Three oppies in Watsonia.

I took my disabled friend J. to Watsonia today, to visit the Salvos, The Red Cross, and the Church oppie over the road. We had a ball! J. didn't buy much, but she enjoyed looking, and I got lucky with a few bits and pieces:

I've been looking for a white bag for months and found just what I wanted for $5 at the Red Cross shop.

The Red Cross shop also had some lovely ties for $2 each - a bit more that what I pay elsewhere, but these were lovely, especially the blue one.


This little Chicken Man ($5) at the Salvos begged me to take him home!


The Salvos have a great range of books, and although they were a bit pricey (between $2 and $3) I'm going to enjoy all of these (except the cricket one which is for my BIL).



Nothing very special about this bowl for $5, you're thinking? But I just happen to have three other dishes in this set at home, all of which I've found at opshops.



If you've got this far, and noticed the date on the photos, maybe someone who has a Casio digital camera can tell me how to change the @#$%& date! I've tried everything, including trying to turn off the date altogether, but it always comes back. technology...Grrrrr..

Inciting envy in the hearts of op shoppers everywhere

Another short one from me, and no pictures at all! The reason for this is because this is a teaser post... tomorrow I get to live the dream and visit the Savers warehouse in Brunswick. I will get to cruise the racks in the store and the warehouse to pick out outfits to use in a fashion show and stall at the Fair@Square festival (Dec 11 and 12 at Fed Square in Melbourne, it is free so come along!). Hopefully I will be allowed to get pics of this momentous occasion and post them for your vicarious enjoyment!!

i'm sew obsessed

I have dozens of vintage sewing books already, but whenever I come across another one at the oppy there's no way I can leave it on the shelf!

I just love the illustrations. This book was published in 1949.

This one is from 1969. Retrotastic!

Both books were found at Salvo's St Kilda on Carlisle St.

Dandenong Vinnies

Dandenong Vinnies is having 50% off all of their clothing!! The sale just started yesterday and according to the lady I asked in store, it will go for a week! They're meant to be getting a heap of new stuff in as well, though there was already quite a good impressive selection! Just to give you an idea, I picked up several items and my total only came to $12.. it is a great time to grab some bargains. Many of the items I picked up were literally brand new with their swing tags from the retail store still attached!!

Mahoneys Road moccasins

Last week I was at the Lion's Den in Mahoneys Road, Forest Hill, when I found these black suede Wittner moccasins (as close to brand new as you could hope to get) for $5. Naturally, I bought them. How could I not, when they are comfortable AND have fringing (anyone who reads my blog would know I am just slightly partial to fringing!).
Strangely, the last time I was at the Lion's Den, I passed up another pair of practically new over-the-knee boots with crazy fringing because they were $30 and I didn't know how much wear I'd get out of them, despite them being exactly my size. Seems there's someone who is trying to clear their wardrobe of faux-native American footwear in Forest Hill!

I don’t often experience the ick factor with the things I buy from op shops. This coffee machine was just $3 at the church op shop in Kilmore. The coffee baskets and holder were in very good condition, but there was water in the tank which would’ve been there God knows how long, and a component of the top lid showed some signs of metal corrosion. I haven’t been able to bring myself to use it. Would you? More on my blog.

B.S. L. weekly visit.

Actually it has been more than a week since I dropped into our Brotherhood opshop in Eltham. Today, I took my disabled friend J with me. She said she used to go there a lot, and would love to go again, so that's where we went today. She found some clothes in her size, and also pointed this blouse out to me. I tried it on, and bought it. 'Laurentino' brand, $4.


Vintage card of unusual lace $1.


Cute patchwork wallhanging kit - a bargain at $7! Kits which include everything usually cost around $30.


Just one book for 70c - something to read when I get tired of sewing!


And saving the best till last: this gorgeous Chinese dinner/bowl set for $5!!

Salvos in Ashburton.

