A WOMAN who started a business combining her love for flowers and vintage items has opened a new shop in Hexham.
Tessa Budd, 56, opened the Vintage & Flowers shop on St Mary's Chare on January 12.
The shop is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Tessa said the idea is that people can pick up fresh flowers for the weekend.
"I'm a great believer in British flowers which are organic and sustainable," she said. "The less mileage the better.
"My flowers will be ones I've grown which are seasonal, and then I'll buy in from other local growers as well."
"You can either order a bouquet and pick it up the following week, or you can come in and I'll make a bouquet or I'll have bouquets ready which are available to buy," she added.
The shop also offers an eclectic mix of vintage items sourced from both France and Britain.
"My mum and dad lived in France so I was going back and forth there and buying items for around 10 years," she explained.
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She began a business selling vintage finds named Vintage Franglais, but Tessa has also been growing flowers in her garden in Ebchester and running a range of events and workshops from her outbuildings for more than six years.
"I don't know why I thought I suddenly could grow flowers, but I thought I'd really enjoy it," she said. "I'm self-taught.
"And then I thought Vintage & Flowers, how does that work?"
She said her dad had previously run shops, and this was something she had long been interested in.
"I thought I've got an itch that I need to scratch, so I thought to myself go for it," she said.
Tessa said she is passionate about supporting and working with other local businesses, and Vintage & Flowers stocks items from two other small traders, Lazy One and Aquarius Retro, while the shop's dried flower window arrangement is by Northern Sky Flowers.
The business's owner Maria trained with Tessa through the WFGA charity.
Tessa told the Courant she is keen for people to use her shop for pop-up events, whether that be a demonstration or a talk.
She is also set to run some workshops at Green Bee Crafts in Hexham in addition to those she runs from her home.
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