Monday, 19 July 2010

Road Trip


Jon needed to pick up a car part from Ilkeston today. When I checked out the Association of British Charity Shops website and discovered there were seven chazza shops in the town centre I decided to hop into Ebby and join him on his trip.


Set within the scenic Derbyshire Dales, Ilkeston is a market town once famed for coal mining, iron working and lace making, trades which have since long disappeared. 


Although the town is just an hour up the road from us the dialect is completely different from our West Midlands twang and we were called "Me Duck" by everyone we spoke to.


Overall the standard and pricing of the charity shops was pretty good with several shops having 50p and £1 clearance rails.

Finds included this 1970's St Michael sundress for 99p in ExtraCare.

These pretty embroidered platforms for £3 in Treetops Hospice.


This fantabulous "California" gingham maxi was £5 in Headway.

My dress was 20p from a jumble sale on Saturday. I have had to take it in by about 6 inches and I also hacked the horrid sleeves off. The 1970's leather shoulderbag was 10p from the jumble sale, too.


On a sad note it's goodbye to my old girl, Lucy Jean, aged 19 years. She was put to sleep last night. The house seems very empty without her. RIP Lucy xxx


45 comments:

  1. ((Hugs)) for the loss of your cat, she looks gorgeous. Having always had (been owned by)cats myself I know how they easily get into the hearts of their loyal slaves. Love those shoes.xxx

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  2. Sleep well Lucy x so sorry Vix xxxx

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  3. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of Lucy, its always hearbreaking when you lose a pet. I've had my heart broken a few times.

    But on to happier things, Ebby looks like a VW Type 4 from that photo - am I right? I've owned a few VWs myself (Beetles and split screen campers) and you can't beat a good air cooled engine.

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  4. How fab do you look! And I love Ebby! Great buys but then again you never fail to find something, love those platforms.

    Sorry to hear about Lucy, sleep well little girl. :( I totally understand the feeling to lose a pet, heartbeaking.

    X xx

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  5. u have such an adorable blog! im defo a follower!

    http://theveiledbump.blogspot.com/ ♥

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  6. Lovely finds, Vix, and I am so sorry about your baby. We have 3 cats and I can't bear thinking of it. I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you.

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  7. Sorry tp hear about you poor kitty :'( I know how sad it is when a beloved pet dies! :(

    You wernt far from me at all in Ilkeston .. we go there a few times a year with our local football team!! :D

    Sal xXx

    Oh and in answer to your question i'm 5.5!

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  8. Ohh i'm sorry to hear about your cat, its so hard when you lose a pet.
    I can't wait to see you in that gingham dress xx

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  9. oohhh god...really sorry to hear about ur cat Vix... hope ur feeling better

    love ur snags..u always amaze me with ur beautiful finds..i really wish someday i can meet u in person and u can show me how to shop vintage..

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  10. Oh no poor Lucy, and poor you I am really sorry to hear that. Lots of hugs
    Kandi xx

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  11. Sorry to hear the sad news about your cat. Thinking of you. xx

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  12. Like the finds and tourism guide, but sorry about your poor kitty cat. Good innings xx

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  13. Oh Vix, I'm so sorry. Lucy Jean looked a little beauty. We had to do the same last year for our Wee Pip, she was 19 too. Just a couple of months shy of 20. They are playing like kittens now, honey. xxx

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  14. Sorry to hear about Lucy Jean but at least she had a good life with you xxx

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  15. OMG,little Lucy Jean,the wee darling.Bless her little dreads.
    LOVE HelgaxxxXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  16. oh,that is so sad about you cat-my 2 are 13 years old now and I dread the day when they leave me.xxxx

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  17. I am so sorry to hear about your cat, she was a good age and I am sure she had a beautiful life!

    I have never been to Ilkeston even though it is pretty close to where we are! I tell you where is good for charity shops, Ashbourne. I have found some amazing things in the shops there! x

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  18. Dear Vix,
    I'm sad to hear about Lucy Jean, it's a very heavy task, having to make the decision to put a beloved pet to sleep but alas the proverbial end must come to us all :(
    She’s gone but not forgotten as you have 19 years of wonderful memories that will keep her alive in your heart forever.
    That 20p dress you’re wearing is AAAWESOME…
    I really love the colours & the print.
    I agree the California dress is fantabulous indeed.
    I had a pair of embroidered platform sandals very similar to the ones you’ve just bought about ten years ago & I completely wore them to death…they are perfect shoes for adding a bit of frill & romance to an outfit.
    Take care me duck ;)
    …xXx

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  19. Well hunted, Vix - fabulous finds! 'Me Duck'??? and I found 'Love' funny when I moved to England... So sad about Kitty. 19 is a good age for a cat, for sure. I bet she had a wonderful life with you. xxx

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  20. Your dress is so pretty! You always wear colour, I need to wear m ore colour. x

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  21. Sad to hear of Lucy's demise...

