Village Festival, Classic Cars and Pop up Caravans!

Last weekend was my little Village's annual Village Festival.  I worked out that I haven't been to to this, despite having lived there for a very very long time, for about 10 years!!! (when I was a girl guide and was in the parade through the village!)  But this year, after I finished my degree last year and actually remembered it was on, I decided to pop along.  I also wanted to make sure I went as every year the Basingstoke Classic Car Club (try saying that quickly!) display all their finest and most beautiful vintage cars - who knows they might come in handy for future Betty Blue's photo shoots!

So armed with my camera my parents and I walked down, which turned out to be silly as the sun decided to come out for once and by the time I got there I was all hot and bothered and my shoes rubbed :s......but we shouldn't complain about the sunshine as it doesn't happen often.  So being all hot and bothered my first port of call was the Pimms tent!  I was slightly outraged to have to pay £3 for my Pimms as it was in a manly plastic beer mug AND only half full, but I guess things have gone up in price.  My anger soon faded though when I caught sight of the Garlic Farm stall.  I visited the Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight last summer when I was on my "Glamping Staycation" at Vintage Vacations, and picked up the most delicious smoked garlic whilst there.  So I trotted off and bought some more smoked garlic mmmmm - I say I bought it but in reality I made my Dad buy it for me :) teehee.  Will have to look out the cook book I bought from them on the Isle of Wight to see what to make with it.

Me standing next to a pretty car Pimms in hand!

A lot of the other stalls were a bit rubbish, the usual tombolas and raffles for the local schools and various charity stalls.  I was tempted to go over to the Help the Heroes; an outfit I am working on is inspired by WWII so it would be nice to give something back for the inspiration to a modern War Heroes Charity.  But since the outfit is still in the making I didn't in the end.  So I headed to the pretty cars!  Here are a selection of my favourites.

View of all the cars some not quite so "Vintage" as others

Gorgeous sporty looking car

1930's Car - I like to think it would be in an episode of Poirot or Miss Marple

And my absolute favourite because it looks like a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car and was beautifully restored

Not the best pic with a lamp post in the way!

Oh how I long for one of the above beautiful classic cars!  But oh well maybe one day!  I also came across some pop up caravans.  Yes you read that POP UP CARAVAN!!!  I saw a programme about these ages ago and apparently they were very popular in the 50's as they hook on to your car and transform into a little caravan really quickly and easily and can be stored at home relatively easily too; alot smaller than traditional caravans.  They were also a cheaper option to staying in hotels or holiday camps as you could use them over and over again...........although I have my doubts that they would survive a British torrential downpour.

The outside of one - you can see the tiny bed and cooker :)

They sort of fold in the middle and go flat when you store them - God knows how they stay up!

Inside of a slightly different one complete with the much needed picnic hamper
(you can also just see the corner of a ceramic sink!!  bottom left)

I want a beautiful classic car one day, but I want a pop up caravan even more!!!!!  It strikes me this would be really useful for when I go to Goodwood!  I love camping in a tent but since I am going to be manning my stall for four days in a row a little relaxation in a mini caravan would suit me much better (I have M.E so sleep is a huge issue for me)...........anyone have one I could borrow or know where I could hire a pop up caravan!?!?!?

Anyway enough of my ramblings.  I shall leave you with the exciting news that my production slot at the factory has been booked and confirmed and I can tell you that the 1st Betty Blue's Loungerie items will be being made in Wales in the second week of July sqeeeee

Betty xxx

Lots of exciting happenings!

It has been very busy here at Betty HQ the last few weeks.  I have been busy creating ways to earn some money to fund my vintage sewing pattern/book addiction, had a Twitter masterclass to help me learn how to promote my business, sort out ordering bits and bobs for the production of Betty Blue's Loungeries' FIRST ever outfit!!  And to top it all off I had to try and decide what to give my Daddy for his 65th Birthday (as well as organise my time so I can celebrate his Birthday without things falling into disarray in "the office").

So to the first item.  A few Sunday's ago I attended a Car Boot Sale in Verewood, Dorset.  I had loads of old clothes and shoes that I have not worn for aaaages, so I was ruthless and got rid of them all.  The weather was a bit chilly but luckily the rain held off and I managed to make £45!!!!  AND I bought this rather cool pin cushion

Sausage Dog Pin Cushion!!!!!!

A SAUSAGE PIN CUSHION!!!!!!!!  It was only 50p reduced from £2............I would have payed the £2 haha.  For those of you not in the know, I have two Miniature Dachshunds and ever since I got them I have collected novelty sausage dog related things.  It started with a friend of mine giving me a sausage dog Christmas decoration, then I found a Dachshund shaped salt and pepper shaker set, tea towel with all sorts of sausage dogs on and now my pin cushion has been added :).

With my newly flushed purse, of £45, I also bought this rather exciting catalogue of inspiration and lovelyness

Aren't they scrummy pictures!!!  And with the remaining money I booked myself in for a Twitter session with the lovely Ree Ree Rockette of Rockalily.

So I went up to London to meet with her in a Starbucks near Green Park Tube Station (I just happened to exit the tube station on the Ritz side and stared longingly at the Ritz!  Maybe one day I will be rich enough).  Ree Ree is the master of Twitter and has forced a few of her good friends into using it as it is a really good tool to reach a wider customer base, that otherwise you may not have reached.  I am a techniphobe and have long resisted social media as I don't often have a lot to say - but with me now being my own boss I am forcing myself to learn as no one else is going to do it for me!  If you too don't 'get' the whole twitter thing, then I can highly recommend booking a session with Ree Ree.  She managed to explain things to me clearly and helped me to understand all of the little quirks of twitter, how to use it and gave me heaps of tips on how to get myself out there in hopes of securing future customers for my brand.  She also gave me tips on what to tweet when I feel like I have nothing to say.  So hopefully now I will be a regular on twitter, updating you on things I find inspiring, up to the minute updates on product launches and hopefully making a few new friends along the way.  I also purchased one of Ree Ree's lipsticks in Rockette Red which I will be reviewing in a later blog.

And so to the last exciting thing I have done recently.  On 9th June it was my Daddy's Birthday and he was 65 (I'm sure he won't mind me saying this).  It strikes me that 65 is a milestone age so my Mum, Sister and I wanted to do something special for him.  So we went to Afternoon Tea at a local hotel The Elvetham, in Fleet.  The house and grounds are beautiful and the sun did come out briefly for us.  I have never had a proper Afternoon at a posh establishment so I was doubly excited, and it did not disappoint.

The Elvetham Hotel

I indulged in an Earl Grey tea, which is my tea of choice when out, and went on to devour the yummy sandwiches and cakes.

Everything looks so much yummier in miniature!

I never really understood why everything is so small in a cream tea, struck me as kind of stingy when you are paying so much for it, but I now understand why.........because they are SO filling!!!  I felt very sick and stuffed by the end of my many cakes - especially as we were going too have birthday cake later that evening!!!  But all in all I think it was well worth the money as we had a lovely time and the view was beautiful.  One slight criticism is that the tea was from a tea bag.  Call me old fashioned but I think Afternoon Tea should always be loose leaf as I could have just had Twinings Earl Grey tea from a tea bag at home.  But other than that I could not fault it.

And so to finish this blog post I shall give you a little teaser on what is to come in Betty Blue's Loungerie.

Not the best picture for colour but I can tell you it is a sunny sunny yellow and gorgeous and floaty ;)

Lots of Love
Betty xxxx