Tuesday 24 November 2015

Autumn bargains

Having not blogged regularly for a while now, I'm losing track of what I have and haven't shared with you, bargain-wise.

I do share my purchases on my facebook page, but it is hard to get time to sit at the computer at present and actually write a blog post, so I do apologise if you are sitting waiting patiently for my bargains, and there have been some nice ones.  

So, without further ado, here's a quick bargain round up for the past 8 weeks or so!

First, long and sloppy Joe Browns jumper £1 


Next, some bodycare products.  I'm always on the lookout for toiletries or makeup, especially to stock the gift drawer.  Unfortunately both of these items found their way into the bathroom and are now in use! 


Both were 50p

I do love it when I discover something which might actually be true vintage, and this hat appears to be so.  It was just a pound and is by Frank Olive



Next, a nice selection of denim and casual, which were bought together.  A great Lee Cooper t shirt for 50p, FCUK denim bag, £1, and my new favourite skinny jeans with a high waist, which are H&M and cost £2




The jeans are just so comfy and they fit really well.  On closer inspection of the label I discovered that they are in fact children's jeans, height 164 and age 13 to 14. I'm not complaining!

I do favour sloppy clothing around the house, as I do a lot of DIY and the like.  So I tend to live in sweatshirts and jogging trousers a lot of the time. I was very pleased with these brand new Hanes (US brand?) sweatpants for £1.  Not exciting to look at but warm and great for working in!



I've been trawling around on ebay recently, and this pretty beach cover up caught my eye.  It was 99p to start and there was no extra postage charge.  I bid on it and won, and felt very sorry for the seller who probably lost out big time after postage and ebay fees.  I washed it and spent ages trying to stretch it back to the size and shape it was when I got it, only to notice the label, dry clean only, seriously?  On beachwear??



I've taken the ties out under the bust and arms, and will replace with fake bows and elastic at a later date.

Lastly, I was thrilled to add this pretty and unusual silk scarf to my scarf drawer for just 50p, so pretty!


Cottage update:  most of the external work is done, just render to go on the outside but the weather needs to be dry and frost free for that so not sure when it will happen.  Internally, we are currently between first and second fixes, with second fix about to start tomorrow.  Tiler is booked for 1st December and I collected tiles today, with the help of him indoors.  I am very pleased with the wood effect UPVC windows, unnaturally so I think!


  Had a major cock-up with the interior doors and fingers crossed they will be delivered tomorrow.  The doors were supposed to arrive on Friday, but never turned up.  On checking the carrier's website, I saw the delivery note had "refused as not ordered" scrawled on it, right next to my name and contact number, which he never bothered to use to find out where I actually was.  It seems the driver tried a similar address two miles away with a different postcode, the delivery was obviously refused, so he took them back to depot, in Yorkshire!!  To say I was angry is and understatement!  

That has set us back as the doors need treating before they are hung, and as they are Oak  veneered I need to see the manufacturers instructions with the door, before I can buy the correct treatment, gah!! 

We are hoping to be straight for Christmas but not expecting to be.  Once we are I shall have a new lounge and workroom so will be back to regular blogging and trips out, oh for a routine again!


Tuesday 3 November 2015

The mists of time, a trip down memory lane

While the building work continues at the cottage, We've kept ourselves out of the way as much as possible. The house is dusty and dirty and builders have taken over every room downstairs, or so it seems.

A walk around the village earlier in the week was interesting, it was so foggy we could hardly see a thing, and we both got absolutely soaking wet in it too!




To keep away from th ebuild here at the cottage I've been attempting to renovate my childhood home, and we intend to rent it out. Removing wallpaper, old shelves and boxes has uncovered some forgotten treasures mostly of the throwaway variety, so I took some photos for posterity.  Unfortunately, my phone doesn't have a great camera and the lighting isn't the best so the pics are a bit blurry.

The old wallpapers include the following

 The paper above is vinyl and presently a drawer lining, not sure if I can sneak it into the cottage as OH doesn't like old stuff. 

 I think this paper is lovely, probably 50's?  Really pretty and with a toning border too

 This flower border was a bit unexpected, it doesn't appear to be with any other papers and this is the only bit I've found so far.  Love the Made in England edge of the paper above, just showing in this photo.


Several decades of wallpaper, the middle paper is hiding the previously shown flower border

I also found jazzy Formica covered chipboard shelves, which have now been disposed of at the tip


60's without a doubt.  Mind your eyes!

An old Martini box hid a plethora of old food and drink containers



Anyone remember Tree Top?


This skimmed milk tin is full, it might end up on Ebay.


70's jelly boxes

 Assortment of bottles


One of my few baby food jars, kept for posterity. I was mostly fed on mashed up adult food


Had to look up nonpareils, never heard them called that.

Did anyone else collect the Stork margarine containers?

I also came across this old Sunblest bag


An interesting old shoe box, which probably held my first pair of shoes


This ladies shoe box, with the interesting non pc colour description


This label was on a really large box I found, it was nappy liner in a roll, for inside terry nappies.  


Well, who knows what I might uncover elsewhere in the house, will keep you posted and hope to resume more regular blogging soon, when the builders have gone.