The Linen Garden ~ Pretty Wedding Stationery, Table & Home Decor In Vintage Linens…

Oh how I adore the work of Vicky Trainor of The Vintage Drawer, and her truly exquisite vintage fabric creations for wedding days and special occasions. They really fit that 'these are a few of my favourite things' description – I treasure the beautiful vintage fabric bookmark I have that Vicky made and I'm looking forward to investing in some other delightful creations very soon – we're moving the children in to a new bedroom and decorating from scratch  you see – plenty of opportunity to fill the room with beautiful things!

Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Coypright (c) 2012, Becky
Mitchell for The Vintage Drawer by Vicky Trainor

I've long been a fan of Vicky Trainor's – even from the very, very early days of blogging – her being one of the first designers I came across to coin the term 'vintage inspired' back in my November 2009 blog adventures,  and so it delights me to be the first to reveal Vicky's very latest designs with you today…

"From being a little girl I have
squirreled away ‘things’.  I have
collected, catalogued, made, stored, stitched, labelled, drawn and pottered for
as long as I can remember, and I still do the very same today.  I adore how not
one week is the same as the last as I step stone my way through stationery
pages and chapters."

"The ‘sewing’ of the seeds to The Vintage Drawer began last year
as this linen collection was introduced to run alongside my printed floral designs. 

A new twist to the stationery world
where wedding based products were (and still are) produced in re-cycled linens
from the 1940’s and 50’s; beautiful embroidered tablecloths that have been damaged and unloved
through time, that someone had cherished and nurtured for hours, days, months
and many years, have been saved re-loved and cherished and hand made into
pretty stationery and items perfect for styling your day."

"The collection through out this year
has developed into a rather pretty range from invitations to reception
stationery, gifts to home-wares and a collection has been developed for
businesses too such as signs and name brooches…"

"My new collection is a wonderful
eclectic mix of Victorian and Edwardian lace and linens mixed with printed fabrics
that are vintage finds and new cotton lawns from Liberty – a gentle obsession
with The Arts & Crafts has inspired the new collection for 2013."

"Varied layers of inspiration composed
the research to this shoot, from floral whisperings of Vanessa Bell paintings, Bloomsbury
interiors, wordsmiths and their passions, the beautiful clothes of Virginia
Woolf with her layerings of lace, small etched florals, natural dyed linens and
striped underskirts.

I wanted to
create a sense of going back to those creative eras, to take my studio back in
time, to style my stationery with pieces that had their own history too.  An appreciation and natural lean to
recycling ‘things’ of re-loving and re-inventing, to indulge in the layering of
decorative hoardings…"

"Growing up as a child, in village
life, a sense of community, family and friendship, is very important to me. A
sense of nostalgia.  I love how listening
to a piece of music can transport you to a certain time in your life, like a
diary.  Equally our treasured
possessions (my hoardings) do the same, a rose bowl from my Nana’s bedroom, a
perfect white marbled stone collected on a first walk with my husband.  All treasures.  All beautiful ‘things’."

"All our families and friends own
pieces of sentiment, romantic value, story filled treasures in cabinets, handed
down linens.  I hope that these
images not only entice you into the little haberdashery world of The Vintage Drawer but to inspire
you to search amongst the treasured pieces you and your family already own and
hold close to your heart – how fabulous to have your reception tables styled with
pieces donated to you for the day by your family. Maybe they could write out labels to explain a short line or
two of its history?"

"This pretty collection of
photographs were produced in my studio.  I live and work in a house that
is totally over cluttered
with my hoardings.  I am very lucky
to have a family who allow me the privilege to work from home.  We live
in a pretty little 1930’s semi and I have taken over the
front room (the parlour).  My place
of work is affectionately known as The Linen Garden."

For our Linen Garden shoot we have
styled an eclectic mix of personal belongings that were not only my own but
also my dear friends, Jane Day from Tea
With Ruby.  Jane is the only
person I know that also gets ridiculously excited over the decorativeness of a
plate next to a crisp white linen table cloth or the over layering of floral on
floral on more floral.  We are
interior obsessives, appreciators’ of decorativeness and both say fabulous
rather a lot."

"Two beautiful ladies, have come
together, to create Darling
& Green.  A fabulous floral
styling partnership based Nr Stokesley in North Yorkshire, and they are
equally excitable over detail. 

They produce floral gatherings that are
filled with relaxed natural beauty, like a painting, as if the flowers
have
just been picked from the most quintessential English garden. Darling & Green also
have a passion for the odd old patterned vase and earthenware pot. Our styling day, before the shoot, was a wonderful floral
community, and, if I am honest, a giddy one."

"I adore making. Whether you would
love to gather the whole of The
Vintage Drawer in your arms or need only one or two pieces to help style
your day or event.  This is the
beautiful nature of this collection.  It is open to all. 
I have an Etsy
shop that displays ‘ready-mades’ or you can contact me to discuss your
ideas.  There are lots of images on
my web site and over in
my albums on Facebook."

"All photography was by Becky Mitchell who wonderfully shares
my passion of celebrating the creative industries working within the wedding
world.  So much so we have formed The Wedding Institute; a new fair introduced to the North East
and North Yorkshire wedding communities that explores a more creative, bespoke
and vintage twist to inspire Brides and Grooms.  After the success of our first fair we are now holding our
second this Autumn.  So you can see
lots of creative ideas as well as my new collection on Sunday October 7^th
at Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Community Hall.

I am also exhibiting with The Vintage Drawer next weekend at The Designer Vintage Bridal Show
at Hagley Hall in Worcestershire."

Don't forget that you can view and purchase Vicky's designs via her Etsy
shop or visit Vicky's web site for further information.  You can also find Vicky over on Facebook and Twitter.

Me? I am honestly in love with all of this. And I love the idea of such a talented artisan craftsperson who is so completley passionate about their work, creating beautiful one-off creations for people in love.

I'd love to know what you think.

Much love all,

Annabel

 

Credits

Stationery: The Vintage Drawer by Vicky Trainor
Styling & Props: 
Vicky Trainor & Jane
Day from Tea With Ruby
Photography: Becky
Mitchell
Flowers: Darling
& Green
Make-up: Make up by Jo
Hair: Adrian
Wray @ Chocolate
Model: Sophie
Dale
Birds: The
Cotton Potter
Dresses: The
Vintage Drawer