memories!

Hi there! I haven't been opshopping much over the last week or so, but managed to fit in a few opportunistic visits whilst out and about. The cotton bedspread, which is in great condition, was from Vinnies in Coburg. It's a single, but you could use it as a nice throw, or  an extra blanket at the end of a queen bed I reckon. The Johnson was from Savers in Brunswick. I was pretty excited as this was the pattern that we had growing up. I thought mum still had it shoved at the back of the cupboard somewhere, but on my last visit found out that there was only one bread and butter plate being used as a plant saucer :o( It's funny how using this set over the last week has brought back so many memories. I can't get over how much I must have studied this pattern as a kid at the dinnertable! For other Johnson lovers out there (I know you exist!) they also had 4 lunchplates in the paper daisy pattern, and 5 or 6 bowls in the orange colour. They had $3 or $4 dollars on each bowl though which was a bit steep considering I've been able to pick up the brown bowls for about 50c each elsewhere. 

Ashburton Op Shop open this Sunday

If you don't usually get to shop in Ashburton Op Shop.. The Ashy.. because you work all week, this weekend could be your chance.

the Ashy Op Shop will be open all day Saturday 10-4 as usual, AND on Sunday (24Feb) too, as part of the High Street Ashburton Festival.  Pop along for a bargain, there will be some specials, and lots of fun for the kids outside, including an Animal Farm right outside the front door.

High Street Ashburton, corner of Welfare Parade.  Don't miss it!

why I love Blogging

as already reported here, Gina, Dian and I had a little outing on Tuesday. Until I discovered Blogging, I was always a 'Lone Op Shopper'  and tended to only visit the same few shops.  After-blogging, I now have shopping-partners and travel much further afield.

Yesterday was a perfect example, not only did I visit many shops I had not been in before, all 3 of us found one we didn't even know existed! how exciting is that.  Gina has posted details in the previous blog.

I thought I was being pretty restrained in the shopping yesterday, but I did come home with a few more knitting patterns, a book on a Royal Doulton Exhibition (which I visited in 1979), a funky souvenir velvet cushion cover, some more pottery and the most beautiful glass with hand applied raised painting of flowers. 

And, we are planning to do it all over again after Easter, in another different place!

Op shop jaunt with Dian and Lyndel.

We had such a fun day. I left my car at Lyndel's house and we went in her car to meet Dianne at our first stop, Vinnies in Springvale Road, Springvale. I made one purchase; a ceramic toilet brush holder for $4, to replace the tacky plastic thing we've had for years.

Like all Vinnies stores, this one was clean and well set out with good quality stock.

From Springvale we went on to another Vinnies store this time in Clayton.  I didn't buy anything here, but Dian and Lyndel found some goodies I think. 

Next stop was the Salvos in Clayton.  I found three videos that Ken and I will enjoy watching.  They were $1 each, but the kind lady at the checkout was asking all the customers if they had a pension card, and as I did, I got these for 80c each.

At around this stage we decided to have a coffee break and found a nice little cafe in Clayton Road where I chose coffee and French Toast - yum!  We were on our way further afield when Lyndel spotted an opshop that she didn't know about, near a busy intersection.  She pulled up on the side of the road regardless of trucks whizzing past us, and Dian pulled up behind us.  Leaving the cars there (I was worried, but the drivers weren't!) we investigated the fairly new Monash Community Care opshop (19 McDonalds Lane, Mulgrave - off Clayton Road), which was quite large and had lots of great stock at reasonable prices.  I bought a shoulder bag for $1 (the handles had broken on the one I was using; why does this always happen to me when I'm opshopping?), a gorgeous chook casserole dish for $5 and a cute little Beetle Beanie toy for $1 (there was a row of them in the front window, and I suspect they might have been made for the shop as a little fundraiser).  And look at that set of Johnson ware!!  One of the staff showed us some Black Pepper clothes in the back room, all new stock.

he

 
At this point, Dian reluctantly said goodbye and headed off home, so Lyndel drove us to our last stop for  the day - the Lions Club opshop in Mt Waverley.  I found a beautiful gravy mug for $12.

Group opping

I had a wonderful few hours with Gina E and Lyndel:  op shopping and and sandwich and coffee - thanks ladies I had a great time.

I look forward to your pics Gina.

cheers

Mornington day out

Macedon CFA's huge annual Flea Market and Auction will be held on Saturday, February 23, from 10.00am. More information here.

but wait ... there's more!

The Hawthorn Sacred Heart Mission op shop is currently holding an Easter raffle, with first prize taking home a $500 gift voucher for the op shops. Tickets are $3 each, or 4 for $10, and can be purchased at the Hawthorn store. Imagine what you could buy with a $500 voucher! You could furnish your house and fill your wardrobe!

86 Riversdale Road (corner of Glenferrie Road)
Hawthorn
T: 03 9819 9593
10am to 5pm, 7 days a week

Kew Elderly Citizens Op Shop

Our blog has really come alive!  It is great to see so many people on here with their bargains from all around Melbourne :-)
I don't get to Kew very often but as I was over that way today, I had to visit at least ONE of the six or seven opshops along High Street!  I chose the Elderly Citizens shop because it is the only one I hadn't been to before, and it was well worth the visit.  A real old fashioned oppie with lots of rummaging potential, so if you are ever around the High Street area, they are open Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday morning.  They are at  533 High Street Kew, opposite the cemetary, which is a fair way back from the Kew Junction.   The other opshops are along the main shopping area near the junction.

