Altered Image Upholstery

Great guest post by Carolyn of www.theshooglypeg.com
 

I always know I’m going to like doing business with someone when I enter their premises and see an animal curled up asleep. So it was a good sign when I walked into Altered Image Upholstery on Deanston Drive and found a tuckered-out doggy snoozing under the workbench. I wanted covers made for the windowseat in my kitchen, and had optimistically planned to do it myself, intending to beaver away busily at my sewing machine until the covers were done. However, when I tried a practice run, I discovered that the whole business was more complicated than I’d thought, so I decided to outsource the job.

 

Luckily, Altered Images is just down the road from me, so I popped in for a chat. The father-and-son business mainly upholster sofas, chairs and other furniture, but they will also take on smaller jobs like mine. I provided the material (designed by Glasgow-based illustrator Rob Johnson) but they can also order in fabric for customers. Two cushion covers for my tenement windowseat cost £45 and were ready within the week. Both father and son are friendly and helpful: they are a great addition to the Southside.

 

Altered Image Upholstery, 93 Deanston Drive, 07811 828387

Pierrot et Coco

Today we have the pleasure of discovering a new and fantastic shop has just opened on the site of the sadly missed "Raw Vintage" on Abbot Street in Shawlands just across from the CoOp.

Called the wonderfully enticing "Pierrot et Coco" it is run by husband and wife Pierrot and Morvan who previously worked  in the fashion magazine world and they clearly have an eye for brilliant and unusual things. Take a look through the selection of photos below to see some of their cool products. It was just a shame that Ann was with me or I could have picked up a few Christmas Gifts.

http://pierrotetcoco.blogspot.com/
Pierrot et Coco
3 Abbot Street,
Shawlands,
Glasgow,
G41

With Regalia, Hays, Candy Love, Glitz and Glamour, Blush and Zigzag nearby and PaperPlane, Butterfly Kisses, Young's Interesting Books, 1901 and the Dresser's Room on Skirving Street there is really starting to be a great collection of shops in this area of the Southside to warrant a wander on a Satuday or Sunday afternoon. Give up on the big shopping centres and support your local shops, they have a lot of surprises in store. We also spotted today that Cosgrove Care is also now open on a Sunday which is always worth a look round as sometimes they have fanstastic things.

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Butterfly Kisses @ 8 Skirving Street

I can't believe that we've managed to not write a proper post about Butterfly Kisses before now. Checking back through the blog, the last post we wrote about them was way back in January 2009 when the shop was just opening. Since then, we have been in a lot.

It's usually my first port of call when it comes to birthday present buying, as it pretty much covers all bases. The front of the shop has great toys, books and baby wear for little ones. (My cousins new wee boys can testify to the super cool baby grows they stock.)  The shop's middle has a range of ladies clothes and accessories (which Ann tells me are lovely) and the rear is full of household gifts, greetings cards and wrapping paper. I really like the range of cards they stock, I think nearly everyone I know, has been bought a butterfly kisses birthday card in the last eight months.

The shop is owned and run by two sisters and they make you feel very welcome and totally at ease when you go in for a wander. I must admit there are not many weekends that a walk to the shops doesn't involve a visit. Its one of those shops that when you are passing, you always think you'll just pop in and have a quick nosy round.

As we've said before, Skirving Street is the place to be. Its places like this that can help to draw people into the area. Shops which are as much about the experience of going to the shop, as they are about the need to buy things.

I just can't believe we've taken over a year to actually post some proper pictures and say how much we love the shop. Maybe subconsciously,  we were keeping trying to keep it a secret so that no one would know where all the great birthday gifts were coming from. Ah well the secret's out now . . just in time for my own birthday. (There's some pretty cool painted glasses if anyone is looking for suggestions!!)

Butterfly Kisses

8 Skirving Street,
Shawlands
GlasgowG41 3AA

0141 649 3552
butterflykisskiss@yahoo.co.uk

Youngs Interesting Books - Skirving Street

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What a pleasant discovery I had today, wandering down Skirving Street I came across the newly opened Young’s Interesting Books, a book shop specialising in second hand and antiquarian books, run by Barry Young and Noelle Carroll

They buy and sell general second-hand and antiquarian books on a wide range of subjects and have books on a number of subjects including: Scottish, Art, Literature, History, and Philosophy. There are some really interesting antiquarian pop up books and a whole selection of classics and annuals.

Along side the more expensive collectable books are an assortment of fiction and non fiction modern books starting from £1.

I was quite impressed with my self control, as I only bought one book. It’s the only shop of it’s type in the Southside and is a great addition to Skirving Street. For more information contact youngsbooks@btinternet.com or 0141 6499599

Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm

Thursday 10am - 7pm

Sunday 11am - 4pm

Deli 1901 - 11 Skirving Street

Skirving Street, as we've mentioned before, is one of our favourite streets in the Southside. Its got all the right shops for having a bit of a wander and a nose. Everything is there, including clothes, gifts, kilts, wine and coffee shops. One of the best places to visit, and one which I always love to browse around is Deli 1901.

