Thrifty Finds

I love a bargain and its an even better bargain if it is clothes or hobby related.

Although I am only in the office a couple of days a week the small town of Alton does offer several well stocked charity shops which offer great respite for an odd lunch hour.

These include Scope, Oxfam, St Michael's Hospice, Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation and Cardiac Rehab, all within a two minute walk of the office.

Whilst browsing my 'new' favourite shops during yesterday's lunch hour, I come across a couple of great finds at bargain prices.

I have been searching for a pair of smart 'winter' shorts to wear with tights and these Topshop green wool ones hit the nail on the head (so to speak) and they were only £4!

In a different shop, I found this gorgeous green Boden top for, get this... £2.50!! bargain! I wasn't planning a 'green theme' it just happened that way :) They had a couple of other Boden items but unfortunately they were too big.

In a different charity shop I found - Buttons, with a capital B! I'm not just talking a few small plastic packets like I have become accustomed too... I spotted a whole jam jar full of them little gems.

Since Christmas and my vigor to get more crafty again buttons have featured on the horizon a couple of times. I think I have become a little obsessed with wanting to collect more and more of them!

Anyway, I practically ran across the shop to the shelf they were perched on and swooped on them like a bird of prey!! There are all different colours and all shapes and styles of buttons - leather, plastic, wood and glass - ahhh my pretties!! But the best is yet to come... the price! I located a little white sticker stuck to the bottom of the jar - £1!!!!!!!!!!! :o I say no more :)

Now that I have about a jar and a half of buttons, I needed a bigger container. I knew I still wanted a glass jar but where could I find one so big. It wasn't until I was passing the local Fish & Chip shop whilst walking Rigby when I spotted the biggest glass Gherkin Jar ever (well - that I have seen)!! I promptly stuck my head round the door and asked my friend Perry (yes I know - first name terms with the fast-food distributors - not good!) when he next has an empty jar could he stick my name on it... two mninutes later I was walking along the road with a empty, clean, 10-inch tall glass jar - happy bunny :) The only trouble is, the jar isn't even a quarter full now! the button hunt continues...