Clock this baragin!

A few weeks ago, I visited one of the country’s biggest B&M stores and wrote about it for the Daily Mail (you can read it here).

I confess, I’d never been to either a B&M Home (huge warehouse-like stores selling thousands of products) or a B&M Bargains (the smaller high street version) before. And I LOVED it! It’s a bargain-hunter’s paradise. You really can buy anything there, from food to furniture – and it’s all an absolute steal.

What I really liked though was the homewares section. Yes, there were the cushions, kitchenware and picture frames you might find in any high street shop, but there were also some brilliant designer-look bits at frankly criminal prices. Think mirrors with straps, copper cutlery, wire storage baskets and several amazing clocks. My favourite was this cool wall clock, above (available with either numerals or lines on the face). Not only does it nail this season’s copper trend, but it costs just £4.99. Yep, a fiver. Unbelievable!

Here’s the numeral version next to an almost identical Karlsson one, which costs £68 from Idyll Home; and an Acctim one, £40, from Debenhams. Can you spot the difference? Tricky, isn’t it?!

From L to R: Copper clock £4.99 B&M; Karlsson copper clock £68 Idyllhome.co.uk; Acctim copper clock £40 Debenhams

So, if you haven’t already paid a vist to a B&M Store, I think it’s, ahem, time, you made a special trip! Race you to the tills…

 

The Friday Find: All the fun of the fair-y cake

Why display your cupcakes on a boring old plate or cake stand when you can pop them in a ferris wheel instead?!

Not only does this fairground-inspired cake display gizmo look fun, but it actually turns and what’s more, it’s just £4.99 (nope, that’s not a typo, it really is under a fiver).

Great for a child’s party or, erm, just a treat for yourself. You could even spray paint it a different colour or add ribbons or pompoms if you were feeling particularly fancy.

Available in-store at Home Bargains (www.homebargains.co.uk)

 

 

Down with the kids

The summer holidays are in full swing, and if you’ve got kids – of any age – that means you’ve got a dilemma.  What on earth to do with them now that school’s out, the playgroups are closed, and you’ve got six or more weeks of empty days to fill?

The answer, my friends, is to get yourself down to HEMA (or shop online here). My new favourite place to go for brilliant, bright, bargainous bits’n’pieces, it’s a treasure trove of a place for kiddy craft bits, stickers, paper, stampers, paint… you name it, they have it. And all for just a few quid.:

Take the amazing glitter foam alphabet stickers above (£2.50 for a massive pot); or the fun ink stampers below (£2.50 for a big box):

Then there are these animal-shaped foam stickers (£1 per pot), which my toddler LOVES; big packs of coloured paper, and this fab air-dry modelling clay (£1.50 a pack):

We had hours of fun with the modelling clay, making ‘energems’ from Power Rangers Dino Charge, which we then painted with sparkly nail polish (not a Power Rangers fan? Try pressing leaves into a rolled up piece of clay, cutting round them and leaving them to dry to  make little trinket dishes instead):

HEMA also sell pavement chalk in a handy reusable storage box (£2), which keeps my two happy for hours in our garden, and went down a storm at our recent summer street party:

Ooh and they also sell fab pineapple or camera-print tin suitcases for your kids to stash all their crafty bits in, for just £2.50 each:

So, if you’re stuck for something to do with the little ‘uns this summer, take a tenner and load up your basket in person or online. And if you’re on Instagram, tag me in (I’m @woodyjen here), and show off your goodies with the hashtag #HEMAhaul.

Happy holidays!