Pretty Nostalgic Magazine is starting a new Venture

I have supported this wonderful Magazine from their very first issue.
 Their ethos of:

' Spend Wisely, Waste Less and Appreciate More'

 resonates with me, as I try to appreciate the simple pleasures in life

I do feel a particular loyalty to them as they published an article by me about disappearing bookshops and the joy of Antiquarian books!

They are planning to change from being a bi-monthly magazine to a society, publishing a book quarterly for their members.
Nicole Burnett who produces Pretty Nostalgic says

" we want to turn from a magazine into a society and get lovely, crafty, hands-on, creative and British history and vintage loving people together and publish beautiful books which wont be sold on Amazon! "

My vintage loving friends

I have enjoyed my copies of the magazine immensely. They are filled with a variety of articles on social history, crafts, Vintage treasures, cookery, beauty. My favourites are the detailed and quirky descriptions of towns in Britain. An insider's hints on the best independent shops, quirky corners and best restaurants.

There is now a Kickstarter Campaign to make this new venture possible
Nicole explains-

" For the past two years we have produced a beautifully printed and independent, vintage home and lifestyle magazine but now we want to transform into a society!

The Pretty Nostalgic Society will continue to publish great British content, but now we will now publish a quarterly book called the Pretty Nostalgic Compendium instead of our magazine, and we hope to do much more!

We need to raise at least £8,000 to print more copies of our future Compendia which will allow us to be stocked in a wider variety of independent shops, to recruit new members and to promote our Pretty Nostalgic Society at the brilliant Goodwood Revival in September.

Here is the link if you would like to know more

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/prettynostalgic/the-pretty-nostalgic-compendium-and-pretty-nostalg

Please pass on to any friends who you feel might be interested- we have until

Wednesday August 20th 2014

to succeed!

My apologies for slightly random photographs and constant changes in font - I've been having trouble with my computer and yet wanted to post this ASAP!

Jane x

Summertime and the living is easy....

I have written of and photographed the wonderful Larmer Tree festival before. This year was special as my son Sam celebrated his 18th Birthday. I remember it so well, lumbering around the festival 18 years ago, 'cow heavy and floral' in the coolest dress I could wear. He is now rather disappointed in me in that I didn't give birth to him in the midst of the festival- as that would have been 'very cool'....( Hmm, not for me, I think!).

I was also proud and excited because Emily and her friends were one of the theatrical street performer acts who add such an eccentric and quirky feel to the festival. They were the characters from 'The Wizard of Oz' - dancing and singing as they tried to find their way back home

The tin man is rusty

The cowardly lion manages a scary roar

'Follow the Yellow Brick Road'

 I love all the performers. You never know what you might see-

Every year the vital joys are the same-

 The Wishing Tree

Colourful decorations everywhere

The Peacocks

Great music on the Main Lawn

 David and I were running my workshop as usual- our perfumed pomanders proved very popular

David showed how you could wear one and still remain manly

And some are destined to freshen the muddiest of boots!

I even had the chance to take part in a workshop myself- my fish is the unfinished one...

One of my favourite parts of the festival is ' Dress up Saturday'. A different theme is chosen every year and this year it was' Four Corners of the World'

I was a French Can-can dancer but this is all I am prepared to reveal to you of my costume, as my basque caused  a ' Jane is busting out all over' problem...

David was an Englishman on holiday

Part of the fun is seeing other people's costumes

This year I had the added amusement of watching the press cameramen and women at work...

Stalking their prey

Moving in for that perfect shot

And finally, good-naturedly, having the tables turned on them!

This year the weather was kind to us, although when the occasional thunderstorm occurs it is always best to be prepared

The Larmer Tree festival is the perfect place for families and friends to get together, away from the troubles of the world

David and Ben

Father and daughter

Father and son

I love to watch people and especially the children, who make the festival such a magical place. 

There were lots of beards

Tails were the accessory

I think this last photograph sums up the festival this year

Summertime, and the living is easy...

Je t'adore Paris

We were heading for Paris, so it seemed entirely reasonable that we should be wearing hats....

 A sunny day at Versailles, escaping most of the other tourists at Petit Trianon put us in a holiday mood

I loved the rich colours and patterns

and came away with grandiose ideas of turning my bedroom into a boudoir...

We stayed in a wonderful little flat right in the centre of the city. I loved the area, near Les Halles, it was busy and lively and full of Parisians rather than tourists.

We were even invited to a Private View on our first evening! I prefer to stay in a house rather than a hotel, you can pretend it's your pied-a-terre and that you are  just popping over for the weekend...

Antiques stalls and Brocantes tempted us next day (and the next one too, actually). We pottered for hours  looking, lusting and occasionally treating ourselves

Whilst wandering, we came at one point to this overgrown house, tucked away, half hidden by the greenery. How we wished we could stay there!

We didn't visit many of the tourist attractions but I love Sainte Chapelle. Its one of the few places where opulent colour does not look gaudy but beautiful.

And as always, it's the details that touch my heart-

Paris is not only full of beautiful, uplifting art, it is also the perfect place for indulging in a little temptation...

We visited the oldest cake shop in Paris
And came away with a lunch that would seduce a Saint

On our last night we headed to the place that for many, sums up the spirit of the city

We found a quirky bar where the walls were covered with cards and notes and drawings by the guests and then treated ourselves to a fabulous meal at our favourite restaurant

later that night we watched the Eiffel Tower sparkling above the city, whilst a thunderstorm and lightening lit up the rest of the sky. It was a magical moment but one which I couldn't quite catch on camera...

The weekend was such a treat for me, it was wonderful to spend time with Emily and she well deserved her holiday. She has a 2.1 Hons in Drama and Creative Writing. I am very proud of her, she worked so hard.

I will always love Paris, it was the first foreign city I visited when young and it still has a slightly magical quality. It never disappoints or lets me down-

Bookstore on the banks of the Seine

Marie Antionette's private theatre

Golden Snails

A shoe decorated with flower petals and fruit

Paris Je t'adore.

The apartment -
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1876098?euid=6b3f696d-ecb7-e420-dab6-c3851a4f2d62