you don't need a new hat, just jazz up an old one with a broach or badge! I did this the other day and it feels like a brand new lovely hat...here's one of mine!

i've had this lovely butterfly badge for ages, from a museum in New Zealand and looks fab on my old beret!! xxx

A stroke of GENIUS! if i say so myself....I am a self-confessed shoe whore (there I've said it) and I cannot get enough shoes. What with the big birthday coming up I was tempted by all those gorgeous sparkly pairs about at the moment, when I just had a brainwave - shoe clips!! Jazz up old shoes with a lovely pair of shoe clips, and even better and cheaper, use old clip on earrings, or even make your own! I have not tried this yet but I will be getting right onto it this week....So watch this space.

NB - you can get cheap and lovely vintage shoe clips from the online Oxfam store, so you can save the pennies whilst giving a few to charity!

Sodshopping is actually getting easier...it's now been 2 months since I bought any clothes or anything I don't need and the longer it goes the better it feels. It really makes you realise just how ineffective it is to buy stuff for the sake of it, and how much stronger you feel for resisting the urge and instead, doing something creative or active. With the money I've saved I've been able to sign up for a charity funrun - a 10K for Race For life (http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/index.html) and to do something so much more proactive and worthwhile feels fab!! Yesterday it was beautifully sunny and I took myself off for my first run! it was hard work but I felt great afterwards.

The other day it was less sunny and I spent my time making a wee keyring, here she is...took longer than I like to admit but a lovely way to get creative and use up some old scraps!

my next challenge is the BIG 30 coming up and I am trying to work out how I can feel like I'm wearing something new and gorgeous without actually breaking my pact....Any ideas??!

LOVING Superscrimpers!! such a great show, especially like the idea of changing your watch strap - I have done this recently with an old silk neckerchief I have; it's such a pretty colour that I didn't want to throw so this is a lovely way to reuse it...

oooh! I have just found this lovely blog http://mariezvezda.blogspot.com/p/craft-fair-display-ideas.html - filled with fab ideas and gorgeous bits and bobs. I have moved recently and a real bug bear is my jewelry always being tangled and boxed away - I was going to buy a jewelry stand but then on this blog I found the idea of hanging earrings on a pretty teacup! brilliant! here is mine...

my next plan is to use up an old canvas I have for other bits and i will post a pic when i've done it. thats at least £15 saved! whoop.

up the downs!

so after a long deliberation I have decided NOT to join the Lido - it seems another extravagant (if lovely) way to spend money. Instead I am taking to the Clifton Downs, which are gorgeous and luckily just at the end of my road. After dusting the cobwebs off my old trainers and finding something slightly luminous to wear, I'm off for a jog! Saving at least £45 a month, no bad! xx

to spend or not to spend...

now would it be worth joining my local lido? when i say lido, it probably conjures up images of a cold wee filled, fly spotted pool. but NO! this is clifton after all...the lido is ace, and gorgeous and well, expensive. It's £45 a month, gulp, but if i went 3 times a week it would be worth it.

I can't afford to join now but if i carry on sodding the shopping i will soon have enough to get myself a lovely lido membership AND get fit and healthy....