 Two rolls of lace for $3 each.

 Ceramic rooster, $6.

 Sandals $7 "Think" brand.  Never heard of them but these are EXTREMELY comfortable!

 Beatles video $4.

 Gorgeous blouse $10, name brand cut off, but has to be a good one.  This pic doesn't do it justice.

Here are a couple more items I've bought at our Brotherhood shop recently, that I'd forgotten to photograph.
The following photos are of Egyptian papyrus pictures, which turned up at the shop in a padded bag as part of a donation.  They are absolutely stunning - much more brilliant than you can see here.

This book is a kid's book but the illustrations have been done by various Australian artists in pencil, charcoal and watercolour, so I thought it was worth having for $2.

 The Great Japan Exhibition was priced at $10, but I said to my colleague "Hey, I work here!" so she changed the price to $5.
The other book of paintings held in the old USSR was $5.

I have been opping a lot lately but not taking pics.

Well today I went to three of my favourite shops and I have managed to make a little collage.

First Wilson St in Mornington where I bought the trinket box ($3.00) and the three pretty bowls by H & K Tunstall ($3.00 each) The off to the Salvos in Tyabb Road Mornington where I bought the 3 mags @ .99c each and the barrel bag handbag ($4).   Last stop was the Outlook recycling centre in Racecourse Rd Mornington, where I picked up the little dolls cradle, the dolly house and the lovely Geoff Bade dress for $5.

There are so many bargains out there at present.

pop-up shop

Save the date!

Sacred Heart Mission is holding an Open Day and participants will be welcome to join in the tours, sausage sizzle and other Open Day activities during the afternoon.

And a pop-up op shop in Catani Gardens, St Kilda in on Sunday 24th Feb. You can both shop and donate there (make sure you buy more than you donate though, so they don't have to carry too much back!) There will also be an eight-piece jazz band and sausage sizzle, all part of Sacred Heart Mission's 30th anniversary celebrations.

Here's the Facebook event: 

http://www.facebook.com/events/214171715393098/

Lucky day!

I am so happy! I found a Johnson teapot today!! I can't believe my luck :o) It was $6 along with another spare saucer for 20c at the Anglican Parish op shop in Ascot Vale. I was actually thinking about Johnson teapots just yesterday! Hooray! I also bought a bowl for 50c at the Parish Bargain Shop in Flemington as well as 2 little vases for $1, a Country Road canvas bag for $3 (not picured), and some boxed napkins and salad servers for $4. I bought the napkin set because I have been thinking about it a lot since my last post, and I think I might give reselling a go. Not sure how or when yet but I think I might clear out a space in the spare room and start putting together a little collection. Even more incentive now for opshopping and garage 'sailing'. haha! Very exciting!  

local bargains

A quick lunchtime trip to Savers in Footscray on Friday yeilded this little haul for $18:

Not pictured is an apparently new purple cushion ($1.99) that I grabbed for my chair at work. Little orange bowl 99c, linen-ish supper cloth $3.99, packet of zippers $1.99, a piece of brown/floral/polka dot brushed cotton $2.99, and an XL martial arts t-shirt $3.99.
Then yesterday we popped down to Vinnies in Newport which we hadn't been to in a while. I'd recommend it if you are in the area, it is a nice big shop, well laid out, and always has heaps of stock.
I found a couple of printer cartridges that would fit my printer for $1 each - very happy about that as they are normally around the $30 mark!! Altogether I spent $9.

The McCalls Sewing book is from 1968; the dust jacket is a bit the worse for wear but the book itself is in good condition.

Have a great week everyone, may the bargains come your way!

Laura

Eltham BSL Friday.

We were flat out last Friday; there was a constant stream of people with boxes and bags of donations.  One lady dumped a bean bag out the front and took off to get more stuff.  When she came back I said we can't take the bean bag, it is too big.  But my boss said it was okay, she would just put $5 on and see what happens.  Well, she didn't even get a chance to price it.  A girl came running up from another shop in the arcade saying she wanted the bean bag - how much is it?  So we got $5 for something I was going to refuse!  Goes to show how wrong you can be....

Here is what I brought home:
A cute metal sign, $3.   We've got too many chook items inside now, so I'll hang this on the wall outside somewhere!  

Little handbag $4 - it matches the skirt I was wearing on Friday, which I'd bought at the BSL last year.

Pair of flatties $3

Snuggly slippers for when I get out of the bed in the middle of the night to go to the loo...$2

Unusual embroidered half apron from Portugal $3.50

Gorgeous cotton dress $6.  Perfect for one of those hot days when it feels so good to have fabric drifting around your legs as you walk.

quick hunt around a few local Op shops

 I managed to pop into a few Op shops on Thursday and Friday and found a few good items, most of course will go into my eBay Store, or to the next Antique Fair / Market I manage to do.
First up were these amazing aprons, not one, not two but FIVE lovely check gingham aprons beautifully embroidered.  Love them.

 and at the same shop, in Mt.Waverley,  this lovely 2m+ piece of cotton, don't you just love the bright cheery yellow flowers?

and 3 souvenir Tea Towels, funny thing is each one came from a different Op Shop!  I just sort of collected them on my travel.  the top one is from the Victorian Country Womens Association... I like that one!
I also bought some more vintage knitting patterns and a few balls of wool (like the 2 suitcases full at home are not enough ?)