the stockman diaries
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  • May17th

    1 Comment

    Branding Masterclass

    Posted in: Branding, Inspiration, Projects

    I haven’t written a post in such a long time.  It’s one of my favourite parts of the job, but I just haven’t had the time to fit everything in.  I’ve had some lovely projects with Vintage Style Hire, including styling an interactive catwalk and speakers corner for the Save the Date show.  I have photographs from that to share and some other projects such as the lovely garden party over the May Bank holiday.  I organised his daughters wedding a few years ago, so it was lovely to be asked back to organise his 70th Birthday Party.

    Conicidentally, I met Fiona Humberstone from Flourish at that very wedding.  We had a long chat at the post wedding party and subsequently I went on one of Fiona’s courses.  I feel very lucky to have a place on this course as I actually won it!  Check the announcement out on You Tube I felt like I’d won an Oscar!

    So I feel very honoured to be on the course, we are now in Week Two.  I must say, I’m not the best student as last weeks homework is still outstanding, but this week I’ve been a bit of a swat!  Only because it’s something I love doing for my clients.  So this is how I interpret Vintage Style Hire.  For those that know me, is it a reflection of me and my business?  Please feel free to send through your critiques!

    It’s a bit big to see everything, so I took some close up pics.

    I will frame it in a painted turquoise frame in the barn.

    Wedding photograph Gareth Davies

  • April19th

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    Save the Date – Wedding event with a Difference

    Posted in: Exhibition, Inspiration, Styling, Vintage Hire

     Coincidentally on the day of the Oxfam shoot I got a call from Abbi asking if I might be interested in being involved with styling part of the ‘Wedding Event with a Difference’ organised by Save the Date Magazine in Nottingham this Sunday, 22nd April.

    The following week we had a long chat and I got some ideas and moodboards together for her.  We initially had grand plans for every zone, but naturally these had to be scaled down.  A little ambitious!  I am helping style the Welcome area, the Catwalk and the Speakers Corner.

    So pop along and see what we came up with.  Details will also be divulged on the Save the Date Blog.

    Hope to see you there.

     

     

  • April17th

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    Oxfam photo shoot and auction

    Posted in: Photo Shoot, Styling, Vintage Hire

    I have been a little delayed with writing a post lately.  It has been so busy, lots of exciting projects in the pipeline and some lovely weddings and events to plan.  I’m styling part of the Save the Date ‘Wedding Event with a Difference’ this Sunday in Nottingham (more on that later) which I’m really looking forward to.  My first garden party is in a couple of weeks and I’m just working on a lovely new wedding in a woodland in Kent.

    I have been looking forward to seeing the photographs of this amazing project for Oxfam.   To celebrate the anniversary of the Royal Wedding, Oxfam is inviting you to a unique online auction, offering you the chance to bid on exclusive items for your big day.

    Tiffany Grant Riley did an amazing job styling the shoot to promote the event and on the day it was a hive of activity, with gorgeous models and the lovely Eliza Claire Photography and Anna-Marie Stepney taking the photographs.   Here are just a few taken from the recent post by Annabel from Love My Dress .

    These photographs from the 1930′s feature my gorgeous screen and work table.

    and look at those gorgeous Emmy shoes!

    To the 1940′s in the beautiful courtyard garden.  You would never guess this is in central London. The car was packed full of crates which were transformed with arrangements from Hayford & Rhodes.

    Whilst the rain held off it was rather chilly, but I shivered outside along with the models, watching the 1960′s scene with Annabel’s husband Phil.  How gorgeous is it that striking yellow bouquet with my favourite Craspedia and very cute Oxfam biscuits hanging from the tree made by Olofson Design.  Her cakes are exquisite.

    I don’t know how Annabel from Love My Dress manages to blog so eloquently and links everyone involved.  With my limited knowledge of blogging, it is a tricky task, so you must take a look at both her posts with every detail of both the photo shoot and how you can be involved in raising lots of money for this worthwhile cause.

