Use it, Or Lose it!

Yesterday my friend and I paid a visit to our local flea market in the hope of finding some treasures...I was looking for goodies for my shop, and Debbie was on the look-out for gardenalia, as she is about to embark into the world of vintage selling too, by having her first ever stand at a fair later in the year.

We waited outside the gates before opening time (we weren't first in the queue, I hasten to add, as that would involve getting up VERY early! ;-))...And before long a huge queue of people had grown behind us. It is quite incredible really how many people are prepared to spend their day-off rootling through 'old stuff'! In fact it actually made me a little sad as I am all too aware that our high streets are beginning to suffer...(more on that in a moment...)

Once the gates were opened there was a huge surge of people running in to try to snap up a bargain, or to find an elusive treasure of one kind or another...

I bought a few bits and bobs on arrival and soon decided to take my more fragile purchases back to my car. This must have been about 11.30 am and as I walked out of the gates there was still a long queue of people still waiting to pay their entrance fee to come in - That's two hours after opening time! I find it quite remarkable really, to think that there really were so many people all looking to buy old over new, and yet, where do all of these people go after the fair is over?...Very few of them seem to be shopping on the high streets these days.

As I have had my shop now for around three months, and have chatted to a lot of people in that time, I am very conscious of the fact that few of us are using our local high streets now. I am still having local people come into my shop asking how long I have been there, as they haven't seen me before and that they rarely come into the town any more...

Its such an expense to run even the smallest of shops and these hard working entrepreneurs need our help if the independent shops are to survive. They provide the niche items amongst the often soulless, highly manufactured goods of the chain stores and supermarkets.

I spent all day yesterday searching for pretty, unusual items to fill my shop's shelves. I pride myself on the fact that I have always bought items that I love, taking hours sometimes to select pieces, one item at a time to fit with my look; rather than going to an auction, for example, and buying up a 'job lot' which may only have one or two items in a box that I actually like and would be happy to sell-on.
It seemed VERY difficult yesterday to find lovely things...MUCH was very expensive - far more than I would be happy charging in my own shop! I pride myself on passing any 'good buy' savings onto my customers and not charging more that an item is realistically worth...tricky when so much was expensive to start with...

Buying from fairs was so much easier just a couple of years ago. (For example! - and there are many more great buying trips in my blog's archive...)

Don't get me wrong, I realise the sellers at the fairs (I myself am often one of them!) need to make a living...and I do hope that there is room for all of us, be it at the various fairs and markets or on the high streets...Just don't be in too much of a hurry to dismiss the high street as the expensive place to shop, as I can assure you, in many cases it isn't.

The BBC will be filming a new TV series in Shepton Mallet as from May/June of this year. The programme is going to document how our shopping habits have changed and how the UK's smaller high streets are under threat for a variety reasons. Belinda has written the general details of the new series on her blog, which can be found here.

The few photos above were most of my purchases from the full day's foraging. Buying fabrics and lace is always a good buy for me as it means that I can make a one-of-a-kind treasure for my shop (at a reasonable price! ;-)) - With the added appeal that the bits and pieces have all been recycled.

**

I admit that I was a little disappointed with my haul yesterday, so needed another opportunity to search today...

Hubby and I made a quick visit to the annual Mells Daffodil Fair this morning. Usually we'd stay all day and watch all of the competitions and displays, but today we just did a quick flit of the 130 stalls and then came home.

(Well, apart from taking a few quick snaps of the fabulous Town Criers!...

...And Morris Dancers!)

My booty included a glass jug, deco mirrored frame and some pretty Victorian baby bonnets.

The Liberty Toile curtains are actually a perfect fit for our back room's window, so those will be staying with me.

This week I shall be getting my stock ready for the Vintage Textile and Costume Day at Dairy House this Sunday. A fair where you are sure to find some beautiful treasures...I shall also be using it as an opportunity to promote my little shop on Shepton's Market Place!

Hope you've had a lovely Easter weekend,

Niki x
PS: I'd also just like to share this with you - My youngest daughter has been working on this little Viking doll all day today. He's going to be a special pressie for a friend of hers who does historical re-enactments! So cute! :)