good reasons to be poor

Things I've been spending money in the last week (which I probably shouldn't have) but am happy I did...

This book 'Just Kids' that I cannot wait to start reading! About £5, brand new from Ebay.

This super cute bike necklace, £7 from Accessorize, on a nice & long gold chain. I couldn't walk away from it...

This dress from Traid charity shop on Holloway Road (one of my all time fave charity shops) for only £4.49.

This vegan face mask with avocado and goji berry was £6 from Superdrug and it's soooo good.  Great to have affordable vegan beauty products more accessible!

This nail jewel set was only from the 99p store at the end of my road... I couldn't not get it! I did this two days ago and half the jewels have fallen off now, but it's a lot of fun and worth it if you want to bling up your nails for a big night out, haha!

Headphones (£4 from a sports shop) and water bottle from Sweaty Betty... I also got an amazing sports bra from them too. That was the big spend of the week; but it was so worth it.

Went out for a run the night I'd gotten it and ran for 7 miles - my new personal best! Being able to listen to music (finally) when I'm running was a major help too. Oh and having water with me. You don't even have to grip this bottle because it just sits on your hand.

I became a member of Sweaty Betty for free and get to attend free excercise classes they hold in the evenings - Wednesday is running club. I can't wait to go along to one!

Hua-Run

 I tried some of this weird fruit in Carns (Australia) and I'm not sure why but I felt compelled to buy this...

 Organic Food. Green Food.  Thumbs up for chestnuts.

Hua-Run: Amazing little Chinese supermarket on Seven Sisters Road.  Wonderful foods.  Vegan friendly.  Great value tofu.  Too much to take in.  Lovely staff.  Approx 2min stroll from my front door.

VEG{AN} is good for you

Take on on a recent visit to Indian Veg, Islington, London.  I highly reccomend it.

 So does Miss Philippines and Miss Asia 1995, too.

 You need to go even for the decor.  TRUST ME

A home cooked dinner from a dear friend. Beetroot curry. I wish the photo did it more justice as it was an even brighter pink.

SPOILT: Pancake - bananas were in the batter and as the topping. 

The benefits of veganism from friends:

&

VEGAN CARROT CAKE & ICE CREAM from THE LOVING HUT, Holloway, London.

New [old] Cardi {AYOKA}

I finally got round to paying a visit to Ayoka; a charity shop run by the St Margarets House Settlement.  Before I knew it was one of their projects, I used to cycle past it on my commute to work and was always intrigued to pay it a visit.

The shop is small and requires a bit of a rummage in some corners... Organised but still a bittle of a jumble... Just they way charity shops should be.

I got this beaut of a cardi there:

 Check out the crocheted epaulettes

 What makes this cardi like none other I've seen are these fantastic crocheted patches (doilies!) on the side, spreading from front to back.

 The front and back sections have been knitted separately and stitches cast off/on to leave an open space for the crochet design to be sewn into; the picot edge allowed to float freely.

Along the arms is a criss-cross and bobble pattern; 

not too dissimilar to the cardigan I am knitting for myself at the moment:

St Margarets House run so many different projects; including the Gallery Cafe, literally next door to the charity shop.  I stopped in there for lunch & ended up staying for hours... All the food is either vegetarian or vegan and very reasonably priced; I had a homemade vegan burger and it was probably the best I've found in London yet!

Take a look at their website as they also hold craft/sewing events there too... I might try to get involved!

Simple Eats

Flour + Water = Base

Courgettes + Soy cream x herbs = Topping

Bake & top with homemade salsa.... Nice

Home Grown Welcome Home

Another working day done, another lovely welcome home; this time I had to walk further than the front door and out of the back one to find my very own vegetable patch!

Green peppers, red peppers, icebergs, spring onions, courgettes and red lettuce!

This was kindly planted for me by a loved one and I am extremely grateful (we shall both be rewarded by the tasty veg it brings us).

Above is a close up of the red lettuce sprouts and behind them you can see the red and green peppers.

I successfully managed four fruitful tomato plants last summer, although I was a little late in the season when I started so I was tasting the fruits of my labour September - October. It was worth the wait though as nothing beats the taste of any home grown veg (you know I'm right about that!)

This shall be nurtured and maintained well and progress will be posted when it grows!