    They have already raised over their target of £70,000 retail value of items which is as amazing achievement.  You will be able to bid for any of the items between 29th April and 9th May.  I have donated a little pink table painted in a dusky pink.  Will you be placing a bid?

    Photographs by Eliza Claire Photography and Anna Marie Stepney.
    Other suppliers involved not linked above, featured on Love My Dress.

  • March27th

    1 Comment

    and the winner is ……

    Posted in: Inspiration

    I’m not clever enough to insert You Tube links as they should be viewed, but take a look at this!

    http://bit.ly/H5Zo2U

    I keep playing it over and over again like I’ve won an Oscar! 

    I absolutely love everything about Flourish.  I met Fiona at a wedding I organised a couple of years ago and the bride told me that Fiona had fancied the idea of being a wedding planner.  We met briefly on the wedding day, but the day after we got chatting whilst clearing up the marquee.  Once the post wedding arrangements had died down, I was intrigued to look at her website.

    Who wouldn’t love a company that produces work like this?

    I did have an idea of running courses on wedding planning.  Wasn’t I doing myself out of a job?  No, because not everyone wants a wedding planner, so why not teach them how to get started.  I saw that Fiona was running a course, so drove to Guildford and had a wonderful day in their studio.  The course content aside, I was so impressed with all the detail that I personally think is really important.  Lovely mugs, freshly brewed coffee, gorgeous homemade cakes, a delicious lunch – it’s not all for show, it makes you feel special and that they’ve made a real effort. 

    When I started my new venture, I sent my flyers wrapped in tissue with a ribbon and a little ‘vintage’ tag.  Whilst they werent booking my services immediately, a lot either emailed or called me personally to say they have received them.  How many flyers normally end up in the bin? 

    Vintage Style Hire has grown steadily over the last year and I’m very excited about new plans including a range to sell through Vintage Style Living.  I want to take my business to the next level and thought the Branding Masterclass would be wonderful.  My friend Jo Norman from Daisyley signed up for the last course and said it was excellent.  When I saw there was an opportunity to win a place, I added my ‘why I wanted to win it’ and pressed send.

    I couldn’t have been more shocked when I received a DM on Twitter from Fiona last night with ‘you’ve won!’.  I was at my barn when it came through and thought it was probably a joke.  When I got home, I checked on my iPad and connected to the announcement on You Tube.  They had so many entries they decided to draw it out of a hat (well a glass bowl!) How lucky was I?

    So, I’m going back to school.  I am thrilled with winning the place and can’t wait to get started.

    Images from Flourish Blog

  • March25th

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    The best day ever!

    Posted in: In Love, Vintage

    A quick Sunday evening post on “the best day ever” as my children would say.

    After an enquiry from a stylist to be involved in Vintage Nation in Brighton in June, I stumbled upon Judys Vintage Fair and saw one of the next events was the ‘Vintage Furniture Flea’ at York Hall in Bethnall Green. I had to go!

    Despite the clocks going forward, my Mum and I made an early start and arrived with half an hour to spare before the doors opened. A couple of doors down from the venue was a lovely basement cafe, so we had time for a quick coffee.

    When we arrived, there was already a queue forming and I overhead someone saying saying the queues are often down the road!  Once in, it didn’t take long for my first purchase, a gorgeous tray with Anenomes and Mimosa which was was propped up like a painting. The second stall, owned by Lauren Snapes ‘In with the old’  had some lovely things, two buys from her.  A tin painted trio cake stand and the ‘Jolly Book for Girls’.

    I had a lovely chat with Charlie from Rare and Racy who had the most gorgeous china and pressed glass and had come up from Bath with her young family. Talking to Laura and Charlie, I am very tempted to attend myself and sell some of the Vintage Style Hire collection, which could be the start of my new venture selling old and new vintage style items through Vintage Style Living.

    We put all our buys in the car and decided to walk to Columbia Road  which was about a mile away, rather than finding somewhere else to park. It was the most gorgeous sunny day. From a distance we saw the crowds and turning round the corner, I was in heaven!

