My favourite things in 2012

A quick post on my favourite things so far in 2012:

Omni car boot sale

Not new, but new to me. I went because some friends had a one-off stall selling a load of unwanted clothes (they made nearly £400!), but I came back with a stack of 1960s postcards that I can’t wait to write about. Being in the city centre, I expected it to be to the traditional, shambolic car boot sale what farmers’ markets are to markets. I was pleasantly surprised: some professional sellers, but a lot of people clearly just getting rid of their junk, and a suitably dingy atmosphere complete with elbowing and jostling.

University of Edinburgh Anatomy Museum

Recently, the regulations that govern access to the Museum have been softened a little, and there is now a regular opening once a month. Situated in the south of Edinburgh’s Old Town in the University’s Old Medical School, you can see the skeleton of a Victorian grave robber (now tweeting from the afterlife @BurkesBones) and fascinating death masks of famous figures. More interesting than gory, but probably still not one for the particularly weak-stomached.

Curiouser and Curiouser

Almost a cheat – more retro than vintage – but I’m saved by the fact that this shop’s window displays use the lovely old suitcases sourced by my almost-neighbour, Cupboard Vintage. Captivating prints at relatively affordable prices. I love pretty much everything they have by illustrator Sandra Dieckmann – imagination-piquing, pigment-rich and for children and adults alike – and hope bigger sizes start coming in soon.

Bunny Beloved

A shameless plug for a good friend of mine, but she’s very good at what she does so my integrity is still intact. A talented up-cycler of old stuff (see her shop on Etsy), she’s now moved into the world of illustration too. Also, don’t forget the pinnacle of her achievements – winning second place in the 1989 South Glamorgan girls’ bean bag competition.