Bargain finds

I am trying to drastically declutter this year, you know, the things you don't use or have multiple of, so I could probably have done without a browse around charity shops yesterday.  In my defence, the items I purchased were bought with purpose, (with one exception), so I think I'm ok?

Firstly, this Agatha Christie puzzle.  

I'd been looking at these in Waterstones at the weekend, there are various book related ones, as you are completing the jigsaw there are clues to spot or solve, I wasn't even aware that these existed and I was very tempted to buy one, but as the price tag was £16.99 I resisted, so you can imagine my delight when I spotted this one in the charity shop for £3.95 😁 

A little wicker planter for £1 - which was the perfect fit for the pot of narcissi's I bought in the supermarket a couple days before

A little chopping board for £1.45

I've been on the look out for a smallish board for a while to use for a cross stitch finish, the stitched piece has been patiently waiting for three or four years at least.  

 I wasn't sure If the board would be too small, but look, it will be perfect! ( I bought the little gingerbread man topper with this finish in mind a few years ago).  

No excuses for not fully finishing this one now!

This Moroccan style dish had to come home with me for £3.00 - it will make the perfect place to keep fruit instead of keeping it hidden in the cupboard, it might even encourage me to eat more fruit as I can see it, lol.

My last find does not have a use, and I definitely don't need it, but priced up at £2.49 I thought It was cute enough to rescue.

Now Its not a design I would stitch, I think it's very typical of the English designs from the 1980's but I have a thing for houses, and wouldn't you just love to live in a little thatched cottage like this?

I was quite happy with my 'finds'

How about you, have you found any bargains lately?

-X-

Rescued - Not my work

 I do love a mooch around a charity shop, It's not often I find anything other than books but sometimes I get lucky, like with the Fat Face skirt I found for a fiver a few weeks back, I was pleased with that find.  

But back in the Summer I came across this finished cross stitch in a basket with some paintings, I thought It was perfect to put with my other Autumn pieces.  I paid just £4.00 for this, which is a lot less than the kit would have cost, not to mention the hours it took to stitch.

This is one of the Four Seasons by Derwentwarter Desings.  If you look very close you can see that It wasn't professionally framed, but It's not too bad.  There is a sticker on the back saying Handmade by Jean Knowles, so thank you Jean :-)

I believe Bothy Threads bought out Derwentwater Designs but you can still by the kits for all four of the seasons.

I saw this next one hanging on the wall behind the charity shop counter in a local town, and you can see that I paid £3.50 for this one.

I'm not sure but I think this is/was a DMC kit, the only thing I can find similar is called The Christmas Window and is for sale on AliExpress, but that piece is larger than this one, perhaps whoever stitched it only stitched half the chart?  I've no idea about that but I do know that It was framed by my local needlework shop where I get my framing done because there is a sticker on the back with the their information.  Whoever stitched it wrote the year 2010 on that sticker so we at least know that it was framed fourteen years ago

I always think It's so sad to see someones hard work sold for so little, but at least these two pieces have found a good home with me.

We've had the boys staying over for the weekend as Jenny and James have been to London.  Goodness can those boys eat, lol.  You forget that having children around is a constant round of preparing food, tidying up and breaking up squabbles!  I love them to bits but It's been a noisy few days so I'm looking forward to some quiet time tomorrow.

-X-