Day Tripping

Yesterday was our 5th wedding anniversary so we took a day trip up to Fleetwood. Not the most erotic of destinations but windswept, drizzly and filled with just enough old fashioned charm to be oddly romantic - oddly mind, oddly. We packed up our tartan and tan picnic bag with tea, cucumber sandwiches, pork pie and scones and managed to scoff beside the sea inbetween patches of good old northern drizzle.

After that it was a mooch around the charity shops - do we charity shop bloggers ever do anything else? Lots of great things to be had in the charity shops but we decided to dress up in the ugliest things we could find in the charity shops. Remind me NEVER to wear pleated trousers again. Yikes.

We're still a bit baffled as to how five years can have passed. I suppose it's a good sign that it has gone past in a blink of an eye - having it drag on might not be the best of signs, eh?

What I wore

Mustard pleated skirt, £15 (thanks to the 25% off day), Sainsbury's

Brown tights, £9, M&S

Grey cardigan, £2, charity shop

Navy top with large white bow, £1.50, charity shop

Blue satchel, £7, vintage fair

Tan brogues, £12, Primark

What Mr Thrifty wore 

Vintage army jacket, £4, vintage shop

Batman t-shirt, gift from the wife

Jeans, £3, charity shop

Lee Cooper trainers, gift from the wife
Tartan picnic bag, charity shop
Belt, handmade by Mr Thrifty's brother

Location

Fleetwood

Thanks for all the lovely comments on my post yesterday, y'lovely things!

TTFN,

P.S. Ah mustard, screw Mr Thrifty, I fall that bit deeper in love with you everyday.

P.P.S YEAH, he licked my face. MY FACE!

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5

Five years ago today I married Mr Thrifty. How can five whole years of our lives have gone by? It feels like five months ago I was getting ready and feeling jittery.

We've gone through lots of ups and lots of downs but mostly, so far we've been really happy in our marriage. We both have the day off work so we're going day tripping with our picnic hamper and a flask of tea, we know how to live on the edge.

Catch you soon!

TTFN,

P.S. Please excuse the photos, they are a result of an all day drinking binge a few years ago.

Bolton Bootsale

How have I managed to live in the North West for nearly 10 years (a third of my life) without knowing about the Bolton Sunday Bootsale? How? Gah, imagine all of those wasted opportunities.

Yesterday was dreary, grey and drizzle filled in my particular corner of the North West (you lot down in the South East with your sun and your warmth can keep schtum) but we dragged ourselves out of bed early, met our friend Kate, a former Boltonian, for coffee before driving the 25 or so minutes around the M60 to Bolton. Bolton, by the way, is beautiful. Honestly it is bea-uti-ful, why it isn't more looked upon as a gem and a beauty of a town is beyond me.

The bootsale is held 7am-3pm on Sunday in the centre of Bolton (which in my experience is somewhat of a thrifting hotspot on regular shopping days when the charity shops are open) at Bolton's main market, look out for the bus station, it's next to that. The stalls are covered and on paved ground so even the worst of rainy Greater Manchester days can be beaten with a spot of box rummaging and haggling. When we first arrived it appeared that there were maybe 20-30 stalls but there are far, far more than that when you continue you walking around, so it was well worth our trip.

A lot of bootsales seem to have turned into a way to flog cheap DVDs and cut price meat. Whilst there were DVD sellers they were few and far between, with the majority of sellers seeming to be house clearances and people decluttering to make some extra money. The pace was fast and it was very busy even early on in the morning.

Get thee to the Bolton bootsale good people of North West Eng-er-land for the finds are varied and plenty...and, and, and the stall holders are friendly and know how to price their items to shift. I spent £4.10 and picked up a red 1950s suitcase, a knitted bag, 3 old medicine bottles, a tiny teapot, a fist full of jewellery and a stack of records.

Then I acted like a glee filled twerp in a dirty alley way with my new suitcase and I got a round of applause from people walking past.

Bolton, I heart you.

What I wore

Long black dress, thrifted £1

Black fairtrade long sleeved t-shirt, Sainsbury's, £4

Green & white knitted waistcoat, thrifted, £2

Purple Converse trainers, gift from Mr Thrifty

Yellow bag, thrifted, £3.95

Pink hat, thrifted, ancient so can't remember

Beaded necklace, thrifted, 25p

Location

Bolton

You might find useful:
10 Bootsale Tips
How to find nice plus size clothes in charity shops
How to thrift clothes

TTFN,

P.S. The knitted bag? 1p. A human, actual penny.

