Keysborough Salvos

This morning I managed to score 2 glossy and immaculately kept cookbooks for $2.99 each, and a Ladakh pastel yellow cropped jacket for $5.99!!

More Oakleigh Salvos Stuff

More finds at Oakleigh Salvos. Nothing here cost more than $2. The rooster clock is one of my favorites since it crows when it goes off.

Propeller Clock

Has anyone been down to Oakleigh Salvos recently ? The store has some pretty good stuff and is about to have a bit of a makeover (so I heard anyway). They have a new manager and some nice updated window displays.

Got this really cool propeller clock for $5. Don't know if it works or not since I can't find a single battery in the house but who cares. It looks very cool.

SAVERS 50% CLOTHING SALE

Savers are having a 50% off clothing sale on Monday 15th November from 8am-9pm.

Finds From Yesterday

Ring $2, Noble Park Salvos

Inside of bag
Pale pink skirt, $4.99, Noble Park Salvos; Leather clutch $4.99, Dandenong Savers

Coat $7.99, Dandenong Salvo's (the one near Savers closer to the city centre)

A few bits and pieces.

Nothing exciting today at the Brotherhood shop, but everything was half price, so I grabbed these items.
I have parkas and jackets of all kinds, but no actual rain coat, so when I saw this for $6 (reduced to $3) I thought it was worth while getting. It's a bit like a Drizabone, big and floppy, but great in a heavy downpour of rain.


My key ring is getting knocked around, and I don't want to lose any keys, so this brand new leather key wallet for 50c was a bargain. Problem is, I can't figure out how get the keys in those holders. The MOTH couldn't even get it, so I'll have to take it to our local key cut bloke - hopefully he will know. Otherwise it will end up back at the opshop; I'm wondering if that's why I found it there!


Suzannegrae top in dark chocolate brown for $1 (originally $2). Most of my summer tops are pastel colours, so this be a change now and then.

I don't use a lot of spices in my cooking, but three spices I do use quite often are cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. That's because I love pumpkin pie. When I saw this cute spice rack at a Rosebud op shop, I wondered why the three pumpkin pie spices were grouped together, so I looked it up. Turns out they're the classic mulling spices. By the way, Rosebud has four op shops grouped together around Ninth Avenue, which is off the main drag. More on my blog.

Retro ribbon

Just a quickie today where I don't even show you the contents of what I bought, only the packaging!

I got some black nylon ribbon at the Lion's Den in Forest Hill a few weeks ago but I think the ribbon has been around for a very long time, judging by what its manufacturers suggest it is used for... fashionable handbags! natty (yes, natty!!) coat hangers! and warm tea cosies.... I'm surprised dolls to cover toilet rolls are not mentioned!
I used some of it to make daisies and pom poms to decorate a racewear outfit, more details and photos here and here if you are interested.

Praise the ope shope gods

Yesterday was one of those days - the ope shope gods were shining their benign thrifty light down on me. I'll let the images tell you the story.

$1 each

'The Farm Theotime' - pub. 1949 (50 sensis)

50 sensis

I have a bedspread similar to the one on top R

Dolly - 1972 (50 sensis)

 I want a Pot o' Gloss for Christmas

I really just want to scan the entire magazine for you

$3 Mental Illness oppy in Kew - to match my...

oven mitt - had this for years

 And the thing I'm most excited about:

1951 National Geographic map o' da woild - 50 sensis

 Yes - 50 sensis!

Everything except the apron is from Vinnies in Kew. They had some wonderful crockery if you're interested. It was a good day. 

See more of my showing off here.

I saw a green, vintage Tupperware one of these in an op shop a while ago, but at $10 I thought that hardly constituted a bargain. Then I saw it at a different op shop for $3, but it was too late! I'd already snapped up this pre-loved IKEA one for $3! Oh well - the important thing is that now when I grate cheese or carrot it doesn't fly all over the place. And it converts to a storage container just like the lovely Tupperware one did.

More op shop finds on my blog.

Perfect Match

I bought this dress about a year ago from Sydney Rd Savers and just recently came across this matching cardi from Dandenong Savers for $5.99! They are both in my favourite shade of silver/blue and the dress has flowers that have a faint glitter outline. This is definitely my new favourite outfit :-)

Good girls get presents

I must have been very good a few weeks ago because my mum bought me this gorgeous cabinet from the Salvos in Keysborough, which I am yet to visit but of course am now dying to get to. She wouldn't tell me how much it was as it was a present so I don't know how much of a bargain it was, but, well... I love it!
This is a view of the top...

and a detail of one of the sides...

...and here are some ladies who I'd love you to add captions to.
I'm thinking something like "See, I warned you this is what would happen if we had that facial peel!!"
By the way, if any of you are into crochet (totally off topic, I know) check this out!

Handy Storage Finds

I always seem to get my necklaces and earrings all tangled up, so when I saw these two items I knew they'd come in very handy!

The one on the left I got on Monday at Dandenong Salvos for $5, and the one on the right (which I assume was one of these mobile phone holder type gadgets that come and go) from Greensborough Savers a few weeks ago for only $1!

