop I really wanted to use a pack for decoration to, the cakes will just have to be imaginary for the moment :). So I attempted a doilies bunting/garland. Perfect for parties/occasions, great for a craft project, the doilies make a great base to add your own designs and customization. Lovely to decorate a craft room to.

Circular bunting would also be fantastic to - portioned up as though your cutting a cake into segments - the decorative edge at the top - creating triangular sections like traditional bunting.

Goodies used:

Heart doilies from Jamboree £3.95. Cupcake circular doilies available to.

Golden metallic ribbon for threading.

Pictured is also pink lace ribbon, although I didn't use this, would be lovely as bows to add embellishments.

I also used pink glitter glue.

Below: Floral vintage inspired craft paper A4 50 pence from Jamboree.

 I added the Jamboree "J" after I threaded the hearts, but can easily be done before hand to.

I threaded the ribbon through the doilies decorative edge

And hey presto! pretty doilies bunting. I added pink glitter glue to the floral detail on the smaller hearts, unfortunately it doesn't show on the image. Have a peek next time your in Jamboree.

Here is our bunting over our 60's kitchen dresser. I used the large butterfly decorative clips £4.95, to create the swags. Unfortunately not the words best photo, but hopefully you get the idea.

Fancy creating your own? we'd love to see your bunting, pop us an email with any piccys to jamboreebay@yahoo.co.uk