Tuesday at the BSL.

I'm still filling in on Tuesday afternoons until we get someone else.  Our little shop is losing three of its oldest (long standing) volunteers around Easter time, so we are looking for new volunteers if anyone reading this is interested in working in Eltham for a half day once a week!
Here is what I found on Tuesday:
A cute Christmas sandwich tray - ceramic not plastic!  Brand new, still in its box.  $5.

A huge tin which according to the label on the bottom, contained popcorn!  I'm going to keep it under my sewing table to throw fabric scraps in instead of the open box I was using. $2.50.

A collection of scrapbooking papers, some with maps on - can think of some fun projects for this! $4.

A gingham dress, way too long for me, but otherwise fits well, so I'm going to chop off a lot at the bottom and make it into a summer top to wear over jeans or black leggings.  $4.50

In search of cricket gear

My last visit to the Local Op Shops was in search of a knitted cricket vest for hubby as we had a party to attend as Australian Icons. He has the moustache already so wanted to go as Dennis Lillie. I found only one, and it had been accidently shrunk. The op shop lady kindly gave it to us for free to try and stretch. We googled for info and soaked the vest in warm water with a variety of suggested additions, it stretched sideways slightly but not lengthwise. Never mind, I picked up some nice cream woollen fabric and also some black crepe. The wool fabric might be cut and bundled up for a spot of eucalyptus eco-dyeing in a jar-maybe also the cricket vest!

BSL Opshop Eltham, Friday.

I had some great craft finds today!  A variety of matt frames for $1 which will come in handy for all kinds of craft projects.

Two boxes of DMC perle cottons which normally cost a lot more than the $6 I paid for these!

Bag of sewing cottons, 50 cents.

  Large bag of felt $2 - which going by the colours, must have been left over from somebody's Xmas craft projects!  

I wouldn't normally have bought this unfinished home made apron for $1.50, but  I needed a gingham apron to embellish for an apron festival in Ballarat in May, so this will save me making up the apron.  All I have to do is decorate it!

Book for 80cents.  Not about craft, but it's different...interesting.

I have joined the blog!

thank you for the invitation to join the blog, I love op shopping and have found a few treasures in the past. my favourite shops are the Sacred Heart mission shops especially the one in South Melb. hoping to find something good to post soon.

Love the jumpers

This is my first go at commenting. Love the jumpers. Would hate to see the site close. Will have a go at posting something soon.

still in hampton

And a couple of sweaters. The blue one is Country Road and I bought it because I love that blue and it is 100 per cent linen. I plan to unravel it and knit some hand towels for the kitchen and bathroom.

I'm a sucker for vintage sweaters and this very light blue one is in perfect condition. What a fabulous lable - 100% Geelong Lambswool, Made in Scotland. I'm planning to alter this one a bit too - take it in at the sides so it's not so boxy and alter the neckline into a scoop which I will then edge with some Liberty fabric bias tape (from my collection of Liberty fabric salvaged from garments bought at the op shop).

today's treasure

 

I went shopping at one of my favourite Salvo's locations today - Hampton. They have a display case next to the counter that is often filled with lovely things, like the Georg Jensen solid silver brooch above. It was a bit expensive but one of my favourite jewellers so I was delighted to buy some at the op shop! Not to mention that it is so much easier to spend money at an op shop ans know that it will help someone else.

Then there was this bakelite treasure, probably a jewellery box but I'm going to use it for my sewing machine bobbins.

 

I've tried to increase the contrast on the snap below to show up the 'MADE IN ENGLAND' stamp.

 I also bought some great children's clothes and wonderful vintage blankets. It was an exceptionally good day!

invitations are open!

Sincere apologies for my lapse in administrative performance. I have gone back through my email to check for any messages expressing interest and have sent invitations to two people.

Is anyone else interested in joining? I will make you my priority, please just let me know.

And a huge thank you to Gina who has been carrying the blog lately. I am going to endeavour to post more; it's not like I haven't been at the op shop much ...

Kind regards, Amelia

Two opshop lots.

Again I seem to be the only one posting, but according to the stats, there have bee 57 people read the previous post, and 80+ people read the one before that.  Where are they?  I've been invited to write for another opshop blog, and if this one doesn't pick up soon, I'll drop out and go to the opposition.  Not much point in posting all these photos if nobody is looking!
Found the items below at a Salvos shop in High Street road Scoresby.  I wasn't going to buy anything, but hubby was with me, and he found these coasters for $1 and wanted them.

He also found this for $3 and insisted on buying it.  It's not on the door yet though...

Today I worked at the BSL opshop to fill in for someone who is away, and I found some great bargains.
Neck support pillow $2.

Gift pack of soap and hand creme $5.

Vintage handkies, ten cents each.  I've been planning to make a CQ throw using vintage handkies for the blocks, and these will be perfect.

