Monday 7 July 2008

Confessions of a bag lady.................

Hello,my name is Julia and I'm addicted to shopping bags...................
Seriously, I can't resist. I've got the whole lot, jute ones, fabric ones, ones made from recycled bottles, you name it I've bought it. I pretend it's because I'm an eco warrior but really it's because they're irresistible. I've never been bothered by handbags, I'm the sort of person who's far too disorganised to have more than one bag on the go at once and I also feel a bit sorry for the one that's been replaced by the new bag on the block. Labels don't concern me and I couldn't justify the cost of a designer bag.

These are the current favourites, both a couple of quid and so much more attractive than plastic bags don't you think?

But the overall winner has to be my good old string bag. Not the prettiest but it fits into any bag and you can squeeze loads into it. It's also worth taking out just to embarrass my gorgeous teenage niece who looks like she wants the ground to open up and swallow her whenever I take it out in the shops!

Did I mention they're also great for car booting, believe me you won't believe the goodies I've crammed into them. This is one of the latest acquisitions, 50p from a lovely man (didn't fit in the bag though!) A coat of paint and a scrap of oilcloth and another addition to the VH household is born.

A couple more things before I go. I've been tagged with the view from my kitchen window by Emma but it is absolutely pouring down here and has been for days, so I haven't forgotten and will participate as soon as the sun comes out, if it ever does!

Lastly I thought I'd mention that Andrea and I are having a little summer sale here this Thursday evening. We've also invited another lovely lady who makes the most gorgeous felt brooches. Really it's just an excuse to get together, eat strawberry shortcake and drink Pimms but any of you who are nearby and would like to pop in, drop me a line.

Better go, I should be cleaning and sewing. Bye all!

24 comments:

prettyshabby said...

I think it's catching..I have a similar problem with shopping 'eco' bags (and teatowels for that matter)..I dont need to use the bags twice as I practically have one for every day!! I really like your elephant one and the red spotty one, I was hankering after a red spotty one the other week! Really love the stool..there's a definate stool vibe going on in blogland at the mo..best of luck with your summer sale, it all sounds fun..I'll be working (boo) but would have loved to pop over(even though I spent the months allowance at Berry Red!!) x

Tinyholder said...

I LOVE your stool, it looks gorgeous. I have the same addiction and I make eco bags! They are dotted all around the house storing something or other. I love the green floral one btw.

Knitty, Vintage and Rosy said...

Oh, Julia, I am so jealous. And that green roses one is divine.

We are so pattern deprived over here it's not funny.

The stool looks wonderful.

Lisa
Knitty, Vintage and Rosy

Locket Pocket said...

Lovely bags!!! Especially the elephant one - where did you find that? And how fab that you can use your string one to embarrass your niece! Lucy x

mollycupcakes said...

Julia, I wish I lived just around the corner from you as my heart dropped when you said you and Andrea would be having a summer sale, oh poo I wish I could drive too, because I'd drive the whole 3 and half hours for that lovely day. :( any chance of a sneak preview on line lol
Cheeky mare I know lol
Loving your boot fair finds, our boot fairs down here in Kent are just crappy well the ones where I live are. I'm after a pretty eiderdown for our featherdon farm hoilday in Sept, any help would be grateful on finding one.
Many hugs, look out for the postie this week, little bits for you the birthday girl and Kitty.
Love.
Catherine x

dottycookie said...

Love the bags, especially the spotty ones!

Claire said...

Snap....I was thinking about taking pics of my selection of bags too! There are some great bags out there so there's no excuse for anyone not to have one!! I would love to come to your sale if I lived closer, take lots of pics for us to see.......claire x

French Knots said...

I have grotty bags that I use for the big shop and pretty ones for going to knitting group or picking up a few bits in the green grocers - wouldn't want the nice ones spoilt with too much heavy shopping!!

Ali said...

I keep being tempted, then thinking 'no, I should make more'. Then failing to make them and using icky plastic bags for life numbers.

How far am I (Abingdon) from you? Oh darn - I just re-read and I work on Thurs. Poo.

{oc cottage} said...

Those bags are darling!!!

M ^..^

Mary Poppins said...

what a lovely place I have come to
Yes me a bag lady too X

Country Bliss said...

I too am addicted to shopping bags there are some really great ones in the shops at the moment. My OH is always dragging me the other way when he sees a display of them!

Barbara said...

I'm partial to my string bag, too, but your floral shopping bags are very nice!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, me too me too Julia, I have one scrappy old handbag that goes everywhere and a growing collection of shoppers....just got my spotty CK/Tesco one this week, I can't believe the ebay thing!
Your stool is beautiful, and I so very very badly want to come to your sale but alas I am too many hundreds of miles away. Let me know if there is any scrumptious greengate going, does Andrea have a website??
Lx

Anonymous said...

Hi Julia...me again....I meant to say to you a huuuuge THANKYOU for the blog award, I am so chuffed! I will be blogging about it in a day or two, just wanted to say thanks :o)
xxxx
ps also thanks for asking Andrea about the Greengate stuff, I have emailed her
xx

Emma Herian said...

Bags! We love them. I went into CK yesterday and nearly succombed to all of har bags, realised that I didn't have the money so I went and bought a couple of yards of her sale oilcloth!!! Er, what went wrong (or right )there!
Love the stool, nice oilcloth too, tee hee. As for the rain, its here now and so was the wind! I had a beautiful cardoon a couple of days ago.....
Hope you enjoy the pimms, wish you were nearer. Have fun and post some pics.
Emx

JuicyFig said...

lol! I too have hundreds of ECO bags, more than I ever accumilated in plastic ones, and still either leave them at home or in the car when I go shopping, still, it's a good opportunity to buy more!

oh, and I wish they had car boot sales round here that sold such gorgeous stuff!

Kath
x

Lesley (Notesfrommydays) said...

Loving your blog - only recently found you but will be checking in regularly! Coveting your bags as well and really need to find time to drive to a big Tesco store and see if i can get my hands on a CK one as refuse to fall into the trap of the Ebay sellers :-(
Lesley x

Knitty, Vintage and Rosy said...

Julia:

I did not forget about you. Mactac is a sticky adhesive used for shelf paper. Over there, it is like fablon? A nice reader of my blog alerted me to this.

Still loving those bags ;)

Lisa
Knitty, Vintage and Rosy

Betty said...

Oh! I love that green bag with the roses. I wouldn't be able to resist it either.

Suzie Sews At DOTTY RED said...

I WANT ONE OF THE APPLE PRINT BAGS>>>>please tell me where you got it...its fabulous!!!!

Anonymous said...

Julia, hello!! Its me again, gosh, can't keep away can I?!
just to let you know I have TAGGED ya! Nip up to the Attic to find out :o)
xxx

claire Maraldo said...

My friend Jackie has got a string bag like yours. I'm very rude about it and call it "the elephant's scotum"
(i'm fond of it really)

claire Maraldo said...

SCROTUM not scotum.

so sorry for defiling your blog with unpleasant words.

(i'll get my coat)