£4 handbag

Behold, the perfect handbag to go with my Miss L Fire Clara shoes! And it cost just £4 in British Heart Foundation. It's made of leather, and the brand is Norvic. All I've been able to find out about them is they started in 1908 and are still going, but nowadays only make children's shoes. It's a little later in style than I'd usually go for – I think it looks 1960s, do you? – but for that price, for a leather bag, I'm not going to grumble.

I've only been a serious charity shopper for a few years, but I have been looking out for a bag all that time. I was starting to think I'd never find one. My local shops have lots of bags, but they're all modern slouchy things and not really me. When I saw this I pounced on it. The lining has come away from the clasp at one side, but that's nothing a bit of Gutermann fabric glue can't put right. It did occur to me that with this and the lovely art deco evening bag I bought from Penny Dreadful Vintage, I am definitely carrying out my aims as set out in January's 'Building a Vintage Wardrobe' post. It's nice to feel as though things are going in the right direction.

Remember the bracelet set I got earlier this week? The same place had another set that had belonged to the same lady, a pretty plastic (possibly thermoset) necklace and earrings. My friend Sarah has bought it. It's great that it's gone to someone who will love it – I do live in fear of dealers finding my favourite shopping places, buying all the stuff up and reselling it at silly prices. Anyway, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if my own set might be by Exquisite. They didn't always sign their pieces, even the bigger, more elaborate ones, and often combined cold enamel with crystals. I will keep digging...