Magpie Monday - Returning to the fold

Miss, I've got a note from my mum. It says I couldn't do Magpie Monday because the bank man was very cross with me because I got paid early in December and that meant I had no money.  S'True Miss.

Well, it's been almost two months since I did a Magpie Monday post, according to my archive. You'd think I'd be overwhelmed with things to show you.  Well, nearly.  There's a couple of bits I picked up last week, that will form part of a present for a friend who I know reads my blog, so they can't go on here just yet.  I think I need another trip to Caerphilly, as I found a big basket of upholstery remnants in one of the shops, but couldn't think of anything to do with them. Then I saw hand stitched & embroidered Kindle cases on Etsy, and had a flash of inspiration, so I need to go back!

But I have had a few little treats.  Shopping just before Christmas, we decided to be eco-minded and get the train, rather than driving and trying to park in Cardiff.  Only trouble is entertaining a bored & grumpy Squeaky for the 50 minute journey home.  However, there's a lovely nasty, dirty little strip of shops, featuring no less than 3 charity shops, just outside the train station, so we popped in before our train & I found this little set of 6 Fifi lift-the-flap books for 50p.  We don't even watch Fifi, but they did the trick.

Next shop along, I needed something to entertain me on the same journey.  I'll be honest, there's no way in a MILLION years I'd've paid full price for this, and it's already in the pile to go to the charity shop on my next donation session, but for £1.50 to Macmillan, I didn't really mind, and the guy behind the desk was so helpful, opening the door for me while I pushed Squeaky's buggy, I was sold.  I found a shiny Celtic lattice bookmark in the third of the three shops, so it was clearly meant to be.  I had to stop myself buying a huge number of baubles I didn't need, just because they were shiny, but luckily I remembered we only had a tiny tree this year and had more baubles than we could use anyway.  So I was a good person.  Really.

And so we come to 2012.  As I said, the bank manager's in a bit of a mood with me, and I'm not allowed to go shopping at the moment.  Don't tell him, but I did pop my nose round the door of BHF in town last week, and I found something lovely on the bricabrac shelves, while I was convincing myself not to buy a LeapPad for £10.

Look at it!  Gaze in wonder!  Be astounded at the beautiful things that people give to charity here.  And be even more amazed that I paid less than £1 for it.

Then trust me, as I turn it over, and it doesn't say ANYthing on the base.  Seriously, you didn't think I'd picked up a real Le Crueset for a quid, did you?

And just to make you feel even better, a perspective shot next to a bottle of nailvarnish.  That's right, a tiny weeny mini pretend Le Crueset.  Just the right size for baked brie, or some sort of hot dipping sauce, but probably not for a ginormous casserole.








Pop on over to Missie Lizzie's place and see what else people have been buying!