Splendid Days

A big,beautiful barn.

2012-02-13T16:03:00.000Z

Last week I was kindly shown around the very beautiful and newly restored venue Hendall Barn by the lovely owners Peter and Nicola.

The couple have made the most splendid job of restoring the barn and the warm colours of the sandstone and the beams make the space feel very warm and cosy.All the little details are just right.

Hendall was originally a dairy farm and Peter and Nicola have put a huge amount of love, time and effort into totally transforming the place.In addition to hiring out the barns as a wedding and party venue they also intend to put on lots of lovely events such as Shakespearian plays, charitable outdoor musical evenings with picnics on the lawn and art exhibitions.So if you live in and around the Sussex area then keep an eye out for what`s on .

As soon as I stepped inside the barn I was immediately thinking how great it would be to style it for a vintage themed wedding or event! Watch out for a vintage inspired photo shoot in the Spring....

The garden is also fabulous, courtyard in style with a fantastic arty wall made from pale grey slates.

In the summer it will be wonderful to wander in and out of the big doors with a glass of Pimms in hand,a jazz band playing, ideally with afternoon tea on the lawn!

I have a feeling this place is going to be the place to be once the word gets out......

These are a few of my favourite things

2012-02-06T21:07:00.000Z

I just wanted to share with you a few of my favourite things .

Yes, I know, I should be doing a thousand other things today but I so enjoyed making this little collage for lovers of all things pretty and vintage (me included of course!)

I just love the colour combination of the purples and pinks of the flowers against the faded wood.

Be bold with your bunting and use it inventively.

How about a piece strung up on the backs of each chair at a party table?

A beautiful old birdcage all the way from France and given a coat of Farrow and Ball to restore it to it`s former glory .

These look great filled with flowers or cakes on vintage glass cake stands.

A pretty detail from a tiny sugar bowl and a great retro palette of colours.

Irish linen and a very cute teacup .

There`s just so much detail in this dinky little sugar bowl, it`s adorable .

A close up of a gorgeous linen tablecloth .Just imagine how long it took to complete.I wonder who made it and what life it belonged to before it came to me?

Apple crates and a vintage floral milk pitcher.

At first glance it appears simple and rustic but then look closer at the fancy gilding .

A great combination for a rustic wedding with added glamour .

I can see straw bales with vintage cushions,a pink cheeked lovely bride in a vintage lace dress,Victoria sponge cakes oozing cream and strawberry jam and a beautiful old oak barn bedecked with bunting and hundreds of sparkling tea lights in jam jars tied with gingham ribbon

xxxxx

I did it my way ................

2012-02-04T15:35:00.000Z

Take some beyond lovely vintage teapots, a favourite book , a much loved floral sewing tin and an oak plinth

et voila!

A series of gorgeous ideas for a centre piece for a table setting.

It`s nice to have meaning to what you chose ,that way you`ll love it .I love this book published by Persephone. The grey cover belies a beautiful printed interior and matching bookmark -small things please me!

But I mainly love it because I do have children and they do live in a barn.

So who cares what the others think ? If you are having a party or an event then do it your way and do it from the heart.

Chances are if you do that they will love it anyway and also find you highly original and inspiring!

A double chocolate cupcake .....mmm!

Served in a dinky vintage teacup and why not I ask.

I asked my husband to cut me these oak centre piece mats .
He thought I was mad .
I beg to differ .

Afterwards I discovered a picture of just the same thing in the weighty tome that is the Martha Stuart Book of Entertaining.

Who else makes oak mats out of old logs then photographs them apart from me and Martha I wonder ?

In this crazy old world there must be somebody I`m sure !
xxxx

Pretty Vintage

2012-02-03T20:36:00.000Z

Hello!

Today when the temperature was below -5 I made this little collage to remind myself that spring is slowly getting closer.

This adorable teapot was a real find, just so pretty with the added glamour of a little bit of gold! I can`t tell you how excited I was when I found it in the antique store.The gorgeous Irish linen tablecloth is all hand embroidered and really quite beautiful.The shade of blue is just lovely.

Anyway I hope it makes you feel a bit spring like too, it certainly worked for me!

xxxx

Gorgeous Tents and amazing events

2011-09-22T09:49:00.000+01:00

Here are some photos of our events that feature marquees and have that quintessential English summer loveliness.If you love vintage china ,afternoon tea,beautiful gardens, amazing tents,lots of bunting and gorgeous flowers then do take a peek.

A very lovely vintage themed wedding this summer,featured on the Rock n Roll Bride website and the amazing Sussex photographer Annamarie Stepney`s website.Do take a look at Annas photos,they are stunning . www.annamariestepney.co.uk

This was a stunning event that combined vintage theming with modern touches .The stunning tent is from Sussex Marquees.Say hello to Tim if you call , he`s my brother ! But don`t forget his partner Neil as he`s lovely too.Have a look at their website ,especially the gallery which is packed full of wonderful photos of events and weddings in and around the Sussex area and beyond.Lots of vintage theming too for all you vintage lovers. www.sussexmarquees.co.uk

Inside the tent our stunning silver antique candelabras took centre stage .Lovely flowers were by Kiki and Cole.Our blue and white vintage dinner plates were a huge hit .You won`t find them at many parties - so beautiful and unusual.

What better setting for a truly English summer party .

Goodwood Revival 2011

2011-09-19T13:22:00.001+01:00

http://spriggsflorist.blogspot.com/2011/09/its-vintage-year-at-goodwood-revival.html

This year we were asked to get involved in the amazing Goodwood Revival courtesy of the very lovely Spriggs Florists in Petworth .

It was a very vintage affair and the lovely china we supplied was filled by Spriggs Florists with beautiful flowers in gentle plums and soft pinks.Teapots surrounded by teacups and milk jugs filled with flowers took centre stage on each table .There were also lots more amazing vintage floral arrangements dotted around to complete the look.

