Thrift shopping...OOTD

The Thrift Shops have been so good to me lately...

This freshly purchased vintage leather bag is coming home.

I have posted about how I have been lusting after the Mulberry Amberley bag.

 The Oxblood leather is sumptuous

the details are simple 

classic and stylish.

I have been slow...

hesitating to make a move 

for several reasons...

there is no store here in Victoria or Vancouver 

where I can see and try on it on

the price point is higher than what I usually spend

so I have been re-evaluating

so when I saw this vintage bag 

which is made with embossed leather

about the same size

with a flap and similar interior compartments

I decided to give it a try.

OOTD

The new Ralph Lauren denim shirt 

with my skinny NYDJ jeans

Clark flats

Casual dressing making the rounds at the thrift shops 

paired with a silk scarf tied at the neck.

This shirt will get plenty of outings...

I am considering wearing it with:

 a boiled wool grey skirt and pearls

black skinny Calvin Klein knit pants

white denim NYDJ jeans

Ralph Lauren pull on denim pants

black leggings and a black Barbour quilted vest

Not sure why I have not had a denim or chambray shirt in my wardrobe for so many years...

I feel like I have been missing out on a major workhorse in ones repertoire!

I also found a lighter blue Tencel shirt with similar features...

am wearing it today with black leggings.

Feeling such gratitude for so many reasons...

friends, family, grandchildren, a roof over our head, our cozy home, the cats, flowers in our garden, the veggies that Mr. HB so lovingly cultivates and grows,

I vow NEVER EVER to take life for granted.

It's a beautiful rainy morning

one of the first Fall days.

Hope you have a fabulous week!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Random stuff on Wednesday.

~ The Humble Bungalow ~

The garden out front has many plants and flowers.

Among them are yellow rudbeckia flowers 

a variety of yellow, pink, and red roses.

Limelight hydrangeas

Hostas

grasses

lime kniphofia

lavenders

boxwood 

The deer have been by munching on the Hostas and the Hydrangeas so the new garden help suggested that we try spraying with BOBEX...

it is all natural but is very stinky and it deters the deer from chowing down on the plants that have been treated.

Our tiny entry hall is rather cluttered,

it is where we hang our coats

store our brollies

hats.

Inside the picnic basket are winter woolly scarves and gloves.

No room for a wardrobe and no closets...

This wee area of the living room is where I write cards.

The quartersawn oak arts and crafts desk has many compartments inside 

which I use to store our address book, stamps, pens, and cards. 

We have such a small living area on the main floor...

about 975 square feet so we need to be careful not to collect too much stuff!

In 100 year old +  bungalows, storage was not originally a consideration.

People generally did not have a lot of extra things...

they were living on limited incomes, credit was not available and so people tended to be quite frugal.

Our bedroom closet is really small and we have to renovate that room someday. Mr. HB will redesign our closet and have some built in drawers installed.

We use the downstairs closets for our out of season clothes.

Trying to keep a minimal wardrobe is my goal but every so often I act on impulse and buy something that is usually something that I already have represented in my current wardrobe.

Buying a variation of something that I already own and don't really NEED 

is a waste of money.

This summer I paid attention to 

what I wore regularly 

what did not get worn often 

and 

what never got worn.

3 dresses were worn regularly and two others hung in the closet.

I wore 2 pairs of pants and the same few tops weekly.

The rest languished away...

 Why have something if it is not being used especially when storage is an issue?

The exercise also showed me that the clothes I wore 

were those that made me feel good wearing them

and  coincidentally 

they are the better quality more expensive items in my closet.

With that in mind, I plan to buy fewer things come the Fall and opt for better quality "investment" pieces.

It seems to me to make sense not to waste the space, time and money 

on something mediocre that is not going to be a workhorse in the wardrobe.

Walking scenery...

Clover Point on Dallas Road

the start of my regular 5 km. walking route.

Midway along the route Ross Bay

looking across at The Olympic Mountain Range in Washington State.

