Table Challenge

Dian and Mother Theresa have set the bar high but I will give the challenge a go.

The tablecloth is actually a single bedspread. 

It and the crockery were obtained so long ago that their origins are long forgotten. 

The serving dishes were bought from 2 different St Vinnies in Sydney.  The plate is from Baulkham Hills and cost $1 and the sweet dish from Parramatta.  I love green glass.

The eclectic angel choir were bought all at the same time from Windsor, NSW Salvos.  They were about a dollar each.

And the other angel choir has been mentioned here before, found in a box marked plumbing fixtures in Salvos, Blacktown.

There.  I did it.  Thank you for the challenge.

Merry Christmas to all and a safe and blessed New Year.

 

Dian's Table Challenge!

I have been thinking about what I might do to set the table for Christmas and was super inspired by Dian's lovely table of all op-shopped things! I found it a bit of a challenge as even though I have a fair bit of opshopped stuff, our main dinnerset and cutlery that we usually use were gifts, but I think I managed to put together a reasonably good looking opshop only table!

Most of the stuff was all purchased this year I think! (a nice reflection on the year as I think this is the 1000th post, Yay!) The top table is a bit of a pineapple theme with the napkin holder (sans napkins) and the pineapple dish of cherries, then in the second one I played around with using a raw silk scarf as a table runner down the middle. I think the colours go nicely together, sort of retro christmassy colours!  

Then I played around with this coffee and cake table setting (I really should have made a cake for the plate) I think it's a bit jungle looking, don't you? :o) 

It was really good fun putting together different settings. I think I might have a themed dinner party one day and set the table accordingly! Thanks for the inspiration Dian! :o) 

Merry Christmas!

A bit Christmassy!

So here's a Barbie doll ($1.50 from Vinnies!) that I dressed up as an angel for my tree.
Her little robe is made from a satin pyjama top, bought from an oppie up in Sydney a while back.

And if that's not festive enough, check out this $1 Santa-on-sleigh!

From the same Vinnies, Altona North. The Christmas record in the background was also an opshop find. In fact, in this picture there are only two or three things that aren't from op shops! (My housemate is a serious opshopophile too).

Merry Christmas everyone! May the new year bring us loads of awesome bargains!

Laura

vintage cloths, santa and inks

 I bought this gorgeous santa months ago from Vinnies in Tyabb Rd Mornington - he joins the others in my collection.
 Today I called in at the RSPCA op shop in Frankston and picked up two lovely embroidered table mats

As I was leaving I saw these boxes of inks - I have no idea of what they will be used for but they will go in the cupboard for after Christmas.
Speaking of Christmas - I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas.

today's loot

Hello! 

I'm finally on holidays, so to celebrate I went opshopping (I will clean the house tomorrow) haha! 

 Some good finds today. In the first pic is an Australian souvenir tablecloth for $1 from the little oppie on Union Rd in Ascot Vale (I love souvenir linen!!!), 4 Johnson Bros. dinner plates for $1 each BSL Moonee Ponds, a pot plant holder for $5 and a book about jewellery for $3 at BSL Brunswick. I like how all these things match :o)

 This little plastic folding tray was $1 from the Union Rd opshop (can't remember who runs it??)

 And then I got a heap of children's books! Vinnies at Ascot Vale had the best selection. Most opshops I went to charged me $1 each however the ones I got at BSL Brunswick were $3 each, so I was pretty choosy with the ones I bought from there. The puppets below were 50c from the Union Rd opshop and I think she threw in the hammer for free ;o)

On another note, I did some amazing garage sailing on the weekend! It must be the weather for it. My favourite find was a vintage fur stole for $5 in awesome condition. I'd seen some in vintage shops and even opshops before but they'd always been too expensive for me, but for $5 I felt I could indulge my retro glamour desire to own a fur. Also, the Fitzroy primary school has a great vintage/second hand market once a month that is really good! I stumbled across it on Saturday but didn't get a great deal of time to look around as it was near pack up time (most stall holders were willing to do deals though at this time) Worth looking into retro lovers!!
Merry Christmas everyone!