Shabby chic French dressers were styled with more vintage goodies and old fashioned black and white pictures and photographs hung from the walls.Faded colourful old books hand bound with ribbon and even well loved shabby old teddy bears completed the very authentic vintage look .

Do visit the above link for lots of inspiration if you are a lover of vintage.Spriggs have also very kindly offered to send on some more photos so do check back soon as there is lots more to see!

Pretty Vintage

2011-09-08T16:52:00.000+01:00

Vintage is so pretty and one item can be a starting point for planning a whole party! One customer came to see us for her free consultation for a 40th birthday party .She loved the colour turquoise and so we looked through all the vintage goodies at Splendid Days Hq to see what could work . The idea was to set up a lovely cake area with the three tier cake stands for the cupcakes and lots of lovely jugs of flowers dotted around and a gorgeous vintage table runner down the centre.A large three tier cake took centre stage on one of our vintage cake stands and to add to the opulence other cupcakes were dotted around on vintage tea plates.Guests could help themselves to their own vintage tea plate and cake ork and help themselves to cake . Plain white table cloths can be lovely with vintage china but sometimes a runner can look great or an extra hand embroidered table cloth laid over the top can really add to the vintage vibe and look.

We painstakingly individually handmade lots of little sugar flowers to go on top of the vanilla buttercream cupcakes.

and this flower jug was a must with this theme and once filled with cream delphiniums it was a wonderful centre piece for the cake table .

Some fabulous photos of a vintage style wedding

2011-09-07T19:42:00.000+01:00

http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2011/09/a-locally-sourced-vintage-wedding-marie-claire-nick/

We are on the Rock n Roll Bride website this month!

Click on the link above to be taken to some really lovely photos by the amazing photographer Annamarie Stepney ( www.annamariestepney.co.uk )of a unique and gorgeous vintage tea party wedding we styled with our vintage crockery and other lovely vintage accessories.We also made a scrumptious jam and vanilla buttercream sponge iced two tier wedding cake which was lavishly decorated with red roses and displayed on our antique silver tray.

Here`s the story behind the photos :

I first met the bride Marie - Claire when she came to Splendid Days HQ for a consultation with her lovely mother .We sat together to talk over Marie- Claire`s vision for her wedding day and all enjoyed cupcakes and tea served on vintage china.Apparently the tea party theme came about as Marie - Claire and her Mother love nothing more than a visit to a tearoom for tea and cakes ( I knew they had style as soon as I found that out!)

Straight away I could see that this wedding was going to be something really special and I got that buzz of excitement you get when you know that an event is going to really come together and have a unique style of it`s own .

Marie- Claire stunning red wedding dress and her mothers beautiful lace dress came from the London Store Fur Coat No Knickers .Here they take vintage dresses revamp them and tailor them to fit you perfectly .If you want a dress that is totally unique and beautiful then do go and take a look.Her photographer captured so well the vintage vibe and all the little details that had been so carefully chosen ,from the shoes to close ups of the hand embroidered table linen.

Her florists actually grew all the flowers for the wedding themselves and then arranged them with great finesse.The colours were really bold, joyous and vibrant .I would highly recommend them.Apparently you chose your flowers as they are growing in the ground or they can grow something you would especially love!

Marie -Claire`s Mum made some gorgeous chutney as wedding favours and then had bespoke labels made for the jars.It`s always lovely if the family gets involved and there are some personal touches to a wedding .

Go and take a peek a the photos and and see what you think!

A magical Afternoon Tea Party

2011-09-02T18:51:00.001+01:00

This was a gorgeous tea party event we had the pleasure of being involved with this summer. All the elements were orgainised by us here at Splendid Days and we even had the additional pleasure of serving a yummy afternoon tea too! Fluffy scones and homemade jams, cupcakes topped with swirls of buttercream,meringues with lashings of cream topped with strawberries were all on the menu.Some big cakes such as coffee and walnut and Victoria sponge were also on offer and they looked delicious on their vintage glass cake stands.

The napkins were hand tied with purple ribbon and finished off with a lovely sprigg of fresh lavender.The vintage crockery looked very pretty indeed and the three tier china cake stands made a lovely centre piece when all the cupcakes were dotted around.

Bunting was strewn throughout the ceiling of the old style canvas marquee from LPM Bohemia .Big heads of hydrangeas in blues and pinks filled our zinc buckets and our large flower jugs decorated big cake table and the champagne reception area which were also dressed with beautiful hand embroidered table linen.

Thanks so much to all in the Splendid Days team who worked hard to make things work so well on the day and who also looked lovely too in their flowery vintage aprons !

My love is like a red,red rose (or a strawberry cupcake or a flowery,summery dress)

2011-08-25T15:09:00.003+01:00

The Most fantastic colour red roses -ever

Not sure how this photo got in here but this is what happens when you try to do a photo shoot and Tinker is around.She`d just eaten a cupcake.Do you like the hampers? I have lots for hire.

The taste,smell and colour of summer .

For those shunning pastels maybe this Splendid Days wedding cake might light your fire

Pretty but it has attitude .

I love this platter, it reminds me of lunches at Grandma`s house years ago.

I`m in love with my new red floral dress,it makes me very happy! Thankyou to the lovely Hayley from Vintage scoops for helping me find it .By the way check out Hayley`s amazing vintage icecream van www.vintagescoops.co.uk I have a huge smile on my face as soon as I look at the website -it`s so happy making.

This is one of the stone urns for hire (yes I know they are heavy but I have some muscles somewhere )I liked it so much I bought it carried all down Lewes high street to my car.Quite a workout...
then I decided I wanted a pair!

Ginger Beer and Cherries

2011-08-25T14:45:00.001+01:00

Two of my absolute favourite things are cherries and ginger beer.They both would have to be included in any tea party I was throwing for my own friends and family.The photo was taken by my handsome son last year when he was 13 at Batemans Gardens just before I quaffed and guzzled.There wasn`t much to buy in the shop (a refreshing change from the norm when visiting these places) but there were lovely old vintage wooden crates piled high with cherries and in the only things to drink were ginger beer and strawberry lemonade -perfect!

