Category Archives: lettering

Christmas at attic. | A look around the shop!

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_0315Boxes have been unpacked, stock has been displayed and shelves have been re-merchandised. Hard to believe, it’s that time of year again…

Christmas is such an important time of year to a small business like ours; more than ever in these unpredictable times! Therefore it’s vitally important to give ourselves the best chance for a good season.

We ordered a lot of our Christmas stock months ago (some of it in January and February) so we always get a little anxious when it arrives, and we start to unpack it. Is it as nice as we thought? Have the collections worked together as well as we planned? And, has what we ordered, actually turned up. Being a small retailer, sometimes what we order isn’t always what we get. The bulk of a wholesaler/makers stock can be swallowed up by much larger retailers, with what’s left, served out to the small independents. Leaving us with a diluted collection!

Anyway – all our fears were forgotten this year. In fact most of the stock we ordered was nicer than we remembered. And the things we thought wouldn’t arrive – did. Result!

IMG_6574

IMG_6528So, with just over a month to go, we thought we’d take some photos of Phase 1 – and show you what we’ve been up to. We’re pretty chuffed with how the shop is looking, so we thought we’d share it with you. Hope you like it too!IMG_6485IMG_6454

IMG_0482

IMG_6449

IMG_6503

IMG_6507We’ve photographed most of the Christmas stock, and consequently the website has been very busy this year, with nearly everything being online. So if it’s still available – it’ll be on there. Click through for links to website and product pages…IMG_6488

IMG_6491

IMG_6526

IMG_6511We’ve also just had in a new delivery of toiletries and skincare products from Priddy Essentials. All handmade in Rutland, England. Beautiful scents with gorgeous packaging.IMG_0341

IMG_6472

IMG_6517

IMG_6523These metal Christmas trees are probably our favourite product this season.

IMG_6561Every year we sell more and more of the beautiful decorations from Walther & Co in Denmark (probably best known for their little house lanterns) They are becoming quite the collector’s items. People come back year after year to see what’s been added to the collection…IMG_5963We’re open everyday now until Christmas (open Sundays 12-4pm) so do pop in and say hello if you’re near!IMG_0300

 

New Stock | New Photos | New Blog!

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_1742

With the advent of Instagram, and our regular email newsletters (that we send out to our subscribers)  it’s been quite a while since we last posted an ACTUAL blog!

Sometimes there is much more content that we want to get across, than is possible on Instagram. We always have lots to write about – and photos to share from our travels – but it’s just finding the time!!

We’ve had a whole lot of fresh and exciting new stock arrive recently.  A selection across the board, from new suppliers and makers, to new vintage pieces.

Since Christmas, we’ve looked carefully at what stock we hold, and introduced some great new ranges of products that focus on value – as well as quality. So we are pleased to say there are now alternatives to the high end ranges of toiletries, candles and  frames etc.

Having recently given the shop a ‘refresh’ – we took some photos of the results, and that seemed like the perfect reason to kick-start the blog again…IMG_3784This little corner of the shop (above) – features our original antique hand painted ‘Hampton Hill’ sign! It originally adorned the front of the ‘Hampton Hill Dress Agency’ sometime in the early 1900s. A bit of a mystery, as no-one local to us seems to know about it or remember it. Anyway, it was offered to us a few years ago – as it was going to be thrown out!! 😱
IMG_3704 2We have a lovely new range of toiletries, handmade in Yorkshire, and beautifully packaged.

Original vintage postcards (new old stock).

Also just arrived from the workshop, this beautifully stylish painted vintage sideboard/cupboard…IMG_3703

A new collection of seasonal scarves and bags. (Stock changes regularly)IMG_3783

Vintage kitchenalia – mixed with our beautiful Tierra Negra black clay cookware from Columbia. And of course some vintage industrial drawers and scales…IMG_3754

IMG_3756

IMG_3773

IMG_3716

This lovely old painted panel was originally abandoned in the shop garden, when we first started the business nearly 20 years ago. Not everyone’s cup of tea – but we just loved the faded patina and flakey paint. We loved it then and we love it now. Great backdrop for photos!IMG_3715Brilliant quality, men’s shaving/grooming products from LA:Bruket in Sweden…IMG_3747Brand new range of classic, great value, black framed photo frames. Made In England.IMG_3743There’s a good collection of faux plants and flowers in at a the moment  – mixed with some lovely original vintage pieces…IMG_3727These pots are a favourite of ours. ‘Whitestone’ rose and cactus flowerpots. They make any plants look that little bit more special! IMG_3738Also just arrived – a new delivery of our reclaimed frames – made from salvaged timber from South Africa…IMG_3763

IMG_3790We are trying to grow our ‘gifts for gardeners’ section this year, with a selection of books, toiletries for gardeners –  and garden tools etc…garden_productsAnd it won’t be long before we open our shop garden again, for the Spring/Summer season. Beautiful and useful vintage garden accessories, plants and one-off decorative pieces…IMG_3791

IMG_1744So if you’re local to us, do stop by and have a look at what we’ve been up to. We’re always grateful for your visit!

