Frolicking through Forest Hill

I went to the four op shops in Forest Hill today, though only found joy at two of them - YES Op Shop in Mahoneys Road and This 'n' That Community Store in Brentford Square.

At YES I found these nice tins. The Raffles Hotel tin was $1, and the other one was 80c.

And at This 'n' That I bought this pretty aubergine coloured vase for $8.50. This was my first time visiting this shop, and I was impressed with the amount of good quality, interesting stuff they had there.

Winter is upon us

We've just cleared all our summer clothes and filled the shop with winter woolies. Thank goodness for op shops when you are trawling through last years winter wardrobe with no joy. We've got everything from coats and boots to scarves and leather gloves in the most gorgeous colour combinations whether you're into brights or an autumnal palette. Time to stock up and be prepared for the next cold snap. :-) Nicole.

Here is my lot from yesterday's marathon.

Yesterday was one of the best opshop marathons I've ever had! I have been to some of the shops once or twice before, but not for a long time, and it was nice to be driven around instead of having to self-navigate! These aren't in the order we visited, but I do remember what I bought at each shop. These two books were $3.99 each, and the boxed set of 'On The Buses' DVDs was $24.99 - this was my bargain of the Year! My husband was a bus driver for 13 years, and this is one of his favorite shows. We'd seen this boxed set advertised for well over $100, and decided it was too much. You can imagine how pleased he was when I told him how much I paid for it at the Salvos in Doncaster!

This blouse was $4.99 at Salvos Dandenong:

At Savers in Dandenong I found a bag of laces for $4.99 and a book on Quilt blocks that I have been after for a long time, but was reluctant to pay the full price, which is about 10 times what I paid for it - $3.99.  But I actually paid even less for these two items, as it was Seniors Discount Day at Savers, so I got 20% discount - yaaaay!


On to a tiny opshop at theback of Tunstall Square, I found this book for $3,

 and this blouse also for $3.  The lady behind the counter was quick to tell me what a bargain it was, because the shop around the corner would have priced it at $100.  Apparently this is a brand name blouse...I can't even remember the name, I just liked the paisley pattern!

At Rotary Rummage (don't you love the name!) I found an unusual tie for $1,

and a gorgeous scarf for $2.

But my biggest haul was at Doncare in North Blackburn. The mug and matching tray was priced at $5 for the set, but nothing else was priced, and I got the lot (including the mug and tray) for $12!!!!!

 Cute tin, and paint palette.

 Book of sexy love letters...bed time reading, lol!

 Millers blouse.  I really like this native art print.

 FABULOUS length of Batik - I'm not cutting this one up for patchwork!  It is stunning, much better than this photo looks.  I'll use it as a table topper.  I'd like to hang it on a wall, but we've got no more wall space...

Salvos Blackburn & Animal Aid Blackburn S

After yesterday's mammoth op shop crawl, I really had no reason whatsoever to visit any op shops today... except that yesterday I forgot to take along the stuff I wanted to donate. So off I popped to the Salvos in Blackburn with all my donatable goodies, and of course BECAUSE I WAS THERE ANYWAY, a brief look around couldn't hurt. Well, not too much anyway. My birdlike gaze fell upon this hinged sparkly bangle for $4 that I quickly snapped up to give to my sister-in-law, who is an absolute sucker for all things sparkly.

And because I was in Blackburn, I was only a hop, skip and jump away from my favourite op shop, the Animal Aid op shop in Blackburn South, so surely it would have been criminal of me to go home without visiting this one as well? :-)

Staring forlornly out at me from the window of the Animal Aid op shop was this wee little bear on a round granite ball. Sure, he's a little battered and worn, but he won my heart and I was happy to part with $6 for him. Not quite sure what his original purpose was - a doorstop? - but I'll find a loving home for him on one my shelves.

Rifling through the racks of clothes inside, I found this super snuggly ENORMOUS woolly vest/sleeveless cardigan thingy (Jump brand) for $6. I'm sure my kitty cat will like this too, so I'll have to be careful not to leave this around for her to snooze, claw and drool upon.

And lastly, the piece de resistance, this over-the-top Mayan/Incan themed sequinned skirt for $3. I love it! I have no idea how I'm supposed to wash this without all the sequins going ping & falling off (hand wash only?), but I couldn't leave without this baby in my possession.

Frolicking around the eastern 'burbs with Gina E

This morning I met up with Gina E and we spent a good 4 hours or so exploring op shops and attempting to avoid becoming drowned rats in the rain.

First stop, Savers in Dandenong. I hadn't been there for a long time and for such a HUGE shop I was disappointed not to find anything I liked. Gina found a couple of things, so the trip there wasn't entirely in vain.

Next stop, Salvos in Dandenong. Yay! Success. Found these 2 small prints of Tasmanian scenes for $5 each.

Then on to Doncare in Doncaster East, where I found this sweet top with glittery bits through it for $3.

Fourth stop, Salvos in Doncaster East. Normally I bypass this shop, but because Gina was with me I decided to go in so that she could see it. Am glad I did, as I picked up this Kenwood food processor for $15. I'll give it to a friend of mine as she's been moaning for months that she needs a food processor. There was some nice bric-a-bric stuff and both Gina and I admired a pair of cute wooden cat & mouse bookends and an English cottage tea pot set. I heard lots of "oooohs" coming from Gina in this shop.

Onward then to Rotary Rummage in Doncaster East where I found a pure wool Country Road cardigan in excellent nick for $7, plus a beaded makeup bag for $5. (Sigh, another bag which I really DO NOT NEED, but couldn't resist because it was so unusual.)

And lastly, a poke through Doncare in Blackburn North turned up these goodies: - black tunic for $4, peach coloured bracelet for $1, greeting card for 60c, and either Chip or Dale oven mitt (HOW COULD I NOT BUY THIS?) for $1.