Summer Vintage Styling

2011-08-19T12:01:00.001+01:00

Hello!

This is me in the middle of styling a recent vintage themed wedding.There will be a lots of photos to follow of the finished look which I can`t wait to share with you .I have had a sneak preview of the photographers amazing photos and she has really captured the vintage vibe and colourful look of the day .The whole story of the day will follow soon -I promise !

Beautiful sunshine and the promise of parties !

2011-03-23T19:41:00.004Z

Spring is well and truly here, the daffodils are out, the birds are singing and we are hotting up for a season of wonderful parties and weddings .It`s going to be splendid!

If you are organising an event in the coming months here are a few top tips that might help you get on top of things, save a few pennies and add uniqueness and fun to your event -after all -who wants to be like everybody else?

1. Flowers .

How about planting some seeds and bulbs in a spare patch in the garden ? If you get your timing right you will have huge bunches of flowers to decorate and dot around at very little cost. Try www.sarahraven.com for inspiration. Think about fragrance as well as looks , walking into a marquee filled with vases of sweet peas on a summers day would smell delightful.Take a look at our vintage flower vases, jugs and punch bowls for the wow factor.

If you are wanting to hand over the responsibility to a florist then I can highly recommend the very knowledgeable Spriggs Florists for the most perfect flowers .www.spriggsflorists.co.uk .Also good for flowers with a vintage vibe are Kiki and Cole www.kikiandcole.co.uk. Their website is gorgeous.

2. Drinks

Make your champagne go further by serving bellinis -a mixture of champagne and fresh fruit which is scrumptious and looks very pretty in the glass.Use fruits such as peach ,strawberry and even rhubarb for a really delicious summery feel. For the perfect glamorous finishing touch serve from our gorgeous vintage ornate silver trays. Proseco is a great sparkling cheaper alternative .Make sure you pamper the non drinkers -sparkling elderflower is a lovely summery option.
A summer cocktail can also be delightful way to start the party .Think sea breezes and margaritas for hot days.
Ring the changes and serve your champers in vintage teacups if you want to set the latest trend and surprise your guests by doing something different!

3.Tables

Every meal will need napkins.Try to avoid paper as it will spoil the look and they will blow around everywhere! Make yours special by tying with a silky or linen ribbon and adding a sprig of lavender to finish off. Your tables will also smell beautiful too.
Make sure you have water jugs filled with ice and lemon on the tables and good glassware .Ask your waitresses if you have them to regularly clear dirty glasses which can soon build up and look horrible in all the photos.
Make sure your chairs suit the look of the party,there are lots to chose from so shop around.Sussex marquees have very similar chairs to the chairs in the photo of the Kennedy wedding below if you want to add real class!
If you are providing wedding favours for your guests make sure they suit the look of the table and don`t clutter things up .If necessary create a fabulous separate display near the exit so guests can pick up their favours as they leave as they can so often get left behind by mistake.

4.Overall look

Think about having a stylist on the day to bring all the elements together and ensure you get the all important finishing touches just right. We offer styling consultations before the event and on the day styling so you have time to pamper and beautify yourself and really enjoy yourself.

5.Garden Ideas

If your party is at home then dress up the garden with twinkly lights, candles in jam jars tied with ribbon and some extra elements for the wow factor.

Line the pathways with garden flares,preferably the plain bamboo ones.

Put up your lights well in advance as this can be fiddly ,you can also then check them and replace bulbs and work out whether you need extension leads.All these things can be time consuming!

Do make sure the garden is well presented with mown lawns and tidy borders and don`t leave this job until the day of the event!

We supply gorgeous bird cages which can be hung from trees in the garden and filled with candles ,flowers or even cupcakes!
Stripy deck chairs dotted around finished off with vintage cushions look great .A hammock slung from a tree and filled with cushions makes a fun area for any children that may be attending.
Garden games such as croquet or boules can be enjoyable and get the conversation flowing amongst people who don`t know each other .Take a look at our website for the old fashioned fun garden games we have for hire .

6. Think of the comfort of your guests.

If you are having a party going on into the evening then a row of pretty wraps for guests to borrow to sling around their shoulders will be much appreciated when the night temperature falls.
Put out your best soaps and hand towels in the bathrooms,even if you are hiring toilets in and don`t forget a small posy of flowers. Make sure the guests have a mirror to check their appearance.
If you are having a marquee and want to push the boat out have a smaller marquee added onto the main marquee and set up a shabby chic dressing table and big mirror .Don`t forget to add a large vintage flower jug filled with a big display of flowers .Take a look at our amazing flower jugs for hire .

Summer evenings can become chilly so don`t forget to think about heating .In the garden you could think of dotting around some fire pits filled with logs .These will add glow, warmth and atmosphere .Place some deck chairs around them finished off with vintage cushions and throws for a stylish evening.
If you are having a marquee ,speak to the marquee company about heating the marquee ,they are sure to be able to advise .Try www.sussexmarquees for the best customer service in the South East area.Tim and Neil are experts in putting together the perfect package for your event and their tents are stunning and immaculate .

8.Nibbles and goodies.

You may be having a huge feast but once that is over and people are still drinking, dancing and having fun they will need tasty things to pick on. How about some of our delicious cupcakes piled high on vintage glass cake stands in an array of flavours ? Not only will they cause a stir when they are displayed half way through the evening they will keep everybody energised for dancing the night away.
For those with a more savoury tooth our savoury tarts in a variety of flavours are delicious or how about a huge platter of cheeses and biscuits ?
Some gorgeous vintage china plates and platters for the nibbles will finish off the look.

