Look What I Got!

Steve was fast asleep this morning and the mountain of dirty dishes was clattering and chinking in the kitchen, trying to get my attention; I donned my jacket and headed for the charity shops instead.

And look what I found!

Binoculars!

I’ve been wanting a pair of battered brown binoculars for ages – there’s a great view from my flat and my grandfather’s old telescope is a bit too unwieldy. I was so pleased, I decided to take a heap of pictures of this one pair of binoculars from assorted different angles; it’s only now occuring to me that, for some of you, this might not make much of a blog post… but look at them! I struggle to believe that you’re not as excited as I am; I shall put a lack of comments down to envy. That’s it. There’s no more likely explanation.

And, because I don’t want to be selfish and keep all the fun for myself, here, I’ve even made it possible for you to see through them:

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Vintage Crockery Haul

On my lunch hour today, I went to my favourite charity shop on the hunt for pretty vintage crockery for tomorrow night’s sparkly birthday party. It did not disappoint:

I’m particularly smitten with the bowl and serving dish filled with autumn leaves, but cupcakes in shiny gold paper cases will look lovely piled on the plate with green flowers.

Saturday Thrifting

A few days ago, Elsie at A Beautiful Mess blogged about her quirks and guilty pleasures. Ever since, I’ve been trying to think of some (illustratable ones) of my own but… you know… what with being perfect and all, it was kind of difficult.

Comedy arrogance is certainly not one of them.

Anyway, this morning I was wandering around the Salvation Army charity shop down the road from my flat. It’s one of the few left in town which doesn’t realise the value of its own stock, so it’s still possible to get a gorgeous vintage bargain in there!

And… that’s one of my guilty pleasure habits.

Not getting a gorgeous vintage bargain exactly; getting a gorgeous vintage bargain I neither need nor intend to use. For example, today I came home with two books of sheet music (when I can neither read sheet music nor play an instrument), a knitting pattern for wombat-shaped toys (I haven’t knitted a stitch in my life) and a single bed sheet (when our bed’s a double):

Look at that dapper moustache! How cheerful he looks with his cavalcade of happy songs! Look at the song titles! Sheet music joy!

I’m not so clear why I wanted the Beethoven one…

I would quite like a knitted wombat toy…

Of course, some of this will get re-purposed for my shop. The sheet music will probably turn into paper “song birds” and the fabric has multiple uses (and might help justify having bought Things to Make from Odds and Ends because I liked the hideous lampshade on the front).

More usefully acquired were these Avon playing cards (50 pence!). How cute are they? And seasonal, too…

I bought them planning to turn them into gift tags or business cards but, now that I’ve got them out of the box, they’re not going anywhere; I’m far too smitten with them.

Things I did resist buying included a funky pyrex casserole dish (as I already have a stack I never use) and this blanket (because it was itchy):

I also resisted this fab old suitcase. The catches don’t hold any more and it’s too big for the “I need a cute retro suitcase” photo shoot I have in mind, so I thought I was being sensible leaving it… Then I got home and realised it’s the perfect shape, size and colour to turn into the coffee table our living room is sorely lacking; I’ll be going back on Monday lunchtime to see if it’s still there!

I love that it still has the name tag attached!

In other Saturday news, our new (working!) TV was delivered today. Here we are, watching it scan for new channels: