VINTAGEB u s i n e s s

THE

The vintage trader's

best friend!

PLUS

ISSUE 9

A Raye ofVintage SunshineWe get talking toRaye Leonard about life andmakingit big

PRETTYNOSTALGIC!Sit back and learn whynostalgia is here to stayand how to make dreamscome true

WHAT A RIOT!Get ready, thefestival season ishere

Chocolate Brownies to tempt yourcustomers Banishing the Blues - how to deal withstress of running your own business Sam from Rosadior teaches us how toget inspired and work with your creativespirit Last Word - on how London gets thebetter of the business shows Lou Lou's Love of Vintage - we stepbehind the sences of the UK's best lovedvintage fair

EDITOR'SLetter

I think it's safe to say that Sping is finally here and whatbetter way to kick off the vintage and craft scene for 2015than to step into The Spring Knitting and Stitching Show atOlympia last week. I was delighted meet up and coming embroidery artist,Charlotte Bailey from Hanging By A Thread. She callsherself a textile artist, and I have to admit, it appears tobe an understatement. What makes her works stand outfor me is the way she views the world. As you will see inthe inset picture, she takes the most household objectsyou can think of and turns them into fun pieces ofincredibly unique art. She is currently finishing her masters in Textiles andhopes to freelance herself in future projects across thespectrum. She is a bright, sparkly girl with a huge amountof passiona and personality. It is not often I like to speak of an individual in my openingletter with such intent, but I feel that Charlotte desrves tohave a place in my letter. Her work spells out a message. There is a deeper, more personal side to this young artistwhich I believe forces the rest of us to rethink thephilosophy that sometimes, we find not only our vocationbut our calling....

1Editor: Michelle HatcherAssistant writers for thisissue:

With loveThe Editor

ISSUE 9

FEATURES

Lyn Rousseau

BANISH THE BLUES By LynRousseau

A Raye of VintageSunshine This month's look at rising stars

in the vintage world featuresVintage Victory Rollers starlet,Raye Leonard

A Pretty Nostalgic Look onLife Pretty Nostalgic, once periodical for the make

do and mend set is now a community and acompenduim. We go to find out what the bigchange means for founder, Nicole Burnett

What aRiot! As the rock and roll weekender

season approaches, we checkout Hemsby and look forward towhat's in store for their returnin May to the sandy East

The Rose ofRosadior

Sam from Rosadiortalks us through howto get creative andbuild a dreambusiness

Miguel Fernandez

EDITOR'SLetter

I think it's safe to say that Sping is finally here and whatbetter way to kick off the vintage and craft scene for 2015than to step into The Spring Knitting and Stitching Show atOlympia last week. I was delighted meet up and coming embroidery artist,Charlotte Bailey from Hanging By A Thread. She callsherself a textile artist, and I have to admit, it appears tobe an understatement. What makes her works stand outfor me is the way she views the world. As you will see inthe inset picture, she takes the most household objectsyou can think of and turns them into fun pieces ofincredibly unique art. She is currently finishing her masters in Textiles andhopes to freelance herself in future projects across thespectrum. She is a bright, sparkly girl with a huge amountof passiona and personality. It is not often I like to speak of an individual in my openingletter with such intent, but I feel that Charlotte desrves tohave a place in my letter. Her work spells out a message. There is a deeper, more personal side to this young artistwhich I believe forces the rest of us to rethink thephilosophy that sometimes, we find not only our vocationbut our calling....

1Editor: Michelle HatcherAssistant writers for thisissue:

With loveThe Editor

ISSUE 9

FEATURES

Lyn Rousseau

BANISH THE BLUES By LynRousseau

A Raye of VintageSunshine This month's look at rising stars

in the vintage world featuresVintage Victory Rollers starlet,Raye Leonard

A Pretty Nostalgic Look onLife Pretty Nostalgic, once periodical for the make

do and mend set is now a community and acompenduim. We go to find out what the bigchange means for founder, Nicole Burnett

What aRiot! As the rock and roll weekender

season approaches, we checkout Hemsby and look forward towhat's in store for their returnin May to the sandy East

The Rose ofRosadior

Sam from Rosadiortalks us through howto get creative andbuild a dreambusiness

Miguel Fernandez

The Rose of Rosadior

Sam Freeman is the owner and creator behind the verybeautiful flower emporuim named Rosadior, but whatdrives her?

Entrepreneurs come into our worldwith one common dream - to make adifferent to our world. No matter howbig or small, they are just itching toshare with the rest of us their skill andtheir creativity through their work. SamFreeman is one of these people. Diving into her world is rather likedipping into an ice cream Sundae.There is an element of escapism in thedepths of that delicious dessert. There are also the textures andsensations waiting to be devoured bythe consumer. In Sam's world, shecreates that escapism for not onlyherself but in equal proportions, forher boho fairies, dreamy brides andgirlie rockabilly girls. You would think that after re-running afew Blue Peter's that anythinghandmade to a particular standard ispossible. All you need is some glue,some old Fairy liquid bottles and acouple of cotton reels, and you canbuild the Queen Mary, but for most ofus, it is not as simple as that. I have found in this world we callvintage life, there are only anexceptional few who can pick up onesolitary item and see beyond itsmolecules, contours and colour. Sam isone of them. I, personally, would quitehappily kill a small outlet of Hobbycraft to be able to do what she does.

I stand in her beautiful house full oflittle corners where she has added herown personality. Candles burn warmlyin the hall giving the senses a piece ofher own magic. A lady who has been ontop of her game in a previous careernow fills her home and her world withthe things she feels passionate about,and one thing particular - flowers. 'Ilove them completely,' She coos. 'Iwould have been the happiest floristalive had I had been one. But there isone awful thing about flowers, theydie, and I would have hated that.' So to mix her passion together with atouch of 'forever-ness,' she makesposies and decorations of silk, delicatecloth and forever fruit, in the kind offlowers that last and can be handeddown. 'I love the idea that someone, say abride, can keep their flowers foreverthat he have worn in their hair or intheir wrist on their special day.' Shesmiles. While she talks to me, she wandersthrough some of her recent creations,and as if standing in front of aninvisible mirror, she takes each onecarefully, and places it in her own hair,pats it down gently, and if she is nothappy with the feel of the hair clip, shetakes it away from her hair, frowns, andthen puts it aside for careful inspectionat a later date.

'It has to feel right. I can make somethings sometimes and they have got tofeel right. If they don't, they go back tothe table and are reworked.' I soon learn that these hair flowers arenot just for clipping in your hair andforgetting about for the occasion, theyare there an extension of their wearer.Almost like an extension of theircharacter. Every dreamy andchimerical bride needs to unfold hermythical tale through her own vision,and what better way for adding theperfect touch to her ensemble, but toadd colour and beauty to her tresses. I find in my afternoon with Sam, awoman who is exploding with ideas.To describe her product would liketrying to describe art, for its own sake.You cannot define art as 'a picturemade with paints and brushes' nomore than you can describe Sam's haircreations as 'clips to hold one's hair inplace.' Such creations of unique-ness demandwords that probably have not beeninvented yet. Images of Sam'scorsages, headbands and combs arethe only real way to illustrate theseaccessories for festival fairies andwistful pixies. I leave Sam at the end of an afternoonof laughter, shortbread and mugs oftea with warm memories, hospitality

and welcome. She is a thinker, amother, a businesswoman and a wife,and she balances them like beachballs on each limb. She is poised,focused and brilliant. She casts magicover her craft like a character in anEnid Blyton book. Her own brand ofrare wizardry as she sits at her tableby the window surrounded by everyconceivable silk flower you can thinkof and allows her hands to create thevisions in her eyes. Think of your dream, a place insideyour head where you can be free, andthere you will find Rosadior, waiting totransport you to your cosmos ofelegance. She now jointly owns a vintage photobooth & booth prop hire business(www.propsinabox.co.uk) as well asRosadior, her bespoke hair accessorybusiness www.rosadior.co.uk Photography: www.janeyannaphotography.comwww.retrophotostudio.co.uk

The Rose of Rosadior

Sam Freeman is the owner and creator behind the verybeautiful flower emporuim named Rosadior, but whatdrives her?

Entrepreneurs come into our worldwith one common dream - to make adifferent to our world. No matter howbig or small, they are just itching toshare with the rest of us their skill andtheir creativity through their work. SamFreeman is one of these people. Diving into her world is rather likedipping into an ice cream Sundae.There is an element of escapism in thedepths of that delicious dessert. There are also the textures andsensations waiting to be devoured bythe consumer. In Sam's world, shecreates that escapism for not onlyherself but in equal proportions, forher boho fairies, dreamy brides andgirlie rockabilly girls. You would think that after re-running afew Blue Peter's that anythinghandmade to a particular standard ispossible. All you need is some glue,some old Fairy liquid bottles and acouple of cotton reels, and you canbuild the Queen Mary, but for most ofus, it is not as simple as that. I have found in this world we callvintage life, there are only anexceptional few who can pick up onesolitary item and see beyond itsmolecules, contours and colour. Sam isone of them. I, personally, would quitehappily kill a small outlet of Hobbycraft to be able to do what she does.

I stand in her beautiful house full oflittle corners where she has added herown personality. Candles burn warmlyin the hall giving the senses a piece ofher own magic. A lady who has been ontop of her game in a previous careernow fills her home and her world withthe things she feels passionate about,and one thing particular - flowers. 'Ilove them completely,' She coos. 'Iwould have been the happiest floristalive had I had been one. But there isone awful thing about flowers, theydie, and I would have hated that.' So to mix her passion together with atouch of 'forever-ness,' she makesposies and decorations of silk, delicatecloth and forever fruit, in the kind offlowers that last and can be handeddown. 'I love the idea that someone, say abride, can keep their flowers foreverthat he have worn in their hair or intheir wrist on their special day.' Shesmiles. While she talks to me, she wandersthrough some of her recent creations,and as if standing in front of aninvisible mirror, she takes each onecarefully, and places it in her own hair,pats it down gently, and if she is nothappy with the feel of the hair clip, shetakes it away from her hair, frowns, andthen puts it aside for careful inspectionat a later date.

'It has to feel right. I can make somethings sometimes and they have got tofeel right. If they don't, they go back tothe table and are reworked.' I soon learn that these hair flowers arenot just for clipping in your hair andforgetting about for the occasion, theyare there an extension of their wearer.Almost like an extension of theircharacter. Every dreamy andchimerical bride needs to unfold hermythical tale through her own vision,and what better way for adding theperfect touch to her ensemble, but toadd colour and beauty to her tresses. I find in my afternoon with Sam, awoman who is exploding with ideas.To describe her product would liketrying to describe art, for its own sake.You cannot define art as 'a picturemade with paints and brushes' nomore than you can describe Sam's haircreations as 'clips to hold one's hair inplace.' Such creations of unique-ness demandwords that probably have not beeninvented yet. Images of Sam'scorsages, headbands and combs arethe only real way to illustrate theseaccessories for festival fairies andwistful pixies. I leave Sam at the end of an afternoonof laughter, shortbread and mugs oftea with warm memories, hospitality

and welcome. She is a thinker, amother, a businesswoman and a wife,and she balances them like beachballs on each limb. She is poised,focused and brilliant. She casts magicover her craft like a character in anEnid Blyton book. Her own brand ofrare wizardry as she sits at her tableby the window surrounded by everyconceivable silk flower you can thinkof and allows her hands to create thevisions in her eyes. Think of your dream, a place insideyour head where you can be free, andthere you will find Rosadior, waiting totransport you to your cosmos ofelegance. She now jointly owns a vintage photobooth & booth prop hire business(www.propsinabox.co.uk) as well asRosadior, her bespoke hair accessorybusiness www.rosadior.co.uk Photography: www.janeyannaphotography.comwww.retrophotostudio.co.uk

I have always had a romantic notionabout these weekenders. Every onetakes several steps back andcongregates on the most idyllicplatform going - the British sea sidetown. There is nothing moreromantic that sitting with yoursweetheart in amongst a gatheringof candy floss, end of pier rides andthe smell of cooked onions aroundyou.... Ok, so perhaps not, but ifAmerican Graffitti hit the mark withyou at some point in your life, thenmove over Paul le Mat.... come to theBritish rock and roll weekender andfind your very own John Milner..... Rockabilly legend, Billy Adamsperformed at Hemsby 53 this year My love affair for the rock and rollweekender goes back years before Iever sat down with a copy of That'llBe The Day with David Essex, or evendared to go anywhere near Butlinswhen Shawaddywaddy was stillyoung. No, years ago, as animpressionable teen, I went toBrighton record fair (a regular hauntfor me) and brought some veryrandom new age rockabilly byvarious new and young bands to try. One of the albums I brought was by aband called The Catmen. Threeyoung lads stood fairly solemnly onthe front cover of the LP. Not far offresembling past teen hunk NickKamen. There wasn't anything really worthnoting about these quickly broughtLP's from that windy day in Brightonother than it kicked off a passion fornew rockabilly music. Up until then Ihad only ever listened to Chuck

Berry and Bill Haley. My two hero's. Ihad figured that really that was yourlot in terms of listening to old rockand roll. At a jive dance some timebefore that, I had been hanging outwith my usual gaggle of rockabillymates and one had very sorrowfullypointed out in a very loud voice thatthe trouble with rock and roll is thatthere were never going to ever benew releases. It was then that I probably made thesubconscious decision to seek outnew talent for my ears and to, at thesame time, stop listening to mymiserable quiffed friends. Shortly after that, I went to see aband called The Firebirds at a localtown hall. I found myself completelyhooked to suddenly hunting downany new band I could find whoplayed not only my belovedrockabilly but also wrote their ownsongs rather than cover everyoneelse's. It was then, that I found, to mydelight, that twice yearly four dayevent of sheer music euphoria:Hemsby. At the back end of the Nineties, Iurged a bunch of equally mindedchums to come away with me to afunny little seaside resort along thenorthern coast of Norfolk. Twice a year, the Hemsbyweekender (as they are called) isheld in this slightly sleepy little townwith its parade of colourful shopfronts and amusement arcades. Oncein May to herald the start of Summerand again in October to mark the endof the season.

WHAT ARIOT!

The Hemsby Rock and Roll Weekend thisyear is from Friday 8th to Monday the 11thof May at Seacroft Holiday Centre, Hemsby. For bookings and further information, clickon the inset picture below

Hemsby is only a matter of weeks away againin May, so The Vintage took the time to lookback over the last riot from October 2014...

I have always had a romantic notionabout these weekenders. Every onetakes several steps back andcongregates on the most idyllicplatform going - the British sea sidetown. There is nothing moreromantic that sitting with yoursweetheart in amongst a gatheringof candy floss, end of pier rides andthe smell of cooked onions aroundyou.... Ok, so perhaps not, but ifAmerican Graffitti hit the mark withyou at some point in your life, thenmove over Paul le Mat.... come to theBritish rock and roll weekender andfind your very own John Milner..... Rockabilly legend, Billy Adamsperformed at Hemsby 53 this year My love affair for the rock and rollweekender goes back years before Iever sat down with a copy of That'llBe The Day with David Essex, or evendared to go anywhere near Butlinswhen Shawaddywaddy was stillyoung. No, years ago, as animpressionable teen, I went toBrighton record fair (a regular hauntfor me) and brought some veryrandom new age rockabilly byvarious new and young bands to try. One of the albums I brought was by aband called The Catmen. Threeyoung lads stood fairly solemnly onthe front cover of the LP. Not far offresembling past teen hunk NickKamen. There wasn't anything really worthnoting about these quickly broughtLP's from that windy day in Brightonother than it kicked off a passion fornew rockabilly music. Up until then Ihad only ever listened to Chuck

Berry and Bill Haley. My two hero's. Ihad figured that really that was yourlot in terms of listening to old rockand roll. At a jive dance some timebefore that, I had been hanging outwith my usual gaggle of rockabillymates and one had very sorrowfullypointed out in a very loud voice thatthe trouble with rock and roll is thatthere were never going to ever benew releases. It was then that I probably made thesubconscious decision to seek outnew talent for my ears and to, at thesame time, stop listening to mymiserable quiffed friends. Shortly after that, I went to see aband called The Firebirds at a localtown hall. I found myself completelyhooked to suddenly hunting downany new band I could find whoplayed not only my belovedrockabilly but also wrote their ownsongs rather than cover everyoneelse's. It was then, that I found, to mydelight, that twice yearly four dayevent of sheer music euphoria:Hemsby. At the back end of the Nineties, Iurged a bunch of equally mindedchums to come away with me to afunny little seaside resort along thenorthern coast of Norfolk. Twice a year, the Hemsbyweekender (as they are called) isheld in this slightly sleepy little townwith its parade of colourful shopfronts and amusement arcades. Oncein May to herald the start of Summerand again in October to mark the endof the season.

WHAT ARIOT!

The Hemsby Rock and Roll Weekend thisyear is from Friday 8th to Monday the 11thof May at Seacroft Holiday Centre, Hemsby. For bookings and further information, clickon the inset picture below

Hemsby is only a matter of weeks away againin May, so The Vintage took the time to lookback over the last riot from October 2014...

A thought coupled with an emotion produces a response that sets in motion a new or oldbelief. Beliefs then become habits. The next similar event that comes along evokes anautomatic response from our habits. The key is to become aware of this sequencing and with conscious awareness and interruptit to create a new and different response that is feeling good – joy, happiness, love, etc. When we are able to be in this kind of positive emotional state with an open heart, we havegreater access to a different part of our innate intelligence and we have more possibilitiesand positive choices.

** How To Work With This? ** It’s a 6-step process. But, these steps can happen very quickly the more you work with it. Ican sometimes isolate it in about 10 minutes. I’ve been working with this intently for thepast three months and the results are astonishing for me. Here are the steps I follow.1. Notice When You’re Not Feeling Good. At the beginning of my day, I set my intention topay attention to the moments when I feel out of sorts. I notice in the moment when I do notfeel good. I know that the faster I shift this, the more I stay in a flow of being in alignmentwith my true self and the more effective I am in my work. 2. Stop & Tune In. I stop what I’m doing to tune into to my body to identify where I amfeeling the sensation. Oftentimes, it is either in my heart or chest area, my solar plexus(right above the navel) or my stomach. Sometimes it may be in my throat, particularly ifthere was a situation where I needed to be more forthright. 3. Go Into the Sensation. Allow myself to feel into the sensation to notice it. Sometimesjust this act can cause it to diminish. There’s a saying: “Whatever we resist will persist”. Inotice what the sensation feels like – is there tightness, does it feel like a lead weight, doesit feel jumbled or swirling? I’m just being present to the sensation and noticing itscharacteristics – not trying to figure anything out at this point – just observing. 4. Identify the Trigger Event. I ask myself: “What has happened in my day that may belinked to this?” 5. Identify the Thoughts. I ask: “What thoughts do I have about this situation?” “Wherewas I not true to myself and I needed to be?” Recognizing that events happen. We humanbeings are the ones who add meaning. So, it’s important for us to be more aware ofthmeaning we are adding and how that is affecting us. Not everyone would react the sameway to the same event. 6. Choose the Best Action: Then I choose the best action for me to take. It may be followingup with someone to be more complete in my communication or clarifying a need I have. Itmay be honoring myself in the form of extreme self care and identifying what would be thebest thing for this. The importance about this step is making a choice from a consciousplace, rather than a patterned, habitual response.

BANISH THE BLUES ByLynn Rousseau

"Focusing on the negative emotions that cangrip us, can shift out of that place morequickly. The most common negative emotions aretypically in the areas of: anger, guilt, fear,and depression. Emotion is a thought linkedto a sensation in the body. When we bring our attention to thesensation, we have the opportunity to breakthe link between the thought and thesensation. Then, we can disempower thenegative emotion.."

2 3

No one should struggle with stress. The NHS have a verygood website that is informative and will also help when youshould seek medical help.... There website is here if you need further help. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/understanding-stress.aspx

A thought coupled with an emotion produces a response that sets in motion a new or oldbelief. Beliefs then become habits. The next similar event that comes along evokes anautomatic response from our habits. The key is to become aware of this sequencing and with conscious awareness and interruptit to create a new and different response that is feeling good – joy, happiness, love, etc. When we are able to be in this kind of positive emotional state with an open heart, we havegreater access to a different part of our innate intelligence and we have more possibilitiesand positive choices.

** How To Work With This? ** It’s a 6-step process. But, these steps can happen very quickly the more you work with it. Ican sometimes isolate it in about 10 minutes. I’ve been working with this intently for thepast three months and the results are astonishing for me. Here are the steps I follow.1. Notice When You’re Not Feeling Good. At the beginning of my day, I set my intention topay attention to the moments when I feel out of sorts. I notice in the moment when I do notfeel good. I know that the faster I shift this, the more I stay in a flow of being in alignmentwith my true self and the more effective I am in my work. 2. Stop & Tune In. I stop what I’m doing to tune into to my body to identify where I amfeeling the sensation. Oftentimes, it is either in my heart or chest area, my solar plexus(right above the navel) or my stomach. Sometimes it may be in my throat, particularly ifthere was a situation where I needed to be more forthright. 3. Go Into the Sensation. Allow myself to feel into the sensation to notice it. Sometimesjust this act can cause it to diminish. There’s a saying: “Whatever we resist will persist”. Inotice what the sensation feels like – is there tightness, does it feel like a lead weight, doesit feel jumbled or swirling? I’m just being present to the sensation and noticing itscharacteristics – not trying to figure anything out at this point – just observing. 4. Identify the Trigger Event. I ask myself: “What has happened in my day that may belinked to this?” 5. Identify the Thoughts. I ask: “What thoughts do I have about this situation?” “Wherewas I not true to myself and I needed to be?” Recognizing that events happen. We humanbeings are the ones who add meaning. So, it’s important for us to be more aware ofthmeaning we are adding and how that is affecting us. Not everyone would react the sameway to the same event. 6. Choose the Best Action: Then I choose the best action for me to take. It may be followingup with someone to be more complete in my communication or clarifying a need I have. Itmay be honoring myself in the form of extreme self care and identifying what would be thebest thing for this. The importance about this step is making a choice from a consciousplace, rather than a patterned, habitual response.

BANISH THE BLUES ByLynn Rousseau

"Focusing on the negative emotions that cangrip us, can shift out of that place morequickly. The most common negative emotions aretypically in the areas of: anger, guilt, fear,and depression. Emotion is a thought linkedto a sensation in the body. When we bring our attention to thesensation, we have the opportunity to breakthe link between the thought and thesensation. Then, we can disempower thenegative emotion.."

2 3

No one should struggle with stress. The NHS have a verygood website that is informative and will also help when youshould seek medical help.... There website is here if you need further help. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/understanding-stress.aspx

Integer sed dolor leo porta dolor

is the meaning we are adding and how thatis affecting us.? Not everyone would reactthe same way to the same event. 6. Choose the Best Action: Then I choosethe best action for me to take. It may befollowing up with someone to be morecomplete in my communication or clarifyinga need I have. It may be honoring myself inthe form of extreme self care andidentifying what would be the best thing forthis. The importance about this step is making achoice from a conscious place, rather than apatterned, habitual response.

** Where Can You Apply This? ** ------------------------------------------Try this at least three times during the nextweek. For more challenging situations, you maywant to ask a friend to talk it through withyou using this process. The more you use this, the faster you can doit in a given situation and create thepossibility to turn things around for thebetter (for both you and others involved).

Integer sed dolor leo porta dolor

is the meaning we are adding and how thatis affecting us.? Not everyone would reactthe same way to the same event. 6. Choose the Best Action: Then I choosethe best action for me to take. It may befollowing up with someone to be morecomplete in my communication or clarifyinga need I have. It may be honoring myself inthe form of extreme self care andidentifying what would be the best thing forthis. The importance about this step is making achoice from a conscious place, rather than apatterned, habitual response.

** Where Can You Apply This? ** ------------------------------------------Try this at least three times during the nextweek. For more challenging situations, you maywant to ask a friend to talk it through withyou using this process. The more you use this, the faster you can doit in a given situation and create thepossibility to turn things around for thebetter (for both you and others involved).

Baking homemade brownies is one of life'ssweetest delights. The smell of the browniesbaking in the oven never fails to attract everyfamily member to the kitchen to await the finishedtreat. When they are finally done it doesn't take buta few seconds for them to disappear, having beendevoured by everyone who could get a hold of one

BAKING BROWNIES

The only hard part of preparing brownies isthe preparation and the cleanup afterward. Ittakes longer to prepare and bake browniesthan it does for them to be eaten, especiallyif they come out delicious. For this veryreason many people prefer to buy browniesfrom the store and miss out on thedeliciousness of home-made brownies.Following these simple tips ensures that youwill have delicious brownies that the wholefamily can enjoy with little or no hassle. 1. Don't over mix when preparing the batterand if possible mix the batter by hand. Thiswill ensure that the brownie does not comeout bland or too dry. 2. Spay the bottom of the pan with non-stickcooking spray, making sure to cover thesurface evenly. You can also dust the panlightly with cocoa powder. Using cocoapowder ensures that you won't have whiteresidue on your brownies as you would if youwere to use flour. 3. Follow the recipe instructions carefullyespecially the temperature and cooking timeinstructions. To test if the brownies are donestick a toothpick into the brownies. If theycome out clean it means that the browniesare done. 4. If you want to keep the brownies from over-

drying you can wrap them with plastic wrapand put them in a zip bag for addedprotection. As a final tip: enjoy your brownies with yourwhole family, give them as gifts, share themwith your co-workers, and don't forget tomake plenty for everyone.

ByMiguel Fernandez

For the ultimate brownie fantasydish, click on the picture to take youto Baking Mad

Baking homemade brownies is one of life'ssweetest delights. The smell of the browniesbaking in the oven never fails to attract everyfamily member to the kitchen to await the finishedtreat. When they are finally done it doesn't take buta few seconds for them to disappear, having beendevoured by everyone who could get a hold of one

BAKING BROWNIES

The only hard part of preparing brownies isthe preparation and the cleanup afterward. Ittakes longer to prepare and bake browniesthan it does for them to be eaten, especiallyif they come out delicious. For this veryreason many people prefer to buy browniesfrom the store and miss out on thedeliciousness of home-made brownies.Following these simple tips ensures that youwill have delicious brownies that the wholefamily can enjoy with little or no hassle. 1. Don't over mix when preparing the batterand if possible mix the batter by hand. Thiswill ensure that the brownie does not comeout bland or too dry. 2. Spay the bottom of the pan with non-stickcooking spray, making sure to cover thesurface evenly. You can also dust the panlightly with cocoa powder. Using cocoapowder ensures that you won't have whiteresidue on your brownies as you would if youwere to use flour. 3. Follow the recipe instructions carefullyespecially the temperature and cooking timeinstructions. To test if the brownies are donestick a toothpick into the brownies. If theycome out clean it means that the browniesare done. 4. If you want to keep the brownies from over-

drying you can wrap them with plastic wrapand put them in a zip bag for addedprotection. As a final tip: enjoy your brownies with yourwhole family, give them as gifts, share themwith your co-workers, and don't forget tomake plenty for everyone.

ByMiguel Fernandez

For the ultimate brownie fantasydish, click on the picture to take youto Baking Mad

A Pretty NostalgicLook at Life

Nicole Burnett, founder and owner of thegrowing compendium talks to us about lifeand passions beyond vintage

Nicole, owner, editor, writer and motherextraordinaire stands smiling surroundedby her own creation; Pretty NostalgicMagazine. 'But wait!' She stops me in themid flow of vintage ooze from my lips. 'I'mnot a magazine, it's a book. It's my baby.'Nicole is a proud mother of two, wife andmaster of her own destiny. She beams atme with the glow of a woman who has justdiscovered her destiny. She is on a roll. She spins around excitedlyabout her ambition. During the four hours Iwas honoured to have in her company, Idiscover a person who has a deep passionfor not just all that is vintage but has seenthe light. She knows what the world needsto do grasps that knowledge in theavalanche of words from her mouth. Shestands tall in her world, whispy hair isgently tied back away from this hardworking lady's face. She remains practical,ready for anything. She coos about herbaby. The magazine which has done herproud.

Pretty Nostalgic has been a bi monthlyfor the subscribers of simple living,spending ever so wisely and makingthings last. She has not only given breathof life to a new way of taking the old andusing it again and again, but she is ateacher standing in the marquee thatweekend. Where there is glamour, fun and thrillaround her. She stands ready to greet theintruiged passers by and tells them,when the enquiry presents itself, howshe feels we should be. 'It's quite simple,'She smiles, talking to a fellow writer andeditor 9me) who still drifts into Marksand Spencers on a regular basis, drawn tothe easy wash, disposable tee shirts andunflattering frocks. 'We can all live onnext to nothing. The things that we weretaught by our mothers and grandmothersare still there and still just as importanttoday. Yes, we still need our computersand mobile phones, but we can live usingthe things we have around us rather thanbuying continuously to simply throwaway.' She is a lady who has, I have toadmit, grasped the very essence of life .

that people like me have shiedaway from for too long. I have never been able to cookand as for cleaning, well, I amsorry to say, I am a Flash woman.'Nooooo!' Cries Nicole,straightening her pretty floraldress. 'She waves her hands inthe air at my awful confession.'We can use simple things tomake soap! Anything will getcleaned with a little elbowgrease and half the cash!' She is keen to thumb throughone of the copies of her tripdown nostalgia lane which shehas brought to the show. Shehas all of them there, right backto the first issue which featuredpin cushions in tea cups. It is nothard to see that Nicole is herefor the love of vintage. Herpassions are genuine for thelifestyle which appears in suchlittle quantities in 2014. She is

full of surprising ideas of howwe could all live comfortablywithout having to spend vastsums of wonga. 'It's all here andthere is more to come!' Shechurps

Nicole is hopeful for the futureof Pretty Nostalgic. Turning avery large and slightly scarycorner earlier this year, she hasbeen a business owner who hasbitten to proverbial bullet andchanged direction. For that atleast, I have to admire her. Thereis much to look up to. 'It'schanging and all for the better!'She beams again and almosthops on her toes. 'There are bigchanges this year which aregoing to benefit everyone whoputs in their efforts to thiscause.' I see here now that Nicolewants her readers and subscribers to be one big familyof people

A Pretty NostalgicLook at Life

Nicole Burnett, founder and owner of thegrowing compendium talks to us about lifeand passions beyond vintage

Nicole, owner, editor, writer and motherextraordinaire stands smiling surroundedby her own creation; Pretty NostalgicMagazine. 'But wait!' She stops me in themid flow of vintage ooze from my lips. 'I'mnot a magazine, it's a book. It's my baby.'Nicole is a proud mother of two, wife andmaster of her own destiny. She beams atme with the glow of a woman who has justdiscovered her destiny. She is on a roll. She spins around excitedlyabout her ambition. During the four hours Iwas honoured to have in her company, Idiscover a person who has a deep passionfor not just all that is vintage but has seenthe light. She knows what the world needsto do grasps that knowledge in theavalanche of words from her mouth. Shestands tall in her world, whispy hair isgently tied back away from this hardworking lady's face. She remains practical,ready for anything. She coos about herbaby. The magazine which has done herproud.