    This happy chap was worthy of a photograph on his own! Delicious Samosas and Falafals.

    At the very end of the road, was one of my favourite surprises Vintage Heaven - that summed up the day!  Walking through the precariously piled assortment of china, pictures, books and kitchenalia, we got to the back of the shop to discover the Cake Hole. Luckily my Mum and I found a seat at the back of the busy cafe and we ordered smoked salmon sandwiches and pots of tea from the very cheerful owner.  I could see why it was so popular and will be going back just to visit her! 

    It was the perfect end to “the best day ever”!

    The Vintage Furniture Flea
    In with the old – Laura Snapes In_with_the_old@hotmail.co.uk
    Rare and Racy – charlie@rareandracy.com

    Unfortunately neither have websites at the moment.

    Some other stands worthy of a mention
    Retropolitan

    Oh So Retro

    Your Vintage Life

    Columbia Road
    Bahasa

    B Southgate

    Vintage Heaven

  • March23rd

    3 Comments

    Moodboards

    Posted in: Inspiration, Styling, Vintage Hire, Wedding Planning

    The Moodboard App has been a great source of enjoyment in my life, but there is nothing more satisfying than cutting and sticking the real thing!  I can spend hours on them and actually find it quite hard to let them go! I tie them with ribbon and wrap them in tissue to give to the client – will they feel the same way as I do about them?!

    The first two are events I organised last year.

    The first, a summer wedding in Suffolk for Sarah & Dan:-

    Photographs of the wedding:-

    The second, styling the Vintage Jubilee Party for Pitcher & Piano in Nottingham.

    A few of my photographs from the party:-

    This one is for a 70th Birthday garden party at the beginning of May.  I organised his daughters wedding a few years ago, so it’s great to go back and plan something entirely different. 

    Lastly, one for a wedding at the end of August at The Walled Garden at Cowdray.  There has been a lot to organise for this wedding and the fun has only just begun!  The bride has some lovely ideas.  It’s a three day celebration with guests coming from all over Europe.  Our first big styling meeting is at the beginning of April so we can start planning all the quirky details with the Vintage Style Hire collection. 

    I look forward to sharing photographs from both of these events later, but have left you with a little taste of things to come!

    Sarah & Dan’s wedding, photographs by John Harris Photography

  • March20th

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    Katy & Simon’s wedding – Jimmy’s Farm

    Posted in: Jimmys Farm, Wedding Planning

    I haven’t blogged a real wedding in a while!  I still have quite a few to show you from last year.

    For those of you that don’t know, I organised Jimmy and Michaela’s wedding back in 2009, so it was great when Michaela called me to ask if I would take over the organisation of all the weddings they had booked in their newly refurbished barn at Jimmy’s Farm. 

    I was thrown in at the deep end, but it was great to be back and to see other couples marry at the farm and lovely to see how different they all were. 

    Katy & Simon got married on one of the hottest days of the year, amazingly at the end of September. 

    Katy won’t mind me saying this (and Simon will agree!), but she was scarily organised with lots of Excel spreadsheets!  To get everything right for them on the day was very important to me. 

    I loved her bouquet which had real blackberries in.

    I couldn’t have been happier to receive this email:-

    Dearest Kate,

    I know I probably shouldn’t be sending emails on honeymoon (this is my only one I promise) but while we’re sitting having pre-dinner drinks STILL talking about our favourite subject (our wedding) I couldn’t let the moment pass without sending you a note to say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ from Sy and I for all your hard work in making our big day run so smoothly and helping to make all our dreams come true.

    Being busy (albeit a bit obsessive) people I truly don’t think we could have pulled the day off in the way we did without you being involved. Everything from your recommendation of Jason, through posh hand wash to ‘revealing in stages’ all contributed to making it the best day of our lives and for this we thank you. I’m aware there was a huge amount that went on behind the scenes that made sure everything went off without a hitch.

