Monday 4 April 2016

Sally goes shopping - (an oxymoron)

Now that the windows in those two rooms are clean, it's time to renew the window coverings. Thirteen years ago when we first bought this old place we worked hard to renovate it room by room. By the time we got to window coverings money was tight, so we did the best we could with some inexpensive calico Roman blinds from Ikea. I also bought second hand curtains from op-shops when ever I found suitable ones, and converted them into roman blinds to go over the top of the cheap calico blinds. This double layer gave us a very effective thermal barrier during the extreme cold and the scorching heat. They have served us well, but some are beginning to look a little dull and worn.
In one of my past homes I had timber Venetian blinds installed and always loved them, I still do now, especially the white ones.
So today, after putting it off for as many months as I was putting off cleaning the windows, I drove the forty minutes to our nearest Spotlight store. This is a big deal for me. I sometimes feel overwhelmed in large artificially lit places, so I was well armed with an overload of notes and information about what I was planning to purchase.
To calm myself before attempting the serious task of selecting what I was there to buy, I checked out the fabrics, then wandered into the home wares area.
I can't tell you just how satisfied I was to have negotiated that huge store and I made two trips back to the car with my purchases.

These bowls were on sale so I bought six in three different colours.
Upon returning to live in Australia in late 1999, and buying myself a tiny house, I bought all of the contents of that little home at Garage Sales and op-shops, intending to replace them with new things as my finances permitted, but I mostly never did, apart from some daggy chairs and a smelly sofa.  I loved and cherished each and every piece of my kitchen paraphernalia and eclectic collection of furniture.
Then I met Brian and we bought this old place, my old stuff came with us, it matched the old home.  However, dessert and soup bowls have a limit to how chipped and cracked they can be, so the time had come to replace them.
The assistant carefully wrapped them all in this sewing pattern tissue paper.
Well done Spotlight!! for re-using the paper patterns instead of just throwing them in the bin.

Of course they will be re-cycled again for wrapping gifts, so I carefully flattened and folded them up, and have put them with my re-cycled paper, string, ribbon and gift wrapping stash.
There is something about these beautiful patterns on tissue paper that gives me the same joy as sheet music. No, I can't read music, but I adore the look of those music pages and can be known to buy old music books in op-shops.
So I purchased enough blinds to cover the windows in three rooms. This will keep Brian busy for a couple of evenings after work. Next week I just may return to buy more blinds for the remaining rooms.
I also purchased some fabrics for the making of a patchwork quilt for little Clover's first birthday. Can't show you a photo of said fabrics; don't want to spoil the surprise for Clover's Mama.
It seemed like a big day out, but you know, I actually enjoyed it.
Oh, how wonderful it was to wake this morning in the early daylight instead of in the pitch darkness. So pleasant to milk the cow and feed the animals in daylight.
If it were up to me, I'd stop daylight saving a month earlier. What do you think?




10 comments:

  1. I can totally relate to your fear of shops. Of course, nowadays, I don't need anything for the house so keeping away is not a hardship or inconvenience. The only shopping I do is for groceries, flour etc; and only when it's absolutely necessary. I do like your bowls though.

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  2. I can't go past an op shop if it's open, though I will only buy things I need or know I will use. I have found so many great items over the years; most of my clothes and kitchen items have been sourced this way. Only trouble is that all the stuff in 'normal' shops seems so expensive when you are used to op shop prices!
    Glad you enjoyed your shopping expedition.
    Jane

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  3. Those are adorable! I try and stay away from Spotlight during the sales because as much as I like to save money, the people everywhere get to me. Weekend Spotlight is the worst.
    Daylight saving always confuses me a bit, I never keep track of when I gain or lose an hour. That being said, waking up to sunlight has always been easier for me than waking up in darkness

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  4. Yes, on our side of the world we now have slightly darker mornings and lovely light nights. It means I don't have to feel guilty for a few weeks about keeping the chickens locked in the henhouse in the mornings while it's bright outside.

    Love your new bowls, I am a real sucker for bowls and jugs, old or new ..... as my kitchen cupboards will testify, at least they are all in regular use ;-)

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  5. Sally I am so pleased we don't have daylight saving time up here in Queensland but there is always some bright spark in Brisbane who wants to try and bring it in. If only they would visit the north and then they would change their mind quick smart.

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  6. cute bowls!

    I too find the shops a little daunting these days, I come home knackered! I avoid them but it makes going occasionally a lovely treat.

    I love white venitians too, though I dislike dusting them and we need to maintain a low allergen house here for will so simple roll blinds it is. :) Though Im thinking that if Grant knocks up some nice pelmets I can have some fun with those in the kids room. ;)

    xx

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  7. Yep I hate going into shops like that. I think they are designed intentionally to be confusing and overwhelming so that you panic and buy more things. I love opshops for furnishing the house with miss-matching fun items. We have hardly anything new :) I need to make curtains for the new house and I was thinking of something similar with cotton backing instead of the rubber backing, as the rubber always seems to deteriorate and look awful eventually.

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  8. The bowls are really special - well done. I is a great moment when the very thing you imagine in your mind manifests and you can purchase knowing it will just fit in perfectly

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    1. I do love the bowls Phil, but even though at sale price they were expensive compared to the prices I'm used to paying at op-shops. However the window blinds purchase didn't run quite as smoothly as first thought. Four of the blinds were a perfect fit, but the other two were too short for their windows, so back to Spotlight I go again tomorrow. It will be in & out quickly this time though. ;)

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  9. Well done Sally!!!
    You did great lol I'm hearing you, bright lights loud music, ashfelt, cars ahhhh love the country.
    I like your bargains..
    Yes daylight savings...
    Scott and I were actually nearly going to start our own time on korinya farm and declare no more daylight savings!
    We were very close but logistics of remembering when we have appointments etc lol maybe next year ....
    Well good to have out beautiful sun back in the morning
    Thanks for a beautiful blog , been a while since I dropped in
    X Mary-anne

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