Thursday 28 April 2011

Confession... and Competition Time!

Forgive me bloggers for I have sinned.... It is over a week since I last blogged...

But bloggers that is not the reason for my confession. It is something much more serious - I have a dreadful and embarrassing habit, an addiction almost. The harder I try to control it the worse it seems to get. I fear there will be no cure only brief moments of respite and relapse before the craze takes hold again. Everywhere I go I am seeking to satisfy my craving and search out places where I will be able to indulge myself. However, each source of satisfaction is never as good as the one that came before or the one that might come after and I remain on an endless quest to obtain my fix.

It is the most terrible affliction - I am turning into a junk junkie!

Image from http://fleamarketchic.wordpress.com/2010/03/
The signs were always there. For nearly 10 years of my life I worked for British Heart Foundation in many of their shops, and there was rarely a week that went by when I didn't have a pile of stuff to purchase at the end of Saturday! I'd like to say that this was how it all began, but I can remember much further back to my childhood and using the pennies from my pocket money to purchase plastic gee-gaws from the local boot fair!

Some recent purchases....
And it really is getting worse. On my recent holiday to the Isle of Wight I dragged the other half round charity shops, flea markets, indoor markets and yes... even a boot fair! And for my sins I found a gorgeous Monsoon dress, a red clock shaped liked a birdhouse to go in the kitchen and three vintage dressmaking patterns - a bargain at only 10p each! Luckily he doesn't mind - just so long as we indulge his passion for dusty second hand book shops too!

So really this obsession is long lasting, deeply rooted and impossible to cure... 
so I'm not going to try!

But this leads me on to my competition...
...and my second confession! I have recently surpassed 100 blog followers and have let the occasion go by without so much as a thank you. No celebration, no fanfare and certainly no giveaway. It is now time to rectify that situation!

For the next week, all blog followers have the opportunity to win one of my famous goody bags containing a selection of goodies made using treasures I have gathered on my travels - all in return for a helping me indulge my passion for junk! The Goody Bag will be purple themed and will contain one of my new Summer Scarves (made from vintage fabric!), a matching Felt Brooch, a Wristlet Keyring and a Gift Card.


To enter all you have to do is:
  1. Become a blog follower - if you aren't already!
  2. Leave a comment telling me the name of the town in the UK where you have found either the most or the best charity/junk/flea/shops/market/boot fairs!
    That's it! You get the chance to win a goody bag, I get to find out the best places in the UK to go shopping! Who knows, I may even do a couple of special trips and report back what I found!

    Good Luck - I can't wait to see your suggestions! 

    Here's the small print: The winner will be picked using a random number generator on Sunday 8th May at 6pm. You must be a blog follower to enter, and you must leave a comment under this blog post. The winner will be announced on this blog and receive  the items pictured (a Summer Scarf with matching Felt Brooch, a Wristlet Keyring and a Gift Card) which will be posted free of charge to a UK address. 


    17 comments:

    1. I too am a second hand addict.My husband despairs. Charity shops, flea markets, carboots, freecycle - I love them all. Scarborough seems to have loads of charity shops all within a few doors of each other and on the main shopping street too which is always a bonus! I have heard that Beverley is good for them too and am planning a visit to check them out in the Summer months.

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    2. Purple is one of my favourite colours, so a lovely selection to win. Barnstaple in North Devon has quite a range of charity shops and also some large car boot sales. Might be too far to travel though!

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    3. Localish I'd say Louth.I don't know why but they always seem to have loads of brand new stuff at super cheap prices. But if you're looking for a fabulous weekend adventure get yourself to the North Laine flea market and Kensington Gardens and Sydney Street in Brighton are retro junk funk heaven, with some smashing pubs to boot!

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    4. Jane Dale-beaumont (tried to leave a post but could'nt, so I have copied it in here for her!)"South Shields has fantastic charity shops, i bought loads of designer clothes for my then young children. in lancaster i bought a limited edition ringtons van for 4 pounds, i gave it to my mums friend whocollected them, it turns out it was worth just short of a thousand pounds."

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    5. All About Beads - (was also having problems so here is her comment!)

      I’ve joined as a follower and tried to leave a comment without success!

      My suggestion is Ballymena and Newtownards in Northern Ireland for great selection of charity shops.

      Love the prize goodies – purple is my fav colour !
      Stephanie

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    6. Sorry, it wasn't in the UK, it was Paris at one of the big flea markets in the North of the city. I found a pair of georgeous really pointed black sling backs with a thin thin thin (like a nail!) kitten heel. I loved those shoes and wore them to all the rockabilly gigs I was into then. Ah, my rock chick days...

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    7. Love a good car boot sale... Bargains to be had amongst the rubbish!
      Most of my car booting and charity shopping lately is for toys for my little boy and i have been lucky to stumble on some good car boot sales near my mum in Sheffield.
      We went on holiday to the lakes over the easter weekend and i dragged everyone (inc the child) round the car boot... we all came away laden down. Me with a brand new gazebo that i will be using this summer for fairs and bbqs!

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    8. I am following you.

      I don't have any specific places to find bargains, but I actually volunteer in a charity shop 1 morning a week and always come home with something!

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    9. Blimey nearly missed this lovely giveaway. I usually shop local. Lots of goodies to be found in Whitstable, Kent. I love a good rummage.

      Never been to Paris am very envious of Didy

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    10. Already following, and not sure about other parts of the country but around here (Bristol) Gloucester Road is the best place for rummage-y charity shops, and there's a fab car boot on Bath racecourse throughout the summer!

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    11. Measham has an excellent car boot! As does Willington. In fact there are quite a few surrounding the Burton-on-Trent area.

      Carole x

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    12. i absolutely love second hand things i say one persons rubbish is anothers treasures i think the best charity shops are in small towns like kings lynn i went to my mum in laws and the charity shops were amazing i bought a tiffant perfume which was the real deal for £2 loved it and islington charity shops are amazing i love bootsales but havent found any great ones apart from wales and thats too far for me to travel.

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    13. i llve holywood in norther ireland, its a affulent town so always good 2nd hand bargins to be had!

      followed on fb lexy law

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    14. Brighton is fab. I don't live there but when my friend and I went for a day it we got loads of quality stuff at bargain prices!

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    15. Well I'm ashamed to say I've never been to a proper carboot (I know, appalling of me!) But I can vouch for the charity shops in York... we're talking 'proper' brand clothes and a much wider selection of top quality things than I've found anywhere else! The clothes were all Zara, Topshop, HnM, MnS per Una just as an example! Maybe this little street of treasures has been discovered by now but definitely worth a wander over! :) x

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    16. I love charity shops although some can be pricey. Where I live in Barnsley there is a good selection. The best I have been in recently were in Brighton & Hove. A great selection of bargains with designer name tags. Oxfam even had an up-cycled section which I've never seen before.
      I bagged myself an Oasis cocktail dress, some Babysham trainers, 2 Urban Decay lipbalms (new of course) and a vintage style cigar box bag!
      I can shop & help charity at the same time (makes you feel better!)

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    17. Thanks to everyone for their entries, but unfortunately the competition closed at 6pm tonight... the winner is announced here:
      http://thoughtsbylolly.blogspot.com/2011/05/drumroll-please.html

      but feel free to continue to leave more suggestions where I can go shopping!!!

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