Vintage inspired cakes

With the Queen's Jubilee looming and a four day weekend to enjoy, we've been thinking about having a little party and making some cakes so what better way to get some inspiration by blogging about vintage cakes?

www.sosnweddingdesigns.blogspot.co.uk - Something Old, Something Blue is a fab website which design's beautiful cakes like the one above and red is such a patriotic colour right now.

http://bonafidebride.blogspot.co.uk - we love lace but would never have thought have using it as inspiration for a cake! This gives a nod at the stunning dress Catherine Middleton wore on her wedding day last year.

http://www.theeburycollection.com/wedding-directory?Peggy-Porschen-Cakes-34

Peggy Porschen is THE name in beautiful wedding cakes and confectionary and if I ever get married I am so commissioning a cake from her! - Sarah @ SVWH

www.delicious-cakes.co.uk - we love birds as you know 

and were thrilled when we came across this birdcage cake!

http://ruffledblog.com - we are big fans of this blog and wish Amanda was our friend! She has some lovely ideas and this pink ruffle cake is to die for.

http://www.maisiefantaisie.co.uk - a great cake shop based in SW2, London - Maisie opts for old school glamour and we have fallen in love with this simple yet elegant design.

http://www.belleamour.co.uk - we are big fans of the colour blue. 

It is calming and looks stunning with white accessories.

So good we had to put two of them (above and below) - these are simply amazing cakes that have been handpainted to get this unique finish. WOW!

As Marie Antoinette said "Let them eat cake" and oh, will we.

New Year, New Look!

So 2012 is finally here and we have kicked off the year with a new look website!

Let us know what you think - www.sarahsvintagewendyhouse.com.

So to celebrate our fab, fresh new look we are sharing one of our favourite things with you....

 Birdcages! These antiqued look ones are beautiful grouped together.

 Colourful canvases bring a splash of colour to any wall in the house.

 Saw these and got very excited at the thought we could make our own in minature!

Everyone loves a statement cushion and this one is just the business!

 Wrought iron is making a comeback and we love the Moroccan feel of these whilst still being a modern twist on the traditional birdcage.

 Or perhaps you fancy being a bird yourself? One designer has created their own 'human birdcage'!

 Stickers can enhance any space, no matter how big or small. The great things about these is when you tire of them you can remove them and use them elsewhere.

 Some clever people even make their own stationary with birdcages on and we think they look beautiful.

So as you may have guessed birds and birdcages are one of our new things.

Our fab new website is up and running now so do have a look - www.sarahsvintagewendyhouse.com. We are also selling some of our gorgeous furniture online and all of them have some money off in the end of our January Sale so grab yourself a bargain and a little bit of history to boot.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

We love Christmas here at SVWH and we never fail to get excited about new goodies in our shop but also the Christmas presents we select for our friends and family. Christmas is definitely the season of giving and spreading a bit of festive joy.

We are a big fan of this website and we love the idea of making beautiful vintage gift tags.

Retro books always make a great gift whether in a stocking or as a Secret Santa. Cosmopolitan magazine rated this as one of their faves and we're inclined to agree.

We've been good Santa, we promise!

Charm bracelets are making a comeback thanks to companies like Pandora. We love their modern take on the old classic. It means you can buy the bracelt for a special friend or loved one and other people can add to their bracelet with personalised charms to make it truly unique.

Children can be tricky to buy for, usually wanting the latest craze or fad. We're smitten with kid-friendly and kid-favourites in the form of mini hampers! Pack a beautifully wrapped box with their favourtie sweets and chocolates and the more retro you can go, the better!

We always wish that we could play dress up all day and these gorgeous Beatrix Potter inspired tea sets would do us nicely. Another one for our wish list.

Get creative in the kitchen and rustle up homemade truffles, jams, chutneys and cakes. This beautiful morsel is taken from another blog we love - www.vintageandcake.blogspot.com

If we had an iPad, we would get one of these to play all our music on! We love our people can effortlessly fuse vintage with modern and this is right on the money.

Rockett St. George (another fave website of ours!) always nails our absolute must-haves. What's not to love about these wooden signs? We'll take them all.

We hope you all had a lovely Christmas and wish everyone all the best for the New Year.

Don't forget to come along to our shop in Shalesmoor, Sheffield from 3rd January 2012 as we are having our January sale with up to 20% off furniture and homeware items.

Come and grab yourself a bargain and get something beautifully vintage to boot!

Best of British

Following on from the uber British wedding of the year (cheers Kate and Will!) we have come over all patriotic and have been holding a Best of British theme at our beautiful shop. 

(You can check out pictures on our website - www.sarahsvintagewendyhouse.com or find us on Facebook (SarahsVintage WendyHouse)

So we thought we would check out some other British bits and pieces which puts us in a jubliant mood......

 British stamps are iconic anyhow but we loved these quirky ones from a few years ago.

It's not just the French who have great cheese. We do too and we should be proud.
Wallace and Gromit are! Wensleydale anyone?

 John Lewis, the quintessential British department store,
have now given us more reason to make cupcakes. Huzzah!

Hope and Greenwood make the most amazing sweets and chocolates,
all 100% British made right here in the UK.