P.P.S. I blogged earlier today about a new weekly post called Daily Housewifery Prompts which will help cut back the time you spend on housework.

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Daily Housewifery Prompts

A while ago I gave daily housewifery prompts on Twitter and lots of you seemed to like them. I wanted to think of a way to work that into the blog without posting a small one liner post everyday. So I've decided to start every Monday with a 9am post featuring small daily cleaning and organising tasks - none of which should last longer than 5 minutes, usually far less.

Okay, okay I know a lot of you are thinking 'what, eh, why?' but these small tasks, over time eradicate the need for spending a whole day deep cleaning your flat before your mother in law comes to stay. Or crying on the bathroom floor because the grout is orange and grim (I lived in Mr Thrifty's student house for a month, I've seen it all.) That's a good thing in my book. Plus the reaction to the tweets seemed really positive.
You don't have to do it but it might make your life easier if you do.

These prompts are for small things that don't fit into a regular cleaning or organising routine. I do certain tasks on certain days of the week and if you're interested I'll share those soon but for the Daily Housewifery Prompts are the small things which many of us forget about over time or never, ever do.

Daily Housewifery Prompts

Week 1

Monday >>> Empty the crumb tray on your toaster

Tuesday >>> Clean the powder/liquid tray in your washing machine.

Wednesday >>> Label all of the plugs in your bedroom to make it easier should you need to pull one out quickly.

Thursday >>> Turn your laptop off and give the keyboard a good clean with an only very slightly damp cloth and cotton buds.

Friday >>> Test your fire alarms.

Saturday >>> Take your doormat outside and give it a good beating against the wall. Leave it outside to air if it's dry out.

Sunday >>> Clean your eyelash curlers with a wet cotton bud.

Are you in?

TTFN,

P.S. I'll be back later with some fantastic thrifted finds.

DVD Organisation

 "How do you organise DVDs in a small space?"

This is a a question that crops up in my inbox on a weekly basis and I have to say until recently I didn't really know how to answer that question. We have amassed a large DVD collection over the years (as a former stand up I've become addicted to stand up comedy DVDs) and we've tried various methods to organise them in each of the small homes we've lived in.

We've used shelves designed especially for DVD storage and found them to be an expensive and frankly rubbish option for people with more than 30 or so DVDs. After a while we dismantled those and sold them on.

We've tried using storage boxes, again we needed a lot of boxes for our collection and on top of that shelves for the boxes to be stored. That didn't work so we repurposed the boxes elsewhere. We even used bookshelves but I hated seeing a huge wall of plastic staring back at me, especially in such a small flat. It became oppressive.

I was nearing the stage of just packaging up all of my DVDs and shoving them on eBay but decided to give one last thing a try. I bought three DVD organising folders from Amazon and slowly set about organising them all into alphabetical order in the slots. One case for films, another for TV series and another altogether for stand up comedy. Each case holds 504 DVDs and at the moment they're all around half full, so we have room to extend our collection without needing extra physical space. The cases are taking up one shelf on a book shelf rather than 8 shelves across 3 bookshelves. Which has rather happily freed up a lot of desperately needed space here at teeny, tiny Thrifty Towers.

I love that we can tote them into other rooms,which is very handy when I'm sick in bed and longing for entertainment (as you can see in the above picture taken in our bedroom) or even over to a friend's house for a DVD marathon.

I kept back 10 empty DVD cases incase we need to lend any DVDs out. Then I listed half of the cases on Freecycle (they went VERY fast) and gave the other half of the DVD cases to local libraries and schools who bit my hands off for them.

I have plans to give each folder different coloured, fabric coverings so they're easily distinguishable (and pretty) but for now I mark them out with different coloured ribbons on the handles.

So there you have it, that's how I organise a large DVD collection in a small space.

TTFN,

P.S. How do you organise your DVD collection?

My Life in Instagrams

Sometimes life can be a blur and you can easily forget the small things that happen. The flowers you've had on your table, the colour of the sky, what Mr Thrifty wore on a particularly funny day or cake on your plate. I love Instagram because you can document the small things - and it's the small things that make the difference in life.

