Hello!
Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! I thought I'd begin this new year by updating this blog with stuff from the old year that I didn't get around to. Which was very naughty of me (see previous post for how awful a blogger I am). Now I have updated a little bit, though I still have two markets and some behind the scenes stuff to come, let us commence the general chit chat!
How are you all? Both Sparrow and Nightingale are in fine form, despite it being January, a month which is truly abysmal. I can certainly speak for myself when I say that I had a lovely, relaxing Christmas (when I was in my little nest) and a very stressful working Christmas, from what I've gathered, I believe Sparrow's was much the same. Hope that you had a restful Christmas too and had the chance to truly enjoy it, even if you had to work it.
However, we met for some post-Christmas catch up drinkies with our friends at Truly, Madly, Vintage and Make, Do & Mend where we also discussed our upcoming ideas for 2011 and caught up with everyone's plans - let me tell you, Chelmsford has some very exciting goodies heading it's way! I feel I cannot divulge anymore at this moment, but rest assured those plans are very good indeed....
As for Sparrow and Nightingale's plans....they are also splendiferous, with world domination obviously being very high on the agenda, as always (jokes - or are they?). We are currently having a little winter 201o/2011 sale to make way for some of the new things we are working on, you can see the items at this link which I will hide as it was far too long and to order you simply Facebook message us, or email us at sparrowandnightingale@hotmail.com
For now, over and out!
Love,
A very excited Nightingale
xxxx
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Monday, 10 January 2011
What an awful blogger!
As the title says, it is indeed true. I am an awful blogger, who forgot to take her camera to the next market that we did, back at Shire Hall on the 18th September. Nevertheless, through the wonders of Sparrow's camera and the joys of Facebook, I can bring some photos - huzzah and hoorah!
Around this time there were a lot of big changes and big bits of paperwork I was going through for Mr Nightingale and I's purchase of our first home. It was very exciting, and still is, but....*whispers* also a bit scary! I don't mind admitting that to you chums, even if I did stage whisper. As scary as it is, as grown up and responsible, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world, I'm so happy and so filled with ideas that I feel I could burst! There has been a lot to think about recently and even if times are hard, life is short, and can be so fragile, even when you feel invincible, so as long you know that you always have people who love and support you, you'll get through it. (I must admit that I just found this in an old draft blog I wrote in June, so it comes a bit out of nowhere, however, I think the sentiment, though mawkish is rather nice. So in it goes.)
I am also an awful blogger as I rather shamefully can't remember much of this market. I think that perhaps I arrived late and left early, though with good reason as it was the lovely Kerry and Warren's wedding day (if you remember our very first market, Kerry took lots of great photos for us, and has always been a fantastic friend and supporter of Sparrow and Nightingale) - big hugs and kisses from Sparrow and Nightingale to you both!
Anyhoo, as I said, can't remember much, I'm sure that we had a blast! The market at Shire Hall is always really fun, and truly is the home turf - it means a lot that we get to sell our stuff alongside such talented people who have become great friends of ours over the months.
We had a few new additions, in different fabrics, but by this time I think we were well in the Christmas items mode - working in retail and putting out all the Christmas stock so early on always makes you start panicking way too early. Especially when you have to make the stock yourself before you get to sell it! As at all of our markets, we use them as an opportunity to not just chit chat and enjoy our day, we do other work too you know. We make little bits and bobs, I enjoy sewing more corsages and Sparrow often likes to do a little sewing too, keep ourselves out of trouble! We mostly sit with a notebook and doodle away. The thing about markets and the buzz of people is that they create an amazing atmosphere that is so inspiring; to be surrounded by so many creative people who share your vintage handmade dreams, for people to like your work as much as you do, just makes you full of energy, excitement and ideas (or at least encourages the ideas to pour out of you).
Nightingale
xxxx
Around this time there were a lot of big changes and big bits of paperwork I was going through for Mr Nightingale and I's purchase of our first home. It was very exciting, and still is, but....*whispers* also a bit scary! I don't mind admitting that to you chums, even if I did stage whisper. As scary as it is, as grown up and responsible, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world, I'm so happy and so filled with ideas that I feel I could burst! There has been a lot to think about recently and even if times are hard, life is short, and can be so fragile, even when you feel invincible, so as long you know that you always have people who love and support you, you'll get through it. (I must admit that I just found this in an old draft blog I wrote in June, so it comes a bit out of nowhere, however, I think the sentiment, though mawkish is rather nice. So in it goes.)
I am also an awful blogger as I rather shamefully can't remember much of this market. I think that perhaps I arrived late and left early, though with good reason as it was the lovely Kerry and Warren's wedding day (if you remember our very first market, Kerry took lots of great photos for us, and has always been a fantastic friend and supporter of Sparrow and Nightingale) - big hugs and kisses from Sparrow and Nightingale to you both!
Anyhoo, as I said, can't remember much, I'm sure that we had a blast! The market at Shire Hall is always really fun, and truly is the home turf - it means a lot that we get to sell our stuff alongside such talented people who have become great friends of ours over the months.
