Actress and Malta’s Got Talent judge Maxine Aquilina is currently doing up her new house and is on the hunt for items that will make it feel like home – including the sort of vintage pieces she can’t resist. This is her pick of We Are Not a Shop favourites!
Hi Maxine! Thanks for joining us at We Are Not a Shop. You’ve picked some fabulous items. Which are your favourites?
This Cautionary Tales for Children storybook certainly stands out; it’s brilliant! Storytelling has always fascinated me, even more so now that I am studying Play Therapy. These moral stories are marvellous and really good fun. I have to admit they are a bit gruesome but I am captivated by them!
“I’m studying play therapy and great stories fascinate me – including these ones!”
I also love this French fashion newspaper – Le Petit Echo De La Mode, from 30th May 1948. The art nouveau style really stands out to me, and I can imagine having a framed copy of this in my home. Perhaps I’ll start a collection!
“Vintage French fashion is my favourite. What a fabulous find!”
Finally, I had to pick this souvenir booklet of Maltese photos; ‘Souvenir de Malta’ – a rare and vintage concertina photo fold-out. I love looking through old photos of Malta but have never seen so many of these and they are so precious. It reminds me of an old-style fold-out photo album, the likes of which I haven’t had since I was little. It’s amazing! A must-have for any collector of Maltese memorabilia.
“These photos are stunning. What incredible pictures of Malta. I could spend hours looking through them.”
We couldn’t agree more! Great choices. And what do you think about We Are Not a Shop in general?
I really like it! I have been so impressed by the incredible selection of gifts, including lots of things that you can’t usually find on the island. The fact that every cent goes to charity is brilliant. It couldn’t be a better mix and should be the first place anyone in Malta goes to if they need a gift. It’s a win-win!
For this handwrapped pink quartz and gold wire bracelet, Maxine said: “This would be a treat to myself! It’s so pretty.”
Did you pick any of your items today with someone in mind?
Absolutely! My fiancé Adrian is a huge fan of vintage and antique items, so he’d love lots of the things on We Are Not a Shop. That said, I can think of hundreds of people I would like to gift things to here! I could spend hours trawling through them. I normally have to travel to find items as unusual and exciting as these, but can now find everything from the comfort of my own home. What a fantastic concept!
One such item is this silver beaded Laura Ashley cushion: “I love a bit of sparkle! This would make a great addition to our new decor.”
And this white outdoor lantern with a wax candle, too: “This will look so pretty in our garden.”
Finally, which item would you most like to receive yourself?
It’s a tie! I can’t choose between the 1940s-style turban, which I would love to wear this summer, and the photo album. Maybe I’ll just have to have both!
