Bargains to be had Good and Bad.

Last weekend Soo came over for a much needed catch up and a trawl of the shops (charity and high street).
Couldn't have done it this week because it has snowed, and is indeed still snowing even as I type. As anyone knows the U.K grinds to a complete standstill at the sight of a snowflake. I only just got home from work on Friday for which I was eternally grateful, visions of being trapped at work fill one with despair I can tell you.

Soo had Christmas money burning a hole in her pocket and she spent it wisely and well on all manner of wonderous Charity Shop bargains. I on the other hand had no Christmas money and a strict budget because I spent far too much money in December and am skint. Thankfully there weren't rails full of bargains to tempt me into blowing my budget and I snaffled a few bargains with money to spare.
Comedy moment was when we were both cooing over a very unusual and cute wooden chair and the guy behind the till having overheard us felt he was duty bound to come and point out said chair was actually a commode!



So what did I buy??

                                          A lovely pair of Clarks shoes for £3.99

                                 An elasticated belt and a leopard print head scarf £3.

                                        An unusual brass and copper cuff for £1.50

                                             and some knitting patterns for 20p.

 I remember my Mum having the lamb pattern when I was little and the sailor duck spoke to me in a 'Isn't it about time you started knitting again and made me?' kind of a way.

 I learnt to knit when I was 7 and knitted right up until my 20s when I suddenly stopped. I haven't knitted for the best part of 15 years now, indeed I don't even have any equipment, I left it all behind at my parents house when I moved in with Himself 11 years ago. High time I got my knitting mojo back I think! 

After tea and scones we did a quick browse round the other shops. I have fallen in love with a forest green jumper in New Look but it wasn't in the sale so it stayed on the hanger and I even put a leopard print dress that was in the sale back because I couldn't justify it.

Don't worry I am in no doubt this new found resolve will vanish very soon! It did impress Soo though :)

I did splash out in Clarks on a pair of boots in the sale. As you may recall ( I have wittered on about it for a while) I need a new pair of black boots suitable for work. I had a £50 budget and these came in at £54 so slightly over but pretty much what I was after.

 Of course I am bound to see the perfect boot everywhere now I have finally bought these!
and talking of work the consultants have finished PRAISE THE LORD and I survived to tell the tale.....just.

As I did not spend all of my designated £20 (the £54 doesn't count as that was on the credit card.) I took to the bay of E and came up with a beauty which I'm not sure I have the balls to wear and a disaster of the first degree.

Firstly I just fell for this slip/dress, I can't even explain why, it's not a style or colour I would usually go for, I don't even know if it will fit/suit me hmmm. I shall have to channel my inner Desiree 
I think. The thing is it is so very flimsy and see though....

as for the disaster. It only had one picture and absolutely no description at all which probably should have rung warning bells, but I liked the fabric, I thought the style would do for work, it was by Oasis (apparently) whose dresses I like and it was starting price 99p. I won it for £2.70 and when it arrived not only was it NOT by Oasis grrr, it also had a huge cut out at the waist at the back and the bodice at the back was just 2 flaps of fabirc held together with a button!?! It's pretty horrible and I can't understand why you would have all these 'holes' in a long sleeved heavyweight winter dress. Bizarre.

 See looks alright doesn't it?

Bizarre back! Obviously the cutout is much bigger when worn yuck. Maybe I should wear it the other way round and show my flabby belly off to the world hahaha er no.

Finally I did one other bit of sale shopping and when you think I usually go mental in the sales this level of restraint is unnerving.

I had to go to the post office and the bank so I called into Debenhams on my way back to work as their sale had increased to 70%. As ever it was mostly nasty stuff left at this point but I had seen a make up palette by Ruby Hammer in there at Christmas and decided to check if there were any left on the off chance. There were indeed a couple left and they were massively reduced. Both palettes for £9 now that is what I call a result.

So yesterday I sorted out my make-up instead of going out into this.