9.Being organised

Buy a notepad and keep all your important details in one place to avoid hunting down scraps of paper !
Make sure you book all the important elements such as marquee of hotel, caterer, crockery supplier and stylist well in advance to avoid disappointment especially in the summer months.

Sort out a list of taxi numbers and possible accommodation and email to your guests in advance .

Delegate chores like lighting candles and tending the fire pits to responsible people who are happy to help .You can`t do everything!

Make some lists and do as much as possible in advance and have someone take over on the actual day .You will not be wanting to worry about the details on the day and things may become stressful and tiring.

10. Do what you love!

If you have your heart set on vintage china then make sure you put it to the top of your list, if you really want floating candles on your pond then make sure you sort it out ,if you have dreams of your whole driveway being lit by hundreds of candles then do it .These are the things that will set you apart and make your party amazing.It`s your party so do it in your own style !

Save money where you can but spend on the things you absolutely love.It`s all about setting the scene and creating the atmosphere .Scruffy cheap marquees that have seen better days and dated 1980`s old crockery will never look good no matter how nice your flowers and decor. White plastic chairs are also going to ruin the look .If you are wanting to economise you could always borrow some straw bales from your local farmer ,top them with cushions and use them as extra seating in the garden.

So happy planning to all who are putting on an event this year and don`t forget to give us a call here at Splendid Days for vintage china hire ,afternoon tea parties ,event planning and styling ,delicious cakes and goodies and a whole lot more.We are here to help and you can guarantee your event will be splendid!

Roll on summer! xx

I want one of those!

2010-12-11T15:02:00.004Z

I`ve been researching activities for the tea party events we will be holding at Splendid Days HQ and found this adorable bracelet with beads that look like berries .It`s one of those things you didn`t know you wanted till you saw it! It`s from a favourite website www.frenchgeneral.com , a company inspired by vintage French fabrics .Of course English vintage fabrics are my absolute favourite but these are very lovely!

I also rather fancy one of these beautiful handmade beaded flowers to pin on my new tweed coat .However being a vintage girl I will be hinting to my lovely girls to go to the local flea market and find me a vintage brooch for my Xmas present, preferably a sparkly pheasant or a pretty flower .I can feel another vintage collection coming on....

Do you like vintage tea parties with added exciting activities ?

2010-12-11T14:30:00.002Z

Do you like making things and also eating yummy cupcakes and other delicious treats? I`m in the process of making some gorgeous French General fabric decorations for the Xmas tree at Splendid Days HQ .We always cut one of our own trees and they are huge so need so many decorations! It`s very relaxing cutting up the fabric whilst listening to some Xmas tunes and nice to be making something other than vintage bunting for a change!

.Here at Splendid Days we are just revving up to launch our very own tea parties with a vintage with added creative activities to take place at our gorgeous converted barn in Sussex.

These parties are an ideal way to treat yourself and your friends to a delightful few hours of homemade activities and enjoy delicious Splendid Days afternoon tea treats all served on our gorgeous vintage china.Perhaps if you are getting married then this could be a really enjoyable part of a hen weekend!Or perhaps you are looking for new ideas for a girlie weekend break.If crafty activities don`t do it for you then we have some other glamorous activities on offer from vintage make up demo`s to a boudoir photo session.We can wind up the vintage gramaphone and transport you back in time whilst you are pampered! More details will follow soon.

The men need not feel left out as you are also more than welcome and if crafty activities are not your thing then we can highly recommend our fabulous local mountain bike hire company who can put you through your paces and finish up at Splendid Days HQ for some well deserved yummy tea and cakes.Great for the girls too!

We are about 1hr and 15 mins from London and 5 minutes from the train station .If you are planning to make a weekend of it then we can recommend some great places to stay from cosy picturesque downland villages to the bright lights of the quirky and buzzing city of Brighton .

Do get in touch if you are interested in finding out more ,we would love to hear from you!

Sally and the Splendid Days team x

An Autumn Barn Dance for Leon Restaurants

2010-11-29T18:28:00.003Z

This weekend we opened the barn doors of Splendid Days HQ to host an event for Leon restaurants, London. Leon is owned by John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby and it`s a fantastic chain of restaurants that specialise in healthy but delicious fast food. Knowing we were being asked to do this by two discerning foodies was a great compliment! Do visit their fabulous website and take a look at what they are up to and if you are ever in London drop by -the food is delicious !www.leonrestaurants.co.uk

The brief was an Autumn barndance with masses of bunting and lashings of cream tea and hot mulled cider and the event was a prize for one of their very lucky customers.We don`t do anything by halves here at Splendid Days and couldn`t wait stuck into styling and planning the event.Venue, food, flowers, planning, styling and set up were all by Splendid Days and everything came together fabulously on the night!

The theming was rustic with straw bales and old apple crates dotted around the barn topped with red cushions.Richly coloured flowers were mixed with hedgerow finds of holly and wild sloe and chunky church candles were displayed in our zinc buckets tied with red gingham ribbon .A touch of vintage glamour was added by using our glass cake stands and our bunting handmade from vintage fabrics was the essential finishing touch!

We provided a delicious array of layer cakes, meringues, fluffy scones and jam with cream and a variety of yummy flavours of cupcakes .

Pictured above are cherry and almond sponge cupcakes with a cherry filling .We also made toffee apple cupcakes -an apple sponge topped spread liberally with cinnamon butter icing and topped with a final layer of toffee sauce and fresh apple slices .The final flavour was the Splendid Days classic -blueberry and cream cupcakes - a vanilla sponge with a blueberry jam suprise filling topped with vanilla cream and decorated with fresh blueberries .The cakes were served on vintage plates in a variety of pretty patterns and our glass cake stands.

Hot steaming mulled cider was served from our fabulous vintage punchbowl and soon warmed up the guests as the snow fell .

