Brotherhood Opshop Eltham.

Our little blog seems to be neglected lately, so I'm making an effort to post my weekly finds at the BSL while I'm working there on Friday mornings.  There is nothing to excite other people; although some of our customers get very excited when they find some brand name outfits for about $5..  I  smile politely but don't tell them that I thought their wonderful find was the ugliest thing I've seen in the shop!!   Truly, I don't know what it is about brand names that grab some people.  I'm serious about some of those clothes -they are so way out, but our manager told me some of them would retail for over $200.    I've never seen anybody around our way wearing them, so I don't know who donates them.  Maybe they were bought but never worn for obvious reasons ;-)
Anyway, here is my little stash for the week:
Yep, another book on Tarot cards - $2.

This Witch's Box of Magick ($4) is still unopened and in it's cellophane packaging.    I'm waiting until I can spend time with one of my friends who like me is fascinated with this kind of stuff, and we'll open it together and cast spells ...

Old patchwork mags, 20 cents each.

Two scarves, 50 cents each.

"Cedarwood State" brand jumper, $3.  Never heard of it, probably boring to brand name lovers, but it suits this 60 plus girl!

Binocular case into handbag

I popped into the local OpShop in O. Grove to look for chiffony scarves for a music class I teach. No scarves but found this for $2. Not sure what it will be used for: handbag, display of dried flowers and herbs, probably anything but binoculars!

I also managed to buy over two metres of new good quality calico (an end of roll) for $4 and a binder in excellent condition These will be used for the course I am doing with SW TAFE on Machine Embroidery.

mentone salvos vintage night

Last week on Thursday afternoon I had a half hour or so to spare between an appointment in Mentone and school pickup so, of course, I went to the op shop. I pondered a bit, shall I stop here or head up to Cheltenham? Shall I go to St Augustine's or the Salvos? I decided on the Salvos in Florence Street Mentone and what serendipity - they were advertising a vintage night from 7 to 9pm, that very night!

I explained to my husband that it was a quasi-professional responsibility that I attend so that evening I was back at the op shop. It was very busy - they had live music (I wonder whether anyone has ever donated a double bass? I have seen pianos ...), door prizes, nibbles and lots and lots of customers.

It was so busy that it was quite difficult to do any shopping and everyone seemed to be walking by on their way to the counter with awesome stuff that they were about to pay for. And I had forgotten that eighties counts as vintage these days which scares me quite a lot.

Nevertheless, I persisted and found an undisturbed pile of vintage tea towels, a couple of which are shown above along with an apron which will be perfect for playing ballet school and a clock that ticks really loudly. It's already been banished from our bedroom.

Not pictured is an old-fashioned bean slicer, a milk jug, a floral tin, a needlepoint cushion, some Enid Blyton books and a couple of purple glass bottles. It was a wonderful night and I'm sure an incredible success. Hooray for the Salvos!

Brotherhood on Friday.

Two days later I'm back.  I filled in for somebody else on Wednesday, but today is my regular day.  Amazing how much changes over two days. I found some nice little goodies today, that I swear weren't there on Wednesday!

Cute little jam jar for when you have visitors and you don't want to put the home brand jar of jam on the table - ha!  This was $2.

 A bag of trimmings - laces, braid, crochet, cords.  Some I'll use, others I'll give away.  ( $3.50)

Tablecloth with Aust. Aboriginal art printed on it ($4).  I already have three like this (not the same art) but I just love that art, and am proud to display it on the tables in our home.

Brotherhood shop Eltham.

It's about time I updated our blog to show what I've been buying while I'm on duty at our opshop.  I usually buy a few bits and pieces most weeks but then I get home and put them away before I remember to photograph them.  But there hasn't been anything startling to photograph lately.  Not that today's lot is much out of the ordinary, but at least I'm making an effort to post something!!

I have several of the usual round strainers and have sometimes thought that a cone shaped strainer would come in handy, but didn't bother paying full retail price for one at kitchen shops. But  this only cost me 50c.

Saw these foot pads advertised in a health magazine or something and wondered if they would help my feet when they ache.  This unopened box cost me $1.

This patchwork book and starters kit was $5, but I think I'll be taking it back to the shop this week.  I'm not a beginner at patchwork now, and this book didn't teach me anything I don't already know.  Dunno why I bought it really!

Being on the till in the shop means I don't immediately see what is brought in to be donated.  People just walk through the door past me with boxes and bags and drop all the loot in the back room with the ladies who are sorting.  So when I went out there to grab a cuppa this morning and saw a heap of Tarot card packs on the bench, I pounced!  I love Tarot cards!  Altogether there were about six boxes of Tarot and other 'fortune' cards, which I'm not as interested in, so I just grabbed this Sacred Art  Tarot pack ($2)

Native American Medicine cards ($1) and book (70c)

and this book for 70 cents.

The other three packs of cards were snapped up from the shop shelf within about 20 minutes!  These would have gone too, if I hadn't seen them in time ;-)

sprang but true

You know how you can sometimes become a bit complacent about op shops that you frequent? You know, oh, they never have any good craft books here, so you don't go and look.

And then one day - eureka! I love books on obscure needlework techniques, in fact, I have many of them and am really excited to add this one, The Techniques of Sprang: plaiting on stretched threads, to my library.

Salvo's, East Bentleigh, $2.99.

a nice little red handbag

Today I bought this beautiful red leather handbag at Vinnies in Newport. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I can tell you that it’s made of the softest leather and it’s in really good condition. When I touch it, it gives off a feeling of ‘quality’ -  a trait that is hard to pin down, but everyone knows what it is when they see it. I am very happy with it and will be using it a lot.