Brotherhood opshop Eltham update

Just because I haven't been posting anything here lately, it doesn't mean I haven't bought anything in that time! I just haven't got around to taking photos of my little bargains, and there hasn't been much of interest except to me. But I thought I would tell you what I picked up at our little shop today. A length of patchwork fabric which will come in handy with last minute hand made Xmas gifts. $3.50

Pretty little embroidered cloth, $5.

Ten Xmas cards, 10c each. I thought I had enough at home, but found I was short on cards when I was writing out the last of mine, so these came from our box of cards at the op shop. We get a lot of unused greeting cards, and they are popular with our regular shoppers.

Unusual silver bangle with elephant design. $3.

Book on crafting with felt. 70 cents.

Craft magazines, 10 cents each.

Tupperware Alert!

Hi all!
Just a quick note to let you all know about the motherlode of Tupperware and retro plastics I witnessed earlier today at Vinnie's Altona North (on Doherty's Rd).

There was Tupperware, Melmac, a couple of pieces of Bessemer.

I didn't look at all the prices, but a couple of the smaller Tupperware pieces were around the $5-$6 dollar mark - about what I've begun to expect lately.

I managed to resist as I already have a cupboard-full of sweet retro Tupperware that doesn't really get used. Instead I walked away with a nice vintage sheet ($4) and a couple of ancient, but unused, maths-grid exercise books for $1 each.

Picture a bit sideways I'm afraid! I also picked up an old barbie doll to make an angel for my Xmas tree, but she's a bit naked so I won't post her picture!

Hello! Thought I'd share today's finds with you all. 

These little pottery tea cups/pots?? were marked at $1 at Don Bosco on Sydney Road, but some items were half price today so they were only 50c. I love the glaze on these!

Also from Don Bosco were these leather ballet flats by RMK for only $3 and the knitting needles were $2 a pair from Savers. 

Pretty happy with today's purchases, I've been itching to do some opshopping lately, so feel much better now ;o)

Project Opportunity

 I have already posted some of this on my blog but really wanted to show it here.

A lot of people think of op shopping as being a bit haphazard - just a matter of chance.

On the other hand I think of it as my first port of call if I need something in particular.

To illustrate this I decided to set a dinner table for four people using only items obtained from the op shops I usually frequent.

  My grand daughter was with me and we had such fun doing this.  

The damask cloth is in great condition and fits my table perfectly. (Salvos)

Two dinner sets at $5 each (settings for 4) were ideal for mixing and matching. (Wilson Street op shop).

I used odd pieces of stainless steel cutlery which can be picked up for just a few cents. (outlook recycling centre)

Glasses are a bit of an obsession and so we had some lovely retro glasses for water and wine (and cranberry juice).  Glasses cost between $1 and $3 each.

Serving plates by Portmeiron and Villeroy & Boch, a glass bud vase and pink glass candle holders all added to the look.  Linen serviettes were in a big bundle of linen which I bought from Vinnies.  Salt and Pepper shakers also from Salvos.  The little candles are led lights also from Vinnies.

A rose from our garden and Spaghetti Bolognese and Garden Salad completed the diner table.

Daylesford info, please!

Hi fellow op shop fanatics, I'm off to Daylesford this weekend and am wondering if you can tell me about any op shops in the area - or on the way there? I'll start doing some Googling but if there are any must-visit op shops, let me know!

BSL Eltham.

I'm still working at the BSL every Friday, and yes, I usually bring home something, but I just haven't got around to photographing any of them lately. Probably because they have only been one or two things like books...But today was one of those great days when I found heaps of goodies!