The band arrived and they soon had everybody dancing the night away ,when it all got too hot guests retreated to the garden to sit on the straw bales surrounding the log fire fire pit .If you are looking for a fantastic band to make your event go with a swing I would highly recommend them .(They are called Tight Squeeze,web address to follow)

All in all we really enjoyed putting this event together and using our vintage wares to give it an authentic feel. If you would like help pulling off a fantastic event of your own or would like to hire some of our vintage goodies then do give us a call as we would love to help!
Sally x

Wonderful Wiston

2010-11-02T20:42:00.005Z

This weekend I exhibited at the fabulous Wiston House in Steyning .
What a stunning venue it is, with its sweeping long driveway through park like grounds populated by grazing sheep and wild deer.If you are hankering after a Jane Austin style wedding then this could be the place for you!

This is me setting up the display which took ages as I couldn`t decide which pieces to leave at home and so came with boxes and boxes of goodies.Luckily I had trusty assistant Pam with me to help!

The finished result!

How lucky to be in front of the most gorgeous fireplace and mirror.

The view through the window opposite overlooks the beautiful grounds.

This is a close up of some of the blue and white vintage crockery collection. Some of the brides and grooms looking around seemed to be rather taken with the idea of having blue and white crockery on their big day.

I don`t know any other hire companies with a huge collection of vintage blue and white crockery to hire so if you want to set the trend now is your chance! It`s all very Ralph Lauren!

Pictured above are some of the delicious raspberry and vanilla buttercream cupcakes, these didn`t last long and although I turned up with 125 I left home with only 2!
All in all we had a fabulous day.
Thank you to Amanda Deane at Wiston House for the very kind invitation and thanks to everyone who stopped by our stand to say hello and have a look at the vintage crockery.
Do get in touch if you decide to go vintage as we would love to help make your day Splendid !
Sally x

A work of art.

2010-10-28T20:25:00.002+01:00

A fabulously British work of art .

Nice sit down and a cup of tea anyone?

2010-10-28T19:55:00.001+01:00

I went for a walk today around the farm and there were so many berries on all the bushes and trees.I thought these red berries would look great in one of our vintage flower jugs .

The one Mr Darcy would drink from.

2010-10-28T14:06:00.004+01:00

Some of the men out there might be thinking they`re not too sure about vintage tea parties .In which case may I suggest when choosing your teacup from the delightful and resplendent tea party table you chose one which reflects your handsome and dashing Mr Darcy side (see above )

Drinking tea with your lady friends has always, as Jane Austin knew, been about more than just the wanton consumption of tea and cake(although that is an exquisitely delicious part of it ) .......enough said!

Some things are hard to resist.....

2010-10-26T14:16:00.002+01:00

This is what happens after a photoshoot, it really shouldn`t but it does I`m afraid to say. The cake was sandwiched together with jam,cream and fresh sliced strawberries and it was absolutely delicious!

Victoria Sponge Cake

2010-10-26T13:22:00.001+01:00

Here`s one we made earlier standing proudly on it`s vintage cut glass cake stand and antique silver tray .

These are some new teacups we have added to the collection ,they have a beautiful pattern inside and are particularly girly! Don`t worry if that`s not your thing as we have a whole range of colours and patterns. It`s always fun to see who is going to chose which teacup at an event .

Victoria sponge is a real truimph and I don`t know anybody who doesn`t like it.

Next year we have lots of brides who have chosen to have vintage themed tea parties as part of their wedding reception and I`m sure their guests will be completely delighted to relax and indulge in some scrumptious afternoon tea treats .Sometimes the simplest things in life are the best and afternoon tea is a great British tradition that can`t be beaten .

If you are planning event then you may like to know that we can deliver the whole afternoon tea package from the gorgeous teacups to the teapots ,vintage cake stands, silver trays ,flower jugs, bunting and much, much more We can also cater for your event and style your venue or marquee and help you plan the final look .

Do get in touch for our extremely reasonable packages!

Lovely scones,jam and clotted cream.....

2010-10-16T17:50:00.006+01:00

Sometimes only scones will do so and today was one of those days ....

and nearly always the simplest things are the most delicious -and these were scrumptious

And if you`re having scones then you will need a pot of tea.-served in a vintage teapot of course, lets do things properly shall we ? Oh and don`t forget the bunting darling!

Then you can scoff the lot with wild abandon .

And remember -get the best clotted cream and your favourite jam to go with them,for me it HAS to be raspberry .

Why I am so lucky

2010-10-16T17:35:00.001+01:00

I sometimes think I have the best job in the world and to find this adorable gem was indeed a happy moment, could any teacup and saucer be more adorable ?

Anyway she is now safely nestled into the Splendid Days collection and anyone that gets to sip tea from her at a tea party will ,I feel ,be very pleased to meet her .

2010-10-16T17:19:00.002+01:00

Do you like stone urns? I found this the other day ,actually I found two of them in an antique shop .I thought they would look fantastic either side of an entrance to a marquee . They are just over two feet high and with filled with fabulous flowers they could make a real impact .

If you want to hire them I can deliver them to your florists for you and then they could conjure up a fabulous arrangement .

There are three florists I am mad about at the moment -

No 1.Kiki and Cole in Hurstpierpoint (they have a really lovely artistic website and have a real vintage vibe .Some of my flower jugs and punch bowls have been used by them before .)

No 2. Spriggs Florists in Petworth - from what I have seen the quality of what they do and their professional approach is really impressive.

No3. Miss Pickering in Stamford-gorgeous website and my absolute favourite blog at the moment .

Come for tea

2010-10-14T20:10:00.002+01:00

I don`t know if you realised but this is Splendid Days HQ.It`s a lovely old barn that we converted two years ago ,one day I`ll post the pictures of what it looked liked before - a terrible wreck but I knew it would brush up very well indeed.

Anyway ,this is the exciting bit ....We`re going to be using it for vintage tea parties (with added secret extras!) and other marvellous events .When the weather is really hot you can even have tea on the lawn,just like they do in Agatha Christie films .It has the most incredible view of the South Downs and little glimpses of the famous Long Man of Wilmington .You might even see some horses galloping around and some Spotty Gloustershire Old Spot pigs in the woods beyond.

The other good bit is I might show you Bluebell and I`ll tell you all about her another day as I`ve got some scones in the oven that I need to keep an eye on . Bye bye for now , Sally x

Thrilling new additions to the Splendid Days collection

2010-10-11T11:32:00.004+01:00

A buying expedition turned out to be rather thrilling last week when I found some absolutely gorgeous teacups and saucers .I can`t tell you how much I LOVE this particular tea cup and saucer .I think it`s now taken the top spot in my list of favourites.Lots of gold and a lovely floral pattern on the inside so that when you`ve finished your tea you get a nice surprise at the bottom of the cup .

I`ve also been working on a new recipe for red velvet cake as it`s something that many customers have been asking for and it makes a great statement in the middle of the tea table with it`s contrast of deep red sponge and the purity of the white frosting finished with some dark luscious cherries perched artfully on top -gorgeous ! Photos to follow soon but if you can`t wait have a look at the Mulberry website .They have a short film of their Autumn campaign and it features vintage crockery and table linen and a huge red velvet cake .

You can go down the more modern route of red velvet cake ,whoopie pies and cupcakes when you have a tea party or go down the old school, fabulously British Mrs Beeton route of spiced apple and sultana cake ,Victoria sponge and scones and jam -such alot of delicious choices ,what`s a girl to do! One things for sure though ,everyone loves a tea party and especially if the table is resplendent with marvellous vintage teacups ,teapots ,candelabra ,vintage linens and napkins and beautiful flower.

I was also thrilled to find this gorgeous silver embossed coffee pot on my travels -it looks great filled with flowers .The tablecloth is also vintage and all hand sewn. Just imagine how long that took to sew.While we all slump in front of the x factor (some of us anyway !) why not dig out the sewing box and make something .I`m going to have a go at making corsages for my winter coats from vintage fabrics this winter as I`ve decided that 21st century life can sometimes deprive us of the feeling of satisfaction that can be had from making something ourselves ,plus I want something unique !

Our silver candelabra would look great with this coffee pot .All our candelabras are genuine silver plated vintage antiques and can be dressed up with pearls or flowers for a full on look or left simply.I always buy Prices candles as they are non drip and come in lots of lovely colours .If you are hiring from us these candles also fit into the holders perfectly so you don`t have the annoyance of shaving off the bottom of the candle which is a bore.

Bye for now and check back soon as I will be adding lots more photos and giving links to some great suppliers I met at the Designer Wedding Fair ,Battersea.

Sally x

2010-10-11T10:50:00.001+01:00

A Splendid Day Out !

2010-10-05T20:15:00.001+01:00

This weekend Splendid Days by owners Tim and Nicola to their stunning events venue Upwaltham Barns near Peworth as they were having an open day. The barns are very beautiful and have lots of exposed flintwork and original oak beams .Originally they were farm buildings but have now become fabulously cosy and stylish ,despite being huge! I loved the way they had used the old galvanised water troughs as giant flower containers .

Nicola was interested to see our vintage blue and white collection so I made sure I took our fantastic vintage blue and white dinner plates and side plates ,the handmade pinstriped napkins and my absolute favourite blue and white flower jug (one of many !) If you like the Ralph Lauren blue and white collection he so often does every summer then this vintage version could be for you! I don`t know anyone else hiring out so much vintage blue and white crockery and we have enough to for over 150 guests-but I`m still collecting! Act fast if you want this for an event next summer as everyone is falling in love with it .

I couldn`t turn up without my adorable vintage teasets ....and the strawberry and blueberry cupcakes were eagerly consumed at the end accompanied by delicious pink proseco in vintage teacups -perfect for fun hen parties! Gilles Dubourg, owner of Wines of Excellence kindly donated the yummy proseco(pictured above with Billy from Blue Lizard Travel www.bluelizardtravel.com ) Billy puts together fabulous travel experiences and her website is well worth a look.

My friend Margaret also had a stall there (Nicola is her daughter ) and she sell fabulous vintage dresses shoes and fabrics and much more .Her stand looked terrific with armfuls of gorgeous silky, sparkly vintage dresses -all very Sienna Miller. Margaret has a shop (with no name-how cool is that? ) in Kemp Town Brighton and is regularly visited by designers from Top shop and other well know fashion houses who are looking to pick up one of her gems for inspiration for their new collections.So if you want to set the latest trend do pay her a visit -it`s next door to another one of my favourite shops ,The Brighton Flea Market .

Beautiful Bunting

2010-09-23T14:16:00.001+01:00

Splendid Days have been busily buying armfuls of stunning vintage fabrics over the last six months and the sewing machines are being dusted down ready for a frenzy of bunting production! We will be creating various fabulous colourways to fit in with our vintage crockery collection -The first colourway will be stunning blues which will work fantastically with our fabulous vintage blue crockery collection .To go with this we will also be making fabulous blue linen napkins .

The next collection will be a lovely mixed colourway in tones that will fit in with our gorgeous china teasets for that fabulously British afternoon tea look! Think vintage Colefax and Fowler and Sanderson Fabrics! We will also have some napkins in these mixed colourways to match which will create a fantastic vintage finishing touch.

If you have any particular colours or patterns you think would be lovely for your wedding or party do leave a comment as we would love to hear.

Check back soon for photos of our efforts ! Sally x

Join us on Facebook!

2010-09-23T14:01:00.001+01:00

Splendid Days are pleased to announce that we now have a Facebook page in addition to our website and our Blog. We will posting lots of our excellent special offers here, adding photos of our latest vintage goodies for hire and keeping everyone up to date with our news and events. So if you are a fan of Facebook do make friends with us and feel free to add any comments or ideas -we would love to hear what you`ve got to say!

