The carousel horse!

So my obsession with the carousel horse seemed a good choice for the shop logo but it isnt just a logo..... its painted on the shop wall, we have a real wooden one called 'Sparkle' who lives in the shop and recently I got one tattooed on my back! little extreme you may think but the history and colours just draw me in.

Fairground memorabilia has always interested me and being able to buy things for the shop means weird items creep in now and them, some I cant sell!

Most fairground items are found in America it seems to be popular over there with collectors, here in the UK things are thrown away or left to rot in old barns etc or its sipped over there!

I found 'Sparkle' my original fairground horse at a house clearance in Birmingham, the owner didnt have any info for me only that her granddad made it into a rocking horse in the 1950's. I think she comes from around the 1920's and has been hand carved she probably was used as a feature on the fairground, she still has her original paintwork, although her saddle was blue so I had to paint to pink to go with the shop.

Over the years Iv been offered lots of money for her but i just cant a) put a price on her and b) ever sell her. I think I have this romantic idea im going to save her for my children.

There are lots of websites that sell fairground items and restore them but they are in America.

http://vintagefairground.com/

http://www.fairground-heritage.org.uk/newsite/aboutus/about-museum.html

http://www.rubylane.com/shop/relic/ilist/,c=Vintage_Old_Fairground_Iteme,cs=Vintage+Collectibles:Old+Fairground+Iteme.html

New year, start a fresh!

Right I haven't been on this for a while.....trying to get to grips with the blogging thing! Iv been very busy over crimbo doing vintage events and fairs, buying the new season for the shop and opening another outlet! pheeeew so where do I start....well as its a new year ill start this blog thing a fresh!

As long as it sparkles has a new logo, shop colour and loads of new brands! I changed the logo and colour mainly because 'pink' shops seem to be everywhere at the moment and I dont like doing anything that you see anywhere else so we are now a lovely vintage mint green and our logo is a carousel horse ( a obsession of mine for a while)

We have a new sparkles car (because I crashed the last one) but this means the horse is now proudly on my back window!

so here are a couple of pictures to sum up the last 8 months!

Im in Love with these!

New Vintage hand made earrings, this is a new range of jewellery made from old items broken and placed together to create something new! each item is a one off! we have a mixture of colours.

I found this lady at a show in London, I was drawn to the handbags she does that are truly amazing, she uses vintage bags and covers them with all these beautiful stones.

I ordered myself a pink poodle brooch (well it had to be done!)

You can view and see more in this range on our website at;

www.aslongasitsparkels.co.uk

Spring is herer and Iv got a bee in my bonnet!

I havent been on here for a while, I need to get to grips with it as Iv seen some really good blog pages but I cant seen to get into the habit of coming on here every day! ill get there! Well a lot has happened in the As long as it sparkles shop simce our last posts! we are still here! which is amazing considering how many shops are closeing down. In stow on the wold so many shops have gone being replaced but large chains that are boring and dont get me started on charity shops there are now every where! We are still making sure we find the very best in vintage and hand made items! I have got some amazing vintage inspired jewellery coming into the shop and the summer clothing is simply Divine. Ill pop some images on here for you all to look at. The web site is now up and running and you can buy online woooooohooo that was a mission! We have now got a cabinet at a antique centre in Witney Oxfordshire which is filled to the brim with vintage treasures! its called the Old pill factory! Lots of new posts coming along with a re vamp of our site. Love Jody x

summer 2010!

The shop is booming with new sparkly things! I cant believe how lovely everything looks, we have done a good job in choosing new suppliers this year and im so happy with our new cloths! Its been a long up hill battle to get the right image and suppliers and buying power! but we have made a good start considering we have only been going for 2 years!

Im seeing alot more new shops opening lately and more people taking the risk and i wish we had more people coming to stow with new and fresh ideas! (lots of shops to rent!)

Here are the pick of the week items;

Pick of the month! Stunning vintage case's great for storage and sat at the end of your bed!

I love the history that comes with these, some have names and address's on them, I think the green ones were old army case's and the little ones I like to think they were taken to important business meetings or even held secret documents!

I have a obsession with old trunks and case's at the moment I like how they last so long and have been on so many journeys over the years. Our case's we have now are really boring and seem to break after one trip!

The small leather ones are £35.95 and the big ones are £45.95