The camera on my iPad isn't fantastic but I still really love snapping photos to Instagram and I'm currently looking out for the best site to print them off from. Any recommendations? Especially for good shipping rates to the UK.
You can find me on Instagram @athriftymrs

TTFN,

P.S. Are you an Instagram addict?

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The man who called me fat

Dear Man who called me fat,

It was a strange experience 'meeting' you on the main road this morning. I'm not sure where you're from but it is customary to introduce oneself and perhaps even say "how do you do?" upon first meeting someone around these parts. I won't look down on you for not knowing that, perhaps you weren't lucky enough to have the mannered upbringing I did?

Had you shouted 'you're fat!' from a moving car at me just a year ago, I'd be crushed. I'd probably be crying my eyes out and feasting on a lorry load of doughnuts but I'm not. I'm not crying because I pity you. I'm fat, I know I am. I'm not going to say I don't have a problem with it but for now, this is the way it is going to stay. Most people have mirrors in their homes and even if they don't, they probably catch their reflection in a window from time to time. Us fatties know we're fat, we don't shove pizza into our gobs and instantly lose the ability to look in a mirror. Did I miss the day at school where they took you into the assembly hall and told you fat people can't see or lack self-awareness? Your teachers were misinformed.

I'm not sure why you're so angered by my weight. Is it my drain on the NHS and your tax pennies? I'm pretty sure my parents are pissed off that their taxes were so grossly wasted in educating you or giving your parents the skills to drag you up with manners.

Enjoy your weekend. I'm off to eat a fuck load of buns.

TTFN,

P.S. I blogged earlier but you probably won't like it because it's just a fat girl larking around.

1 dress 3 ways

Hey A Thrifty Mrs readers! I love this 1980s polka dot dress, it was a bargain eBay buy and lends itself to so many different looks, styles and outfits...a versatile piece which is something that always makes me happy. It can be hard to find cheap plus size vintage clothes or even nice non-vintage plus size clothes in charity shops so it can be really important to make the pieces work for you in a number of ways. Here are 3 ways I've worn this dress recently.

Look 1

Worn with - black leggings, black wedge boots & vintage head scarf.

Look 2

Worn with - purple converse, knitted hairband, oversize denim shirt, dog necklace & black leggings.

Look 3

Worn with - Black pleated skirt with black petticoats underneath, red woollen vintage tie, yellow cardigan, black tights & navy blue heels.

It's now my mission to find at least one other way to wear each of the dresses I own and thereby double my wardrobe overnight!

Which look do you like the best?

You might find useful:
How to find plus size clothes in charity shops
A guide to thrifting shoes
7 tips for removing that charity shop smell


TTFN,

P.S. Do you make the most of your clothes? How do you mix it up?

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Make Your Own Glitter Stripe Shoes

I tried DIY glitter shoes when I was at uni but it all went horribly wrong, mainly because I was drunk for 4 years and I'm telling you now - vodka and glitter is not a good mixture. You may have seen the pink glitter shoes I wore to my wedding and inspired by them I've gone onto add glitter to stiletto heels, boots and ballet pumps over the last five years. It's a great way of reviving a pair of shoes when they're past their best and looking a bit tired.

How to make glitter shoes

What you will need:
- Shoes - I'm using some old ballet flats but sturdy shoes work better
- Modge Podge or similar tacky glue - I believe you can make your own with PVA & water but my cousin sent me this in a Christmas craft parcel from America so it seemed a shame not to use it.
- Cheap craft glitter in two colours - I used silver and green
- 2 small paint brushes
- A saucer
- Parcel tape - I've shown masking tape in the picture above but I went on to use parcel tape simply because my reel had lost a lot of it's sticky-ness for some reason.
- Newspaper

1. Lay down newspaper - lots of newspaper.
2. Clean your shoes and allow them to dry. Once totally dry stuff the insides with newspaper.
3. Section off the area you want to be glittery with the aid of the parcel tape. Ensure there are no gaps for glue and glitter to escape under.

4. Paint on glue to the area of the shoe which you want the first glitter colour to be.
5. Straight away pour the glitter over the glued area. You may want to tap the shoe to ensure even distribution and perhaps dip the ends and sides into the discarded glitter to make sure they're covered, that way there should be no bald spots when the glue dries.
6. Allow to dry for an hour or two before peeling the tape off slowly in a smooth motion.