Weekend Finds

Note: delay in posting this up because my internet has been playing up :)

I got this lovely belt for only $2 on Saturday at the Mornington Vinnies. I'd never been to the op shops down here and I must say I was very impressed. Both the Vinnies and Salvos stores were quite big and had a great range of items for sale. The Vinnies in particular had quite a few antique-ish pieces of furniture (chairs, tables etc)! I also loved the window display that the staff in the Salvos store had done with their stock.. a Spring Racing inspired display with outfits and racing items (boots, riding crop etc).

The white singlet underneath is a Witchery number I got for $3.99 or so, and the grey/silver Esprit wrap top for $5.99 both from Dandenong Salvos a few weeks ago.

Also, if anyone is in the Mordialloc area, the Lions op shop on the main street is having a sale, 50% of some of their winter stuff (scarves, jackets and jumpers from memory). I managed to pick up a Pyrex glass lasagna dish for only $5 at that shop so would definitely recommend a trip down to check it out!

Oakleigh Vinnies + Carnegie Salvos

Cue shirt $7.99, Witchery linen shirt $3.50 (was a 50% item) both from Carnegie Salvos.

Pile of books from Oakleigh Vinnies, total came to $5 (so between 50c and $1 per book)

Rainy Day Outfit

So today was awful weather in Melbourne (cold and rainy!) so I am snuggled up at home with my textbooks in a nice warm wool Banana Republic sweater that I picked up for $5.99 last week at the Dandenong Salvos. Didn't think I'd get to wear this before next winter, but it definitely came in handy today!

My scarf is another opped number, think it was $3.99 from Cranbourne Salvo's. (I got it a few weeks ago and have been wearing it everywhere and with everything, it's such a versatile colour!) I really do think scarves are great to buy at op shops, as they are often very cheap compared to retail prices, and they are often really unusual and make for a great addition to your wardrobe!

In training on the Cranbourne/Pakenham line

Does anyone else realise the potential goldmine on the Cranbourne train line? There's op shops within walking distance of so many of the stations, including Malvern and Oakleigh, where I shopped today.

I got an H&M denim top for $12 from the very pricey Vinnies in Malvern and a 70s necklace for $5 at that little op shop just up the road from the station in Oakleigh, the one that never seems to be open when I go past but miraculously was yet to shut its doors when I rocked up there today (and guess what I found there.. velcro, which I was looking for in op shops for the past week and then gave up and bought brand new... grrr). I'm wearing the necklace with this beige jumper from the Oakleigh Salvos which was $7 and has a label in Chinese which says "cicada brand" (thanks to my dad for the translation).

One of my favourite things about op shops is reading some of the brand names. I think the best so far is "Alive Girl"... well, you'd certainly hope they design for alive girls!!! I'm also quite partial to those ones that call themselves things like "Trendy" or "Top Fashion" ... because they generally are the complete opposite. Are you a label lover too?
By the way, you can see different pics of these here....

Salvo's Competition -Buy Nothing New Month

For more details see: http://www.nothingnew.com.au/

Spring Fever

On one of the first nice spring days I went on a trip to Sydney Rd, Brunswick and visited Savers and a store called Scavengers right across the road. At Savers I found a blue floral dress that is handmade for $5.99 and at Scavengers a beautiful Pilgrim pink floral dress for $15. I already have so many dresses for summer (i have been very lucky in finding plenty at op shops) but couldn't resist two more!

Trench Coat bargain!

I have been looking for a nice trench coat for ages... and finally was in luck today. Found this Liz Jordan number at Dandenong Salvo's for $8.99. It is in immaculate condition and fits like a glove! Perhaps it is good karma (I ran a half marathon yesterday to raise funds for a charity as part of the Melbourne Marathon festival)

Dandy Salvos booty call

Yes, I know it's spring and black boots are hardly necessary... but do you think I could pass these up? Genuine leather and only $7.99, and in such good condition!

I found them in the Dandenong Salvos (near Vinnies) on Friday, which is also where I found these boots (I seem to have luck finding black boots at this particular Salvos!). The sales lady was very impressed that they were so cheap, and so was I! I asked her about Buy Nothing New month which is a campaign/competition the Salvos are running but she did not know anything about it. Are any of you oppers taking part? I don't buy new stuff as a rule, but I've already bowed out of the competition as I've had to purchase a few haberdashery items to finish off things I've been making for friends' babies... you can see one example on my blog... I know you can buy haberdashery at op shops and I quite often do, but this past fortnight I've needed quite specific things (like 2cm wide elastic, velcro, a purple zip...) so haven't been able to just take what I can get at op shops unfortunately!

B.S L Eltham

Some nice summer tops for half the marked price. Love those special half priced days!

Silver lame (?) $2, Cliques brand. Never heard of them myself, but I don't know anything about brand names anyway.


Giordano tee $1.50. I HAVE heard of them, because I bought two long sleeved tops from their shop last month.

Suzannegrae top $1.50...I've seen the brand name around.


And a set of four plain napkins for $1. Great for patchwork.