Thrifty goodness

Last week I started a new job just up the road from New Malden station.  I’ve been heads down absorbing information and trying to remember everyone’s name.  Today at lunchtime I wandered out into New Malden high street to investigate. What did I find?  Well my goodness gracious I discovered that New Malden is charity shop heaven!  I went into no less than six charity shops during my 45-minute jaunt (and I only made it half way up the high street). I was rather overwhelmed by the number of shops and have to admit that I only gave each a cursory walk-through.  I tend to focus on the housewares section of any charity shop, looking for pretty dishes, picture frames, glassware, candleholders, knick-knacks, and similar.  Apparently many of my fellow New Malden workers like these things as well because in each shop there was a cluster of people congregating in housewares.  I also like looking through the clothes, but in my quick lunchtime whirl-around I felt I needed to focus. In my second shop I patiently waited behind a lady who paid for her £5 purchase with pennies and five pence coins. In my fourth shop, while waiting my turn to look at housewares, a cross-stitch book caught my eye and I realised I had been neglecting to look at crafty books! In my fifth shop I remembered that bed linens make excellent fabric for toiles. In my sixth shop I saw a huge cone of (wool?) yarn for £5, reminding me that people donate crafty things.   I came away from my most enjoyable lunchtime with a very little sweet glass vase which I hope to fill with flowers from my very own garden come spring.