I was in East Malvern today, and came home along High Street Road to Warrigal Road. There are three more opshops along that road, but if I'm short of time, the only one I stop at is the Salvos, which is right at the end, near Warrigal Road.
It's a beaut store, taking up two shop fronts, and run by friendly staff.


I have been looking for a white leather belt for ages and finally found one today (that fits me) - $1.



Had a quick flick through the craft mags and found some interesting projects in this one. $1.


A year or so ago, I bought a set of four cups and saucers in this kitty design for $10 at the RSPCA opshop. One of the cups developed a crack, so the set has just been decorative instead of being used. So when I saw these two today for $2 each set, I grabbed them. One to replace my cracked cup, and one extra!



I don't know what this little china piece is used for - it is about 2 inches high. But I love the design - naughty Geisha! $3.

Stella McCartney in Dandenong

Having just lost my officey job, and now spending the bulk of my time at home working on a zillion projects and job applications while wearing tracksuit pants and no makeup, there's no need for me to buy any new clothes, least of all officey white shirts. But that didn't stop me from buying this one at Uniting Care in Dandenong last week.

I was puzzling over which brand it must be as I could tell it was some sort of designer brand, then I had a look at the label which the kind staff must have decided it was necessary to add seeing as the original label had perhaps fallen off ... Stella McCartney for Target!

It must have been from the first time round as the second collaboration has only just hit the shops. Really, it's not my usual style, but I always get brainwashed by those "must have items" lists which always feature white shirts, so I decided to splurge. FOUR DOLLARS. Big splurge. You can see what it looks like here, if you are so inclined.

My 20 cent book

Hello! Its exam week and I should be revising, but I thought I would post about my recent op shop buy. I bought this copy of To Kill a Mocking Bird which has been rather well loved for 20 cents (originally 50 cents) from Kindlan Opshop in Mont Albert, which made me (Kirsten) rather happy :)

Wingfield Rowbotham & Co Cutlery Set

I came across this cutlery set at Vinnies in Dandenong a fortnight ago, and for only $9 I couldn't resist! It's a bone handled and silver plated nickel cutlery set. The knives have beautiful floral engraving on them, and they're in immaculate condition! I did a bit of a google search of the markings on the knives (not pictured) and it turns out they're electro plated nickle silver... pretty snazzy!

Savers Haul + More!

At yesterday at the 50% off all clothing sale at Savers I picked up a few great bargains! I also took the chance to visit a few other op shops. First stop was Savers Frankston where I picket up a tan H&M coat for $5, a black Bardot coat (pictured) for $6.50, a sportsgirl tshirt for $5, a Rusty tshirt for $5, a Pierre Cardin tie and a silk Liberty tie both for $5 (pictured).

We then checked out the RSPCA op shop in Frankston, and I found these vintage Oroton sunglasses (pictured with the ties) for only $1!

Next stop was Savers Dandenong where I only picked up a black London Fog coat with military style button detailing (pictured) for $6.50.

We then checked out the National Jewish Womens Association op shop on Hawthorn Rd, Caulfied where I picked up 2 books for $1 each (pictured - 'The Woman of Rome' and 'Montana 1948')

We then popped over to Oakleigh Vinnies and I picked up the other books pictured (between 50c and $2 each)

What did everyone else pick up at the Savers sale yesterday??

Savers sale this Monday!

Not much explanation needed really. You know the drill. 8am-9pm, 50% off clothing only. Get excited NOW! (Oh, and do you want to win a Savers voucher? You do? You'll have to fight me for it, but I like a bit of competition... Go here where there is a $50 voucher up for grabs - and check out the rest of the site too... yes, this is a shameless promotion for Fair@Square festival for which I am helping to run a fashion show!!)

Savers in Greensborough.

I am a Do Care volunteer, which means I visit socially isolated people who don't have the opportunities to get out and about like most of us. I've just been given a new client (J), who is the same age as me, and is disabled, but still able to walk. She told me on my first visit that she loves going to opshops, but hasn't been able to go to any for years. I offered to take her to Savers, and she was delighted.

