Saturday 10 October 2009

Retail therapy - MrsL style...............


I'm not a great one for shopping - but I'm a great one for bargains! I only buy what I love, what catches my eye and what I will use; quite often I buy to give away if I see something just right for a friend or someone else.
The picture at the top is of the fabric of a rather stunning jacket I found in the charity shop - brand new, still with all the labels/tags on and the pockets still sewn up - only 6 pounds, and MrL kindly obliged on that one! I also got a couple of books and two jigsaws for winter as well in that shop; the next one yielded a very pretty rose print cushion for Bean's room, and some more books. Stopped in at the nursery for some forcing hyacinths and onion sets :) This morning's first charity shop yielded books, rather nice fabric for quilting, a brand new teddy (for which I have plans) and some nice bags of mixed balls of wool for little projects, adding in to others, etc.
We also visited The Exchange where a friend of mine is currently exhibitng her felt work - very nice, interesting, and we had coffee there too.
The jumble sale wasn't as fruitful as I hoped, but I got a pile of tops for Bean, some jeans for EJ, two more jigsaws, and won a big punnet of pears and apples in the raffle - grown by my friend R up the road.
All the stuff is useful or beautiful - think William Morris:

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”

This is my criteria for buying things, has been for as long as I can remember, even before I became familiar with the redoubtable Mr Morris, of whom I am a big fan for lots of reasons.
It apparently seems to some that I buy a lot of stuff, far too much it has been suggested; maybe I do in some peoples' eyes, but being a craftsperson, bibliophile, gardener, cook.......... if I have room to store it (fairly) sensibly, then I will buy and stash it away for future projects, known or yet to be dreamt up. As for books - what price knowledge? Can't have too many if you read and love them. I don't buy for the sake of buying, and don't consider myself materialistic. So, I thumb my nose to the nay-sayers, the shopping bag watchers and the trolley police and am happy in the knowledge that I am, indeed, ready for most eventualites (especially if it needs something knitted).............

4 comments:

brightandnew said...

Ooh, the pattern of that fabric is so lovely. What a good find!

Leanne said...

well said- i too follow Mr Morris' advice!! and I too like to be prepared, and have stuff here that some deem to be a waste of space, and may not all be in use yet, but that i know will come into its own...

leanne x

ren said...

the fabric is just beautiful. I dont think i would be able to resist it either.
Surely what you buy, however much is totally your decision, who has the right to say its too much? Unless its your hushband!! lol!!

Bovey Belle said...

Sounds like you had an excellent day's shopping. Another one who loves the fabric of the jacket.