seriously thrifty!

A really big thanks to Zita at Homebug for her very kind link to friendly cottage on her hugely successful blog, I'm flattered. Thanks also to her for asking me to contribute some thrifty tips to a feature she wrote for the current issue of House & Home magazine (editor (Eimear) of which by the way now has a fab blog here).

Being thrifty for me is not so much about making the most of my money, it's about the joy of being creative with what I have...or feeling confident enough to buy something cheap knowing I can mix and match or embellish it and nobody would ever know. I especially like to think of ways to use something in an unexpected way, particularly if it's something old. I crave and lust after old and secondhand things that can tell a story or two. Which brings me nicely onto the treasure I found today...

I had been searching all winter for a cute coal bucket and came across a 'fire' bucket online recently. I had planned to buy it tonight but was over the moon when I stumbled across this baby hanging from the roof of a big warehouse (Gibson & Bailey on South Circular Rd). The guys there went out of their way to get it down for me and then unbelieveably didn't want to charge me for it because they didnt realise they had it in the first place!! obviously for good karma I gave them a drink....seriously thrifty though eh?!