Christine Ann Metaxas stole from Jacs Stores in Ramsey, Ramsey Garden Centre, and Marks and Spencer.
She will be sentenced on July 6 after a probation report has been prepared.
Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that the first theft was committed on September 17, when Metaxas went into Jacs Stores on Parliament Street in Ramsey.
She paid for some items but left without paying for a candle, worth £4.49.
Metaxas, who lives at Waverley Terrace in Ramsey, was stopped by the manager after leaving.
On September 22, she went to Ramsey Garden Centre in Albert Road.
She was seen picking up a rosemary plant, putting it in her bag, and leaving without paying.
The plant was valued at £7.99 and Metaxas was again stopped by staff as she tried to leave.
She was interviewed by police about the thefts and claimed that she had forgotten to pay for the candle on September 17.
She said on September 22, she had been waiting for a taxi and went into the garden centre and picked up the plant.
She claimed that she had offered to pay once she was stopped.
On March 21, Metaxas was arrested again, after she was caught stealing alcohol, food, and clothes, worth £107.47, from Marks and Spencer.
Staff saw her putting the items into her bag before leaving without paying.
During a police interview, Metaxas said she had cash, but wasn’t sure if she had enough to pay for all the items.
She told officers: ‘I’m not with it at the moment.’
Defence advocate Jane Gray said that her client had a number of similar previous convictions and asked for a probation report to be prepared before sentencing.
Magistrates granted bail in the sum of £500 with a condition to contact probation and co-operate in the preparation of the report.