We had a few new additions, in different fabrics, but by this time I think we were well in the Christmas items mode - working in retail and putting out all the Christmas stock so early on always makes you start panicking way too early. Especially when you have to make the stock yourself before you get to sell it! As at all of our markets, we use them as an opportunity to not just chit chat and enjoy our day, we do other work too you know. We make little bits and bobs, I enjoy sewing more corsages and Sparrow often likes to do a little sewing too, keep ourselves out of trouble! We mostly sit with a notebook and doodle away. The thing about markets and the buzz of people is that they create an amazing atmosphere that is so inspiring; to be surrounded by so many creative people who share your vintage handmade dreams, for people to like your work as much as you do, just makes you full of energy, excitement and ideas (or at least encourages the ideas to pour out of you).
Nightingale
xxxx
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Time travel....
Cast your minds back, if you will, to June 2010. There was a little bit of a heatwave around that time, it was gloriously sunny, if not always boiling hot and it was fully of happy, balmy, light evenings... sigh.
It was 26th June, it was a sunny day and so Sparrow and Nightingale cracked out their best dresses and headed up to Cressing Temple Barns to sell some wares and also help out a great cause at the same time - the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. This local charity carries out fantastic work, with dedicated research labs and support centres giving emotional support and hope to those dealing with cancer. Nestled out in the Essex countryside (well, a bit) lie some barns originally built by medieval monks of the Knights Templar in the 13th Century. Let me tell you, they did a good job of it!
This beautiful barn was to be our location for the day. We quickly unloaded the Sparrow and Nightingale mobile (aka Mr Nightingale's car, which has been officially named Carlisle), found our table and set up our wares. It didn't take us too long, think we were getting the hang of it by then!
We were loving the atmosphere, it was so great to see so many stalls, all different, with so many quirky and cute items - if I had any money then I definitely wouldn't have any left at the end of it. As the day rolled on we explored some more and found a fleet of vintage cars, more barns filled with lush stalls, horses, crepe vans, tearooms, an old bus and a french scene where you could have photo ops, it was a great day out!
We were located right next door to the rather fantastic A2 Jive dancers and the vintage hair do stand, the Hair Raid shelter (brilliant name, I love a good pun) - where you could get victory rolls galore.
The Jive dancing was so amazing to watch, if I had the time and a willing partner I'd love to give it a go - who knows, I might get round to it one day! A big crowd turned out to support them which was fab as that meant lots of people to look at our stall.
Unfortunately that didn't turn out quite so well, we had lots of people looking at our stuff, and gave out lots of business cards but it was a bit of a slow day truth be told. There was so much to look at though and so much choice, one can't blame people for looking around so much - I know I would have! Not to worry though, at the end of the day we had a fantastic time, we had lots more positive feedback, and it was just great to feel part of something that attracted approx 2000 visitors and was a big event that raised money for a great cause!
As we packed up and drove back to Chelmsford, we blasted the radio, rolled the windows down and decided that one day taking Sparrow & Nightingale on tour would be awesome. And so, we drove off into the sunset, dreaming of a sepia toned future.
It was 26th June, it was a sunny day and so Sparrow and Nightingale cracked out their best dresses and headed up to Cressing Temple Barns to sell some wares and also help out a great cause at the same time - the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. This local charity carries out fantastic work, with dedicated research labs and support centres giving emotional support and hope to those dealing with cancer. Nestled out in the Essex countryside (well, a bit) lie some barns originally built by medieval monks of the Knights Templar in the 13th Century. Let me tell you, they did a good job of it!
This beautiful barn was to be our location for the day. We quickly unloaded the Sparrow and Nightingale mobile (aka Mr Nightingale's car, which has been officially named Carlisle), found our table and set up our wares. It didn't take us too long, think we were getting the hang of it by then!
We were loving the atmosphere, it was so great to see so many stalls, all different, with so many quirky and cute items - if I had any money then I definitely wouldn't have any left at the end of it. As the day rolled on we explored some more and found a fleet of vintage cars, more barns filled with lush stalls, horses, crepe vans, tearooms, an old bus and a french scene where you could have photo ops, it was a great day out!
We were located right next door to the rather fantastic A2 Jive dancers and the vintage hair do stand, the Hair Raid shelter (brilliant name, I love a good pun) - where you could get victory rolls galore.
The Jive dancing was so amazing to watch, if I had the time and a willing partner I'd love to give it a go - who knows, I might get round to it one day! A big crowd turned out to support them which was fab as that meant lots of people to look at our stall.Unfortunately that didn't turn out quite so well, we had lots of people looking at our stuff, and gave out lots of business cards but it was a bit of a slow day truth be told. There was so much to look at though and so much choice, one can't blame people for looking around so much - I know I would have! Not to worry though, at the end of the day we had a fantastic time, we had lots more positive feedback, and it was just great to feel part of something that attracted approx 2000 visitors and was a big event that raised money for a great cause!
As we packed up and drove back to Chelmsford, we blasted the radio, rolled the windows down and decided that one day taking Sparrow & Nightingale on tour would be awesome. And so, we drove off into the sunset, dreaming of a sepia toned future.
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