Salvos Stores sends sustainable love with latest campaign

Salvos Stores launches a new ad campaign promoting sustainable fashion and shopping at the charity retail chain.

On the first of February Salvos Stores launches its new advertising campaign that aims to unite the love of shopping with the love of the charity store chain. The campaign encourages the audience to think ’What do I love about Salvos Stores?’ DIY dream team, Sophie and Dale Vine from renovation super series, The Block, are featured in the television commercial debating about why they love Salvos Stores.

Depicted as quirky cardboard cut-out people, the couple experience an on-screen adventure to Salvos Stores, finding various items that they adore along the way. The advertisement seeks to highlight the personal connection shoppers feel towards Salvos Stores, for the love of sustainability, fashion and vintage finds.
Well known for their quirky vintage style, Sophie said the couple jumped at the opportunity to become Salvos Stores brand ambassadors in September 2012. Being huge advocates for sustainability, it was a perfect fit.

“Shopping second hand is our way of sharing our love with the planet, and your money goes towards communities who need it. Often second-hand items are better quality than some new stuff and it’s a whole lot better for the environment. What’s not to love?” said Sophie.

Accompanying the commercial is a unique online interactive game where users can create their own Salvos Stores room, using a range of second hand items available in stores. Users can share their completed rooms by uploading them to Facebook for a chance to win a $250 Salvos Stores voucher.

Salvos Stores Southern Territory operates over 200 retail stores in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Northern Territory. Salvos Stores operate as a fully functioning retail business, recycling pre loved goods and relying heavily on the generosity of the public. Overall Salvos Stores operates as a thriving business with the added benefit of contributing positively to the excellent work of The Salvation Army.

lions club monster trash and treasure

Blackburn North Lions Club will hold its first monster trash and treasure sale for the year on Saturday, 2 February 2013.

Time: 8 am to 1 pm

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

We’ve done lots of collecting over summer and our shed is bulging.

As usual, there will be lots of bargains and something for everyone.

Fabric bounty at Altona

Okay ladies, anyone who likes a spot of patchwork might be in for a treat!
On my way to the dentist this morning (yuck), in an effort to cheer me up, the Style Consultant took me Vinnies Altona, where they had just put out this massive treasure trove of fabrics.

All $5 a bag!!!! And there were some bigger single pieces for $1 each!!

I will admit I did get carried away and bought, um, a couple, okay, five. But only because my family are also fabric hounds and I could share the bounty with them.

Each bag had about 10 pieces in it. On average I would say I paid 25c per metre!!!

Whoever the previous owner of this gorgeous stash is, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! You gave my horrible dentist day a silver lining :-) 

exciting news from Ashburton GARAGE SALE and SAUSAGE SIZZLE

The Ashy Op Shop Garage Sale is being enhanced with extra treats this Friday morning [Feb 1st] !  Yummy sausages will be sizzling for a cheap lunch.

Desseree’s home-made gourmet relishes, jams and marmalades will be on sale in presentation jars, with free tastings .....  and  Barb’s Baking Team’s delicious home-baked slices, cakes, cookies, mini-quiches and other temptations will be on sale too – all gift-packaged at affordable prices.

All proceeds to Ashburton Support Services for local seniors. Be part of the action this Friday morning Feb 1^st  11am – 2pm. Ashy Op Shop is next to Ashburton Railway Station, cnr. High St and Welfare Parade.  Yippee !!!

Mega post

So, as promised I have been getting my Johnson on!! So far I have been quite successful and almost have a full set (albeit a mix and match set)

Today I found 2 orange saucers at Don Bosco on Sydney Rd for 10c each, 3 brown bowls at Girl Guides oppie in Essendon, 30c each, then 1 brown bowl for 50c, and 2 cups and 2 side plates for $2 each at the Antiques & Secondhand shop next to the Salvos at Moonee Ponds. I was quite surprised as the Antique Shop next to the Salvo's had some very reasonable prices! If anyone is interested they had hundreds of plain cream Johnson Australia (the older style, not the stoneware) plates and bowls (with a few coloured ones as well). The owner was telling me he salvaged several trailer loads from the old factory recently. He said a 90 something year old man helped him load up (I think he was the owner of the old factory) and he was just in time, as they'd already thrown out about 10,000 plates!! Apparently cafes and restaurants have been snapping them up! 

I also found this butter dish and knife still boxed for $2

Last week I got this sugarpot at Lifeline for $3. Unfortunately there is a chip in the lid, but I'm a woman possessed at the moment and couldn't leave it there. 