Pretty Nostalgic has been a bi monthlyfor the subscribers of simple living,spending ever so wisely and makingthings last. She has not only given breathof life to a new way of taking the old andusing it again and again, but she is ateacher standing in the marquee thatweekend. Where there is glamour, fun and thrillaround her. She stands ready to greet theintruiged passers by and tells them,when the enquiry presents itself, howshe feels we should be. 'It's quite simple,'She smiles, talking to a fellow writer andeditor 9me) who still drifts into Marksand Spencers on a regular basis, drawn tothe easy wash, disposable tee shirts andunflattering frocks. 'We can all live onnext to nothing. The things that we weretaught by our mothers and grandmothersare still there and still just as importanttoday. Yes, we still need our computersand mobile phones, but we can live usingthe things we have around us rather thanbuying continuously to simply throwaway.' She is a lady who has, I have toadmit, grasped the very essence of life .

that people like me have shiedaway from for too long. I have never been able to cookand as for cleaning, well, I amsorry to say, I am a Flash woman.'Nooooo!' Cries Nicole,straightening her pretty floraldress. 'She waves her hands inthe air at my awful confession.'We can use simple things tomake soap! Anything will getcleaned with a little elbowgrease and half the cash!' She is keen to thumb throughone of the copies of her tripdown nostalgia lane which shehas brought to the show. Shehas all of them there, right backto the first issue which featuredpin cushions in tea cups. It is nothard to see that Nicole is herefor the love of vintage. Herpassions are genuine for thelifestyle which appears in suchlittle quantities in 2014. She is

full of surprising ideas of howwe could all live comfortablywithout having to spend vastsums of wonga. 'It's all here andthere is more to come!' Shechurps

Nicole is hopeful for the futureof Pretty Nostalgic. Turning avery large and slightly scarycorner earlier this year, she hasbeen a business owner who hasbitten to proverbial bullet andchanged direction. For that atleast, I have to admire her. Thereis much to look up to. 'It'schanging and all for the better!'She beams again and almosthops on her toes. 'There are bigchanges this year which aregoing to benefit everyone whoputs in their efforts to thiscause.' I see here now that Nicolewants her readers and subscribers to be one big familyof people

POP UP VINTAGE FAIRS AT STUNNING 19TH CENTURYGOTHIC CHURCH

St Stephen’s Rosslyn Hill, Pond Street, HampsteadNW3 2PP Sunday 29th March 2015

Pop Up Vintage Fairs London are back at St Stephen’s Rosslyn Hill, abeautiful 19th Century French

Gothic Church in the heart of Belsize Park and Hampstead High Street.This stunning venue will be

filled with the best hand-picked vintage traders, selling vintage fashionfor ladies and gents,

vintage accessories, handmade and vintage jewellery, homeware,antiques, collectables, curiosities,

vintage crockery, posters, prints, & more.

Visitors will be able to enjoy live vintage entertainment by 60’s inspiredtrio The Amorelles, as

they indulge in delicious teas and cakes served on delicate vintage china,by Vintage Allsorts Tea

Parlour.Doors open 11 am - 4 pm. Admission £2 per adult, £1 NUS. (10.30

Earlybird Trade Entry £5).Pop Up Vintage Fairs can also be found on Sunday 8th March at the

Alexandra Palace Antiques andCollectors Fair and at Old Spitalfields Market on Saturday 21st March.www.popupvintagefairs.co.uk www.facebook.com/popupvintagefairs

Twitter & Instagram: @Pop_Up_VintageTel: 07716 295998

POP UP FOR VINTAGEThe highly regarded and exquisitly mappedout vintage fairs make a elegant and nostalgicreturn to the circuit this year, placing a mark onthe beautiful Gothic Church to the entertaining and cultural

surrounds of Old Spitalfields

POP UP VINTAGE FAIRS AT STUNNING 19TH CENTURYGOTHIC CHURCH

St Stephen’s Rosslyn Hill, Pond Street, HampsteadNW3 2PP Sunday 29th March 2015

Pop Up Vintage Fairs London are back at St Stephen’s Rosslyn Hill, abeautiful 19th Century French

Gothic Church in the heart of Belsize Park and Hampstead High Street.This stunning venue will be

filled with the best hand-picked vintage traders, selling vintage fashionfor ladies and gents,

vintage accessories, handmade and vintage jewellery, homeware,antiques, collectables, curiosities,

vintage crockery, posters, prints, & more.

Visitors will be able to enjoy live vintage entertainment by 60’s inspiredtrio The Amorelles, as

they indulge in delicious teas and cakes served on delicate vintage china,by Vintage Allsorts Tea

Parlour.Doors open 11 am - 4 pm. Admission £2 per adult, £1 NUS. (10.30

Earlybird Trade Entry £5).Pop Up Vintage Fairs can also be found on Sunday 8th March at the

Alexandra Palace Antiques andCollectors Fair and at Old Spitalfields Market on Saturday 21st March.www.popupvintagefairs.co.uk www.facebook.com/popupvintagefairs

Twitter & Instagram: @Pop_Up_VintageTel: 07716 295998

POP UP FOR VINTAGEThe highly regarded and exquisitly mappedout vintage fairs make a elegant and nostalgicreturn to the circuit this year, placing a mark onthe beautiful Gothic Church to the entertaining and cultural

surrounds of Old Spitalfields

INSIDE THE HISTORY MAKERS

KnightshayesNational TrustTivertonDevon

Nostalgia Days...Vintage tea on the lawn is something that is essentially English. So why nottake a wander around some of the most picturesque settings this Spring,and get the feeling of nostalgia running through your veins..?

This Gothic Victorian hideawaywas the home to the HeathcoteAmory family from 1869 when hehad the design of the estatecommissioned. The building wesee today started to take shapethe following year, then handedto the National Trust is 1972 onthe death of Sir John Heathcoat-Amory. The original John Heathcote(1783 to 1861) made his fortunefrom lace making, afteraccomplishing an apprenticeshipin textiles. Setting up a factory inDerbyshire first. But fortuneswere not all plain sailing for theyoung industrial maker. In 1826,on a night towards the end ofJune, Luddite wreckers, a band ofhighly volatile English craftsmendecided to set upon the lacemaking factory with axes and setfire the lace makers. The woodenstructure housing the woodenlace makes did not stand achance that night and within halfan hour of the blaze starting, allof the factory had gone.Heathcoat made the surprisingdecision to move south

westwards after turning down awhopping £10K compensation. His workers, now out of a job,trusted their employer with theirlivelihoods and almost 200 of hisloyal workers walked the 200miles south where Heathcoatembarked on starting hisbusiness again.