    Nothing but admiration for your skill in altering clothes! The yellow fabric has a great pattern - and you look fabulous in the dress!

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  22. I can only echo what everyone has said about Lucy jean. Very sad. Yet again, though, you've scored on your charity shop finds. Gorgeous gingham maxi.

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  23. Dear Vix, I am so sorry to hear of your lovely Lucy Jean. I'm sure she lived every one of her nine lives with a lot of joy and vigor.

    Looks like you are having a blustery day. Love your outfit and the platforms. But what are tbose buildings that look like nuclear reactors! Very scary!

    xxx Bonnie

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  24. That's the best bit about travelling somewhere new in the UK, especially if it's tagging along on someone else's work thing - charity shops!!

    I intend to trawl around Norwich on Monday for that exact reason...mwahahahaha.

    Can't wait to see you in that California dress, I love it - so John Bates-y!

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  25. Oh poor you, thats awful about your cat. At least she enjoyed a nice long life with you.x.

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  26. RIP Lucy Jean <3 I hard how hard it is to lose a friend/pet.

    I really love the platforms and the maxi dress for a fiver is lovely.

    x x x x

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  27. your collection of maxi dresses is mighty envious! we want... but they only seem to be selling short summer dresses while the maxis are not to be found in our parts these days!

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  28. Oh dear ...
    Just a sad day ...

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  29. Poor kitty! My sympathies, Vix.

    You're looking gorgeous as ever. If I see you in person at Indietracks this weekend, I'll be sure to say howdy. Only 3 more sleeps! x

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  30. oh Vix, I'm so sorry about Lucy Jean. I dread the day my cat leaves us.

    Such brilliant finds again, I've missed your posts. x

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  31. I'm so sorry about Lucy :(

    But such a beautiful dress you're wearing & such great finds!

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  32. So sorry about your cat - always so sad to lose a pet, particularly one you've had for so long xx

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  33. So sorry to hear about Lucy Jean - she looks adorable. As do you - such a waspish waist in that gorgeous dress! Love the car, too. x

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  34. Ohhhh :( so sorry to hear about Lucy Jean.

    You always find such amazing things Vix and you always look amazing finding these amazing things!! xo

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  35. Awww im so sorry you had to make such a hard decision about your kitty (my name is also Lucy - well, lucie!) You always seem to pick up amazing things…you are incredible! Keep your chin up girlie x

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  36. Awwww! Thanks so much for those lovely comments, you've right cheered me up.

    Vintage Knitter - Ebby is indeed a Type 4! We've got a T25, two Bays and another Variant, we're addicted to Dub. Air Cooled rocks!

    Bonnie - Those cooling towers are old-school electricity generators, they used to give me nightmares as a child but are rather beautiful in their own way.

    Rebecca - Thanks for the tip. We're off to Matlock in a couple of weeks so Ashbourne's a definate stop-off.

    Sabine - Me Duck's a funny one but the locals round here call you "Cock" which is even odder!

    Vix
    xxx

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  37. OMG, so sorry to hear about ur cat!!she is in a good place and I am sure she had great 19 years with you..

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  38. I'm so sorry to hear about your lovely Lucy, she was a beauty.
    I hope I am lucky enough to have my little girl live that long.

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  39. Aww bless, what a beautiful cat.
    I'm going on an overnighter to Whitby soon and the first thing I did was to check the website to see what charity shops were there!
    The embroidered shoes are just lovely

    xx

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  40. this maxi dress is so amazing! those other charity shop finds are gorgeous too.
    i love charity shopping so much. in germany you won't find too much of those shops sadly.

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  41. Great finds, love the dress you are wearing, it's perfect for the summer sun! Lucy had an amazingly long life! Im sure she is frolicking around in kitty cat heaven!

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  42. I'm sure I had those platform sandals when I was about 15 from a catalogue, they were my first clubbing shoes...are they made my Kit? (I think it was kit) Love the outfit today, you get some fabulous jumble sale bargains, I can't even find a jumble up here :( Funny I never went to Ilkeston when I was living down the road in Nottingham, wish I had now you found some good bargains yet again :) lots of love xx

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  43. my best friend in first school came from Ilkesten, never been though, love the last dress xx

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  44. Sweet dreams lucy.

    x

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Lots of love, Vix