Shop Charity in '23!

Rosa_Damascena

QueenJess said:

Never posted here before, but found an amazing bargain in Oxfam today. Bought a 45 litre plastic box rammed to the top with magna-tiles for £12.99. 48 pieces retail at about £45 new and I have got way over 300 pieces! All perfect condition. Kids were quiet for 4 hours playing with it all!

I had too Google what they are, but it does seem like a good deal! And a worthwhile use of the kids time, much better than TV.

goldfinches

Some great bargains above and welcome to @QueenJess and glad to hear that you've recovered @dND. 
I went out for a very indulgent lunch with a friend in our upmarket suburb yesterday and dropped into two of the four charity shops on my way back to my bicycle.
In the Oxfam shop I bought this lovely Magic & Sparkle star biscuit cutter, £2.49, a book, £3.99 and an unusual shape tin with a fully functioning spring loaded clip which was only £0.99. Naturally I had to test the clip while juggling my pannier, hat, gloves etc. which meant I nearly dropped the base on the floor while hastily clutching the biscuit cutter with my elbow. I don't think much of human evolution that hadn't provided us with an additional pair of arms, just think how useful they'd be and what miracles of competence one could demonstrate if you had four hands. 
Then across the road in the Scope shop I bought this airforce blue beanie, £3, which is to wear under my cycle helmet to keep my ears warm, my winter wool hat is too thick to fit annoyingly so I've been on the lookout ever since the weather turned, and this H&M 100% cotton long-sleeved cardigan which is for next summer and will be put away until then. I also took the opportunity to be punctiliously polite to the member of staff at the till when she attempted to be rude to me (I thanked her for pointing something out) so I'm feeling rather as though I've scored 10 human points this weekend IYKWIM. 

C_J

Hello fellow chazzerfans! I have had a bit of a lean spell w/r/t charity shop bargains of late (and am very envious of all your treasures), but last Friday I called in to the tiny Sobell House shop which @goldfinches visited the other week and bought a brand new, sealed box of Richard Osman's House of Games card game (£1.50), a perfect condition boxed Pointless board game (£2) and this Christmas bakeware (£1) which will be perfect for the cakes I will be making for the forthcoming Christmas Afternoon Tea bring-and-share in the office!

-

Rosa_Damascena

C_J said:

Hello fellow chazzerfans! I have had a bit of a lean spell w/r/t charity shop bargains of late (and am very envious of all your treasures), but last Friday I called in to the tiny Sobell House shop which @goldfinches visited the other week and bought a brand new, sealed box of Richard Osman's House of Games card game (£1.50), a perfect condition boxed Pointless board game (£2) and this Christmas bakeware (£1) which will be perfect for the cakes I will be making for the forthcoming Christmas Afternoon Tea bring-and-share in the office!

-

Make sure you grease these well! Regardless of composition (tin / silicone) I find that much of the definition is lost when removing the cake. If anyone knows of a recipe alteration to be made to bring about a sharper result, I am listening.

Cherryfudge

Rosa_Damascena said:

Make sure you grease these well! Regardless of composition (tin / silicone) I find that much of the definition is lost when removing the cake. If anyone knows of a recipe alteration to be made to bring about a sharper result, I am listening.

I was just thinking what a great cake tin this is, when I read Rosa's comment, and realised what a nightmare it could be if it has a mind of its own. Would it help to grease the indents then dredge the with flour before putting the batter in?

I found this which suggests reheating the pan from underneath either over hot water or using a tea towels wrung out in hot water, or a low oven. Apparently the heat can loosen the cake - I imagine with melts the butter a bit so it might naturally slide out.

Floss

I have found that allowing cakes in detailed tins to cool for 5 minutes helps them come out cleanly.

Rosa_Damascena

goldfinches said:

Some great bargains above and welcome to @QueenJess and glad to hear that you've recovered @dND. 
I went out for a very indulgent lunch with a friend in our upmarket suburb yesterday and dropped into two of the four charity shops on my way back to my bicycle.
In the Oxfam shop I bought this lovely Magic & Sparkle star biscuit cutter, £2.49, a book, £3.99 and an unusual shape tin with a fully functioning spring loaded clip which was only £0.99. Naturally I had to test the clip while juggling my pannier, hat, gloves etc. which meant I nearly dropped the base on the floor while hastily clutching the biscuit cutter with my elbow. I don't think much of human evolution that hadn't provided us with an additional pair of arms, just think how useful they'd be and what miracles of competence one could demonstrate if you had four hands. 
Then across the road in the Scope shop I bought this airforce blue beanie, £3, which is to wear under my cycle helmet to keep my ears warm, my winter wool hat is too thick to fit annoyingly so I've been on the lookout ever since the weather turned, and this H&M 100% cotton long-sleeved cardigan which is for next summer and will be put away until then. I also took the opportunity to be punctiliously polite to the member of staff at the till when she attempted to be rude to me (I thanked her for pointing something out) so I'm feeling rather as though I've scored 10 human points this weekend IYKWIM. 

Strangely enough, one of my recent book purchases (20p I think):

@Cherryfudge - thanks for the tips. Will try the next time I make a Bundt cake.

Miró

Spent a whole 99p today on a pair of M & S stone coloured chino stylee trousers - from the St Gemma's Shop in Otley,  Have M & S been mucking about with their sizing again because these were a size smaller than i usually take but I could tell they would fit with ease??

Rosa_Damascena

Miró said:

Spent a whole 99p today on a pair of M & S stone coloured chino stylee trousers - from the St Gemma's Shop in Otley,  Have M & S been mucking about with their sizing again because these were a size smaller than i usually take but I could tell they would fit with ease??

Vanity sizing on the part of M&S I'm afraid. I'm a 12-14, in old money I would have been a M&S size 18.

Bought another 5 books for 20p each and also an autumnal door wreath - BNWT from Hobbycraft. I'm going to pimp it up a bit before sticking it on my door next autumn.

Cherryfudge

£1.70 on a paperback as a gift for someone, from Cancer Research. It's immaculate, I can't be sure it's been read.