After three long months, we are slowly returning to normal. With retail stores opening, I wasn't sure if I was that bothered making a trip out to the shops. I suppose you start to get used to your new reality. That all changed last week when I heard an advertisement on the radio to say Jack and Jill charity retail stores had opened all their shops in my area. I decided to venture out for a look the following day. Gosh, I could not believe my eyes when I walked in! They had stacks of new stock that was donated from Dunnes Stores. For those of you who may not know, Dunnes Stores in Ireland is a ..read more

I mentioned in my previous blog post that we have been redecorating rooms in our house. The bedroom is finished, so I am posting before and after pictures with tips and advice on how we created this space on a limited budget. We bought our house two and a half years ago. While it was in good decorative order, every room would ultimately need to be revamped, with some jobs being more complicated then others. We started with the biggest job, the kitchen and left the bedrooms until last. The picture above is the master bedroom completed. It’s a small room but we decided not to extend it and keep ..read more

I have not posted anything in the past few weeks as I have been busy renovating two rooms at home. I am documenting the changes, as many of the items I’m using to decorate the rooms with are Vintage pieces I have thrifted. As with most renovations, they can slow down to a halt when you are doing it yourself! It takes that bit longer, so as soon as the rooms or even one of them is finished I will post a blog about it with before and after photos. You can subscribe below and you will be notified when that blog is posted. In the mean time, I thought I would share some of the great pieces I have p ..read more

In case you don’t believe that your fashion prayers can be answered by shopping second hand, I thought I’d conduct a small experiment. I decided to see what labels I could find in my local charity shop for my niece. She is 19 years old, knows what she likes and knows her lables. I didn't want to disappoint! I thought, by showing you what Lables are available out there and how discounted the prices are, I might inspire you to shop pre loved. I set out to my local charity shop, St. Vincent De Paul. I picked up a pair of Levi’s ( high waist fit ). A Jaeger cashmere sweater and a Top Shop dress a ..read more

I often go back and forth on the topic of whether to keep our clothes or do a major closet clear out every six months only keeping the items "that bring us joy" as Marie kondo would say. I always remember, in my teens, my best friend arriving to meet me in a floor length suede coat with fur cuffs her mum had kept in the wardrobe from the sixties. It was so incredibly cool and authentic. I was so in awe. My sister just recently said to me, while we browsed fabulous dresses in a vintage shop in Co. Cork, " I should have kept my dresses, I had so many of these and they have come back into fashio ..read more

What I want to do in this article is offer some insight into the world of Thrifting and how it can appeal to The Savvy Shopper. The Fashionista on a budget. The Interiors enthusiast. The budding Antiques expert. The Environmentally Conscious or Fashion re seller. We all know that feeling when we sit at the edge of our seat watching the Antiques Roadshow. when the expert takes a deep breath and announces to the sweet old lady, holding a little teapot that she bought for 50p in the local charity shop, that it's actually from the Ming dynasty and worth ten thousand pounds! Well this, at least, i ..read more

Below is a small selection of some more coveted designer items I have collected over the years. This selection came from charity shops around Ireland. My Louis Vuitton Beverly clutch and Mulberry bag were purchased on Tara's Designer exchange, Naas Co. Kildare. You can click on each image to find out the designer. Feel free to add a comment below if you would like further details on any item. #louisvuitton #YSL #Burberry #designerthrift #newlife ..read more

I love a Car boot sale. Mostly as is it a good way to wile away a few hours on a weekend. I love the idea that one man's trash is another man's treasure. And not a truer word can be said about a Car boot sale. The thing that makes a Car boot sale so appealing is that you have an abundance of sellers to choose from. One of my absolute favourite locations is Callen in Co. Kilkenny (Ireland). This is a a permanent boot sale that takes place every Sunday. This is a nine acre site with over 100 stall holders. For me, what I enjoy most is the fact that there are lots and lots of antiques stall hold ..read more

After three long months, we are slowly returning to normal. With retail stores opening, I wasn't sure if I was that bothered making a trip out to the shops. I suppose you start to get used to your new reality. That all changed last week when I heard an advertisement on the radio to say Jack and Jill charity retail stores had opened all their shops in my area. I decided to venture out for a look the following day. Gosh, I could not believe my eyes when I walked in! They had stacks of new stock that was donated from Dunnes Stores. For those of you who may not know, Dunnes Stores in Ireland is a ..read more

I mentioned in my previous blog post that we have been redecorating rooms in our house. The bedroom is finished, so I am posting before and after pictures with tips and advice on how we created this space on a limited budget. We bought our house two and a half years ago. While it was in good decorative order, every room would ultimately need to be revamped, with some jobs being more complicated then others. We started with the biggest job, the kitchen and left the bedrooms until last. The picture above is the master bedroom completed. It’s a small room but we decided not to extend it and keep ..read more