Wish Me Luck (As You Wave Me Goodbye)

As Time Goes By

We Must All Stick Together

Coming In On A Wing And A Prayer

Its A Lovely Day Tomorrow

On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Sentimental Journey

Land Of Hope And Glory

A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

Sing As We Go

We'll Meet Again...

We're Gonna Hang Out The Washing On The Siegfried Line

Bless 'Em All

I've Got Sixpence

I'll Be Seeing You

Sally

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

My Heart Belongs To Daddy

Moonlight Becomes You

There'll Always Be An England

When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World

Shopping...

I must admit that these days a lot of my 'free' time is spent sourcing goods for my shop...It still surprises me when just the right thing turns up at just the right time...

Take this old book for example - Not only does the title mention one of my favourite words(!) but also, its all about the 1940's, which is the next era to be filmed by the BBC in Shepton Mallet.

Subtle as I am(!) I placed the book in my shop's window yesterday...within a few hours it was whisked from the display and was on its way to a certain research dept. ;-))

I've not taken any photos yet of the shop fronts on the Market Place for this era, but will do so later this week. They truly are very evocative of wartime - there are no new facades, but the existing 1930 style signs have been aged and rubbed to give the impression that time has stood still whilst people adjusts to dealing with everyday living with the constant threat of bombs dropping...I'm sure this week will be extremely moving, especially for the older generations who actually lived through those terrifying years.

The BBC will be taking the series up to the 1970's, which is the only decade that they will be covering, that I have lived through myself...Not a particularly memorable decade, in my view. I know it was one of financial hardships for many, including to some extent my own family, but in many ways I am grateful for that, in that it made me thankful for the things that I did have and I learnt to make lots of my own toys and later my own clothes. Later again in the 1980's, when my girls were born, I was still sewing an awful lot, and would often run up a floral baby dress for them from an old flowery cotton pillowcase!

I would guess that the BBC want to document this era for the huge change it made to peoples buying habits. Fashionable clothes were more readily available on the high street and food shopping was done on a weekly basis at the large supermarkets that began to emerged...for better or worse!

So, knowing that the 70's will be featuring again in my life, I snapped up this little collection of tasteful dresses for my shop! Crimpoline features heavily(!), along with velvet and jersey... Lovely!

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c1950's 'Tricel' Coat

I've also been hunting out lots of my more usual stock too - So roses still feature heavily amongst the lace and pretty fabrics.

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Actually, 4 recent visitors to my little emporium had a whale of a time trying on some of my 1950's floral hats! The lovely Sally, along with her daughter and two friends, (who I mentioned had paid me a visit on last Thursdays blog post), had fun modelling and being photographed for Sally's blog. Sally has taken lots of beautiful photographs and written some very kind words which I am very grateful for. Her post can be viewed here.

Photograph courtesy of Sally Page.
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Today I have been out and about shopping again...not all for the shop this time...There's been time to catch-up with two of my friends over lunch too...a luxury I have not had in quite some time...

We met up in Wells and were determined to have some time away from everything...so tea and coffee was enjoyed for a couple of hours...

Later I needed to do some shopping, as its my eldest daughter's Birthday next week and she'll be coming home again for a long weekend...

I bought her a gorgeous present in the Air Gallery in Wells, but can't show you what it is, because she's a lurker of my blog! ;-))

Whilst I was at the till paying for it though, I noticed one of my Nostalgia calendars hanging up on the wall. I happened to mention it, and then realised that I knew the girl who runs the gallery - because she had been shopping with me! She went off for a couple of seconds and came back with this pretty painted chair from her office...

The fabric covering the seat is one that I sell by the metre - Its from the 1920's and is French. Its always lovely to see vintage items being given a second chance.

I'd certainly recommend the gallery as a wonderful place to buy one off gifts or artworks for your home. I also happened to notice that they sell the beautifully created ceramics by Jo Lucksted, who has her main studio and showroom in Shepton Mallet, no less! ;-))

After the successful gift-buying in the gallery, we then headed to the little flea market that is held regularly in the Town Hall. There, the ever cheerful Belinda and her husband have their beautifully presented jewellery stall.

Once again, pennies where exchanged...

Although I do think I was quite restrained really! I usually do find something to buy from Belinda though - she has great taste and I see her in several places that I like to scout at, including the antique fairs held at the Shepton Mallet Showground.

I did also buy a few more rose inspired items for my shop elsewhere, but I have run out of blogging time just now...

I'm sorry that I have so little time these days for leaving these...

Had to photograph that when it came up!...Was Blogger trying to tell me something?!!!

My thanks to all who visit here and have left me their wise or encouraging words...it means so much to me.

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Niki x

Empire Day 1938

Just a short post to give a little flavour of the last day of the filming of the 1930's on Shepton Mallet's Market Place yesterday. (Once again, I shall show more of my photos when the programme has aired on BBC1 in November.)
When I arrived in the morning, preparations were already underway for Empire Day.

I joined in and strung up some bunting around my shop's door!

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Around 10am, lots of the local school children arrived in fancy dress. They were paraded around the Market Cross and filmed as part of the programme.

They were then rewarded with a light lunch, after singing 'God Save the King', of course!

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Before and after!

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Whilst all of this was going on, I had plenty of customers in and out too - Some were very much dressed the part!

This lovely couple were fascinating to talk to, as they have been advising the BBC on the fashions of the time.

Not wanting a plastic carrier bag to spoil the look of her 1930's ensemble, we improvised with some tissue paper and string to bundle up her purchases!

And here's gorgeous local girl Mandy (who I mentioned on Thursday's post, as she was featured on BBC's Points West News) - in her beautifully made 1930's style dress.

This wonderful sunflower arrived with my friend Jill, who just happened to be celebrating her Birthday yesterday.

And a lovely lady who told me she reads my blog, drove all the way up from Southampton...She handed me a box with this super 1950's coffee set inside, which she gave to me for my shop! I hope she doesn't mind me telling you - I am often overwhelmed by people's kindness; words so often are not enough.

I have now had my shop for 6 months and would just like to thank everyone who has sent me well wishes or who has come to visit my little emporium. I have no regrets of opening my shop in Shepton Mallet, as I have been made to feel so welcome there. I am convinced that the BBC making the quality programme on the Market Place will have a very positive effect on the town and the spin-off is sure to be good for its regeneration. The community spirit yesterday was fantastic, which surely will have rubbed-off on those who have doubted Shepton's recovery from its misfortunes...I do believe the town is turning a corner...

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On leaving my shop on Saturday evening, I placed this old poster inside the front window. Its one I've had at home for a while, on my kitchen wall...The shops, and the families running them, are now heading to wartime in the 1940's. First the shops will receive another revamp, and then it will be time for the cameras to roll again...

Niki x