Welcome 2019!

Happy New Year to you all and thank you for reading and commenting on my blog in 2018 . I appreciate your comments so much and get such a lot of pleasure from hearing from you. Looking forward to hearing from you in 2019.

Meanwhile, going back to 2018...

This is the 2.00 jacket I bought from the Willen Hospice shop in Newport Pagnell. It's  so warm that I can wear it without the need for a coat. All jewellery and scarf charity shopped.

A week or so before Christmas I dropped the Dutch pot lid (made of cast iron) on my phone and the screen was smashed. The display was affected as a big black blob obliterated most of it.  I had to send it off to be repaired or replaced and in the interim OH used his phone to take these photos. They're a little fuzzy and for that I apologise.

Spots, stripes and floral  -  all co-ordinating in black and white. I love pattern mixing. Everything charity shopped but can't remember where.

Boots from Oxfam.

For warmth I added the 2.00 green cardigan bought from the Independent charity shop.

I wore this outfit to the foodbank the week before Christmas. I wanted to be warm because the rear warehouse is freezing. I also wore pink gloves but not in this photo.  Everything charity shopped except the leggings and the boots - retail.

I have a confession to make. I wore this knitted dress all day - back to front! That's why it isn't sitting level at the front and the neck is a bit high. I only noticed when I was undressing for bed...

I also went for a little rummage in Kempston at the weekend and bought a rather nice orange boiled wool/felted jacket by Fenn, Wright and Manson for 8.00. Surprisingly, they had a second, green boiled wool/felted jacket from an unknown label for 6.00, but it didn't fit as nicely as the orange one.  I used to have a lovely blue wool jacket and OH washed it at too high a temperature, so it was ruined. I have a black one that I bought from a 1.00 rail somewhere but haven't worn it yet. The FWM orange jacket was my Christmas present to myself and I planned to wear it see my son the following Saturday before Christmas.

The fuzzy photos and pattern mixing continue... grey dress bought in Barnardo's 2.99; Kimono bought years ago; cost 5.00 but can't remember where I bought it. Checked leggings 79p, Barnardo's bargain rail. Boots Oxfam.

All jewellery and scarf charity shopped.

Nomads tunic/dress; can't remember, cardigan 1.00 rail, leggings online retail, boots present from daughter.

Photos didn't start out fuzzy but the final two did - why? Cameras are a puzzle to me!

All jewellery charity shopped.

Our Christmas tree, which we have had for as long as we have lived together; 18 years, decided to stop working on Christmas Eve just around quarter to five. It's one of those ones with built in lights that change colour - quite trendy back in the day. But OH nipped into town - we're only a five minute walk away and bought a new set. I wouldn't have bothered but he loves Christmas... I couldn't take photos as I still hadn't got my phone back or even knew at that stage whether it was repairable or not. It has been strangely pleasant not having a phone but a bit frustrating when I want to take a photo or check things online quickly.

Only middle grandson missing here - he'd beat a sharp exit when the camera came out...

We had a lovely Christmas. There were 9 of us for Christmas dinner; I did the turkey and all trimmings and was super organised; I prepped all the vegetables on Christmas Eve and just had potatoes, sweet potatoes and parsnips to do on the day. Daughter made a delicious Beef Wellington and a Salmon En Croute as well. Daughter's partner came later in the day with his three children and his brother and there was a riotous and very competitive game of Charades played by 14 of us!  I did a small buffet for the evening.

Those are middle grandson's legs to the left so we got a bit of him in a photo!

This is what I wore - yellow velvet dress charity shopped in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal; patterened tights charity shopped; navy blue boots; online retail. All jewellery charity shopped.

Eldest Grandson and girlfriend stayed over Christmas Day and went to the sales in Milton Keynes on Boxing Day. No public transport in our area so I drove them there and they were able to get a coach back to London from Milton Keynes that evening, as both were back at work on Thursday. It was lovely to see them. There just enough turkey left to have a very small roll for breakfast and then I used the carcass to make soup on Boxing Day.

