9 op shops, 2 pooped women, 1 broken camera

Howdy folks. Today Gina and I op shopped ourselves silly between Forest Hill and Blackburn. My intention was to visit 8 op shops, but we fit a bonus NEW op shop in, so that took us up to 9:

1 - This 'n' That Community Store (Brentford Square), Forest Hill
2 - Doncare Op Shop (Brentford Square), Forest Hill
3 - YES Op Shop (Youth Education Support), Forest Hill
4 - Salvos Store, Forest Hill
5 - Animal Aid Op Shop, Blackburn Sth
6 - Mission Op Shop, Blackburn Sth (!! new op shop, just opened !!)
7 - Rotary Recycled Treasures, Blackburn Sth
8 - Epilepsy Op Shop, Blackburn
9 - Salvos Store, Blackburn

First stop, This 'n' That, and nothing there tempted me enough to buy it. I ummed and ahhed over a pretty wooden frame, but decided the size was too impractical and put it aside. Am pretty sure Gina found some crafty bits and bobs here though.

Strolled up to the Doncare Op Shop and again, I was out of luck. No goodies screamed 'buy me'. Gina found a nice soft leather bag here.

Next, a short drive over to Mahoneys Road and the two op shops there. As we were getting out of the car, Gina finished transferring her stuff from her old handbag into her 'new' handbag. She noticed the new handbag didn't have a zip, only a flap, but made a comment about how she never drops her handbag so it shouldn't be a problem.

So onwards and into the YES Op Shop we went. Ahhh, the fabulous YES shop - it never disappoints. We spent a fair bit of time here. I tried on a couple of pairs of pants (too short, DRATS), drooled over some of the furniture in the shop, and ended up buying these....

....2 tall jars. Discovered when I got home that one of them leans a bit like the Tower of Pisa due to a wonky bottom. Oh well, it's character, I say. $3.50 each.

....plus two bracelets, $1.50 each,

....and a ballerina-pink t-shirt for the odd price of $4.90.

And while Gina and I were at the counter, what do you think happened? Aha, crash goes Gina's bag down on the floor. Never tempt fate! Fortunately I think everything stayed in the bag, but Gina's poor camera had a hissy fit and decided it wasn't going to take any more photos. Gina, I hope you managed to figure out what was wrong and fixed it when you got home!

OK, so after the drama with the bag/camera, we carried on down the road to the Salvos. I never have much luck here, and today was no exception. Don't think Gina found anything here either.

Back to the car and a short drive down Canterbury Road to Blackburn South. Into the Animal Aid shop we popped (ahhh, my favourite place, bliss). I found a large, new, Maxwell & Williams tomato-red glass platter thingy for $3, artfully placed in the crack between 2 sets of drawers. (Maybe hidden there for later purchasing by someone else? Muuuahahaha, it did not escape my roving eagle eye.)

...plus 4 bits of wrapping paper for $1.

As we were walking from the Animal Aid shop to the Rotary shop, we spotted a new op shop having a 'Grand Opening' (not so grand in reality, but hey, I'm not complaining!). It's an eensy-weensy Mission op shop, in one of the side streets just round the corner from the Animal Aid shop. I snapped up this super long nightie for $4. I like the groovy tulip-type print it has.

A rummage through the nearby Rotary Recycled Treasures (where I didn't find anything), and I was stunned to find it was 1.30 pm. We headed on up to Blackburn for lunch (hellllloooooo Mr Baked Potato) and to rest our tired feet.

After lunch we walked up to the Epilepsy Op Shop (found nothing there for me, but had a giggle at the electric mug warmer that was on sale there).

Our last stop was the Salvos in Blackburn. I lingered for a while under the nice patio heater inside the shop (Mmmm, warmth), and purchased a necklace for $3...

...as well as top that was on the bargain half-price rack for $2.50. Not so sure about this top - it's a bit odd as it's a fake top and cardigan... it's just the front of a top sort of sewn into a cardigan. But for $2.50 I thought I'd give it a go as a top to wear to work.

Gina and I were well and truly stuffed by this time, so we called it a day and resolved to do it all over again on her side of town in about 3 weeks time. Silvia, we just didn't have time to get to Balwyn. I'm thinking that I'll lump the Box Hill / Mont Albert / Balwyn op shops into an opping trip one time, and we'll try and seek you out then.