He was known for recreating the lacebobbin net machine at the tender age of25, transforming, according to literature,the lace making industry for ever. ThisGrade 1 listed building is slightlyunderstated rather like it's first owner. Sitting in the middle of the Devonshirecountryside, it is unassuming and not asgrand as stately home as you wouldexpect from someone who was almost alegend in industry. The inside is typical of the early 20thCentury period. Sadly we weren'tallowed to take pictures as a lot of theitems inside are still privately owned.There is plenty of finery and grace of awell established family living in the heartof Devon. The splendor of the place israther like walking in on the set ofCamelot. Each room is now back to it'sformer medieval glory as it once was. Recovered just in time for the lady of thehouse to see the original structure of theceilings, completely in tact and almost as .

fresh as the day theywere carved. So what's the vintage? Well, for those of uskeen on lace makingand the history of theman behind somethingthat shaped the waylace was made for evermore, then there is nobetter place to startthat at Knightshayes.The site of the house,incidentally, wasdecided upon as it hada perfect, yet distantview of the lacefactory - a site whichcan be still seen fromthe house today... it isworth a visit - vintageseeking or not. Itcertainly gives a clearinsight to life of awealthy Victorian(through to the mid20th Century) family

Dunster Castle, TheNational Trust,Minehead, Somerset.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunster-castle/

We hot footed it over to Dunster Castle for the next visit, although the rainwas quite heavy by the time we got there. It was also getting dark and theplace appeared to be almost empty. Yet there was a welcome from the girl atthe gate and we ventured up the hill. The interior of the castle itself is not what you would expect. You tend toimagine that a castle is going to be decked out in a particular way. We wereallowed to take pictures inside here, so we are able to show you what it waslike! Owned by the Luttrell family, it dates back as the family home to 1376,

when it was sold to them by the de Mohuns. The castle itself has beenchanged, updated and generally been molded around by it's ownersright the way through time. The most interesting of these periods ofreadjustment have been around the early 1600's and again in the lateVictorian times. It was modernised so much during these periods thatlarge sections of the castle was literally demolished to make way fornew designs to keep up with the height of fashionable architecture.

Again, a place that shows the climb of time through the ages of one family. There are plenty of unexpected surprises there, and the castle is notwithout it's ghosts. You will find plenty there in the way of design of theinterior of both the furniture, soft furnishings as well as its interesting wallpaper. There really isn't anything that sets Dunster Castle aside from anyother building of it's time. It is not quite in-keeping of its castle origins butit does show what can be done over and over again in time to a house byone family with a lot of money. The castle has seen a lot of hard times inthe past, Oliver Cromwell being one man who ordered for the estate to bedestroyed. Thankfully that didn't come to pass. Worth a visit!

INSIDE THE HISTORY MAKERS

KnightshayesNational TrustTivertonDevon

Nostalgia Days...Vintage tea on the lawn is something that is essentially English. So why nottake a wander around some of the most picturesque settings this Spring,and get the feeling of nostalgia running through your veins..?

This Gothic Victorian hideawaywas the home to the HeathcoteAmory family from 1869 when hehad the design of the estatecommissioned. The building wesee today started to take shapethe following year, then handedto the National Trust is 1972 onthe death of Sir John Heathcoat-Amory. The original John Heathcote(1783 to 1861) made his fortunefrom lace making, afteraccomplishing an apprenticeshipin textiles. Setting up a factory inDerbyshire first. But fortuneswere not all plain sailing for theyoung industrial maker. In 1826,on a night towards the end ofJune, Luddite wreckers, a band ofhighly volatile English craftsmendecided to set upon the lacemaking factory with axes and setfire the lace makers. The woodenstructure housing the woodenlace makes did not stand achance that night and within halfan hour of the blaze starting, allof the factory had gone.Heathcoat made the surprisingdecision to move south

westwards after turning down awhopping £10K compensation. His workers, now out of a job,trusted their employer with theirlivelihoods and almost 200 of hisloyal workers walked the 200miles south where Heathcoatembarked on starting hisbusiness again.

He was known for recreating the lacebobbin net machine at the tender age of25, transforming, according to literature,the lace making industry for ever. ThisGrade 1 listed building is slightlyunderstated rather like it's first owner. Sitting in the middle of the Devonshirecountryside, it is unassuming and not asgrand as stately home as you wouldexpect from someone who was almost alegend in industry. The inside is typical of the early 20thCentury period. Sadly we weren'tallowed to take pictures as a lot of theitems inside are still privately owned.There is plenty of finery and grace of awell established family living in the heartof Devon. The splendor of the place israther like walking in on the set ofCamelot. Each room is now back to it'sformer medieval glory as it once was. Recovered just in time for the lady of thehouse to see the original structure of theceilings, completely in tact and almost as .

fresh as the day theywere carved. So what's the vintage? Well, for those of uskeen on lace makingand the history of theman behind somethingthat shaped the waylace was made for evermore, then there is nobetter place to startthat at Knightshayes.The site of the house,incidentally, wasdecided upon as it hada perfect, yet distantview of the lacefactory - a site whichcan be still seen fromthe house today... it isworth a visit - vintageseeking or not. Itcertainly gives a clearinsight to life of awealthy Victorian(through to the mid20th Century) family

Dunster Castle, TheNational Trust,Minehead, Somerset.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunster-castle/

We hot footed it over to Dunster Castle for the next visit, although the rainwas quite heavy by the time we got there. It was also getting dark and theplace appeared to be almost empty. Yet there was a welcome from the girl atthe gate and we ventured up the hill. The interior of the castle itself is not what you would expect. You tend toimagine that a castle is going to be decked out in a particular way. We wereallowed to take pictures inside here, so we are able to show you what it waslike! Owned by the Luttrell family, it dates back as the family home to 1376,

when it was sold to them by the de Mohuns. The castle itself has beenchanged, updated and generally been molded around by it's ownersright the way through time. The most interesting of these periods ofreadjustment have been around the early 1600's and again in the lateVictorian times. It was modernised so much during these periods thatlarge sections of the castle was literally demolished to make way fornew designs to keep up with the height of fashionable architecture.

Again, a place that shows the climb of time through the ages of one family. There are plenty of unexpected surprises there, and the castle is notwithout it's ghosts. You will find plenty there in the way of design of theinterior of both the furniture, soft furnishings as well as its interesting wallpaper. There really isn't anything that sets Dunster Castle aside from anyother building of it's time. It is not quite in-keeping of its castle origins butit does show what can be done over and over again in time to a house byone family with a lot of money. The castle has seen a lot of hard times inthe past, Oliver Cromwell being one man who ordered for the estate to bedestroyed. Thankfully that didn't come to pass. Worth a visit!

LOVING IT UPAT LOU LOU'S

What is it about the appeal of a Lou Lou's festival that itdraws crowds of hungry vintage seekers half round ablock? Michelle Hatcher investigates the secret behind theUK's favourite fair...

It is a chilly Saturday afternoon and ata colourful town hall, there stands aneager queue of teenagers braving thecold. Yet the stock that awaits themfrom behind these golden doors is thedrapes of their grandmothers andtheir great-grandmothers so what'sthe appeal? So they want to smell ofold moth balls? Dine on large lumpsof cake and sip tea from china whichQueen Victoria would haveconsidered tasteful? Well yes and no. Vintage is back, we know that andthere is no teaching these kids to suckeggs. They know what they wantvintage for and what's more, theyknow what to do with it. That may befrightening to the rest of us, but is itreallt that wrong for these brightyoung things to want to chop in half apleated 1940's suit? it might beconsidered criminal by purists but ifwe remember the words of Ms DawnO'Porter - vintage is for the future andif the future wants to chop it up andrehash it, let them. It's still style -well, she didn't actually say that, butits what is thought to be the way

forward. Vintage in the eyes of LouLou is for the younger set. I findmyself drifint around these fairs as amere observer, a person that looksupon the young and reflects andremembers what it was to be youngand experimental then. It makessense to allow these young girls tovictory roll their hair, rip their fishnetsand don a 1930's tea dress and rip ithere and there, add a couple of1970's platform boots and you'reready to hit the discos. So lets embrace this new phenomenawhich is the student take on thevintage. They might not be growinggreens like they did during the warbut there is an element of respecthere, even if it means that the originaloutfits don't stay in tact. It is new, it isdifferent and like any generationbefore, they take what they saw theirparents where and rebuild it, remodelit and call it there own. Teens havebeen doing this for almost 100 years. Nothing has changed. Vintage doesn'tjust appear, it goes round again...

LOVING IT UPAT LOU LOU'S

What is it about the appeal of a Lou Lou's festival that itdraws crowds of hungry vintage seekers half round ablock? Michelle Hatcher investigates the secret behind theUK's favourite fair...