Another skirt and tunic outfit!

Everything charity shopped except the boots which are from Sainsbury's. East skirt; tunic from Primarni 1.00 rail.

All jewellery charity shopped except Amber earrings from e bay.

Going for the Gudrun Sjoden look again; short sleeved cardigan worn for warmth. The brooch was one of the 4 I bought a few weeks back from the Keech Hospice shop for 2.00.

I was thoroughly spoilt as usual in the present's department. OH bought me a printer and National Trust membership, some perfume and lovely soaps. I got three of the books on my wishlist; a new OS map of Bedford; (my old one was so creased and crumpled it had started to fall apart); a new purse; more smellies and soaps; new leggings from M&S and bras - these were much needed - another phone charging cable - also much needed and a zipped container of multi sized, coloured crochet hooks. My brothers gave me money. So, on the Thursday after Christmas I went into town to spend my Christmas money. I bought some blue velvet leggings and a dressy skirt in the M & S sale and spent 5.00 on some jewellery from the charity shops including the necklace below which I bought from Keech Hospice for 2.00. I still had a little left over so OH and I planned a trip to Northampton for a good post Christmas rummage!

Tunic and top charity shopped both 1.00 rail.  Boots 1.99 - Red Cross Shop. Leggings retail.

Had my hair cut on Friday.

All jewellery and scarf charity shopped except the silver and moonstone earrings - present from OH many years ago.

We hadn't been to Northampton in over a year and there quite a few changes. Out of the twelve town centre charity shops only one was was closed. Age UK, one of my favourites, but there were two new huge charity superstores; Scope and the Salvation Army. They sold everything; furniture, books, Dvds and CDs, jewellery, bric a brac, clothes, shoes etc. One of these superstores had taken over the old Primark store. There was also a huge Development Aid charity shop called DAP which sold only clothes. We were a bit time limited by the time we got to these three so only had a quick look round.   I wonder if this is the future of charity shops here in the UK? Certainly the experience in Northampton was that they are getting bigger and taking over bigger premises. The two most recent charity shops in Bedford both have very large premises too. We have thirteen town centre charity shops in Bedford by the way. And within walking distance of the town another three and within a 3 mile radius another 5! And that doesn't include a large charity furniture shop in the bus station...

This is what I wore to go rummaging on Saturday...

Very fuzzy photo - sorry! Note the difference to the photos below which middle grandson took with his phone...

Outerwear -  Fenn, Wright and Manson orange jacket, 8.00; Day Hospice shop in Kempston; scarf, beret and gloves all charity shopped. That's another one of the 2.00  brooches I bought in the Keech Hospice shop a couple of weeks ago.

All jewellery charity shopped.

Black lace effect leggings M&S; Christmas present from daughter. OTK boots; online retail last year.

White shirt  by F&F; 1.00 rail and jumper/tunic also F&F; 1.95 Hospice shop.

Did I buy anything? Yes, of course I did! I bought a necklace for 87p in Sue Ryder; another necklace for 1.00 in the RSPCA, another 1.00 necklace and bangle in Cancer Research, a bangle in the Salvation Army 50p; and finally a M&S kimono; 3.00 in Save the Children. Total spend 7.37. That's my last charity shop spend of 2018. I wonder what 2019 will bring?

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year!

Outfit mistake and other things

Wearing 50p earrings from Cancer Research shop in Rushden. All jewellery charity shopped.

I'm determined once again to cut down on my clothes charity shopping. I've said this on several occasions since I started blogging three years ago. I've tried adding up what I spend on a weekly and monthly basis - scary. I've tried limiting myself to once a month trips and most recently trying to only shop from the sale rails. I've been good at clearing stuff out and have a friend who is collecting clothing to send to the Gambia, so that's an incentive but I have to curb my addiction! Christmas is an expensive time of year and I am hoping to go to Devon for a weekend in January so need to stop spending money unnecessarily...I don't need anymore clothes!

