Monday 15 April 2013

Car boot bargains

I'm a bit behind with the news, because I did the 30 money saving tips. I need to catch up. Now what did I do yesterday, ah yes, I went to the car boot sale at the football ground. I haven't been for about six months, I thought I might find some saucepans, and I need a pair of garden shears, as I have buggered mine up trying to lever some paving slabs to reposition them. Stupid idea, they are not meant for such heavy work, and now they won't cut properly. The garden fork did the job, should have used that in the first place. 
Found some saucepans but they were worse than the ones I already have, and didn't find any shears. But what I did find was a lovely pair of curtains, they will fit my front room perfectly. The lady who runs Rabbit Rescue was there and she has a big pile of allsorts, mainly clothes and household textiles, on a big plastic sheet on the ground. Three for £1 she shouts, so I had a rummage through. The curtains caught my eye, so I asked how much. £1 she says, so I snapped them up and gave her £1.50, well it is for charity.  
They have some lace sewn up the sides, I will unpick that as I don't like it. They still had the plastic hooks on them as well.
I washed them in the sink, and had them blowing on the line. Just got to take the lace off and I will get them up. My lovely new spring curtains.
Another good find. I have two windows in my kitchen and they both have these net type blind things hanging in them. They are getting a bit dingy, and mucky on the bottoms because the cats keep jumping up onto the sills. I found two new ones but they are far too long. I have checked the drop and I can cut the very long one in half for the two windows. I will have to cut holes in the bottom piece for the pole to go through, shouldn't be too dificult.  
This is how it looks when hung. It was a bargain, £1 for two of them. I will find a place for the other one.
And a third bargain was found. A 50p wire dish drainer for the draining board. I have a plastic one and it's horrible, takes too much time keeping it clean, it will have to go, will give it to a charity shop. Pleased with my car boot bargains.
Today I went to town to pay a bill, and look for some pans. I had already looked in Hull on Saturday but didn't find anything. There wasn't any in Sainsbugs that I liked, have already looked in Tesco and Matalan, and TK Maxx, not a lot of choice, and today I found some in Westgate, which is part of the Co op. So, I have three pans for £51. The make is Judge, with a Teflon non stick finish. I noticed that most pans have two rivets which go right through to the inside, to hold the handle on. I didn't want that, I want a completely smooth finish inside, with no rivets. I didn't want glass lids, or metal handles, or stainless steel. These will do nicely.  

I called in at the car body repair place today, and found two more pieces for my artwork. This is an unusual shape. I have washed the dirt off, and smoothed the rough edges with a stanley knife. It is a bit bent but I am going to leave it like that. I have an idea.
This should be interesting to work on, a headlight cluster from goodness knows what car. I need to take the back off so I can work on the inside. I don't think I will be hanging this one, it sits nicely on a flat bottom.
Got to go, I'm all behind, I've been on the phone a lot tonight. Toodle pip.

20 comments:

  1. How lucky to have decided to go to the boot sale on the day the perfect curtains were there for you. Love that! I was so happy to go to my one and only one at Snettisham in Norfolk and bought a gorgeous little blue glass vase. I would have bought lots of vintage things but luggage restrictions stopped that. planning another trip back to your gorgeous country soon with my savings. Take care. By the way.... love reading your news.

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    1. Hi Lydia, English car boot sales can be quite good fun. You never know what you might find. I like a good rummage.

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  2. Great finds at the Car Boot. Those curtains are lovely and I know you will cherish them.

    I love seeing washing blowing on the line.

    And I am happy you found the saucepans too, but I have quite enjoyed your adventure in finding them!

    Sft x

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    1. Hi SFT. When I am looking for something I gradually narrow the choices down. Discarding what doesn't float my boat. My criteria was easy to wash, so non stick. Handle that doesn't get hot, and plastic not soft grip, which I imagine would harbour germs if not washed properly. I could have searched for a better price, but didn't want to spend more time on it, and there is a lack of good cookshops round here, and I don't do internet shopping. I was going to get four pans but decided I could manage with three.

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  3. Great bargains! I'm looking at the red piece and seeing a fish!

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  4. Great blog as usual and like the finds you got. I look at the red piece of car and see a bird on its side lol. Looking forward to seeing the finished piece:)

    Sue R

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    1. I see that as well. I haven't the foggiest how it will turn out though. I want to try something new, using wool.

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  5. That looks like an exotic fish! Good find with the curtains. I bought a beautiful embroidered table runner, linen and wool which I think I will make into a craft bag. It's a bit old fashioned in the wrong way, for my table.

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  6. Love the curtains and pleased you got so many bargains.The pans are a good investment, no use buying cheap ones and having to keep replacing them. I use a 30 year old pressure cooker pan (lidless!) for my batches of stews etc and its perfect. I doubt it will ever wear out. You sound like me with the garden shears, just what I would do. I have put my garden trowel down somewhere this week and can't find the flipping thing but I will wait because I really dont want to spend good money on another one, so will see if it turns up.

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  7. Forgot to ask- My hubby (disabled) and I are staying in Tetford near Horncastle next week, is that near where you live because I was wondering if you know any nice places for us to visit whilst we are there?

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    1. Hi Vixen. I live near Scunthorpe, so it's not really close to where you are going. However, I can come and meet you if you like, but Wednesday and Thursday I will have to be back about tea time because I have something on in the evenings.

      You will be not far from Louth, a nice walk along the river there, flat and suitable for everyone. I don't know how disabled your other half is, but I am guessing you don't want to walk too far. A look around Louth is nice. Horncastle is a nice smallish market town. You could have a day out in Lincoln, museums and art galleries, there might be a bus service there. Alford is another small market town. Skegness is a typical seaside town, nothing special, not to my liking. Ingoldmells is a massive holiday camp, thousands of mobile homes. Mablethorpe, not very inspiring, you are best staying inland. Although I haven't been, Coningsby looks an interesting place, home of the RAF, and things of a military and war ilk.

      If you want to discuss a possible meet up, please email me, address on the side bar.

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    2. Thank you for the info, much better to get it from someone who knows the area. Will mail you later I would love to meet up with you xx

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  8. I see something completely different from a fish in that red piece (but I won't say what, I'll wait and see if you do too).

    Some good bargains and well done on getting those pans at last, they look a good set.

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  9. Gorgeous curtains! We went to our first car boot sale on the year on saturday. I've missed them so much! x

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  10. Glad you found some pots that you like.
    You did real good at the car boot sale as well....lucky you!

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  11. If you don't use metal utensils in your non stick pans you'll find the coating lasts longer.

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  12. Great bargains from the car boot. I love them and sell stuff all the time. It pays for my holidays abroad. I'm off to Majorca in 4 weeks! Keep up the good work x

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    1. The curtains are lovely and the pattern is Dorma Country Diary as we used to have them and matching quilt and lampshade.

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  13. Hello Ilona from House fairy.
    Great buys at the car boot. I felt so envious I looked for spring curtains for my hall in the charity shops today. I was shocked to see they were £10 a pair in several shops - for what! what some one has given in for free.
    I took in the CS 4 bags of things with OH help for them to sell.

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  14. Hi Ilona,
    I have these pots too. They have lasted a long time, and I love that the handles stay cool. Just be careful what utensils you use inside so they don't scratch. I prefer to use rubber silicone spoons to stir my food. Enjoy.

    Julie Q

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