A visit to B & M
It has been a bit of a blustery day here, chilly although a little Sun has peeked through now and then.
I had to nip into town today to go to the Opticians to purchase some more of the eye drops I have been prescribed as I had run out of them. These drops have helped me an awful lot with the eye issues I had been experiencing so much so, I try and have these to hand at all times. I managed to pick these up in any event.
There was another reason for me going into town though as our B & M store is more or less opposite the Optician that I go to and I always enjoy looking for bargains and finding useful items from here generally throughout the year. However, today I was particularly looking forward to seeing what Christmas items they had. I was looking forward to this especially as I had been seeing a lot of very nice decorations some of which I wanted to buy on some of the video blogs posted on You Tube that I have been watching. Although there were some nice decorations there, there were loads of items that I had seen that just were not in store and non-existent. I was very disappointed. There are a couple of items I may go back for later this week for, which will go with some existing decorations that I have. However, just not the ones I was hoping for. There is another B & M store in another part of town I may well go and have a look there. It is near the Range and so would be able to kill two birds with one stone as it were as I also would like to have a look at the Range as have not been recently.
I did come back with some small bell hanging decorations, a couple of glass candle stands with ribbon and foliage, some Christmas decoration cake sprinkles (3 different ones) two packs of Christmas cake papers, two packs of Rice paper Christmas decals. Therefore just a few little additions. I will probably get a few more of the bell hanging decorations as I have a use for them on my Dressers together with some existing Eucalyptus garlands that I have. I would also like to get more of the glass candle stands for the centre of the table.
On a separate note, I also managed to find a couple of bits for my autumn collection that were reduced. A couple of pumpkin mugs and a freestanding ceramic pumpkin. Nothing much but every little helps.
I did find some blankets and throws which I quite liked the look of as well. Will see if they are still there towards the end of the month when I may purchase a couple. I need to buy in some blankets and throws to use in the interim until I manage to make enough homemade blankets/throws as well.
G is meant to be fishing in a match tomorrow and so I intend to go to the small trading estate where there are several well known stores to have a look around there as well as to have a general look around.
Now time for some TV time.
Catch you soon.
Pattypan
x
I have to confess, I have only bought one addition to the Christmas decorations this year, a little mouse for the mantlepiece in the living room. I have a collection of (bigger) ones which came from TK Maxx when we lived in Carms. Now it's 55 miles away I am not near enough to get tempted to Go Look! I try and draw a line between what I "want" and what I actually need . . . especially now I am widowed and have lost 2/3 of our income. That even applies to books these days! I am sure your Christmas table will look lovely.
ReplyDeleteMorning BB, I have had quite a lot of my decorations for yonks and am still using what I can. The Lounge is more or less sorted on decorations the majority of them vintage, however I have never really had many decorations for the dining room. What I have bought this year some can technically be used year around - I bought a couple of large storm lanterns nothing special came from Home Bargains at £5 each on offer but it does offer potential and I was looking for storm lanterns in any event. I also need some new baubles for the tree - a few got broke at the beginning of this year and need replacing but I am a bit picky about baubles. I had gone looking for some Gingerbread cushion and ornaments yesterday - but not anything left. They had also had some red velveteen paper stars which were £2 each which I quite liked the look of but they hadn't any of them either. I did manage to pick up two larger white stars which were a bit larger also for £2 each. I have just been picking up inexpensive bits to go with stuff I already have or to go on or with garlands I already have. Last year I bought a metal rack which fixes to the table and which you can decorate with garlands and baubles for say a buffet table so I need one or two bits for that. Also some new lights as my youngest set is about 15 years old! I very much use what I have but I do like to have a good look around at Christmas. Sometimes looking around gives me inspiration to have a go at making stuff at home inexpensively as well with items that have been foraged, or substitutes such as paper mache, clay or Salt Dough, using up last year's nuts to create candleholders or Christmas wreaths or garlands. Cinnamon, Orange and Bay leaf ornaments, Popcorn or Cranberry garlands. For me the playing is just as important as the browsing, although browsing also gives me a lot of pleasure especially if I do not spend anything. I do not go into town much these days at all, however I have always done a little browsing in the run up to Christmas a little further afield than I normally go. We have two TK Max stores and yes they are very enticing although more often than not it is preserving jars I come back with from there. It is rare for me to buy new books these days as I tend to buy secondhand where I can however I do understand. I hope the table will look lovely by the time I have finished. Take care Tricia xx
DeleteI love shops like B&M, The Range and dearly missed Woolworths. There are neither in our nearest small town, but we do have our own Yorkshire versions - Boyes and the Yorkshire Trading Company. They have such a wide selection of stuff at really good prices and when my best friend visited from London she was amazed that both had really good haberdashery departments.
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy, I like B & M and was only thinking that it is one of the shops that has come to the fore replacing Woolworths. I miss that store too as there was always something you can find. I do love the Range as well. I can always find something there but it is a little way off from where I live - parking is horrific and so I tend to go on a trip in a taxi once in a blue moon. I miss Wilkos too. We lost our local Department stores. We have no John Lewis now, or Beales which replaced the Co-Op which was also very good. I had heard of Boyes but not the Yorkshire Trading Company. Haberdashery departments or shops we do not have one of those now in Peterborough at all. I have to send online for things. Unfortunately most of the shops we do have down what used to be the main high street tend to be cafes, restaurants etc. We have lost a lot of very good shops. Peterborough is classed as a poorer area compared to a lot of towns. However have to be grateful for what we do have. Not many real proper shops. For those I like to go to Stamford, which is about 20 miles from home. So will either be a bus or train trip. Charity shops are excellent there as well. Take care Tricia x
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