Not Buying it - Days 26 and 27

Day 26

I love brown and sometimes I think it is superior to black. I went for a brown look today as well as keeping warm - it's cold at the food bank!

The knitted tunic is charity shopped, the M & S brown striped top likewise.  Brown leggings and boots from Sainsburys. Bangles and watch charity shopped.

I tend to look quite flushed in my photos. That's because by the time the photos are taken - usually early evening, my house has finally warmed up and I've been rushing around cooking, hanging up washing or sorting out grand kids - you know the usual stuff of every day living - plus I still get hot flushes. Nobody told me they continued post menopause!

Earrings are from Bedford market years and years ago - the necklace was 50p at a car boot sale.

I have now finished my library books and enjoyed all of them. I found 'The Glorious Heresies'  excellent and funny in places but quite disturbing. I loved 'Acts of Vandalism' and want to read more about Grouse County. I found the author (Tom Drury) quite similar to Kent Haruf in his tales of small town American life and wonderfully realised characters. I'm also going to track down more of Sarah Moss' books; 'Night Waking' was a brilliant read, laugh out loud funny in places but deeply serious subject matter. I can highly recommend all three.

Day 27

In the 1980s I wanted a Laura Ashley dress so badly. I just couldn't afford to buy one - until Saturday! I spotted this on the £1.00 rail and wished it was 30 years ago when I could have fitted into this - a UK 12. I couldn't just leave it on the £1.00 rail and thought someone out there might like it. Email me if it's your cup of tea and I'll gladly send it to you in exchange for postage costs. 

So much material in the dress which is a lovely peacock blue/green, and if I was a sewing person - which I'm not - (a hem is as much as I can manage) - then it could even be turned into a maxi skirt. It's very long, I'm 5' 3" and it's ball gown length on me with a bit to spare.....

So, although I'm not buying clothes (ahem! what's that above? Yes, but it's not for me and so it doesn't count) I have been on a couple of short charity shopping expeditions. This is what I bought on Saturday and Monday:

Assorted bangles 20p to 99p. Round brooch 50p in Save the Children, oval brooch £1.99 in the Salvation Army and the earrings, which were 99p. The little dish was 50p in 3:16 Christian charity shop. I also bought a white cotton  embroidered pillowcase in here for 50p. I always look out for this type of pillow case in charity shops as I love the feel and the look of crisp, white cotton and the embroidery makes them a little bit different. I have about 7 or 8 pillow cases  of this type so far.

These were a really good find. £5.00 in Oxfam. They're from Next and haven't been worn - the sole is spotless! I don't have any pointy toed loafers so these will be lovely when the weather gets warmer, and what's more they're wide fitting - I have small but wide feet.

I bought these two lovely scarves at Save the Children for £1.99 each. I've already worn the green one here

Today I went to Newport Pagnell and bought these two little prints for my daughter, she has a beach theme on one wall in her living room...

Talking of pictures; some weeks ago I also bought this for her in the Keech Hospice shop for £3.99. I get just as much pleasure buying things for other people in charity shops as I do for myself - do you? I bought quite a few bits of jewellery today ( note to self - stop buying jewellery) but I'll put those in a later post. What did I wear today?

Today I went for a bit of pattern mixing:

 

The spotty skinny jeans are charity shopped; the top with little squares from the £1.00 rail in the Salvation Army, and the sea foam M&S cardigan bought for £4.00 from Save the Children, and last seen here, but before the 'not buying it' pledge! Brogues bought in Tesco's half price sale.

Necklace and earrings charity shopped.

Bangles and watch charity shopped