Gina found lots of goodies too, so all in all a productive day!

Do you know what I love about Op Shops?

There are many things... The price (who wants to pay $100 for a mass-produced piece of junk made in China... seriously?), the concept (pre-loved goods recycled means sustainable fashion and money towards a good cause), but more than anyhting I love the opportunity of individuality.

Too often I visit the main-stream shops, view their wares and leave down-cast at what is on offer. Chances are you'll find differing versions of the same fashion in every shop. .... But not at Op Shops.

At Ops Shops there's the chance to explore a bygone era, or (even better) a one-off item made for an individual with individual tastes and individual style.... Like me!

Working in the corporate world I get sick on pin-stripe suits, black and blue and find myself craving a splash of colour and a bit of style. So imagine my glee when I found this baby in Vinnie's...

A golden fawn (??), oriental inspired silk beauty, size 10, made in Vietnam and fitted me like a glove! How much I hear you ask...... $9! Yipee! No more pin-stripe, black and blue drudgery for me!

A little while later, my mother and I visited another Vinnie's, when she spotted this:

Turns out it was a brand she used to see in Myer in the 1980's and 1990's - in perfect mint condition, and for all intents and purposes never worn.... Ahhhh, be still my beating heart......

The trifecta came a short while later whilst visiting an Anglicare store. There I was, peering into an innocent looking glass cabinet when I spied this heart-breaker:

Sitting pretty and glittering in the artificial lighting was a stunning, black, glowmesh bag. I stood for a moment, mesmirised by her beauty as she twinkled and winked at me in her glass cage before snapping back to reality and pouncing on her in case anyone else happened to see her. She was mine.

Oh my, has $30 ever been better spent?

Surely not.


As a note: all of the above Op Shopping was carried out on a 2 day trip to Canberra. An account of my Melbourne exploits will be coming soon....


Thrifty Minx xx

Opping Along...

Strangely enough, this recent opping expedition at the two op shops in Brentford Square all started because of a bet with my fiance on whether or not we had a bottle of Henschke at home....I bet $10 bucks that we did (safe in the knowledge that it was there, of course) and so the very next day, I took my winnings and off I went, opping along!

My first and rather successful find was this beauty of a linen basket for a mere $6.00 at the Doncare op shop.  I spied it straight away but perhaps a little complacently strode around the op shop to look at other stuff when suddenly another lady took interest in it - I dashed back over to it and my heart sank as I asked the question "Sorry, were you going to buy that?"

I smiled gladly and may even have said "Excellent" as she told me she was just looking at it.  Not too loudly, I hope...

My only other score there were these wonderful bangles, for only a few cents - they will easily accessorise many outfits with their neutral tones and yet feminine details, *sigh*, I just love accessories!

There wasn't too much else there to consider really, though there were a few baking trays, one heart shaped, a very cute stack of retro tea cups with orange flowers on or a set of four white containers, ceramic and cylindrical with air-tight clasps, designed for powdered ingredients given away by the addition of the mini wooden spoons included with the design.  But they were the full $10 smackers and one pot had its spoon missing.

So smiling with glee from the purchase of my new linen basket (no more clothes piles on the floor - Woohoo!) and contentedly imagining which outfits my new bangles could adorn, I thought perhaps a necklace...

And what a good thought it was!  This is clearly a handmade piece, made from clay, the only thing wrong with it is the unfortunate choice in string with which it was threaded.  But not to worry, tomorrow's project will be to purchase some simple cotton kitchen string and macrame a suitable replacement.

I did have one last find at the Community Store, a very shiny find that demanded to be bought.

So it's another little project as the pearlescent paint has started to wear off but I'm sure this another thing quite easily come by at a local shop and easily fixed.  Though it's not really urgent, as you can't see it when it's worn.  Don't you just love pieces like this though?  You can instantly jazz up a casual outfit and in seconds be ready to go out for the evening!



Finds from afar

So I know this is a Melbourne opshop blog, but I was recently visiting friends in Brisbane and found myself with a bit of spare time so thought I'd visit a few oppies.

 I love Hornsea pottery so I was stoked to find this sugarpot for $8

and this brooch was $5, both were from an opshop in Station Rd, Indooroopilly just incase any of you opshop addicts are ever visiting up north ;o) 

I have been making a belt buckle recently and was wanting to learn about leatherwork so I could make the belt to go with it. I couldn't believe my luck when I found this leather stamp set for $10. Perfect timing!

and because this is a Melbourne opshopping blog, I got this cool glass from Werribee today at the Salvos for $1. All the pattern on it is kind of raised and rough. I think I'm going to use it as a vase instead. 

High Street, Kew.

I had a fantastic time today, courtesy of a friend who lives in Balwyn and knows the Kew shopping area very well. She took me on a tour of the oppies in High Street, and we only visited three out of the six along that stretch of road! I had a great spend up...well I had nearly $100 in my purse from my birthday on Sunday, so I thought I may as well spend it! At the Salvos (243-7 High street) I bought a gorgeous chook plate for $3.99, two paperbacks for $1.99 and a craft book for 50c. But I got 20% seniors discount on that, so ended up paying $6.75 for the lot! Hooray for the Salvos! GREAT shop by the way - just recently opened.

At Vinnies (735 High Street)I bought a sweet little embroidered tablecloth for $6, a needlework book for $2, Handmade magazine for $1, a pair of brand new sneakers for $5 and a stunning book on Australian artists for $18 which sounds a lot, but it would have cost a LOT more when it was new.

And at the MS shop (290 High Street) I bought two exquisitely embroidered items - a small cloth with four matching napkins for $7 and a tray cloth for $4.

My birthday was Sunday, but I have had three really lovely days, and today was a fabulous way to finish off my round of birthday treats!