It is a chilly Saturday afternoon and ata colourful town hall, there stands aneager queue of teenagers braving thecold. Yet the stock that awaits themfrom behind these golden doors is thedrapes of their grandmothers andtheir great-grandmothers so what'sthe appeal? So they want to smell ofold moth balls? Dine on large lumpsof cake and sip tea from china whichQueen Victoria would haveconsidered tasteful? Well yes and no. Vintage is back, we know that andthere is no teaching these kids to suckeggs. They know what they wantvintage for and what's more, theyknow what to do with it. That may befrightening to the rest of us, but is itreallt that wrong for these brightyoung things to want to chop in half apleated 1940's suit? it might beconsidered criminal by purists but ifwe remember the words of Ms DawnO'Porter - vintage is for the future andif the future wants to chop it up andrehash it, let them. It's still style -well, she didn't actually say that, butits what is thought to be the way

forward. Vintage in the eyes of LouLou is for the younger set. I findmyself drifint around these fairs as amere observer, a person that looksupon the young and reflects andremembers what it was to be youngand experimental then. It makessense to allow these young girls tovictory roll their hair, rip their fishnetsand don a 1930's tea dress and rip ithere and there, add a couple of1970's platform boots and you'reready to hit the discos. So lets embrace this new phenomenawhich is the student take on thevintage. They might not be growinggreens like they did during the warbut there is an element of respecthere, even if it means that the originaloutfits don't stay in tact. It is new, it isdifferent and like any generationbefore, they take what they saw theirparents where and rebuild it, remodelit and call it there own. Teens havebeen doing this for almost 100 years. Nothing has changed. Vintage doesn'tjust appear, it goes round again...

This weekend sees the festival whichmakes the slightly sleepy town of Swindoncome alive. This humble and veryordinary shopping centre comes alive withcolour and style with a strong vintagetheme. Swirling petticoats, dance, songand classic cars turn the Brunel Centre intoa vintage extravaganza of entertainment,retro delight and nostalgia, and sitting atthe epicentre of this collaboration ofthose who work hard behind the centresto bring this two day show to life isVintage Victory Rollers, and the ladybehind it is Raye Leonard.Raye is a whirlwind of businessphenomena. She is a marketing machinewho works as hard at her craft as she doeswith her business. ‘I am marketing it everyday, getting the word out there,’ she tellsme as she gets herself ready for the day infront of her mirror.For her, the road has been long to get towhere she is in her life now. ‘I have stylinghair since I was a little girl, but it’s onlysince 2013 that VVR has really taken off.’ She juggles a house, a job and home yether craft of styling the most unique stylesof vintage hair do’s has become herambition and her goal. ‘I want a series ofdecorative caravans travelling to festivalsall over the country.’ She beams. ‘If I had ashop somewhere, I don’t think I would bethere a great deal, not with the diary Ihave!’ I ask her about what she hasplanned over the next few months. Littledo I know, but I am now in for a long list offestivals, weddings, fairs and appearances,that I have trouble scribbling them alldown. ‘I am next to the management suitat Swindon’s Brunel Centre this weekendfor the Swindon vintage festival next doorto Miss Malone. I am teaming up with MissBones from Bristol who is an incrediblemakeup artist, and is offering pin up makeup packages. We’re working together tocreate styles and looks for visitors whojust want to stop by.’ Now, this has always been a completemisnomer to me. How you can instantlycreate a look for someone who just sitsthemselves down in front of you for the

first time, I cannot grasp, yet this is what Rayedoes. ‘Work has got so busy that there is ateam of us now in VVR and we work togetherwell.’ It turns out that this is a cast of friends,colleagues and people who are faithful toRaye. She is magnetic. ‘There is one girl who isnow a very good friend who was once acustomer. She now works with me and we geton great.’ How many business people can saythat they have taken on people who were oncecustomers!? The passion for vintage is real for Raye. ‘I liveit,’ and this is apparent as she applies a veryvintage look to her eyes and is careful to styleher hair to suit the desired era. Appearance iseverything to her and she takes care to crafther image just as much as her business. She isher own advertisement. When I first came to Swindon as a humblewriter, it wasn’t long before I had heard ofRaye. With the support of good friends Steveand Alicjia from the town’s very own Carry OnVintage store, I quickly become aware of thisbubbly presence of brightly coloured, rolled uphair and smiling ruby lips. She appeared to bethe doll of Swindon, a burlesque performerwho acquired an admiring following of localpeople. As she sits and chats to me over makeup and coffee, her phone buzzes frequently. As we talk, she glances occasionally at thephone, not as any other girl would to check onthe lives of her mates, Raye is very different. To her the phone is a business partner, andsomething that not only keeps her connectedbut connects her with her public too, and thereis plenty of them! ‘Facebook is the mostimportant platform for me, it’s where mycustomer base is and it is where I can engagewith my audience and respond to them.’‘I have started up Skype styling too!’ I amintrigued! ‘It’s great fun! I charge £10 per hourand I literally talk visually with the customer ona 1 to 1 and we style our hair together andmake up. It’s a brilliant thing as it requires fullattention, and I can carefully coach thecustomer every step of the way! It’s a perfectway of reaching out to customers who are notlocal.’ What a brilliant idea! Synchronisedstyling! I love this about her. She doesn’t juststop at those around her in the same town, sheis taking VVR to the world and the world isresponding. She is needed, and what’s more,

A OF VINTAGESUNSHINE

Raye

The Vintage gets all cosywithRaye Leonard from Vintage Victory Rollers and asks heraboutSwindon, friendsand a fleet of caravans

This weekend sees the festival whichmakes the slightly sleepy town of Swindoncome alive. This humble and veryordinary shopping centre comes alive withcolour and style with a strong vintagetheme. Swirling petticoats, dance, songand classic cars turn the Brunel Centre intoa vintage extravaganza of entertainment,retro delight and nostalgia, and sitting atthe epicentre of this collaboration ofthose who work hard behind the centresto bring this two day show to life isVintage Victory Rollers, and the ladybehind it is Raye Leonard.Raye is a whirlwind of businessphenomena. She is a marketing machinewho works as hard at her craft as she doeswith her business. ‘I am marketing it everyday, getting the word out there,’ she tellsme as she gets herself ready for the day infront of her mirror.For her, the road has been long to get towhere she is in her life now. ‘I have stylinghair since I was a little girl, but it’s onlysince 2013 that VVR has really taken off.’ She juggles a house, a job and home yether craft of styling the most unique stylesof vintage hair do’s has become herambition and her goal. ‘I want a series ofdecorative caravans travelling to festivalsall over the country.’ She beams. ‘If I had ashop somewhere, I don’t think I would bethere a great deal, not with the diary Ihave!’ I ask her about what she hasplanned over the next few months. Littledo I know, but I am now in for a long list offestivals, weddings, fairs and appearances,that I have trouble scribbling them alldown. ‘I am next to the management suitat Swindon’s Brunel Centre this weekendfor the Swindon vintage festival next doorto Miss Malone. I am teaming up with MissBones from Bristol who is an incrediblemakeup artist, and is offering pin up makeup packages. We’re working together tocreate styles and looks for visitors whojust want to stop by.’ Now, this has always been a completemisnomer to me. How you can instantlycreate a look for someone who just sitsthemselves down in front of you for the

