Preparing my rails for Sussex Country Brocante in Wisborough Green.
The fair is on 28th February at Wisborough Green Village Hall.

Very excited to bring my beautiful clothes, accessories, homewares and other interesting items. Labels include MARNI, CHLOE, PHILLIP LIM, CACHAREL, AGNES B, IRO, ISCHIKO, NOA NOA, BRORA, COS, ISABEL MARANT, VIVIENNE WESTWOOD (Gold Label).

I will be bringing lots of silks, cashmeres, linens, smock tops - My rails show all the beautiful items, hopefully I will have a successful buying trip in London, the last before the fair.

JUMBLE SALE FROLICS!

I do love a good village jumble sale on a horrid, rainy, grey day. Dusty little village halls in stunning Sussex villages filled to bursting with people of all ages elbowing each other to get a space to rummage.
I went to the first of 3 yesterday in Fletching village, near Uckfield. Then through talking to people heard about one in Chailey en route to one in a school in Lewes.

I always love the atmosphere and the prices are like 20p an item of clothing so you can literally fill a black bin liner. I get loads of really nice clothes for my boys, really good quality.
I also come back with, lets be totally honest, some utter crap that gets put straight back into the boot of my car to get rid of. I bought some old vintage french blankets, cream with stripes at each end. They were old, 1930's or thereabouts but they stank and one had holes and I did wonder what the hell I was doing.
Yesterday I bought some quite good things, nothing AMAZING, but I am pleased. Missed out on a Persian rug (sold for £5, weep!), an antique tapestry in frame, beautiful colours, frame stunning (sold for £10!).

Here are my buys:

Cool PAUL SMITH boys Navy t'shirt with print.

My eldest has one similar so I spotted it in an instant, 30p.

CATH KIDSTON Apron and matching Oven Gloves. For 50p! Made me smile when I spotted them. Also an IKEA ROSALI Thin cushion which we have put on my son's Tripp Trapp chair, which he hates.

Two beautiful, heavy cotton bedspreads for 30p each!

FIRLE EAST SUSSEX

I love this tiny village at the base of Firle Beacon. It is Bloomsbury land. Virginia Woolf lived in the village, not for long, but still. Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and VB's son Quentin are all buried in Firle Churchyard.

The pub, the Ram Inn www.theraminn.co.uk, although a bit 'Gastro pubby' showy, is amazing. Lovely walled orchard garden with play area and loads of tables. The front garden is called the beach as it is all pebbles and in the summer so laid back and perfect for chilling. The food is NOT pub food, it is restaurant food.
On the drive out of Firle there is a house that sells roadside flowers/plants and bags of veg. I always bring back a few plants and just pop the money in the cashbox.
GLYNDE is just up the road, Opera aside, it is a beautiful village with summer fetes and car boot fairs, all so British and lovely and proper like.
Just down the road is Charleston House www.charleston.org.uk This was the home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, original Bloomsbury group. We took a guided tour and saw the studio as well as the bedrooms and sitting rooms. Simple, small rooms, wooden floors and rugs, ceramics, white linen loose covered armchairs with antique indian throws. We didn't get to see the kitchen though, but you can peep through the window on the gravel drive.

WICKLE - LEWES - EAST SUSSEX

My favourite independent shop!
They sell RICE beakers etc, RICE the Danish brand),
www.wickle.co.uk

This is what I want my house to look like - INDIA KNIGHT'S Amazing House....

redonline.co.uk/red-women/this-life/india-knight