Okay, so in the middle of the credit crunch, buying jewellery while you should be paying for your bills may not be the best idea, but it is possible to do both. While times are hard, it’s important to keep yourself happy— & a little accessory here & there from some of the lovely Etsy stores, can do that! And hey, even if there’s nothing you want to buy, maybe there’s a gap in the market for you to sell & make your own craft on Etsy, too!
But why should you shop at Etsy, as opposed to the high street?
1. You’re supporting independent designers! Flip the coin to the other side & think how hard it is for small, little boutiques in this day & age to survive. Your few pounds will help them keep their head above the water.
2. You can grab unique items that not every other person will have, walking down the street. And often, you can buy bespoke, customised pieces too!
3. Walking into Topshop, you might see a stand with up to 15-20 necklaces on it, but on Etsy there are thousands of items to choose from, from gold, to silver, to plastic, to wood, from funky, to goth, to traditional. There’s something to suit everyone’s tastes, as talent is pulled from all over the world.
And if that hasn’t persuaded you, maybe these fine sellers will:
Laura’s Jewellery is for the average girl, who like to add a bit of colour to her life, whilst still being fairly subtle. She sells cute, romantic gems like the items pictured above, as well as random pieces like dinosaur & Crayon earrings, lego rings & puzzle pendants. It’s all very pink, girly & lovely!
Kristaface is simply amazing. Candy sprinkles & glitter set in resin, anyone? Yes please! This is probably a little too garish for some, but Kristaface makes the brightest, yummiest jewels out there, of the best, tackiest kind, for the girl who is not afraid to be noticed! It might be a little hard for a lot of people to pull off, but this is the kind of unique accessory I love, to brighten up an outfit! They’re suitable for big kids who love fairytales, princesses, cupcakes & magic.
Heart Sized Crush make jewellery for those of us who are too indecisive (or scared!) to get a tattoo. If you’ve always wanted a pair of swallows on your chest, but you can’t make the commitment with ink, then grab a necklace instead. Or indulge in, skulls, flowers, knuckledusters, nautical stars & even scrolls with “mom” or “dad” written on it. I love this idea!
What are your fav Etsy stores? Do you have one of your own?
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Filed under: Life On A Shoestring, Regular Features, Shopping, Style and Beauty, WWW |
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Crunchy Curried Chicken Salad— Yum!
When I’m thinking of what to have for lunch, I hardly ever think ‘salad’. I’m a carb-queen, so the thought of munching on a bunch of leaves doesn’t really excite me that much. Don’t get me wrong, I like the taste of salad, but I usually see it as a bland sidedish to an exquisite meal.
However, with some chicken & salad leaves going out of date yesterday, I decided to muster up a quick light lunch for myself & you know what, it turned out to be delicious (if I do say so myself!), as well as being easy & cheap (see below) to make. You could always rustle some up for yourself the night before & take it to work with you the next day. And here’s how it’s done!
You will need:
+ a few handfuls of your favourite salad leaves, washed
+ mayonnaise
+ paprika powder
+ medium curry powder
+ a tomato
+ half a red onion, raw
+ one egg
+ a handful of pasta
+ one chicken breast, chopped & cooked
Step One: Take your pasta & boil it in a saucepan, along with your egg.
Step Two: While they’re cooking, take a spoonful of mayo & mix it with the paprika & curry powder, & season to your taste! If you don’t like your food spicy, you can always use the mayo on it’s own or add a few mixed herbs instead. Add your chopped & cooked chicken breast to the dressing— it should be enough to just coat the chicken, without drowning it.
Step Three: In a salad bowl, toss the leaves & chicken together.
Step Four: Chop up your tomato & onion, & add that to the mix.
Step Five: Once your pasta’s done, drain it & drop it in the bowl. Your egg should now be hard boiled too, so crack that open, chop it up & toss that in with the rest of the salad, & you’re done!
I just used the items I had available in my fridge, but you could always add sweetcorn, mixed pulses, cucumber, avocado & anything else that you fancy! It’s easily adaptable to suit all tastes.
And remember how I said it was cheap?