I can't remember the name of the opshop I got these at (I hadn't been there before) but the dinner plates were $1 each, the side plate was 50c and the nice lady threw in the jam dish for free!

And for other Johnson lovers out there, I saw this serving plate at Saver's Sydney Rd today. It was $7.99, a bit much for me considering the handle and the server were missing :o( But if someone is keen, it might still be there?? 

Today I also went to Trino's Op Shop in Pascoe Vale and scored this little souvenir jug for 20c and a vintage pillowcase for 50c

At the Girl Guides in Essendon, I found 4 unused placemats designed by 'Donald Clark' for $2. It was only until I got home that I realised the tea towel and pot holder I found earlier in the day at Dot's Op shop in Coburg (still in original packaging, $2) was by the same designer! What a coincidence!

Also at the Girl Guides I bought:

pot stand $2

Sterling Silver bangle $3

Wooden spool of cotton $1

Country Road blue cotton top $3

And at Dots:

Crotched handtowel $1

Top with Scottie Dogs on it $2

and some BEAUTIFUL cups and saucers for $3 a set. 

The top left is Royal Vale, the two on the right are Queen Anne and the bottom left is Royal Grafton. They had many other sets (some trios) as well! I didn't want to be too greedy ;o) 

This set I bought whilst on holidays visiting my family, and as such gifted it to my mum as I couldn't really bring it back in my carry on luggage. It is Johnson of Australia too, but the Sovereign Ware I think. We were really lucky to get a complete setting for 2 with no chips or cracks only 50c a piece!! I really like the slightly squared edges of the plates and bowls. 

And last but not least, several weeks ago at the Vinnies in Ascot Vale, someone had donated boxes and boxes of photos from a photographer from Footscray called E.J.Gatt. There were some beautiful portraits of people as well as landscapes from all over the world. Fascinating to see such a collection! All photos were $1 each. The shots below that I bought are almost A4 sized. (sorry about the sideways shot, my photography obviously isn't as good!!)

salvos, castlemaine

visited castlemaine to hit the op shops and vintage and collectables. best score was our 5 minute stop at salvos! we were heading off but spotted salvos and got in at 3:55pm and they close at 4pm! the last 5 minute bell and reminder message was being announced as we got into the store. $2 for handmade dress... $3 for vintage pleat skirt...

SCORE!

Happy New Year, fellow Oppies!

I haven't been posting anything for a few reasons....death in the family, death of my computer (I'm doing this on my husband's laptop), and our opshop closed for two weeks over Xmas - New Year.  But we (BSL Eltham) are open now, and when I popped in on Monday to say hi to the workers (I only work there on Fridays), they literally grabbed me and said "You have come to work, haven't you?"  I hadn't, but they were so flat out with boxes and bags of donations piled up everywhere, I offered to stay and help out.  Found some lovely goodies while I was stocking the shelves, but until I get my computer sorted out, I can't post any photos.

25% Off Everything at RSPCA op shop Burwood

Much to my surprise today I found myself popping into the rspca op shop at Burwood - not planned just lucky.  Among the many things I bought was this gorgeous little tweetie. $6 and then 25% off!
  My 16 year old granddaughter will love it.

They are having a 25% off everything sale at present and I managed to pick up lots of bargains.  I asked how long the sale would be going and they told me it would last until they decided they had cleared out enough of their stock.  I hope it will last a bit longer - call in and check it out.

I will try to take some more pics tomorrow.

Two tins, one book, countless possibilities!

My love for op-shopping has never been secret, but now that I'm getting married, I've discovered that it's really quite clear, I'm completely smitten.

I'd like to think that even if we had a superfantasticsparkling wedding budget, I would still choose second hand, vintage and tonnes of DIY. It helps, of course, that we don't have that brilliant budget, but instead a tiny one, and by-gosh darn-it, I'm going to make the most beautiful, thoughtful and love-filled event I possibly can! I'm willing to try any DIY, follow just about any tutorial and cook almost anything. (Especially if it is sweet.) The aim is to create a look that people would pay stylists for, only my event stylist is me, and I have brilliant taste!

Never before have I had more excuse to op shop.

{Any recommendations of Eastern/Inner Northern shops would be much appreciated, as I am still learning the gems here. I'm especially keen for shops that have some vintage pieces and craft supplies. Oh, and vases, milkglass anything, garden decorations.... I could go on!}

Today I popped into Vinnies in Mount Waverley and had a quick look, finding three delights! Two old tins (The one on the bottom in the photograph looks to be authentic, the one on the top a repro of that style, but still aged.) They were $3 each. I didn't have to think twice!

