Sunday 9 March 2014

Bargains from the car boot sale

What a glorious day, most of Britain has been enjoying the sunshine. I've just been looking through the photographs in the papers, everyone has been out today. I was happy to stay on home ground. I can't for the life of me think why thousands of people would park their bottoms on Brighton beach, it looks all pebbly, and everyone is packed close together. 
After breakfast I went off to the car boot sale at the football ground, should be a good turn out. There wasn't as many stalls as I thought there would be. I suppose it's still early in the season and not everyone is organised yet. I was looking for a pair of trainers but didn't find any. I also looked for some beads and found these necklaces at 50p each. Lots of beads here, I shall be taking them apart. 
When I saw this bag I thought of a friend who would love it, so I bought it for £2. It's quite an expensive hand painted leather bag. It's got a zipper top, and a zipper pocket inside. The lining looks almost new, and the bag looks like it has had very little use. A bargain I thought.

My garden shears are falling to bits, my fault for buying the cheapest, so when I saw these I could see that they are a better quality. For £2 they are a snip, and I got to test them on a nearby hedge before I handed over my cash. They are ultra sharp and do a good job on grass and hedges. Just the job. The moral of this story is to buy a second hand quality item rather, than a cheap new one. 
I called in at the shopping centre on the way back and got two bags of seed potatoes from the £1 shop. They are on the window sill chitting away. I won't put them in the beds just yet, we could still be getting some cold nights. 
It was warm enough to sit outside with my lunch. Last nights cous cous and curry, with some baked beans added, and zapped in the microwave. A glass of apple juice with a slug of wine to perk it up. Blimey, don't I live the high life, ha ha.  
So, what's the broccoli recipe for tonight. Here we have it steamed, with onions, peas, and carrots. In the middle is a 12p packet of 2 minute noodles. Luverly jubbly, very nice, and very filling.

It was a lovely relaxing day, and the bonus was that I saw a friend at the car boot sale that I hadn't seen for ages. We now have each others phone number so we can keep in touch, she only lives in the next village. I hope you had a lovely Sunday, lets hope the sun continues to shine on us all. Toodle pip. 

21 comments:

  1. Your cous cous and beans creation is making my tummy rumble.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It truly has been glorious hasn't it? We have really enjoyed the sun shine. Lets hope it stays like they say.

    X x

    ReplyDelete
  3. A beautiful day here too.
    Your garden shears were a real bargain and the beads will keep your craft projects going for years!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've got my potatoes already but would be very interested to know which shop you got yours from (I live in Lincolnshire). Also, I have never been to a car boot sale. Consequently, I have very little crafty stuff (I don't tend to buy from charity shops very much as I think that many are overpriced) - so well done to you on all fronts. Natalie

      Delete
    2. Hi Natalie. I got the seed potatoes from Poundland. I saw the same ones in Home Bargains, originally priced at £1.99 but marked down to the same as Poundland as the stores are close to each other. Some packs had eight in, other six.

      Delete
  4. Forgotten how good the sun makes me feel. Have dug the garden over in celebration : ) Lucky friend, that bag is so nice. Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes I'm the same give me a beach with no one on it any day lol I feel the same about eating out not that I eat out how people sit right next to each other in over crowded small places never been my thing over this way in the world I'm sitting in my garden and see signs of autumn :) very shortly it will be goodbye long hot Australian chew up my money air conditioner summer and hello mild chilly winter .injoy!Louise

    ReplyDelete
  6. you got some great buys, love the 2nd necklace! and the 4th!
    sounds like a wonderful day!
    hope you have a terrific week!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The dark grey background colour is a bit dull. I don't mean to be fussy, but I am sensitive to light. I read about Irlen syndrome, so I'm trying to avoid bright lights like the bright yellow, but dark grey is so dull. I do like yellow, it is just a bit bright on the eyes on screen. Perhaps next time a mid sky blue, but not the bright type?
    I hope you are going well. I can understand your not wanting to go to exercise classes in the hall, you seem more the loner type than the groupie! But perhaps loners must find ways to keep fit in winter.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really do miss a good car boot sale or the charity shop... we don't have any here but I always say that if an item is old and is still doing the job it was created for then it has to be the best quality and so well worth investing a little more money to extend its life even longer, if you look after it, it will last a very long time.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Ilona,,
    lovely bead haul, great for all sorts of things, aren't they! Great bag bargain, too! Had a beach day yesterday, at Burnham on Sea,, fantastic. Another nice day today.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think people are so sick of the winter and having to stay indoors so much that they don't even care if the beach is crowded! They want to get some sun and enjoy the warmth I guess. You got some nice stuff at the sale and really good prices too! What are you going to do with the beads? Anything in mind?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, A couple of ideas for the beads, they will be great for embellishments.

      Delete
  11. Danneke here having a break from the cottage industry ( making cards) You got some good bargains at the boot sale Ilona. especially the beads the sales havent started here yet, its usually easter weekend when they kick off. So pleased George has found a good home he is such a handsome boy and bound to get spoiled. The broccoli meals look good, I tolerate broccoli cos its supposed to be good for us but not so keen really. Sainsburys have dried cat food for £2 for 2kilos but the feral cats I feed are not overly keen on it so I got Whiskers dried for older cats at £4 for 2ks talk about pampered pussys. I had not seen the little black cat for some days but at lunchtime today he was at the feeding bowl then went and sat further up the path and didnt move away when I went outside to clear some things up,, he is a lovely little cat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Danneke, Thank you for your updates. You are so kind to look after the cats.

      Delete
  12. Those beads are lovely and so's the cat bag. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ilona, I love your blog--actually, I love your life, LOL! Good score on the leather bag, which I recognized as a Laurel Burch.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I don't get the Brighton Beach thing either. What good is a beach without sand? I like the bag x

    ReplyDelete
  15. You are quite right about Brighton`s pebbly beaches. I know a sandy spot just behind Shoreham power station that is never crowded as it`s away from shops and toilet facilities.
    Here, I sometimes go for a swim in the summer. Can`t stand crowded beaches, so that`s a good spot to take baby Alyssa for her first paddle in the sea this coming summer.
    Haven`t you done well with your bargain buying!

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a lovely selection of beads, I'm reading some of your posts in reverse order, so I have already seen them separated and nestled in their new tin. You got a lot out of them.

    ReplyDelete

Some comments will be accepted. I decide which are published.