The Question Time Tea Party

2010-07-18T22:31:00.001+01:00

David Dimbleby and his wife Belinda recently asked Splendid Days to provide a vintage tea party for the BBC Question Time Team. The event was styled by the Splendid Days team using vintage items in the beautiful downland setting of David and Belinda`s Sussex home .

Delicious smoked salmon sandwiches,meringues and cream,scones ,fruity cupcakes and lemon drizzle cake were some of the scrumptious items on the tea party menu provided by Splendid Days .Speciality teas from Fortnum and Mason were also enjoyed and were served in beautiful antique teapots. Each guest had fun choosing their own vintage teacup and saucer, which came in a harmonious mix of patterns .

The table linen was hand embroidered and the centre piece was a white bird cage containing an iced lemon drizzle cake sandwiched together with lemon curd ,blueberries and buttercream cake on a silver cake stand .

Floristry was also by Splendid Days and we used cut glass vases and silver epigines to display a delicious smelling mix of roses, lavenders and other scented summer favourites .

Croquet on the lawn ,striped deckchairs and sunshine completed the scene .

Splendid News

2010-07-05T22:32:00.009+01:00

Splendid Days are very pleased to have been booked by David Dimbleby to provide a Victorian tea party for him and his Question Time team this July .

A delicious spread will be lavishly prepared by the Splendid Days team with treats including scones with clotted cream and wild strawberry jam and fresh fruit jellies served in vintage teacups.

The event will be styled by the Splendid Days team in the wonderful setting of David and his wife Belinda`s stunning garden at the foot of the South Downs .

A hand painted three tiered cake with antique pink roses

2010-06-28T22:04:00.001+01:00

Splendid Days has been busy making cakes to hopefully turn heads !

This is a three tiered cake which has a different flavour for each tier to please everbody .The pattern was inspired by vintage Victorian designs and was carefully hand painted freehand using natural colourings .The roses are a lovely antique pink colour and the ribbon is a gentle old gold colour . The cake stands on one of our vintage silver trays.

If you are looking for something a bit different from the traditional sugar flower form of decoration why not go for a handpainted cake and set the trend !

Vintage silverware meets 21st century modernity

2010-06-28T21:46:00.002+01:00

At an event this weekend Splendid Days vintage silverware and a flamboyant pink floral arrangement were combined with 21st century modernity in the form of a glass bar that could be lit from below and looked fabulous at night .The whole event was a successful and stunning mix of old and new .

If you love the classic country house look an alternative could be an oak bar. Dress with silver canldesticks and vintage flower jugs with informal ,wild looking floral arrangements and place nibbles for your guests in vintage patterned bowls .The silver punch bowls would also fit very well with this theme .

It`s always worth spending time planning the look of the bar area as this is so often the focus of attention and it needs to fit in with the overall look of the event . There are many fantastic ways of usng vintage items at your event so keep following the blog for more examples that will be coming soon .

Summer Events

2010-06-28T21:01:00.002+01:00

This weekend Splendid Days were out and about providing vintage tableware to events in the Southeast . Our vintage flower containers were sent off to the florists Kiki and Cole in Hurstpierpoint to be filled with the most gorgeous flowers to grace the champagne bar at a wonderful event at a beautiful old manor house in Sussex . As you can see they certainly made a wonderful job of the flowers although that was to be expected as they regularly supply flowers to Ralph Lauren ,Paul Smith ,Wimbledon and the BBC to name a few .

Sussex Marquees www.sussexmarquees.co.uk made their usual fantastic job of the marquee at this event and their wonderful new limewashed chairs completed the picture.

As well as all the vintage flower containers we also supplied our very beautiful blue and white vintage dinner plates -so Ralph Lauren ! Our silver embossed trays and vintage platters and antique bowls were the glamorous finishing touches .

A vintage Tea Party

2010-06-19T10:17:00.002+01:00

The summer events season is well under way here at Splendid Days and the team are looking forward to getting out and about this summer ,providing clients with delicious tea and cakes and vintage tableware . If you are looking to throw a unique party and want to spoil your guests without spending a fortune ,why not consider a vintage tea party?

At Splendid Days we can cater for up to 200 guests and the collection of stunning vintage crockery is rapidly growing .Do visit www.splendiddays.co.uk for more details and give us a call to find out about our latest summer offers!

Jam sponge and roses

2010-06-19T10:02:00.003+01:00

An iced jam and buttercream sponge adorned with roses -what more could you want ?

This natural beauty was displayed on a large vintage silver tray and adorned with fresh flowers picked from the clients garden.Using fresh flowers in this way is a nice way to personalise your cake and enables you to keep the cakes ingredients very wholesome and delicious .

Vintage Glass Vases

2010-06-16T13:34:00.002+01:00

At Splendid Days a very popular hire item is a vintage cut glass vase .As you can see from this picture they are very beautiful and really let the flowers do the talking . They can be grouped informally with an array of country flowers such as sweet williams,sweet peas,tea roses or even simple hedgerow finds such as cow parsley.This can look fantastic at an event in a countryside setting to echo the surroundings .

Creating a total overall look at your event is important and shows you have put heart and soul into the proceedings . If you are having a country wedding or party one thing I often suggest is raiding the garden to see what you can find ! If you are going back to your home town to get married and perhaps are having a marquee in your parents garden then why not make a few or all your arrangements from the flowers in the garden .Maybe there is a rose growing in the garden that was planted when you were a child that reminds you of your childhood that would make a lovely personal way of styling your wedding that won`t break the bank.

Flowers from the garden or hedgerow are also fantastic to use on your wedding cake and can look amazing and different from the usual sugar flowers. Cut glass vases also look equally amazing and luxurious with a more formal arrangement such as lilies and orchids for a more stylised look.

Raspberries and Cream cupcake

2010-06-16T13:13:00.000+01:00

A delicious raspberry cupcake on one of our vintage Royal Albert china plates in the old country roses pattern .