7. Now it is time for the second colour. You don't want to just pour this glitter on like the first patch because the two colours will get a bit messy, here's what to do. Pour some glue into a saucer and add some of the second colour glitter to it. You want it to be around 60% glue to 40% glitter. Mix it through evenly and paint onto your shoe with a thin brush in fine layers. Allow to dry for an hour. Don't worry, the glue dries clear.

8. Once it has dried repeat a couple of times until you've built up a nice and even coverage.
9. Since the Modge Podge dries clear you can add another layer on top (once totally dry) to seal in some of the glitter if you like.
10. Remove any glue or excess glitter which has dripped onto the sole, with the aid of a wooden cocktail stick.

Prepare to find glitter everywhere. Everywhere. *itches bum*
Whaddya think? Do you like them?

TTFN,

P.S. I've had a nightmare day - my tripod blew over breaking my new lens. I'm unable to get the lens off the camera because of the damage from the impact so I still don't know if my DSLR camera is okay. It might sound trivial to get upset over a possession but I've blubbed a lot about it because there's no way I can afford the hundreds of pounds it will cost to replace the camera. I was due to start on a photography course after Easter but it seems there is no way it can happen. I phoned my insurers and they won't cover it. My compact cameras are old and glitchy to use so I'm not sure how I'm going to go about getting photos sorted for this 'ere blog. Sad face.

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My Favourite Charity Shop Finds

As a charity shop blogger you may have guessed tha I buy a large amount of my clothes and furniture from charity shops. I try choose wisely and hope to only buy things I love and will stand the test of time in our home but it's still easy to have favourites.
My favourite ever charity shop finds?

Vintage nurse cape

When I first stumbled upon this old cape in a charity shop I thought it was a blanket and almost put it back on the rail before discovering it was a cape and was most definitely coming home with me. Readers told me it had history and was an old nurses cape so I did a little research. Turns out my mother in law, a former nurse, had one, complete with hood, when she was a nurse in the 60s and 70s so I think she'd be baffled to see me larking around in it in the name of fashion.

Vintage Media Unit

This 1950s cocktail cabinet makes me happy, so, so happy. We're using it at dual purposes, number one as storage for our glassware, spirits and other cocktail paraphernalia and uptop for our games consoles, television and stereo equipment etc. I'm all for people using second hand furniture in a puritan sense but my home isn't a museum and I need to make things work for our modern day lifestyle. It was important to find a piece that could do two things in a small space and look beautiful so I was thrilled to find this cocktail cabinet for £30 in a charity shop just outside Manchester.


Lloyd Loom blanket chest

Our Lloyd Loom blanket box at a £1 bargain now houses my handbag collection and leaves plenty of room for extra seating up top. I know a lot of people would make it over but I love it the way it is.

My wedding shoes

I found these pink glittery heels in a Bath charity shop a month before our wedding. They were brand new, still in their box and priced at £5, a bargain for Bath charity shops. I knew instantly that they'd add just enough pop and a bit of fun to my calf length ivory wedding dress. I still wear them for special occasions now.

I've had some other favourites over the years but I've gone on to sell them once they didn't fit or work for our lifestyle. These are my current favourites but I'm sure I'll be able to change my favourites list as time goes on...the beauty of shopping charity shops!

TTFN,

P.S. What are your favourite ever charity shop finds?

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Homemade Brown Sugar and Vanilla Body Scrub

Skin feeling a bit winter-y and dull? Knock up this homemade brown sugar body scrub in a short few minutes for mere pence, and your skin will be feeling as good as new in no time.

Homemade Brown Sugar and Vanilla Body Scrub

What you will need:

400g Light brown sugar
50g granulated sugar
1tbsp good vanilla extract
200ml olive oil

Method:

1. Put all of the ingredients into a big bowl and mix together until well blended. If it is looking overly dry add some more oil and if it seems a bit on the wet side for your liking bung in some more brown sugar.
2. Pour into a jar with an air tight lid.
3. Use a generous lump on wet skin in circular motions and rinse with warm water.

Approx cost: £1.15 plus jar
It smells delicious and makes for a great small gift or add it to a personalised pamper hamper if someone you know has been under the weather or recently had a baby.

TTFN,

 P.S. Here are a couple more homemade beauty recipes from my archives. Green tea facepack and hand softening treatment.