Ross Bay and the trees that line the edge of the historic Ross Bay Cemetery.

Walks have been lovely with the sunny warm weather...

breezes have been slight which I appreciate.

Plainsong was a good book...

a slightly different genre than I usually read but it came with high praise from the gal at the bookstore.

I have reserved the second in the series, Eventide,  at the local library.

In other news...

The scale has responded to the no alcohol regime.

I quit the wine habit last Tuesday.

Several readers have emailed me regarding me giving up alcohol.

My new tipple...non alcoholic wine.

It tastes good and has way less calories than real wine and is less expensive.

The information on the bottle 

may be of interest to you. 

I sip a couple of glasses at night, 

one before dinner and one with dinner.

Willows Beach walk

mixing up the walk locations for a variety of scenery.

There is a tearoom near the playground.

Mom and I used to stop in after our walk along the Esplanade.

I have taken tea here several times this summer and I think of her when I sip my cuppa.

My Mulberry knapsack has been getting a lot of wear this summer.

I love to be hands free when walking and it is the perfect size for my prescription glasses, wallet, lipstick, tissues and keys.

I love the colour of the leather and the details.

It is a sturdy bag that should wear well for many years.

Have you seen The New Amberley bag by Mulberry. ?

Positively Smitten with this bag...

I like the shape, the brown embossed croc finish, and the clasp detail

it is not too big 

so there is no worry that I would be carrying a too heavy bag and injure my shoulder again!

  Plus it is a bonus that it is a cross body bag.

Perhaps I will invest in this one...

it has been ages since I bought a "new" handbag.

The last two have been thrift shop finds.

Back to the garden...

One of the Hostas that the deer have munched!

Thankfully the giant Rudbeckias seem to be safe from the deer.

Are you familiar with books by Kristin Hannah?

Firefly Lane (2008) is a page turner...

Kristin has a large number of books to her credit

and why have I not read her novels before this?

 I have no clue!

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog

taking time out of your day to read the blog and glance at the pictures.

Hope that you are enjoying these last few days of August.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Recipes for a bountiful harvest...snapshots and books.

Our annual holiday is over and we had a relaxing time...
I read oodles of books and gained a few pounds.
(no surprise with the amount of reading that I have accomplished!)

Friends who live on the island introduced us to the owners of a stunning waterfront home and garden situated at the end of Pilkey Point on Thetis Island which is known for its beautiful sunsets.

We sat on their deck and sipped a cold beer and marvelled at the views.

Telegraph Harbour Marina is well run and maintained 

by the current owners Tara and Ron...

we have been going to this Marina since the 1970's when it was in Peter's hands.

Despite the lack of water they have beautiful flowers and a lovely garden.

The deep blue agapanthus attract bees.

Buzzing right into a flower.

A fun read that I found at the book exchange at the marina.

We are back home in our Humble Bungalow...
it feels familiar and cozy. The hydrangeas are in full bloom and the roses have another flush of flowers...the greenhouse is yielding our first summer harvest of produce.

Cucumbers and tomatoes

Time for a couple of salads.

I searched online for a new cucumber salad recipe

and found this gem here.

I knew that Jamie Oliver had a great tomato salad recipe in his cookbook.

He had a series on the food network that showcased his garden and he came up with recipes that used what he had growing in his garden.

The cookbook is called Jamie at Home.

I have a few weeks of laundry to catch up on and some groceries to buy...

the garden needs some attention and I have already started a "do " list.

My current book...

also found at the marina book exchange.

I love my Mulberry back pack bag.

Its perfect for the boat 

as it is great for activities like walking, beach combing, hiking.

It holds my extra glasses, cellphone, wallet, lipstick and a few assorted extras.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow today.

I'll be tackling the domestics starting with the laundry as soon as I hit the publish button.

Just out on the front porch...

Limelight hydrangeas and strawberries in a pot.