Xmas cookie cutters, 70 cents.  Every year I plan to make biscuits for Xmas but never seem to get around to it.  Hopefully these will inspire me!

  Blue and white tea towel $1, will look lovely after a good wash.

Plain bunny rug that I will use as the backing for a baby quilt.

I was wearing a green top today and one of the other ladies pointed out this pendant and said "That would look nice with your top".  So of course I had to have it! $4.

Not a good photo.  Black long blouse with animal print feature - $4.  It will look great over black slacks or leggings.

Brotherhood opshop Eltham today.

Found a few goodies at our shop today, worth writing about.  Well, to me anyway!
Wedgewood pot plant holder $20.  It isn't for me, but if the friend I bought it for doesn't want it, I'll happily find a spot for it around our place.

Two bracelets, supposedly Australian stones with health magnets.   Original price looks like it was $10, but we had them in our shop for $2, and I rather liked them.

Book about using stencils - $2. .  I've already got three other similar books and one day I'll do something with them - in the next life maybe!

This photo looks a bit odd.  I combined two of my bargains for the one photo.  A length of black cotton fabric $1, and a pack of felt animal cut-outs - 20 cents.   I put the black fabric on the white kitchen bench and the felt animals on the black.
Any suggestions on what I can do with them?

Savers at Greensborough.

I'm back at work at the Brotherhood in Eltham, and have bought a few bits and pieces, but nothing exciting enough to post about on here.  But I've been after a microwave dish to replace the glass one that I broke a month ago.  Our microwave oven is nearly 40 years old, and works perfectly well, so I see no need to replace the whole thing, but of course the glass dish was made to fit that oven, and it is impossible to buy a new one.   I've seen heaps of microwave plates in opshops, so I started looking.  Our shop had one, but it was far too big.  So yesterday I went to Savers, and again, they had a couple, but not the right size.  However, while I was there...
I'v been using square cloths on our round kitchen table for years, but we'v just got a newer and slightly larger table, and my husband asked why I don't have any round cloths.  I could have told him they are too expensive, but instead I bought this one for $3.99.  Looks like it has never been used, so will just need a quick wash and press,

We've got two of this series of Australian bird plates, but didn't have the wrens, so I grabbed this for $$5.99.

Black gingham cross stitched cloth $1.99

Beautifully embroidered vintage linen cloth $3.99

Art book $3.99

But no microwave plate.  So I went on to Vinnies in Briar Hill and voila!  The right size, $3.50.  The underneath bits don't fit our oven, but it sits in there allright, so I'm not worried.

Couldn't resist this little chook for 50 cents.

Lions Monster Trash and Treasure Sale - Saturday, 8 February 2014

Blackburn North Lions Club will hold its first monster trash and treasure sale for the year on Saturday, 8 February 2014.

Time: 8 am to 1 pm

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

We had a massive clean-up after the last sale in November and have spent the break collecting a shed full of new treasures. I’ve even seen a fridge, a clothes dryer and a small washing machine in there. There will be the usual bargains, and lots of them.

Cook Books and Silk Scarves

This is my first blog post here, hello I'm Erica! You can find me over at Recycled Fashion chatting about all types of upcycled and secondhand fashion, sewing, and ethical fashion.

I love op shopping, but over the past few months haven't had much of an opportunity (!) to do so, as I have a small baby to look after.  My eldest son started school this week and bubs is nearly 3 month old, so I'm slowly starting to get out and about a bit more.

Today I popped into Carrum Uniting Church Opportunity Shop, and two cook books immediately caught my eye.  I've got a small collection of op shop cook books, as I'm always looking for inspiration for evening dinners!  I actually hesitated on these two books because I thought to myself I actually have too many.  One of the op shop volunteers persuaded me to buy them because she said they were only 50c each, and that's a bargain!  

Secondly, a couple of silk scarves took my fancy at $1 each.  I do love a silk scarf, and perhaps have too many of those too, but I'm actually thinking about cutting these two up to make into a top, I'm working on the idea in my head, and hope it works out.

I haven't posted in a looong time - a full time job that involved almost three hours of commuting did not leave much spare time for op shopping. However, the job is now over and I hear the siren call of the op shop summoning me. Here a couple of finds from a trip to the Salvos the week before christmas:

A pair of burgundy ankle boots that fit perfectly. There are a few small scuff marks that should come off with a bit of a brush, but in otherwise good condition. I take a large size and I don't often find shoes to fit while opping. $4.05 (discount day)

A part bolt of cotton fabric (might be polycotton). It took me a while to work out the text (it's upside down in the photo), but it says "inferno" with the O a ball of flame. There's approximately ten metres - a great find for $4. I plan to use this to test some new dressmaking patterns as it's cheaper than calico and I might end up with something wearable.