I'm experimenting with tunics over skirts at the moment and will, at some point, try tunics with dresses. As I'm bulky round the middle I find it tricky to find the right sort of top to wear with skirts and because of this I don't wear them as often as I would like. I'm hoping tunics over skirts will solve this problem...

Everything charity shopped. If you look carefully you can see I'm wearing a  black skirt bought from Barnardo's sale rail for 79p. Spotty tunic by G21 but can't remember where I got it from; striped shirt under the tunic was from the Red Cross 1.99. I wore these boots to town to run errands last Thursday afternoon and wondered why my feet felt a bit wet. When I got home the sole had dropped off the left boot! It will cost about 12 to 15 pounds to have a sole replaced and as I only paid 1.99 for the boots (from Barnardo's but by Miss Selfridge) it really isn't worth it. Into the bin they went.

On my trip to town I went to the Mercy in Action charity shop. I bought a lovely tunic for 2.00 and the scarf I'm wearing in the photo above. Not only is it yellow but it has this lovely chintzy print.....only 1.00!

It needs an iron...

Here's the 79p skirt again. I wore this type of skirt a lot in the 1990's with thick tights and ankle boots. Not Doc. Martins. I've never owned a pair of Doc. Martins or even worn a pair; I find them very clumpy and no good for short, chunky legged people like me!  I do love them on other people though, and what a fab range of colours and designs I've seen.

Picked up an Xmas jumper for 1.00 for middle grandson  (on radiator) - they're having an Xmas jumper day soon at school and I refuse to go to a big chain store and buy a new one...it later transpired the one I'd bought was for girls!

Everything charity shopped except the boots which were from Sainsbury's a few years back. Knitted tunic - or it may just be a long jumper - from Kim and Co and was 99p from Barnardo's in Ampthill.  Animal print shirt -  charity shopped but can't remember where or how much. There was a time when I was desperate for an animal print shirt and I seem to have ended up with three! Green tights. charity shopped. I'm on the look out for striped tights at the moment; I already have a purple striped pair.

Oh dear, I must have been rubbing my eye... all jewellery charity shopped except necklace which was a present many years ago from my middle grandson's mum.

Well, so much for my restraint re
 charity shopping but at least it's not clothes! I had more errands to run on Friday morning and as I've been looking for a knitting bag,  although without success so far, thought I'd look in the Keech Hospice shop. They didn't have a knitting bag but they did have a velvet draped model covered in brooches - all 2.00 each. You can see my choices above. I could easily have bought ten more!

My third outfit of skirt plus tunic. Everything charity shopped. Skirt by Topshop. Sweater and blouse both Primarni and both from 99p rail in Barnardo's, Great Denham.

Boots; on line retail. I''m very hot in this photo hence the red face; I'd just put more coal on the fire...

All jewellery charity shopped.

Went to see my son on Saturday and these photos were taken when we got back. This is the 2.00 tunic by Masai bought in the Mercy in Action charity shop in the week.

I wore it with a black jumper underneath for warmth but I turned the jumper backwards. The neckline didn't sit properly as a result so when I wear the tunic again I will wear another long sleeved top the right way round! I love the colours in the tunic; cream, silver grey and fawn. I thought my copper, gold and silver necklace went really well with it.

I bought this jacket for 1.00 in the 3:16 charity shop. I thought it was vintage; it's not - made in China but it has lovely beaded embroidery on one side and tiny pockets, cuffs and lapels trimmed in satin. It also has lovely shaped buttons. I can see me wearing it a lot.

Black stretch trousers by Phase Eight; 79p in Barnardo's, Great Denham. They were a little too big for me and have been redonated. You may remember I was looking for black leggings but had to resort to buying a pair retail - M&S. All jewellery charity shopped.