This is where I come to buy tasty ingredients whenever we are having friends round for dinner. Like fancy stripey lasange sheets or the little bits and bobs that the local supermarket's don't stock like seaweed sheets etc. They also do lots of great home baked things like the above and posh packs of food in trendy packaging for all the people who want their kitchen cupboards to be mini works of art. (Yes our new pantry does fall into that category, though we try to resist it.)

I was in the store the other day and got talking with the owner, its funny but I hadn't realised they'd been around for as long as they have, its coming up for their fifth birthday already. I also forget that they sell so many different things, from freshly baked mince pies and rather excellant lasange to jars of jam, bottles of nice wine and lots of fair trade chocolate.

They also now sell Ian Mellis award winning Cheeses. Ian Mellis is the small but amazingly well stocked cheese shop on Great Western Road and its brill not having to make the trek to the wild west when your recipe requests stinky cheese.

One thing that I think Shawlands lacks and which I think 1901 might be able to help with, is somewhere to buy really nice kitchen stuff, the kind of thing you can buy as a gift for someone. They do have a few items which fit the bill, and they do have lots of nice oils and chocolate sets which would make good Christmas presents but I'd really like a southside shop which sold good pots, bowls, salt grinders etc. Any suggestions? We need a shop like the amazing Hob (RIP) from Queens Street.

The food made on the premises by award winning Chef owner Colin is great. The ready meals to take home and reheat are delicious, especially the lasange. Its always extremly difficult to go in, buy a packet of something and not be tempted by the smells from the fresh cabinet on the way out. Good luck to those that manage it.

For more info about the shop visit their website - Deli 1901
Or better yet pay them a visit

Deli 1901
11 Skirving Street, Shawlands, Glasgow.
0141 632 1630

The Little Cake Parlour, Pollokshaws Road

Well I tried to write a post about The Little Cake Parlour last week but hit a snag when we managed to eat both cakes before taking any photos of them. This should give you a good indication that the cakes are very tasty. That night we had a rich chocolate brownie and a gooey chocolate cupcake. Lisa (who owns and runs the shop) advised that the brownie was a new recipe she was trying out and that she preferred her own recipe. I'm looking forward to trying the old recipe then as the new one was v good indeed. With a wee bit of Brooklyn Cafe Ice cream, it would make an excellent desert to serve up to guests.

Actually, this what we intended to do at the weekend. We'd invited friends round for dinner on Sunday night so on Saturday I went along to The Little Cake Parlour to buy some cakes for serving up after the meal. This time, as a precaution I took all my photos, before I'd even purchased the cakes, preventing any eating mishaps robbing us of photos.

I decided to go for two lemon cupcakes, which have gooey lemon centres and very tasty iced tops, two chocolate chip Oreo cupcakes which come with tiny Oreos on top and two raspberry cupcakes with fresh raspberry icing and two real raspberries on top. (Un)fortunately, our guests had to cancel at the last minute and so I've been eating cupcakes after dinner the last three nights. I can't quite decide on my favourite - I'm usually quite a big lemon cake fan, as it has quite a light taste but the raspberry filling was also pretty tip top.

The shop doesn't just do single cupcakes though, you can order big batches for special events - like the MOBO awards recently did and you can also get larger cakes for any occasion made in any flavour you choose. With a changing selection of cakes each week and with your own flavour choice available to special order I think I might need to start doing more exercise while I think of something I'd like made. Mmmm cinemon flavour cupcakes . . . or mayple syrup flavour . . .

Win FREE cakes and get a 10% off in March's Great Southside Giveaway.

The Little Cake Parlour
1002 Pollokshaws Road, Shawlands, G41 2HG
0141 636 0808
Heres the link to their site. The Little Cake Parlour

The Dresser's Room - 47 Skirving Street

Hidden at the bottom of Skirving Street, in Shawlands, is The Dresser's Room. This vintage boutique offers a real cacophony of vintage delights from across the eras. The lovely owner Jade Halbert, an experienced fashion editor and stylist, opened the boutique in April of this year.

Each piece in the store, whether it is one of the fabulous 1920's evening gowns or the 1940s coats and dresses has been expertly chosen, is unique and is very good quality. Jade also sells handbags and accessories by Pea Cooper and Dazed Dorothy

It's not just the clothing that is impressive the store itself and the presentation of the wears is impeccable. I could spend hours browsing and yes I did purchase a dress - I just couldn't help myself. Jade is very charismatic and obviously has a real passion for vintage clothing and her work in general. The Dresser's Room is very unique boutique and a great addition to Skirving Street.

Opening Hours:

Monday - Saturday 10am - 5.30pm

Thursday - 10am - 7pm

Sunday - Closed

Website

other articles about the dressers room

Candy Love

Last week a brill new shop opened in Shawlands and as you can see from the below I got a bit carried away taking photos but it all looked so tasty. I've not got a huge sweet tooth, but I find the colours, shapes and packaging of sweets very interesting and I love a good sweet shop.