 Two unopened boxes of oil paints ($4 and $10)  and two artist painting knives ($3 each).   I might seem greedy buying both boxes, but I have been to a couple of oil painting workshops, and when you slap on the paint with those knives instead of brushes, one tube of paint doesn't go a long way!

 Two pairs of shoes; on the left, Rivers brand ($2) and the green ones are Nike ($5)  How lucky to find brand names in my size - they are so comfortable.

 Hand worked tablecloths - above:  Leaves and hand crocheted edge.

Below: Roses, with a hemmed edge.  So beautifully done I thought it was machine done at first glance, but no, it is hand sewn.

I bought more goodies, but haven't photographed them yet, so I'll be back tomorrow with the rest of my stash :-)

One--Dollar Wonderland!

This morning we popped out to Salvo's Williamstown, where I found a (among other things) this cute retro teatowel for $3.99.

 Then on the spur of the moment we decided to head over to the Laverton Lighthouse. Hadn't been there in a while, and got a bit lost - but it was worth it! All clothes $1!
A denim jacket, this interesting skirt, a grey wool Fletcher Jones jacket, and a slightly strange grey rollneck jumper.

I also found some pillowcases and an embroidered quilt cover which are perfect for a couple of projects I am working on. Oh and these darling vintage spools, which cost me less than 50c!

There is a tiny Missionpoint on Somerville Road which is only open a few days a week. They get a lot of dumping at the front of the shop. Last Tuesday on my way to work I saw a red suitcase had been dumped with some other stuff. I wasn't going to be able to get there until Thursday, so philosphically I thought if it was still there it was meant to be mine! Indeed it was, in fact it was still in front of the shop under a lot of other stuff. It hadn't been priced so I offered them $4. It's pretty battered and one of the catches is broken, but for that price I'm stoked. I have a big crush on retro and vintage luggage at the moment.

Last but not least I got to Savers on Friday and got this little beauty for $7.99!

This is sewing machine #4 for me! At least it doesn't take up much room :-)

By the way, Savers Footscray is having a 50% off Clothing Sale on Monday 12th. I'll have to get out of bed early tomorrow....

$50

Today I called in at Vinnies Tyabb Rd Mornington and found that everything in store was half price.
Yes everything!!!

Anyway this is what I bought for less than $50.00.

Two small canvases and a small display easel, a beautiful glass bowl, some christmas balls that open up so you can pop a surprise inside.  A red and white tee shirt and a black flouncy skirt, A book about making dolls house dolls and their clothes, a wipe clean table cloth for outdoor meals, some melamine for that table - I love melamine and although I bought two sandwich trays, two small rectangular dishes and a four compartment serving dish, I did leave some for others to buy.  There is a little sewing kit, some glittery hair decorations, some green tissue paper, a wooden planter box, a pink table cloth and napkins, some linen fabric and wedgewood and royal albert butter dishes.  Tins and boxes also found their way into the basket.

You have to agree that I did really well.

Lions Club sale

Blackburn North Lions Club will hold its next monster trash and treasure sale on Saturday, 17 November 2012.

Time: 8 am to 1 pm

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

This is the last sale for this year and it looks like being a big one.

Lots of bargains and something for everyone.

Hope to see you there.

Op shopping in Malta

My husband says I can find an op shop anywhere.  We were in Mdina in Malta when I came across this.

 

It was a combination opshop and fair trade store run by a local catholic organisation.  I love board games so of course could not pass up a Ravensburger game made in West Germany.

 

It is a 1980's game and is complete.    A West Germany game from an opshop in Malta.  My holiday was complete.

 

Sunday Session

Hello! As I was out and about on this lovely sunny Sunday I popped into the local BOSL in Brunswick for a quick look. I got this Camilla & Marc top for $3

This T for $3 which has cross stitch all over it

A Lululemon gym top for $3

and I took a gamble on this pulsar digital watch for $10, hopefully when it gets a new battery it'll work, otherwise it's $10 down the drain!! Fingers crossed!