Scrumptious Strawberry

2010-06-16T13:07:00.000+01:00

Another tempting Splendid cupcake ......

Blueberry Heaven on a vintage plate

2010-06-14T18:15:00.002+01:00

Cupcake tiers are a lovely way to display your cakes at your event , however I think a fantastic way to display your cakes which is a bit different is to set out the cupcakes on a table on their own co -ordinating vintage cake plate . When you have a whole group of cakes on vintage plates set out en masse they look amazing and very beautiful and create a visual and delicious feast for your guests.

If you want to go all out then why not add vintage teacups and saucers for a fabulously British afternoon tea party ! Cakes also make cute dessert canapes for your guests if you are having a drinks party ,especially the mini versions .They look particularly stylish when handed around on beautiful vintage platters .

A vintage birdcage photographed at Splendid Days HQ

2010-06-08T09:20:00.000+01:00

One of the new additions to the Splendid Days birdcage family! This was found at an antique shop and has been given a new coat of Farrow and Ball paint and is now ready for hire. I particularly like this one as it can be hung up from the ceiling of a marquee for example or if used outside from the branch of a tree which would look very pretty. We do have lots of other vintage bird cages and they look great as a group. I am looking for some little birds that can be attatched to the cage at the moment as I think they would look charming!

A close up of one of our stunning blue and white plates

2010-06-07T22:25:00.000+01:00

I couldn`t resist adding a close up of one of our amazing blue and white plates !

Summer Blues

2010-06-07T22:09:00.001+01:00

You may not realise that Splendid Days is able to offer a whole range of vintage blue and white items for hire. We have over a hundred blue and white vintage dinner plates in a stunning, harmonious range of patterns that wouldn`t look out of place in a Ralph Lauren Home collection and if you are looking for that relaxed ,ultra summery look for your event then these stunning plates are for you. If you want to go all blue and white ,we also have lots of beautiful blue and white flower jugs and large blue and white serving platters. Team with our three armed silver candelabras - with midnight blue candles of course! and our blue and white striped cotton ticking napkins for a luxurious summer look. Another nice accessory to go with this theme are the large vintage white birdcages which can be filled with chunky candles or flowers and used to decorate tables or hung in the trees around the garden for some nightime glow and glamour! The champagne cooler in the picture is also for hire as is the silver tray of which we have a whole selection ,perfect for serving Champagne on the lawn in style!

2010-04-07T20:48:00.000+01:00

Splendid Days has been spying Sophie Dahl`s new programme and has noticed that she has lots of rather lovely vintage crockery. Good to see she is keeping following our trend and that she is as nostalgic about tea and cakes as we are. I must admit that her Victoria sponge oozing homemade raspberry jam looked especially good on it`s glass cake stand(just like the ones we hire out at Splendid Days !) Look out for our next photo shoot which will be all about naughty cakes and glamorous cakestands.....I`m sure the wonderful Suzi will work her magic with the camera again!

2010-04-07T20:15:00.000+01:00

My collection of vintage finds for hire has been growing very rapidly over the last few months and I absolutely love going out to find new beauties! Only the very best make it home with me and I never quite now what I`m going to find.Sometimes I come home with a car full of goodies and sometimes I come home with nothing ! It`s always exciting unwrapping them when I get home and seeing if they are going to fit into the Splendid Days family of finds! I like all my vintage finds to be really special and it`s always exciting when I spot something that is a must have ! It`s amazing to think how old some of the crockery is but what amazing condition it`s in. The older generation certainly new how to look after their possesions and I like the fact that they are going to continue to be used and loved. I now have over two hundred sets of teacups and saucers and cake plates and every single one is interesting to look at. The patterns and workmanship just make me realise how much rubbish is produced nowadays and these are real little works of art. It`s always interesting to see who is going to fall in love with which pattern. Another favourite item to collect is the big patterned jugs. Some of them are absolutely huge and look amazing filled with wild flowers. I would of loved to have had this kind of thing at my wedding if it had been possible to hire.

2010-04-07T20:07:00.000+01:00

Very, very addictive Rocky Roads-make them at your peril!

2010-04-07T19:31:00.001+01:00

Well ,I have been promising so many people this recipe that I thought it should be my first even though it isn`t cake! It`s dangerously easy to make and eat but totally delicious .Last Christmas I had a party and these were the stars of the show!I also took them to Glyndebourne for the chorus picnic and they were a bit of a hit there too!

I`m mulling over whether to offer this on my website as well as cakes at the moment .

The Recipe

250 Grammes of milk chocolate 150 Grammes of dark chocolate 175 Grammes of butter 250 Grammes of digestive biscuits 200 Grammes of macadamia nuts 150 Grammes of marshmallows-big ones cut up into chunks 2 tablespoons of golden syrup

Method

Melt the chocolate and the butter with 2 tablespoons of golden syrup
Put the biscuits in a big bowl and bash with a rolling pin so you have some biggish pieces and some smaller pieces and a bit of crushed
Add the nuts and marshmallows to the biscuits
Pour the melted mixture into the bowl and stir until everything is coated
Butter a tray bake style tin (about 236mmx296mm).I use on with a base that slides out as it`s easier when it comes to cutting it up.
Tip in the mixture and press it firmly into the tin .
Refrigerate until cold.
Cut into pieces .This can be quite hard work!
Arrange on a platter in stacks or load up a vintage cake stand and dust with icing sugar. Add any extra decorations such as extra marshmallows or anything seasonal or partyish!
Devour!
These can be frozen ahead although they are so quick to make I don`t bother.

You can be quite casual about this recipe and change the types of nuts, add other ingredients such as cherries, use your favourite type of biscuit but this is the Holy Grail of Rocky Roads to me. Often recipes use all dark chocolate and it`s rather too intense but I suppose it`s all down to personal preference.