The new shop is the run by Alison MacNeil, who is a very enthusiastic and friendly shop owner who is obviously very excited to be starting up this new business. This enthusiasm seemed to be rubbing off on the customers and everyone was leaving, laden with bags full of tasty treats.

On the opening day when I dropped in the whole family were in helping out, Alisons husband was putting up some more shelves and their two children were doing a tremendous young apprentice job of manning the til - spotting that I'd short changed (by accident) when I paid for my goods. It must be every kids dream, to have a mum who owns a sweet shop - they are prob the most popular kids in class now.

The shop stocks all the old school favourites, sour plumes, sherbet lemons etc plus a load of more designy up scale chocolate for giving out as gifts. There were a couple of items that I was looking for that they didn't stock but when I mentioned these to Alison she added them to a list of new products to buy in so Ann will be able to buy milky teeth soon.

With Woolworths closing, there was definitely a gap in the market for a pic n mix style shop and with the local schools nearby I think they will do well. If the new cinema at the Cell does go ahead just slightly further down the road then they could be sitting on a gold mine.

Despite me saying above that I don't have a sweet tooth, I still managed to go home with six packets of different sweets. The wee girls were also at the door of the shop, handing out a sample pack of mixed sweets to passers by. There was something very enjoyable about walking down the street and everyone you passed was chewing away with big smiles on their faces. Maybe there should be a new law about free sweets for all. Might make us all a bit happier though I suppose if there were loads of free sweets all our teeth would fall out so the smiles might be quite as nice.Opening times are initially 9 - 7 but this might change to match customer needs.

Candy Love - 1125 Pollokshaws Road, Shawlands, G41 3HY 0141 632 2700

Cancer Research goes Vintage

Yesterday, while wandering around Shawlands in the sun, we stopped into the Cancer Research shop on Pollokshaws Road, to buy a couple of birthday cards. It’s one of the best charity shops in the area, it always has a good selection of second hand books, dvd’s and board games…and it has recently devoted a large section of the shop to their vintage and retro collection. The last time I was in the store, they had a few rails of vintage, but now they have a fun and quirky decorated area, to the rear of the shop dedicated to vintage and retro, selling female and male clothing, shoes, bags, jewellery and some retro items such as a telephone, vintage lamps and even some old classic films.

Jewellery and bags are displayed on antique furniture, some funky retro lights create a nicer light and atmosphere. They also have a large selection of vintage shoes…including a great pair of red ones, which unfortunately were not in my size, and a large selection of hats, scarves and bags.

I particularly like their handmade signage on the walls, made from pieces of vintage fabric.
The store sources their items from other Cancer Research Stores in Glasgow. Before Jackie and her collegue came up with the idea, vintage items were just mixed in with the rest of the stock, frequently these would end up being 'ragged'. Turning the store into a specialised vintage shop has increased the revenue dramatically. It means that customers looking for vintage now have a one stop shop, instead of looking through lots of charity shops for that perfect 50's dress, they just head for Pollokshaws Road.

Jackie told us the venture has been a great success, they have had customers travelling across the city and even from Edinburgh to browse the rails. 'They’ve heard about the store through word of mouth or from the 5.30 show which featured the store last month'

It’s a great venture, allowing you to find that perfect unusual dress or jacket and also giving to an important charity at the same time. If that vintage dress is just a little too big or too long you can always nip across the road to raw vintage and get them to alter it.

The Cancer Research shop is open Monday - Saturday
You can call the store on 0141 632 4961

Butterfly Kisses - Skirving Street

The New Butterfly Kisses shop, on Skirving street in Shawlands, has been open for a couple of months now. I have been meaning to call in and have a browse, but with us being away in Japan and the crazy festive period I've not had a chance. However I came across these pictures on the Glasgow Architecture website today. The place looks great - it's been beautifully designed by Jonathan McQuillan. I've attached a few links to some articles about the new shop...but I can't find an actual website for the shop. I'll let you know what it's like once I've been

Glasgow Architecture and Scottish Architecture

Raw Vintage - Abbot Street

EDIT: Sadly Raw Vintage closed its doors in April 2010.

This year I seem to have so many family events, weddings, Christenings, 21st birthday parties and of course I need new outfits for them all. I've recently discovered Raw Vintage, in Shawlands, it's just off Pollokshaws road beside the co op. I went in the other weekend for a browse and came out with a fantastic retro dress, which I subsequently wore to one of those gatherings.

They have a great collection of 1920's - 1980's second hand clothing. They also produce their own collection, provide an alteration service and will also make individual clothing, if you so desire. .....and they also do boys clothes.


I really like the store, it's very laidback, they're all really friendly and helpful and you can go in for a browse, without feeling like you have to buy......but I bet you do.