Tuesday 16 July 2013

Mighty fine mini festival

The other day Frocktasia & Wunderbar Vintage rolled out their rails at the first ever Sunday Mini Festival at The Finsbury. Our lovely pal Mike who was organizing the event had put together an awesome line-up of live bands and solo artists.
Thankfully we got to pitch up outside. I think I would have died indoors.
It was another scorcher of  a day so quite understandably many people decided to hit the park rather than the pub thus customers were rather thin on the ground during the first part of the day.
I was meant to be organizing the vintage market but in all honesty it was Leslie that did most of the organizing, she worked out the floor plan before we even got there, brought all the rails & trestle tables. 
She's is a superstar and the best market buddy anyone could ever wish for. 
I'd been busy making love-beads in the run up to the market & I was giving these away with every purchase. They resulted in lots of smiles, kind words and even hugs & kisses...love-beads indeed ;)
 My bargain case attracted lots of attention as per usual. I love it when someone is rummaging and all of a sudden their eyes light up cause they've found something they really like for cheaps.
Leslie's gorgeous friend Rachel popped by and hung out for a bit. 
 Leslie had brought some of her Leslie Works handmade wares too. I absolutely love these vintage button & zipper bracelets.
 I love her steampunk collars too, made from vintage lace and trims...
Meg and Bridget having a wee rummage and Mike having his fortune told  by Step Drey  who also happens to be a fabulously talented photographer ;)
 Around four o'clock the trickle of customers turned into a wee flurry as the sun-drunk park revelers, billed artists & their fans started to rock up. Leslie and I switched from enjoying the sun mode to trader mode and managed to make some people very happy with our vintage, retro and handmade wares.
The frock I wore yesterday has actually never had an outing on home soil before. It is the first thing to hit my suitcase when we holiday abroad. I call it my 'Tropical Rose' frock cause it's been with me to the tropics three times. The fabric features a finely perforated  pattern which is perfect for the weather we are having in the UK at the moment. The frock is by Ken Scott who is often referred to as the "Fashion Gardener" because of his trademark use of bold prints and vibrant colours.
Here's the frock in action abroad...
Pitching up alongside us was Antonio Alfaro Sanchez, on-the-spot poet extraordinaire :)
It is probably not a very common thing here in the UK to have to delay something due to good weather but unfortunately the glorious sunshine on Sunday did the indoor goings on of the mini festival no favors whatsoever. Therefore Mike decided to start the live performances a bit later than billed to allow an audience to build up for the acts. It is a very hard task indeed to try and convince people to go indoors when there is a nice late afternoon breeze in the air.
Before anyone took to the stage we were treated to some heavenly harp magic courtesy of  gorgeous Louisa Duggan and then Raff  kicked off the live music on stage followed by Katie Maddox...
 The vintage market started packing up at half seven so we sadly I missed out on the performances of Burton Bradstock and The New Burn. I handed the camera to Mike so that he could snap a few pics. Comparing the event was Andrew Hobbs and there was also some awesome poetry by Stephen Purbeck Howarth.
We were finished packing up just in time to enjoy the amazing Meg Cavanaugh with her awesome band of  (as she puts it in her bio) seasoned musicians. 
On the keyboard rocking a top from Frocktasia and a Bambie pendant from Wunderbar Vintage Miss Bridget Walsh ;)
Then it was time for Mike, Jozef and Simon to hit the stage...
 Needless to say they were brilliant :)
Completing the awesome Sunday Mini Festival line-up were the bonkers good Super Hero Jam...  
It was a really cracking event, I got to hang out with some of my favourite people, peddle my wares and enjoy great music...can it get any better than that?!
It seems to have gone down well with the venue as well as Mike has already booked another date for September, so if you didn't make it this time there will be another opportunity.
The Mini Festival will be back and next time it will be even bigger, bolder and better, yay!

Today Mark had the day off so at lunchtime we sauntered up to the park and lazed about in the shade, had some food, drank some low alcohol cider and did some cloud-spotting.
 Not that there were many clouds to spot ;)
Mark fell asleep and I took some photos of trees, insects and daisies for a bit. Then when I got bored I rudely roused my sleeping beauty and after playing "cherry pip" for a bit we went to feed the ducks who  were swimming around in spinach soup.
Cherry Pip: 
Hold onto the corners of a folded blanket
Put a cherry pip in the middle
Launch the pip into the air and try to catch it again
...one of life's little pleasures ;)
We've got a new friend. Meet Mr. White. He's got something wrong with his wing, poor thing  :(
 Today I cheekily nabbed a frock from the stockroom, just because I can...
Trippy Hippie frock, floppy straw hat, sunnies (car boot sale), scarf (pressie from mum), Vintage button and zipper bracelet (gift made by Leslie Works), Frocktasia love-bead bracelet, vintage necklaces, earrings and copper bangles (from all over the place).
I'll love you and leave you with Opus III, enjoy :)
Hope you also had a mighty fine weekend and an awesome start to the week.
Loads of love,
Jennie
xXx


10 comments:

Becky said...

So gorgeous in your rose frock and the market looks like it went over splendidly-- I would go if I was there :)

Joyatri said...

Wow! Sounds like a splendid day--spreading the vintage love, hugs for beads, music, and friends. I'm intrigued by the instant poems. Very cool button bracelets and steampunk collars by Leslie.
Yay! for simple pleasures and borrowing trippy hippie frocks from the stockroom.

Vix said...

The rose print dress is a perpetual favourite, it looks gorgeous every time it comes out. Liking the borrowed one, too.
Glad the market went well, it must be hard to get the punters in when the weather's so lovely, it makes us so lazy! xxx

Trees said...

Oh I am SO jealous of pretty much everything in this post - but mostly the sunshine. It looks so beautiful there. Also I want someone to buy me a poem!

thorne garnet said...

another fun event, and another reason I want to live in a big city. Or a medium city, or just a city!

Curtise said...

Both frocks are beautiful, but the rose print maxi is especially stunning. Looks like a great Sunday! xxxx

Connie Staccato said...

The pink lace poncho is to die for!

Connie said...

Oh my. This looks like so much fun. Honestly, Jennie, you do have fabulous taste!

Krista said...

That dress should get more outings at home, I love it! Your lazy afternoons in the park are so deserved you bust your ass selling! Your stuff always looks so gorgeous!
Xxoo

Leslie Wilson-Rutterford said...

This such a brilliant and comprehensive post, Jennie! Thank you for inviting me to the mini fest, and putting up with me getting our scene set up at all costs! You looked amazing, as always, and that rosy and green dress was particularly cute and fits you beautifully. It was lovely to hang with you all, too and make some new friends to boot. I'm looking forward to the next installment at the Finsbury, oh! and thanks for the lovely plugs of my button zip bracelets and 'steampunk' antique lace chokers! You are a star!! xx