Today was The Day, so I picked her up about 10.30 and we got to Savers about 10 minutes later. Well! Did J have a ball! I won't disclose how much she spent, but she got a nice pile of clothes, and because I'm a regular donator to Savers, I have a discount card, so J got 15% discount off her purchases, which made her even happier!

I got a modest pile of goodies - four paperbacks between 1.99 and 3.99 each (I think Savers are a bit pricey with their books), and a wild looking skirt for $6.99!



After an hour or so at Savers, we headed down the road for Vinnies, where I found a leather belt for $4 and two ties - the red one was $4 and the blue one $2.
I'd been looking for a belt for ages, and was so pleased to find one that goes around my waist comfortably! The ties were expensive, but beautiful silk, so I suppose they are worth it, but now do you understand why I keep going back to the BSL in Eltham? Ties are all 75 cents each, and books start at 50c and don't go much higher than $2....


I suggested to J that we visit a different op shop once a month, and she thought that was a super idea! Next month I'll take her to the new Salvos store in Watsonia. It's been there a while, but they have doubled the shop size by purchasing the office next door and knocking down the dividing wall!

Nylon from Nunawading

Despite owning probably over 100 sewing patterns (most of which are, of course, from op shops!) it's very rare that I actually get to use them. Generally I end up using the same tried-and-trusted patterns over and over again, but recently I bought this fabric for about $3 from the Salvos in Nunawading and decided to use it to test a pattern that is actually one of the few that I did NOT buy from an op shop and therefore cost more in the realm of $25 than the 50c or so that I am used to paying.

Crazy, indeed. As is the print on this material, which I think is probably from the 70s or 80s. It had "Japan" printed on one end, if that's of any interest...
If you want to see what I made with it, have a look here.

I was thrilled when I found these shoes for $2 at the Uniting Church op shop in Romsey. They’d clearly never been worn, and as with most unworn shoes at op shops, when I took them to the counter the woman said, “They didn’t last long, I just put them out,” which just confirms to me that being a successful op-shopper isn’t about finding the best op shops, it’s about visiting whatever shops you can regularly and often. More on my blog.

My weekly fix at the Brotherhood in Eltham.

Good old Brotherhood of St Laurence - they have such a fast turnover at this little shop, and I can usually find something to bring home. This week I bought these:
New pants $4 - EM brand, which doesn't mean anything to me, but they are a perfect fit. Don't even need the hem taken up, which is unusual for me!


Sanci brand wool sweater $3.


Katies light blue denim jacket (looks grey here) 3/4 sleeves, $5.

St James' Anglican Church - Church Fair

TODAY is the annual St James' Anglican Church Fair in Dandenong (Langhorne Street)... pretty sure it opens at 8am, but not sure what time it goes until (maybe like 2 or 3pm?)

A Sarong and A Scarf

Picked these two lovelies up at the Salvos at Glen Waverley this morning. They were $2.99 a piece.

The first is large enough to be a sarong, so I'm guessing that's what it is.

The second is a lovely floral scarf that will be used lots over this spring and summer.

Lions Trash and Treasure Sale

Blackburn North Lions Club is holding the next trash and treasure sale on Saturday, 13 November 2010. This will be the last sale for the year, and as the last sale was cancelled, the shed is bulging with bargains.

Usual location: 1st Vermont Scout Hall, near the corner of Mitcham Rd and Canterbury Rd, Vermont.

Usual time: 8 am to 1 pm.

MECWA Op Shop - Windsor - 1973

This may be the coolest thing I have ever found in an Op-Shop. I was searching for a costume for a seventies party at my house when instead I found this. When was the last time you saw a material calender ? This is a bit of a talking peice in the house whenever visitors come over. I'm pretty sure I only paid about $5 for it.

The Hulk - Oakleigh Salvos

A bargain from Oakleigh Salvos for only $1. It's worn and banged about or preloved as I call it. Best part is that when you punch something it makes a Hulk like noise. As my housemates says "IT'S AWESOME !!!"