More Charity Shop Bargains for 2018 & beyond!

Bigjenny

I think it's lessonlearned that has a a DIL from Brazil or Venezuela

dolly84

C_J wrote: »

Went to Nettlebed this morning - the wind and rain must have put everyone else off because it was really quiet there. It was nice not to have to fight through the crowds! I bought an odd mixture of bits and bobs, and there were no jaw-dropping bargains today but they were all things I needed/wanted so am super pleased with my little haul:

A small cream upholstered footstool, £2
A set of 8 velcro-on dining chair seat cushions in the exact shade of Parma violet/grey I’ve been looking for, £4
A table top size electric dehumidifier, £3
A desk top size electric personal space cooler, £3
An A4 sized box of embroidery threads, wound onto cards and colour coded, £3
Hairy Bikers diet book, Far Eastern Adventure book and Great Curry book (been after the latter for ages), £1 each
A set of three chrome baskets which slide onto the underside of a kitchen cabinet shelf, a full door height chrome spice rack which hangs on the inside of a kitchen wall cabinet, and two over-door chrome coat hook racks, £5 the lot.

I think it is a very good job I can't go to Nettlebed, we wouldn't be able to move here.


Yesterday I nipped into town with DH and DD. I got a BNWT Jack Wills ladies classic fit checked shirt in shades of pink, it is a 14 and fits me (size 12) perfectly so I think it may have been too small for the original owner - £4.99 paid for this, a TU grey cotton top, looks like linen and has detailed embroidery on the front neckline and on the short sleeves and little embroidered details everywhere else, small keyhole button to the back - £3, a pair of Topman skinny chinos in sand colour for DH £3, a Regatta short sleeved shirt for DH 99p and lastly for me a George boho style dress, 3/4 sleeves, buttons to the front at the top, small floral design in muted purple with a frill to the bottom £2.50.

DigForVictory

Having severe tingles of curiosity I have now googled where this burgh of mystery & intrigue & storming finds, Nettlebed, is.

village and civil parish in the Chiltern Hills about 4 ¹⁄₂ miles northwest of Henley-on-Thames

That's not terribly handy for my parents but now I know where, I can scheme to include it on a rambling drive...
Meanwhile I remain a staunch advocate of Chorley which has a healthy and active cs community as well as a handy railway station and a Booths (Waitrose of the north - one more loyalty fob, a reusable cup, a bag for life & the free coffee is yours!) Great for refreshing parts & preparing to hunt, or tallying over the victories.

Bogof_Babe

:think: puts Chorley on the "to do" list :wave: . It's the train station that clinched it!

Edit: And there's a Wetherspoons - that's lunch sorted :beer: :T .

DigForVictory

Should I mention the market & the grocer who claims to have done haggis Before The Scots? The cashpoints at the bottom of the hill so you can refuel before working the next stretch of cs? And do pick up the ones on the run back towards the station past the cashpoints & right before the weths!

Good hunting!

Oh & Mrs LW I think a tambourine is a wonderful thing to accompany mum with, but if I recall can also be used as a weapon - well, maybe that was just my lads. Just enjoy with caution?!

Bogof_Babe

Great tips, thanks DFV :T . I do love a new place to explore, and when it comes with such high recommendations.... :rotfl:

C_J

DigForVictory wrote: »

Having severe tingles of curiosity I have now googled where this burgh of mystery & intrigue & storming finds, Nettlebed, is.
.

If you are ever able to incorporate a visit to Nettlebed into a trip down south DfV, I can guarantee you would absolutely love it. It can be quite chaotic - the very nature of a charity sale which depends on whatever donations they have had in means that it can be feast or famine, but I have never come away disappointed. They have everything there, ranging from grubby old tat to absolute gems (quite literally, I know someone who paid 50p for a string of costume jewellery pearls which turned out to be genuine Mikimoto!).

I am lucky that I live close enough to visit regularly - the sales are every three weeks on a Saturday morning, and the dates can be found by searching Sue Ryder Nettlebed Sale Dates on tinternet.

Very happy to help anyone out with local advice if they want to message me. It's not only my very favourite chazzer hunting ground, but the money raised from it supports the hospice enabling it to provide everything free for the patients and their families so it's a good thing to support

DigForVictory

Dear Gods. I have no idea where Himself is but I got a text asking Moorlands combined cheese making kit? Several sorts available but seemingly he's got the The Original British Combined Cheese Making Kit (RRP £95, website selling at £90) for £4.95 & is now texting he wants a big container of creamy milk.

Anyone know where you can borrow a cow from?

He grouses at the heaps of canned goods thinking I'm fussing about Brexit (no, just trying to feed teenagers on a budget & have some peace of mind) then wanders in with DIY cheese tech - as the kit includes a thermometer, "An Introduction to Cheesemaking at Home" booklet, cheesecloth, sachet of MA400 cheese starter, 60ml bottle vegetarian rennet, Moorlands small press, M3 hard cheese mould, M5 follower and 14cm mat, 2 x P1 and 2 x P2 soft cheese moulds. Plus free Humidity Meter and 2 free 11cm drainage mats.

Next he grouses about cans, I'll may suggest he goes finds & milks a cow. (It's hard work on the fingers & you're supposed to "strip out" a dairy cow - that's about 10-12 pints & my hands ached after barely a quarter of a pint.) Plus finding a cow may not be too hard but I note we run to sheep in the valley. Ah well, sheep's milk cheese has a fine history too.

Miró

DFV

Can't wait for the next instalment of this saga!!

I had a go at making soft cheese a couple of times...only seemed to require whole milk, (heated), lemon juice, a saucepan, jug, sieve and a muslin cloth....no fancy equipment Then drizzled with olive oil and fresh herbs twas delish. I guess technically it was more like paneer tho. Good luck with finding a cow and with the cheesemaking - sounds like fun!

C_J

Ha ha ha - you'll be hooked, home cheese making is utterly addictive. I bought the Mad Millie hard and soft cheese making kits for a song (guess where from?) last year and have thoroughly enjoyed my forays into it. I especially love it when I can find several cartons of goat's milk yellow-stickered down to pennies in the local Waitrose (which happens fairly often). Makes it a super cheap hobby.

Have fun!