    Above all we really enjoyed dealing with you! You were always available and patient and made the whole process so straightforward and stress free.

    Hopefully our paths will cross again one day.

    Lots of love Katy and Simon x

    Their gorgeous photographs were taken by Paul Wilkinson who they had met at a friends wedding.  He is based in Haddenham in Buckinghamshire and was so great to work with.  I wouldn’t hestiate to recommend him to anyone.

    I hope they are enjoying married life – I think they will be.  I’ve had a few tweets from Katy which is lovely and maybe we will meet up at the farm again soon.

    Photograph of Jimmy & Michaela by Nick Ilott

  • March14th

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    Rose & Aster for Mother’s Day

    Posted in: Rose & Aster, With Love

    Many of you may be familiar with Rose & Aster  Their amazing wedding jewellery featured in my little Vintage Style Hire film we made in Autumn last year. 

    Look a little further and you will discover an exquisite collection of carefully handpicked fashion jewellery and accessories which include beautiful scarves, colourful purses, vintage style corsages and fabulous leather belts.

    Sarah Spence says “I take my inspiration from how a piece of jewellery or a great scarf can give a woman confidence and endeavour to offer inspirational, timeless collections that enable women to feel fabulous about themselves”.
     
    So if you havent bought your Mum anything yet for Mother’s Day – or want to offer a gentle hint to someone for yourself, take a look at this beautiful website and surprise your mum with something special.

    www.roseandaster.com

  • March6th

    1 Comment

    Decadent Laduree

    Posted in: Vintage Hire, With Love

    Annabel has mentioned a little bit about the launch of Oxfam Weddings on Love My Dress. It was great to be asked by Tiffany from Grant Riley Styling  who was styling the shoot for a little ‘proppage’.  I wasn’t asked for much, so squeezed everything in the car and set off early on Friday morning. I’m not great at driving in London so took a deep breath as I entered the conjestion zone!!

    When I arrived at the venue at 8.30am it was already a hive of activity.  Dresses hanging in the cloakroom and Severin from the Hepburn Collection and Lucy from Lucy Baker Make-up already transforming the models. The two photographers, Eliza Claire and Anna Marie Stepney had their cameras at the ready.  I won’t say too much about the day as that’s under wraps for now.

    I had a little wander to Spitalfields Market and bought a vintage (questionable) leather (even more questionable) jacket and whilst walking back to the venue stumbled upon Laduree! Now I normally just look longingly in the window at the beautiful displays, but this time thought I would treat myself and ventured across the threshold.

    A man before me was buying lots of boxes of brightly coloured Macarons and left with a large bag (with strong handles!).  I would have been happy to receive just the bag!  My purchase was slightly smaller.  A box of eight Macarons, two Pistachio, two Salted Caramel, two Lemon and two Pink Rose.

    They were packaged neatly in a lovely box and I too was given a bag (with strong handles), this time on a much smaller scale.  I savoured every mouthful and will treasure that bag.

  • March1st

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    Molly Bakes at London Fashion Weekend

    Posted in: Cakes, Inspiration, Styling, Vintage Hire

    About a month ago, I was asked for some props to style a Cake Lounge for Molly Bakes at London Fashion Weekend at Somerset House. 

    Maria had already acquired a gorgeous haberdashery cabinet and a dresser, so they just needed a few finishing touches.

    Lots of cake stands, bowls and pressed glass dressing table plates.

    A little apple green bookcase for cake pops and the Molly Bakes book (this little bookcase also looks great standing on a table)

    The haberdashery cupboard looked fantastic.  It’s not mine, but  I’m thinking of getting one!

    They used our 1920′s worktable for their till and I think our lovely distressed screen finished the Cake Lounge off beautifully!

    I think these sold out pretty quickly!

    A lovely note from Maria “thanks again for your brilliant service.  It really made a difference – I’m sure I’ll be in touch again soon”

    All those photographs of cakes have made me hungry!

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