Prestige Property
Glamour comes
to Shanklin
Retirement will have to
wait a while for Pauline
Carter - thanks to Bessie
Mae Vintage, a glamorous
little emporium in
Shanklin that’s become
her passion.
Pauline moved from the
mainland with the idea of taking it
easy – but the process of moving
from an old cottage to a modern
house left her with 25 years worth
of her collected vintage treasures.
Taking on a shop was the perfect
way to find new homes for these
prized possessions, and that’s how
her business was born.
Almost three years on, Pauline
now sources her range of gorgeous
stock from vintage fairs and
warehouses on the mainland – and
Island customers are loving it.
Her background in banking and
finance took her to Duba i – home
of exotic crystal glass perfume
bottles – which fed her love for all
things sparkly and feminine.
Earlier, she’d found inspiration
in the delicate china and glass
paperweight collections amassed
by her grandmother, and says
she’s always loved the glamour of
the 1950s with its ultra-feminine
clothes, make-up and accessories..
“My little shop has just
incorporated my passions!” she
says, “and it’s lovely to meet
customers who love the items as
much as I do.”
Bessie Mae Vintage is now
a great hunting ground for
everything from costume
jewellery, vintage clothing and
bags to glassware, china tableware
and kitchenalia.
Find Bessie Mae Vintage at
Yarborough Mews, Shanklin or
phone 07796 758804. Find them
on Facebook at Bessie Mae Vintage.
The art of presentation
Wootton based picture frame
specialists Wisteria Framing have
seen plenty of changes in the
picture framing industry since it
was established over 40 years ago,
in 1976.
According to business owner
Paul Jacobs, today’s customers
want to become more involved
with the framing of their much-
loved art work, and like to
complement their interior décor.
“Being on the Isle of Wight we
have an affinity with the sea” he
says, “and the use of unfinished
moulding with pale colours and
washes applied in our workshop
results in each picture frame
becoming more personal.”
“Embracing technology to assist
with each part of the framing
process, has enabled us to provide
a higher standard of finish.
“Wisteria still prides itself on
being able to give individual advice
to each customer and ensure that
the final result will be as good they
imagined, if not better.”
Wisteria has worked with many
high-profile artists and galleries
over the years, each with their
own definitive style that needs to
be complemented by the correct
frame.
“Whilst a picture frame itself
is unlikely to be considered art”
says Paul, “we do like to think of
our picture framing as ‘the art of
presentation”.
Find Wisteria Framing at 22 High
St, Wootton or call 01983 882980.
www.visitilife.com
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