We're undeniably proud of commemorating our fallen soldiers and The Royal British Legion does a brilliant job every year of raising funds. We are wearing our poppy with pride.

A Sunday roast - no other words.

Every gal should have a Roberts radio in her boudoir - not only Made in England but teaming up with
Cath Kidson gets the thumbs up from us!


Come and visit our shop in The Nichols Building, Shalesmoor, Sheffield to see our Best of British month!

Summer heatwave!

Well it has been a while since we last blogged and so much has been happening.

At the moment we are enjoying the crazy heatwave that has hit most of the UK.

To celebrate this 'second' summer, here are a few of our favourite summer things;

Sunbathing on the beach - ideally in a retro swimsuit!

Primrose Hill - one of the best views in the world. Picnic and friends optional.

We really want one of these! They look good enough to eat in our favourite candy colour.

Fish and chips with lashings of salt and vinegar wrapped in newspaper with a wedge of lemon. Perfect!

And you HAVE to have some homemade ice cream for dessert.

Just a few things we're making the most of before the snow arrives at the end of the month!

Enjoy it while it lasts! x

Beautiful gems

We LOVE jewellery has much as the next person and any small trinket usually makes it home with us!

This brooch/necklace is really stunning and is a real one off piece.

The colours on this locket are gorgeous and is beautifully handpainted.

This is a modern twist on vintage inspired jewellery. A real WOW piece.

Every girl needs pearls and this one will do us nicely.

Cute and quirky is our trademark and this necklace hits the spot.

Little pin brooches are making a comeback and anything with a minature pocket watch adds to the charm.



Charity shops

Here at SVWH we are big fans of charity shops. Having donated a lot of items ourselves in recent years, we love having a rummage round to see if we can dig up any treasures.

However, a lot of charity shops are pretty neglected and people use them as an excuse to dump their rubbish on the lovely volunteers who give their time for free to help out. Charity shops are having a bit of a revival thanks to Mary Portas. (She of Queen fo Shops fame) She has been on a mission to makeover our ailing charity shops and make them into something a little more special and we salute her for it.

So get yourself down to your local charity shop and see what you can do to help

or failing that have a clear out!

Here are a few of our favourite charity shops in London;

Octavia Foundation, South Kensington - MARY PORTAS-APPROVED
A large, slightly austere space packed with designer donations from wealthy locals.

Plus a 'brilliant' hushed vintage book department with oriental rugs and coffee tables covered in art periodicals and old Christie’s catalogues.
Mary's verdict ‘Yves Saint Laurent? Wow! Miu Miu! Chanel! Max Mara for 30 quid? Come on!’

Octavia Foundation, 211 Brompton Rd, SW3 2ED

(7581 7987/http://www.octaviahousing.com/).

South Kensington tube. 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun.

British Red Cross, Chelsea - MARY PORTAS-APPROVED
Couture cast-offs, big-label handbags and Manolo Blahniks are presented beautifully on an airy, uncluttered shop floor, flooded with natural light.
Mary's verdict ‘It’s where a shop is based that’s the key. Just look at the incredible donations in here - you wouldn’t get this in Orpington.'

British Red Cross, 67 Old Church St, SW3 5BS (www.redcross.org.uk).

Sloane Square tube. 10am-5.30pm Mon-Wed, Fri; 10am-7pm Thur; 1-6pm Sun

Crusaid, Pimlico - MARY PORTAS-APPROVED
Crusaid’s tiny Pimlico store, lit with fairy lights and an antique chandelier, is a real find. Nicole Farhi and Designer Warehouse Sale’s Roger Walker-Dack regularly donate unworn stock, alongside Urban Outfitters, Ralph Lauren and Hackett (often dropped off by the Hackett family themselves). Stock is perfectly merchandised in two rooms packed with on-trend designerwear and handpicked bric-a-brac.
Mary's verdict ‘It’s gorgeous! I think charity shops that try to copy boutiques lose the soul of what a charity shop is. In here you know you might just find something incredible.’

Crusaid, 19 Churton St, SW1V 2LY (7233 8736/

Pimlico tube. 10am-6pm Mon-Sat; 11am-3pm Sun.

Traid, Westbourne Grove
A favourite of fashion stylists and journalists alike, and with mentions in Japanese and British Vogue, this is the charity shop to head to for superior secondhand clothing. Raising money for international development, the shop has a small, boutiquey feel, making it a great place to rummage. In particular, check out the vintage section, where you’ll find quirky one-offs. They get some impressive designer pieces: a Burberry coat recently sold for £69. There’s also its renowned remade clothing to look out for.

Traid, 61 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UA (7221 2421).

Bayswater tube. 10am-6pm Mon-Sat; 11am-5pm Sun.

British Red Cross, Victoria
This branch is packed with designer labels thanks to donations from wealthy locals. Brands currently in stock include Prada, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Dior, plus Manolo Blahnik shoes. A selection of bric-a-brac, handbags and hats are also up for grabs alongside a range of ballgowns.

British Red Cross, 85 Ebury St, SW1W 9QU (7730 2235).

Victoria tube/rail. 10am-5.30pm Mon-Fri; 10am-4pm Sat.

www.crusaid.org.uk).