I didn't have much of a peruse of the books (If I do I generally take forever!) however this title popped out at me as I was walking past. At first I thought it was fictional, then realised it is a cornucopia of tips, tricks and advice on vintage wardrobe building, fashion and accessories. Certainly a brilliant resource! I'm currently a plus size, so I'm reluctant to try and find a vintage wedding dress (instead keeping an eye out for laces and appliques that I can fashion myself) but with all of the wedding-prep reshaping I will do, (Theoretically!) I might find myself discovering more vintage finds that fit my frame. In the meantime I am happy for the curvy lady clothes I do find! I think it is time to learn more about refashioning and altering clothes. Are there any good references out there? Online or otherwise.

...The book is It's Vintage, Darling! How to be a Clothes Connoisseur. Written by Christa Weil. (Have a look at her blog, its quite op-shoppy!) She has also authored a book called Secondhand Chic.



I'll leave you with a quote from my new-old paper purchase:

I am forever changing the buttons on my clothes, usually for the same reason that I correct a drawing or shift colours around in my paintings: it sharpens the total effect and creates harmony. 

Jim Dine American artist

Ironware

From the Salvos at Mt Waverley. I love Japanese ceramics!

Patterns galore in Williamstown

I stopped by Salvos Williamstown (Kororoit Ck Rd) this morning for a quick fix. There were a lot of fress donations out front, awaiting sorting. Among them was 2 large boxes of sewing patterns. I asked the lovely lady when they might be put on the shelves, and to my delight she told me to dive right in!

At 50c each I really had to hold myself back :-)

So there is still heaps of patterns there, lots of vintage kids 

patterns, plenty of ladies from vintage to contemporary, various sizes. The best part is that most of them seemed to be not cut to size so the multi-size is still there.

Also brag worthy is this gorgeous doona cover and pillowslips, from Williamstown as well, but from the op shop on Ferguson St.

I think it was $8 or so. (The Red Dwarf paperbacks are from my fave Vinnies in Altona, $2.50 each.)

lots of cotton... very retro

oh what a lovely stash of retro cotton seersucker yardage I found today.  Thank you Burwood RSPCA !!

Wallpaper .. not a Wallflower

It has been months since I went Op Shopping to buy, what with selling our house and moving into a much smaller unit, then my husband having to go into full time care, I have not been Op Shopping, just Op Shop Dropping Off.   Well this week I did drop a small box of things off at a local shop, and found this partial roll of  velvet flocked wallpaper destined for the garbage!!  it is only a partial roll, and I haven't measured the length yet, but surely it is worth rescuing?

it is so soft and velvety!

collecting Johnson of Australia

Happy New Year!!! 

Hope you've all had a nice break. I've been enjoying my time off and spending some time checking out some new (to me) op shops. As you know, many of the oppies are closed during this time, with volunteers taking a well deserved break, but most of the bigger ones are up and running still! (Phew!)

As you know a few weeks ago I found some Johnson of Australia plates. After that I found this little cup at Savers for $1, then about a week later, 5 saucers turned up at BSL for 50c each (however I got the 5 for $2 in the end) and so it begins....... I'm now collecting Johnson of Australia crockery, with my aim being a full dinnerset. I know some of you are probably cringing right now ;o) haha, but it's going to be fun!! Growing up we had the 'Daisy' pattern set, so if I get stuck, I'll just raid Mum's kitchen! I like the fact that all the sets were the same shape so it's really easy to mix and match with the different patterns. In my hunt over the last few days, I've noticed a lot of op shops only seem to be stocking crockery that's in a set though. What happened to all the stacks of odd plates and bowls? 

These were from the Vinnies in Preston. 50c each. They had more in the smaller size too if anyone was keen, as well as ones with 'Square Dancing Association' on them!! So cool!

 These leather earrings were from there as well - 50c, and the gold bangle in the picture below was also 50c. It's hollow and bent up a bit but I'm going to melt it down and make something new.

I got this cute owl statue from the Salvos on High St in Preston. Their stuff was a bit pricey but I was in a spending mood so I caved. It was $10 (eek!) the jewellery book in the middle was $5 and the stripey dress was $7.99. The other two books were a fantastic find for me today, the highlight of the day for sure. They were from BOSL in Northcote and have been on my want list for a while, and to come across them at an op shop was amazing! $7 each.

 This little Decjuba singlet was also from BOSL in Northcote for $3. And for any label lovers in the area, there was a pair of size 8 Bally loafers there and a nice pair of leather country road sandals in great condition. I would have snapped them up but I have too many shoes already.

May 2013 bring you good health, happiness and many great opshop finds!