I've been really trying to curb my spending habits, now that I'm trying to pack and move.

Unfortunately it doesn't always work.

Today, I gave in to a batik pillow for $3 at the thrift store.

It was in emmaculate condition. I don't know if it is real batik, or a print, but it looks good enough for me. It's only yellow and white on the batik side, and it's a picture of some sort of 'ethnic' man. I think. I'm not really sure that it's a man. I bought it to comtemplate it, and because I like batik. The other side is a black linen-look.

Also, a couple days ago I bought a lipstick. A new one! Not even on sale, or discontinued, or ANYTHING. I never buy new make-up.

I don't remember the brand, but it was called something like 'Cherry Brown', and was, coincidentily, a brown based red. Or red based brown. No, brown based red, because it was definately more red than brown.

Who cares?

No one.

BUT ME!

It's a good colour. Oddly enough, I never buy any other colour. Well, rarely. I always buy browny-reds. I have one or two purple reds. Never orange red, or pink red. Never cool browns or warm purples. I have one warm brown kicking around that looks red-brown on me.

I like it.

Anyway, today I also bought a scarf. (At least I'm keeping most of my purchases small, eh?)

I agonized over buying it yesterday.

It went something like this:

Pros: %100 silk (I have a think for silk scarves), beautiful, black, flawless (as far as I could see), like none of my other scarves.

Cons: More shit to pack, I have a black scarf (though different) already, this one is $5 (for a used scarf!), I really should be spending my money.

I spent some considerable time picking it up and putting it back and weighing the pros and cons again.

Finally I tucked it in the back of the rack of black scarves with a vague idea that if next time I came by, and it was still there, I would buy it. (It was also much longer than the other scarves, with considerable silky fringe, so it wasn't very easy to hide....not that I made much of an effort.)

I went by today, found earlier mentioned pillow, and brushed through the scarves. (Me and my silk fetish -- I'd have all silk clothes if I could -- I love to touch racks of scarves and pick out the silk ones.)

I checked the black rack, but it wasn't there. Alas!

But wait--

It was draped carelessly over the greens, so I saved it, I did (and found a nice little muted green silk scarf which I didn't buy, because the shades would have drained colour from my face, and it was two small to knot it around my neck in the fashion I like).

So I bought it. It was worth the $5 which I shouldn't really spend, and it is silk so it will pack small.

And oh, what silk!

It's shawl length, with about a four inch fringe on each end, and black.

Not just black, but the sheerest spiderweb silk dusted with tiny silver sparkles.

Not the cheesy way. These are REALLY tiny sparkles, scattered sparsely.

It's so sheer, I think it would tear at a thought. I checked it pretty thoroughly for any major snags or tears, but it looked perfect.

I can't imagine what someone would have paid for this new.

Hooray for me!

Ah, I love shopping. Second hand store shopping that is.

It's such an adventure.

.

Rosie.

Before&After