Cheerio

XO 

OOTD and some budget friendly ideas

My "new to me" thrifted cognac coloured vintage Due Fratelli bag inspired me to take out my old Burberry jacket which I have not worn for ages.

This jacket was an "investment" piece.

I purchased it when I was working.

It was worn almost every chance I got when it was new 

but of late it has languished in the closet.

I have a weakness when it comes to coats and jackets...

Quite a few are in hanging my wardrobe, a mix of casual and dressy.

Some new and others thrifted.

Walking jackets make up a good portion of these and there are a few cold weather down options in the closet too.

A priority for me "being prepared for all kinds of weather."

~ OOTD ~

Burberry jacket, NYDJ, Jessica Simpson flats, Due Fratelli bag

what you cannot see is the 

thrifted crisp white shirt by Northern Reflections and my baroque pearl necklace.

"Retirement dressing"

Mixing high and low priced pieces help me stay within a budget.

I have a book where I record all the garments that I purchase so I can keep track of my expenditures.

It is surprising how it adds up!

My retirement budget also requires me to mix high and low priced cosmetics and skincare products.

The newest items in my arsenal of products...

Jane Iredale Dream Tint with an SPF of 15

100% natural Brilliant Lip Shimmer by Burts' Bees in Cherry

I love a pop of red in the Fall and Winter.

this is not a sponsored post

 opinions are mine, and are posted for the convenience of my readers

I switched from the powdered Jane Iredale foundation to the tinted moisturizer 

it adds a soft glow and boosts moisture levels

works with my dry skin.

The Brow Drama is like mascara for the eyebrows...

I have found that a spa eyebrow tint lasts only a few weeks 

then the coarse white hairs are visible again...

This product is under $10 and lasts for months.

Spa visits are few and far between...

pedicures in sandal season and possibly one or two facials each year.

While I love the pampering I cannot afford to indulge as often as I would like.

I have fun doing my own facials.

Often I will dedicate a morning to some self care

using products similar to those available at the spa.

This red rose looks so pretty against the soft yellow siding of our neighbours' home.

Thankfully the wild storm that was predicted did not hit us as hard as we expected.

The book that I have been waiting for at the library arrived!

In the spirit of thrift I have been reserving books at the library instead of purchasing every book that I want to read...

Hope you are having a fun weekend.

Are you saving for something special?

Do you try to live within your budget?

Thank you for stopping by my humble blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving...

The roses are just about finished blooming in The Humble Bungalow Garden.

This summer has been a splendid year for the roses here in our garden.

They have loved the heat and the sunshine and we have managed to keep them hydrated and happy.

Jude The Obscure 

My favourite David Austin Rose

has a few blooms clinging to the bush.

McCartney Rose

a fragrance Hybrid Tea Rose

a few sprays of flowers left but are slowly fading into Fall.

The Hydrangeas are a mix of fresh blooms and dead heads.

I picked a few to bring inside and hope that they will dry slowly so I can keep a bunch in a vase for a few months.

I think I may have already shared this photo with you.

I know I posted it on my Instagram page.

The blue and mauve hydrangeas are cut from the same plant.

Unfortunately these blooms wilted quite quickly after bringing them in the house.

I love this vintage blue and white jug.

It is made by Woods and Sons.

Peppers Market in Cadboro Bay Village 

is hosting a contest.

 $100 gift voucher for guessing the weight of this huge pumpkin.

I have no idea... so I have not entered yet.

Any Thoughts?

These hairy "things" are on hanging on a clematis near our bungalow.

I think they look like Thing One and Thing Two...

perhaps from a Dr. Seuss book.

Speaking of books, I am reading a great little one right now.

Halfway through it and am keen to read more.

 I have a busy day here in The Humble Bungalow as we have all the family coming for the Thanksgiving feast and I need to focus on the menu.

Earlier this week I took my favourite recent thrift shop find, 

a pristine vintage Canadian made leather bag

 out to tea.

I am loving this new bag!

I will try to take a few pictures of our table and dinner if I get a chance later today...

Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~