~Monday's Thrifty Find~

I'm sorry I haven't been posting as regularly as usual, but like many people I find June and July extremely busy, both at work and with family and home commitments.  Thankfully it's nearly the summer holidays - I am sooooo lucky to work term-time - I can't wait to go to the seaside in the caravan, Chateau H.
We had a family party on Saturday evening, which thanks to the heavy showers had a squelchy and muddy festival feel to it.  Gorgeous sun one minute, and huge raindrops the next! I am still cleaning up now! Daughter L was 17 last Wednesday as well as this week being the birthdays of Small Dog and OH.

My clever Auntie J kindly made the cake for L as a surprise, as well as lots of lovely cupcakes.

I had today as a day off to catch up with myself and popped into

 Tadcaster this morning to go to the butchers with locally sourced meat

Devine Meats. Butchers. 10 Bridge Street, Town Centre, Tadcaster, LS24 9AL

I indulged in 20 minutes of thrifting in the Yorkshire Cancer Research charity shop and as well as some old pearls and beads, and some Johnson's pastel crockery, I found this gorgeous black dress which I think is vintage 1980s ...

It wasn't priced and I guessed at the size (as it has no size label) - but it fits brilliantly.  The photo doesn't do it justice - the sleeves are really puffy and are lined with stiff organza. The price of my new LBD was £5!

I love a good thrifting find to cheer me up!

~Hopes & Aims 2012 Update~

I haven't bought any new clothing (after my dress purchase on the 16th January) or anything else non-essential - just food, toiletries, petrol  etc.
I have to say there has been a definite change of mindset and I haven't been anywhere near a clothes shop. I've also worn stuff that I had forgotten about; maybe it's about being creative with the stuff you have already.
I am allowed to have a rummage in lovely charity shops though.   I managed to get some lovely Armani black trousers for £3.99 in Boston Spa the other day. Thrifting heaven.
I'm still reluctantly going to circuit training. It's a definite mood-lifter but not an attractive proposition on a dark, icy night. As the joke goes; my exercise regime lasts 2 hours - 1 hour of circuit training and I hour trying to talk myself into going...  

A bit of  nostalgia now...In my head whilst training, I convince myself that I look like this - my favourite fitness look - the hi-cut leotard and headband...

Olivia Newton John in the 'Physical' video in 1981

From about 1975 - 1982 I wanted to be Olivia Newton-John.  Back to reality though, and on return from Circuits I have to be helped out of the car making involuntary grunting noises, bent double like Mrs Overall in Acorn Antiques.

Sadly, I haven't lost any festively acquired weight yet, it's sticking around into February...The funny thing was I thought the charity shop trousers were a Size 10 and bought them smugly, but when I got home and checked the label, they are in fact an American 10. Ho hum.

~Thrifty quilt TaDa ~

Thankyou for all the lovely comments on my last post - I think we're all floral fabric addicts, and it's clear that there are lots of us with unfinished projects too!
Today whilst 9 year old J used all the blankets and cushions in the living room to make 'Yoda's Hut' (?!?) I escaped upstairs to finish my quilt, first sewing achievement of 2012!
I'm proud it's not cost anything to make;  a real make-do-and-mend affair, I love it though it's not perfect and a bit wonky in places! The backing fabric is an old sage green cotton sheet that I was given - it's really good quality, soft and well-washed.  The padding is an old synthetic single duvet cut down to fit with the raw edges zig-zagged on the machine.  It'll be easy to machine-wash when needed. I then machine sewed the patchwork to the backing, leaving a gap to slip the duvet in - I slip-stitched the opening...

Then pondered about whether I should quilt through the layers...Eventually I decided to just make 6 suffolk puffs (or yo-yo's) out of some lovely Robyn Pandolph paisley fabric. Each suffolk puff has a vintage mother of pearl button at the centre, which is sewn through all the layers to keep the padding in place.

So here it is on my bed....

Overboard on the chintz and florals do you think? ...Never!

I think it'll be a lovely snuggly lap quilt when I get my caravan...

All the fabric has been bought second-hand - the Sanderson curtains were charity shop bargains last year and the Cath Kidston and eiderdown fabric were York car boot sale finds. A nice way to use and look at your very favourite fabrics.

Then I had a cuppa and a slice of this...

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend x

~Frugal Face Creams~

Following my last post about *guilty splurge* spending on lovely wool, I thought I'd share my current must-haves in the frugal face-cream department. Unwilling to spend £15 on my usual potion the other week, I bought some of this...

the first cream I ever bought in the 1980s - Astral.

I bought a *huge* pot for £3.

What a fab product, I love the smell - such memories...

but it's a bit too rich for my skin for daytime so, ever on the lookout

for a cheap but decent cream that works...

I came across this range in Home Bargains at £1.99 each - I've used the day cream before too; which was only 99p.  No nonsense. No advertising. No airbrushing. Not tested on animals and a UK company. Oooh, and I'm sure Home Bargains is not just here in the North...their website says there are 250 stores in the UK. (www.tjmorris.co.uk/ )