Based on the fact that you’d have pasta, eggs, mayo & seasonings in your store cupboard, this works out at just £1.68 a head (!!!), using the following fresh ingredients from Sainsburys, to serve four people:+ Basics young leaf salad – £1.17
+ 4x chicken breast pack – £4
+ single beef tomato – 54p
+ 3 pack red onions – £1
Let me know if you make (& enjoy!) this recipe— & if you adapt it, even better! I love to try new things. Yum!
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Filed under: Food Fix, Life On A Shoestring, Regular Features |
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Image by Ooh Food
I strive to write about things on this blog that are affordable & available to the vast majority of people & stay within the realms of reality— so here’s introducing a new feature titled “Life On A Shoestring“. It’ll cover everything from how to budget your monthly expenses, to where to get the best shopping deals, so you can live a great life without feeling like you’re in debt or going without luxuries.
If you know me, you’ll know that I have an appetite for aesthetic pleasure. I could (begrudingly, of course!) take or leave music, but I have a weakness for anything visual & derive great adoration from photography & film, graphic design, typography, fashion & style and more recently, interior design. I love great, unique furniture, little knick-knacks, colourful textiles and weird tins & boxes, as well as coloured or patterned home appliances!
Not everyone can afford to spend £190 on a cushion & kit out their pad with furniture from expensive vintage boutiques & antiques, as some magazines & blogs would suggest (I know I can’t!) But it is possible to have a lush apartment with good quality items, without shelling out all your life-savings— you just need to look in the right places!
IKEA [+]Sells: Mass-produced, contemporary homewares, from essential kitchen utensils, to sofabeds.
Flaws: Everyone flocks here & people tend to buy the same items, so just purchase a few key pieces of furniture at IKEA & shop elsewhere to textiles & decorative objects, if individuality & originality is important to you.
I love: The Expedit series!
If you like this, you might like: Amazon— & be sure to check out the marketplace for secondhand items!
DEPARTMENT STORES & SUPERMARKETSSells: Everything from CD/DVD racks to beanbags & bathroom towels! Shop around to find the best prices & don’t forget to look at reduced sections, to pick up a bargain— items can go down by as much as 75% just because of damaged packaging!
Flaws: They don’t always carry a large amount of each line (supermarkets especially), so if you’re looking to bulk buy, order ahead of time to guarantee you’ll get what you want.
I love: Lipstick Pink towels from Next & sequin cushions from M&S!
If you like this, you might like: Next, M&S, Debenhams, Littlewoods, Argos, Target, Macys, Barneys & supermarkets such as Sainsburys & Tesco.
EBAY [+]Sells: Everything, ever— one mans trash is another mans treasure! When searching for specific items, try misspelling keywords, to find a gem that no one else has bid on!
Flaws: Dodgy sellers, fakes & high delivery charges for bulky items. If in doubt, don’t do it!
I love: Using FatFingers.com to find bargains that no one else will!
If you like this, you might like: Car boot sales, antiques fairs, auctions, TK Maxx & TJ Maxx.
URBAN OUTFITTERS [+] Sells: Quirky & colourful items to brighten up your home.
Flaws: Some things can be a little overpriced, considering the amount of use they actually have— nose dispenser anyone?! But they’re usually so cute / weird / wonderful that it’s worth it!
I love: The Burger phone, as seen in the film Juno. You can now get a Packet of Fries phone too! Awesome.
If you like this, you might like: Cath Kidston, Very.co.uk, Kitsch.co.uk, Bombay Duck, Sanrio, Muji, Paperchase
FREECYCLE [+] Sells: Could this not be the most amazing idea, ever? I think so. Everyone’s going green these days & more people are thinking about the amount of waste that’s sent to landfill. By logging on to FreeCycle, you could prevent items that you want & need from being thrown away when they’re in perfectly good working order! Simply type in your location & see what’s available— there’s everything from ironing boards & kitchen appliances, to beds, door handles & (weirdly) china dolls. And the best thing? It’s all free, free, free! You just have to pick it up from the ‘seller’.
Flaws: If your area’s a popular one, items will be ‘taken’ fast, so make sure you sign up for the Daily Digest email! Also, when going to a strangers house, don’t go alone.
I love: …everything!
If you like this, you might like: The side of the road! Junk yards! Skips!
So, tell me, where are you fav place to shop for homewares?
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Filed under: Articles, Inspiration, Life On A Shoestring, Life and Love, Regular Features, Shopping |
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