...everything's a story

"Everything's a story - You are a story - I am a story." 

- Frances Hodson Burnett, A Little Princess

I don't know about you, but I love buying second hand and vintage, whether I'm shopping for books,  clothes, or especially furniture. I like knowing that almost everything I own came with its own past and story before it came to me. And that, in buying it, I've become part of that story too.

It's like owning a piece of history.

Sometimes the story isn't visible at first glance, but you know it must exist, and it's fascinating to think about what sort of person a 1920's cameo ring might have belonged to, for example. Its appearance alone suggests a certain fashion and era. Where it's been and what's it touched? Was it a gift? Was it passed down from generation to generation before ending up on a stall at a vintage market and finding it's way onto my finger 100 years later?

I've mentioned before that I take writing inspiration from the things around me. In my "ode to my desk" blog, I mentioned a couple of thought provoking trinkets that sit on my desk. A silver pocket watch being one of them. This is something I actually acquired in a raffle, and chose because I was intrigued by the sun and moon images that rotate into view dependant on the time of day. The sun and moon are incredibly relevant in my book THE BLOOD DRAGON, and the moment I saw it, I knew I had to have it!!! I'd wanted one of my characters to have a pocket watch, and to always be winding it, and so it was immediately situated on my desk as inspiration.

It's personal preference of course, but I like the character and fortitude of old things. Being surrounded by them creates a specific feel and environment, that influences a lot in my life, including my writing style, the blogs I write, and the way I orchestrate photos to post on social media.

I've got my favourite antique haunts, and amongst them I know I'm sure to find something that is not only unique and quirky, but that hints at the origin of the item I'm buying: a hat box labelled with an inked description of the hat it originally contained, a beaten-up travellers trunk with the initials of its owner printed on the side, a second hand book with a handwritten message to its previous owner penned into the cover. All examples of imperfections that to me can make an item so special.

If you're Kent based in England and would like some recommendations for vintage or second hand shops, I'll list some of my favourites below with website links:

- Chart Sutton Antiques in Chart Sutton, Maidstone, Kent

- Corner House Antiques in Lenham, Maidstone, Kent
- Trash or Treasure Second Hand Store in Maidstone, Kent
- Strand Quay Antiques in Rye, East Sussex
- Allsorts Antiques Vintage & Collectables in Headcorn, Kent

And many more! 

Feel free to add suggestions into the comments below!

I hope you enjoyed this random little blog entry. I'll be posting again next Monday at 6pm. Until then, you can find me across social media @zuzuspages on Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest

~ Zuzu