Monday's outfit, Joe Brown dress, boots and tights charity shopped. Yellow cardigan Christmas present from OH.

All jewellery charity shopped.

On Tuesday I went to the foodbank. There is so much food!  Over 5 tonnes of food were donated through our Tesco collaboration. In the afternoon I went for an 8 mile walk with my friend, Lynne, from the foodbank. Quite a chilly day with occasional bursts of sunshine.  We walked through three villages; Biddenham, Bromham and Stagsden back to Biddenham. This is Stagsden church - you can see it was a rather dreary day.

Striped leggings 79p Barnardo's rail; knitted tunic 1.00 rail (don't like it - into the charity shop bag it goes). Italian cardigan bought from the Sally Army a few weeks ago for 4.99. Boots from Oxfam.

All jewellery charity shopped.

Now to my outfit mistake...

I wore this outfit to my Ramblers Christmas lunch and carol singing event last Wednesday. It was a lovely lunch and I always enjoy the carol singing. It was always my favourite Christmas activity at school; singing carols. I might think about joining a local choir - if I can find one who would have me!

Crumpled and rumpled as usual! All jewellery and scarf charity shopped.

Anyway, the outfit above.  It was a mistake of an outfit.  I nearly didn't post a full length photo but as you know this is a warts and all blog! The white gathered top is a go to wardrobe staple of mine, bought in a La Redoute sale some years ago. The top and trousers have been in my wardrobe - unworn - for at least three years. The trousers are beige, high waisted with pockets; by Mary Portas bought for 5.00 from Oxfam. I wore them with brown suede ankle boots but the trousers make me look short and dumpy because they're too long for me.  This outfit is not helped by the voluminous M&S Autograph top for which I paid 1.00 from a sale rail  somewhere. I liked the top because it's kimono-like but the sleeves are very big and at the back it has an elasticated waistband like a blouson.  I also should have worn something patterned or at least more textured as all the materials are pretty similar. Having analysed what's wrong with the outfit I will redonate the top as I have plenty of kimono type tops and try to shorten the trousers to see if that improves them. They are dressy trousers and I only have one other dressy pair...They also need different shoes; possibly sandals would be better and as they are very lightweight trousers they would be good for summer wear. I wore leggings under them on this occasion!



I've started my second 'Sunburst Blanket' and have 12 squares made so far...not sure what I'm doing with it when I've finished it but I'll think of something or someone who might use it. Possibly my brother, Julian, he said he'd like a blanket ages ago.

More tunic and skirts, trying for the Gudrun Sjoden look here - layers, patterns and colours.  Must try harder...Everything charity shopped. Skirt by Red Herring 3.00. Top by Bon Marche 1.00 rail. Striped top by Papaya can't remember where.

Tights, boots, scarf and all jewellery charity shopped.

I was very good this second week of December. On my trips to town I looked in several charity shops but I only bought a long green cardigan for 2.00 in the Independent charity shop and a yellow necklace (yes, another one!) for 1.00 in the Sally Army.

The weather turned really cold this week. Not very conducive to walking.
Everything charity shopped but cardigan from Primarni.

Top 1.00 rail 3:16 charity shop. Checked trousers can't remember; boots from Oxfam.

All jewellery charity shopped except earrings bought  in Oxford market by my lovely OH.

Another couple of outfits worn last week...

Rupert bear trousers charity shopped last year. Kimono Christmas present from daughter about four or five years agp. The striped shirt is by Tu and was from the sale rail at Barnardo's - 79p. I love the sleeves...

Boots daughter donated.

All jewellery charity shopped.

East dress; charity shopped and Houndstooth cardigan from F & F; also charity shopped. Check leggings: New Look charity shopped. Boots charity shopped in Northampton.

All jewellery charity shopped.

Everyone is coming to us for Christmas and we should have a fun day.
Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and if you don't celebrate it have a wonderful festive season and break. See you in 2019!