first time, I cannot grasp, yet this is what Rayedoes. ‘Work has got so busy that there is ateam of us now in VVR and we work togetherwell.’ It turns out that this is a cast of friends,colleagues and people who are faithful toRaye. She is magnetic. ‘There is one girl who isnow a very good friend who was once acustomer. She now works with me and we geton great.’ How many business people can saythat they have taken on people who were oncecustomers!? The passion for vintage is real for Raye. ‘I liveit,’ and this is apparent as she applies a veryvintage look to her eyes and is careful to styleher hair to suit the desired era. Appearance iseverything to her and she takes care to crafther image just as much as her business. She isher own advertisement. When I first came to Swindon as a humblewriter, it wasn’t long before I had heard ofRaye. With the support of good friends Steveand Alicjia from the town’s very own Carry OnVintage store, I quickly become aware of thisbubbly presence of brightly coloured, rolled uphair and smiling ruby lips. She appeared to bethe doll of Swindon, a burlesque performerwho acquired an admiring following of localpeople. As she sits and chats to me over makeup and coffee, her phone buzzes frequently. As we talk, she glances occasionally at thephone, not as any other girl would to check onthe lives of her mates, Raye is very different. To her the phone is a business partner, andsomething that not only keeps her connectedbut connects her with her public too, and thereis plenty of them! ‘Facebook is the mostimportant platform for me, it’s where mycustomer base is and it is where I can engagewith my audience and respond to them.’‘I have started up Skype styling too!’ I amintrigued! ‘It’s great fun! I charge £10 per hourand I literally talk visually with the customer ona 1 to 1 and we style our hair together andmake up. It’s a brilliant thing as it requires fullattention, and I can carefully coach thecustomer every step of the way! It’s a perfectway of reaching out to customers who are notlocal.’ What a brilliant idea! Synchronisedstyling! I love this about her. She doesn’t juststop at those around her in the same town, sheis taking VVR to the world and the world isresponding. She is needed, and what’s more,

A OF VINTAGESUNSHINE

Raye

The Vintage gets all cosywithRaye Leonard from Vintage Victory Rollers and asks heraboutSwindon, friendsand a fleet of caravans

responding. She is needed, and what’s more, she loves itand gives it her all back. ‘One thing I hate doing isturning work down simply because I am too booked up tobe in three places at once. I am aiming for VVR to be bigso that no work is ever turned down again. That wouldbe the perfect place for me.’ This may be just another success story waiting in thewings, but it would be easy to say that she has alreadygot there on so many levels. She is self-taught in everyskill she has, from styling the most intricate hair dos withclips, bobby pins, styling products and sprays tomarketing, communicating and conversing withcolleagues, business owners and the public. Yet she isdoing it right. Setting her bar high enough so that she canreach it. She watches her competition and boldly walksright up and starts talking to them, looking for inspirationas well as knowledge, insight and connections to developher business yet further. ‘You have to stick to a platformand market on it consistently. Ask questions, I askpeople what their favourite hair style is, things that getpeople talking and conversing with each other as well aswith you.’ That’s what a trend is all about. Yet vintage is not atrend. It is a way of life, a lifestyle that chooses you. Itdraws kind, welcome people under its wing and keepsthem there. Others fall by the wayside if the warm spiritis not nurtured, and in my mind, if there were morepeople like Raye in this business, this thing calledvintage, would be here forever….

If you want to catch Raye and The Vintage Victory Rollers in action, they will beat the following events:Swindon Vintage Festival, Wiltshire 14/15 March Swindon Town Centre.Bang Shanky salon– Bristol 21st March, appearance – one of Raye’s regularspots.Burlesque Event Taunton, Devon, March 28th – Pop up Salon, with RockaflowerFrome Vintage Fair, April 18/19 at The Cheese and Grain.Alternative and Burlesque Festival April 25th. – Still taking bookings if you wantto come and see Raye for a makeover hair do.RAF Fairford Air Tattoo – 17-19th JulyFor Skype tutorials, either contact Raye through her Facebook page or go to thewebsite and click on workshops. She will email you prior to the tutorial, the toolsyou will need at the appointment.

responding. She is needed, and what’s more, she loves itand gives it her all back. ‘One thing I hate doing isturning work down simply because I am too booked up tobe in three places at once. I am aiming for VVR to be bigso that no work is ever turned down again. That wouldbe the perfect place for me.’ This may be just another success story waiting in thewings, but it would be easy to say that she has alreadygot there on so many levels. She is self-taught in everyskill she has, from styling the most intricate hair dos withclips, bobby pins, styling products and sprays tomarketing, communicating and conversing withcolleagues, business owners and the public. Yet she isdoing it right. Setting her bar high enough so that she canreach it. She watches her competition and boldly walksright up and starts talking to them, looking for inspirationas well as knowledge, insight and connections to developher business yet further. ‘You have to stick to a platformand market on it consistently. Ask questions, I askpeople what their favourite hair style is, things that getpeople talking and conversing with each other as well aswith you.’ That’s what a trend is all about. Yet vintage is not atrend. It is a way of life, a lifestyle that chooses you. Itdraws kind, welcome people under its wing and keepsthem there. Others fall by the wayside if the warm spiritis not nurtured, and in my mind, if there were morepeople like Raye in this business, this thing calledvintage, would be here forever….

If you want to catch Raye and The Vintage Victory Rollers in action, they will beat the following events:Swindon Vintage Festival, Wiltshire 14/15 March Swindon Town Centre.Bang Shanky salon– Bristol 21st March, appearance – one of Raye’s regularspots.Burlesque Event Taunton, Devon, March 28th – Pop up Salon, with RockaflowerFrome Vintage Fair, April 18/19 at The Cheese and Grain.Alternative and Burlesque Festival April 25th. – Still taking bookings if you wantto come and see Raye for a makeover hair do.RAF Fairford Air Tattoo – 17-19th JulyFor Skype tutorials, either contact Raye through her Facebook page or go to thewebsite and click on workshops. She will email you prior to the tutorial, the toolsyou will need at the appointment.

LastWord

This week has seen the surge of giant vintage, craft and fashionshows across London, and I, have been fortunate enough to slipthrough the gates and take part. I love these places, the big expanseof the arena, the buzz of excitement of the crowd, the pushing, theexpensive tea... hold on. I have decided over recent years to bring sandwiches and bring aspare, loose amount of change for bottles of water etc. When onedecides to embark on the venture of the Olympic venue, one shouldtake stiock and leave the heels and silly handbag at home. Armyourself with business cards and a smile and make a point ofspeaking to X amount of people. It really can be the best day spent. Just think! Meeting all those people in a confined space for a sweaty8 hours can do wonders to not only the make up sliding down yourface but the feeling of being wanted, spoken to, feeling important - itis the ultimate place of sanctuary and chaos. You will be exhuastedon the train coming home but buzzing. So book a ticket, with trainersand go. It will do you the world of good....

LastWord

This week has seen the surge of giant vintage, craft and fashionshows across London, and I, have been fortunate enough to slipthrough the gates and take part. I love these places, the big expanseof the arena, the buzz of excitement of the crowd, the pushing, theexpensive tea... hold on. I have decided over recent years to bring sandwiches and bring aspare, loose amount of change for bottles of water etc. When onedecides to embark on the venture of the Olympic venue, one shouldtake stiock and leave the heels and silly handbag at home. Armyourself with business cards and a smile and make a point ofspeaking to X amount of people. It really can be the best day spent. Just think! Meeting all those people in a confined space for a sweaty8 hours can do wonders to not only the make up sliding down yourface but the feeling of being wanted, spoken to, feeling important - itis the ultimate place of sanctuary and chaos. You will be exhuastedon the train coming home but buzzing. So book a ticket, with trainersand go. It will do you the world of good....

Feeling like your lifeis a balancing act?We juggle. From the day we becomeadults to the day we retire,everything in life is a shift betweenbalancing one thing and then theother. Yourbusinessdoesn'thavetobelikethat. Whether you are starting outfrom school or college and still notsure where to go, or you are mid-career with a desire for a newdirection for your working life, it canbealoteasierthanyouthinkwiththeright help.

Talk to us today. We understand, why? Becausewe have been at that crossroads too! Real people listening and helping real people,like you. 07880550028info@thelittlevintagebusinesscompany.co.uk

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