Local things to see, make and do this winter

There are tons of fun things to see, make and do in the East Midlands this festive season. My pick of activities (including a couple further south, in London) are the following...

 

I'm looking forward to taking a trip up the M1 to Nottingham next weekend for the Pretty Dandy Flea. Thanks to for Laura for bringing it to my attention: I'm looking forward to having a blogger meet-up with her for a cup of tea and some bargain hunting.

The Makers Mart comes to Curve in Leicester on Saturday 8th December, and will feature an array of interesting designers and artists selling their wares. I'm thinking an early Christmas present to myself of a Barry Bulsara print may be in order...

Leicester's Guildhall is a beautiful half-timbered building which plays host to some fantastic workshops and events.  Coming up soon are all sorts of Christmas craft sessions, including wood block printing on Saturday 15th December and, on the evening of 28th November, a wreath making workshop.  I love making my own wreaths, and doing it in the beautiful surroundings of the medieval hall would make for an extra-festive experience.

If buying rather than making is your bag, December 1st & 2nd is the Guildhall's annual craft fair, which is usually a cut above your average Christmas fair.  Past visits have seen me pick up gifts like handmade soap, African print purses, crochet brooches and handknitted gloves, for very few pennies.

I'm really looking forward to buying some last-minute gifts at the Bust Christmas Craftacular in London on December 16th. 

Also in London, I can vouch for the excellent workshops run by The Make Lounge (it's thanks to them I know how to make the super-duper-easy cushion covers I wrote about last week).  They have masses of great Christmassy events coming up, including hand-carved stamps and tags on December 1st or 13th, and a fun-sounding Christmas craft night on December 14th.

£100 challenge: week 3 & budget food shopping

Monday: £19.84 groceries (see below)
Tuesday: £12.20 petrol
Wednesday: Nothing
Thursday: £13.00 for meal & cinema ticket deal at Phoenix
                £3.60 pint of cider
                £5.00 entry into my friend's gig
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: £4.95 hair dye
               £1.99 Christmas present
               £15 two CDs from HMV (the new Grizzly Bear & Fiona Apple albums)
               £10 lunch in Firebug
               £5 evening drinks in the pub, plus a play on the quiz machine
Total: £89.06

Over the past couple of weeks it's become clear to me that I spend too much on my grocery shopping: even while working on a restricted budget, it's been making up between £30 and £40 of my weekly £100 limit, and if I wasn't doing the challenge, I would usually spend well over £50 a week.  That might not sound like too much for those of you who shop for a couple or a family, but for just one person it's quite a significant amount.  So after reading this post on the blog A Thrifty Mrs, I decided to try doing my weekly shop at Aldi, to see if that made a difference.  I do visit Aldi quite a bit, but usually only for specific things (their lemon & coriander couscous is amazing).  I've never attempted to do my weekly shop there, partly out of habit and partly because I didn't think I'd find everything I needed there.

I didn't have a long list, but I needed quite a lot of fresh fruit and veg, some bits and pieces for packed lunches, and a few basics like eggs, mince and tinned vegetables.  When I got home I used the Tesco website to check their prices, as that's where I usually shop.  The results?  My Aldi shop came to £19.84 for eighteen items.  The equivalent items from Tesco would have cost £29.71.  I have to admit, I was surprised that the difference was so significant.  I tend to think, "oh, it's only 9p more expensive, that's not much" but it turns out all those small amounts - plus a few really significant savings on the meat, cereal bars and crisps - all add up.

I was impressed that I could get organic, free range and fair trade food at Aldi, which had always been one of my excuses for not shopping there.  For example, their organic & fair trade bananas were half the price of the Tesco pack.  However, the fact that most of Aldi's fruit and veg is sold in packs isn't ideal if you live alone: I didn't really want or need a whole bag of carrots (although now I've got them, I am eating loads to try not to waste them, so maybe it's a good way to eat more of my 5 a day!).  One thing that is definitely helpful at Aldi is that, because there's not a massively wide choice, the temptations are less.  Best items on the list?  Aldi's Camembert, which was absolutely delicious, and the Australian Chardonnay.  Their Pringles-alike crisps weren't quite the same, though, and the chilli mix wasn't hot enough for my tastes.  But overall I was very impressed: I'll definitely be doing my weekly shop at Aldi more often in future.

Bargain hunting

Usually my trips to car boot sales, charity shops and and vintage stores end the same way: me leaving with a full wallet, an empty bag and a downcast expression (the only exception to this being charity shop books, which I buy in great quantity).  But recently I was blessed with a couple of days of bargain hunting success.

1. Suitcase, £15 from a vintage shop in Clarendon Park, Leicester.
2. Polka dot dress, £2.99 from Oxfam on Queens Road, Leicester
3. Two lovely hardback books, which must remain anonymous as they are destined to be gifts for a reader of this blog, £3 apiece from Loros Bookshop, Queens Road
4. Milk jug, 70p from Ripon Car Boot sale
5. Tea cups, 50p apiece, from the Air Ambulance charity shop in Blaby, Leicestershire
6. Pyrex dish, 50p from Ripon Car Boot
7. Vintage 70s apron, £2 from Ripon Car Boot

I think my favourite find is the suitcase as I've been after a vintage one for ages.  It looks very happy in it's new home, sitting on top of my wardrobe filled with winter woollies.  I'd love to hear your tales of bargain hunting successes, or if you know of any particularly good shops or car boots in the UK that I can put on my 'to-visit' list.

Bargain homewares with £10 off? Oh, go on then

I’m usually fairly skeptical about designer sale websites, because they very rarely offer anything I’d actually want to buy.  Then London-based thrift blogger Eleanor from Pretty Much Penniless directed my attention to Bamarang and, despite the rubbish name, I’m impressed. 

On sale at the moment are such covetable items as these fab Scrabble cushions (I’ve already ordered two).

Or how about some Rob Ryan ceramics with 35% off?

And I also love this Korean stationary set by Katy & June.  I have a penguin-loving friend who would be very happy to receive this. 

At the moment, Bamarang are offering this voucher worth £10 off your first purchase over £20, and believe me it won’t be difficult to spend.  But be quick – both the Scrabble cushion and Rob Ryan sales end today!