 

Vintage and Decorative Letters

Posted on by
Reply

abc naman letters

We’ve always been big fans of typography…

When we opened our first shop, back in 1999, the trend for vintage lettering and typography had just started in the world of interiors and styling. Around that time, we chanced upon a complete tray of wooden letterpress at an auction…and discovered how decorative they were; and how it made great wall art. In fact that letterpress tray was one of the first things we ever sold!IMG_5477
We’ve now been selling letters, old and new, for over 15 years; sourcing vintage and salvaged letters that would originally have adorned the fronts of shops and factories etc.
We even made our own for a few years!

As with most trends, fashions come and go, and there was a point when you couldn’t open an interiors magazine, or look online without seeing an interior that had either an old, single letter, carefully ‘placed’ and propped up –  or a word spelled out in random types/sized fonts. Whilst some would say they have been over-used and have had their day. We still love them. But then we’ve never paid much attention to trends.

These ones are in the shop right now…IMG_6061Visitors to our shops will be familiar with the different ranges of
letters that we stock. But it has to be said, these mini metal script letters, that we’ve just added online, are probably our current favourites..
metal_script_lettersIMG_6034Also available, are our best selling larger metal letters that we’ve been selling for sometime now. Loosely based on Times New Roman, they can be mixed and matched with the script letters. These ones are also handmade and in random colours…steel officer's trunk

IMG_4120 IMG_4137

All online and in the shop!

Sm Script letters £8 each – approx 5cms   |  Lg Letters £12 each – approx 20cms high

Beside the Seaside

Posted on by
2

Typography & Signage in Hastings and Rye

At the end of last year, we took a little trip to the seaside, for a final little break before the Christmas season started in earnest……The thing that became apparent on our return, was the large amount of photos we’d taken of old handwritten/handmade signs and signage: Shop signs, house names, road names, fishing boat numbers and fish and chip shop signs…..seaside

RYE, East Sussex. 

We actually spent a weekend in the seaside towns of Hastings and the fishing port of Rye a few miles along the southern English coast. We’ve been to Rye a few times over the years, and it never fails to charm us, with its picturesque old town and cobbled lanes of cottages and houses…mermaid street 2

There’s an abundance of antique shops and emporiums, small boutiques – and a good choice of restaurants and coffee shops (and traditional tea shops- it is a very English town after all) There’s also a fantastic old Vinyl record store; Grammar School Records – situated in an old Grammar school (funnily enough) It’s always worth a visit, if you like a long player!

We found there are a lot of quirky houses in Rye if you keep your eyes open…2 front doorsPatriotic too…..fish and shipsprinters

Lovely little boutique – Violetta – closed unfortunately!violetta

A very neat and tidy looking homewares and ironmongers….Crockery

Philosophical messages atop the buildings! You just have to look up……DSCN1895

HASTINGS, East Sussex

Hastings is a contrasting town of two halves. Having never been before, we were surprised at the difference between the Old town and the ‘New’ town. The lovely Old town to the west of the town, has a wonderful mix of independent shops, pubs and restaurants, including many vintage/antique and lifestyle shops. We particularly liked the fantastic Myerscough & Mairs antiques and vintage shop, on the old high street. Lovely guy and great pieces. The ‘New’ town to the east, appears to consist of a mix of once beautiful old Victorian buildings, that have seemingly been long neglected (the magnificent old Palace Court Hotel on the seafront in particular) and a sprawling, shabby looking, commercial shopping centre. And dodgy looking guest houses…B&B

….we liked the front door of this B&B – but didn’t fancy staying there! And the ‘Antiques sign was clearly more interesting than the shop – it had closed down.antiques

Always handy to have a shop that serves soup, while choosing your wedding cakes – don’t you think?……DSCN1607

light steps

Alastair Hendy’s Homestore on the High Street is enough on it’s own, to warrant a visit to Hastings. We had a delicious, freshly caught sea food lunch here too….home store

The Haunted Waterloo Passage – off the old high street…waerloo

Who wouldn’t want to live at No.1 Pleasant row?pleasant rowHand painted signwriting….right Like the idea of a rock shop…rock shop

There are many more photo opportunities to be had down on the seafront. Hastings is still home to Europe’s largest beach based fishing fleet and you will find many old and abandoned fishing boats, amongst the working boats and fishmongers, selling their freshly caught produce….fresh fish Look out for the seagulls though…..fishing boat

By the way, we stayed at the George Hotel in Rye, on the high street. Fantastic, stylishly designed hotel, with great rooms and a cosy bar (with roaring log fire) and a great restaurant! Worth a stay….DSCN1863