A week later at the BSL.

I did a silly thing today.  I was pressured into  persuaded to be our BSL committee secretary.  The ladies who are currently on this committee have been there for years, and want a break.  I did NOT want to be president, treasurer, OH &S rep, Roster keeper, or anything else that required visits to other meetings and lots of phone calls, and our manager said that the Secretary only has to take the minutes at one meeting a year - the AGM, and that was about all!  I said I can do that, so my name was put down and seconded by the two ladies in the shop with me today.  Hmmm....we'll see.  One thing about voluntary work, you can walk away from it any time you like, if something upsets you, but of course you don't like to leave people in the lurch, so it is a commitment.
Anyway, here is what I brought home today.  The first lot are for me.  A little ceramic pumpkin for $3 that has a lid which is lifted off to reveal...

 This!  Isn't that CUUUUUUUUUUUTE!  

 A cameo from something that was broken off, hence the price of 50c.  Great for embellishment of patchwork projects.

 Book by one of my favourite writers - 70c.  I thought I'd read all Di's books, but I don't remember this one.

Millers black short sleeved blouse. - $1. Can't see in this pic, but it has really nice buttons.  Such a useful shirt that can be worn in many ways.

The next items are to be shown to friends who are interested in rubber stamping, and books on Royalty.
There was a box of rubber stamps on the front counter when I came in and I brought home this lot, which was about half of what was in the box.  One of the customers told me there were more yesterday, and I'm betting the best ones had already gone, but these looked nice to me.  What a bargain at around $3 each; these stamps cost heaps at craft shops!

The manager had put aside two old royal memorabilia books for me, since I told her I knew someone who collected them.  So I need to photograph them and email my friend to see if she'd like them.  If she doesn't, I can return them to the shop.

Brotherhood opshop Eltham last Friday.

A couple of little finds on Friday. Two books below (one Sudoku 60c and a novel, 70c) I also bought two craft magazines for 20c each but didn't take pictures of them.

Patchwork fabric panel $1.50

Knitwear vest $3.  I have a red vest but it is fleece and only suitable for wearing around the house.  This one is a bit more dressy.

I also bought a necklace for 50c and a suitcase on wheels for $5.  We rarely travel far but when we have, we find that ordinary suitcases can become very heavy as you get older!  I've envied those people who have been wheeling their cases along on built in wheels, and now I have one of my own.

The lacework below is a gift from the manager of our opshop.  She and her husband have just come home after an overseas trip, and she bought us all a little souvenir.  This is from Strasbourg (France).

I bought these beautiful hand stitched linen doileys at Vinnies Tyabb Rd, Mornington. 

cross

 I bought this cross from Vinnies today and am wondering about where it might have come from. 

 If you have any idea I would appreciate it.

In the meantime I really love it.

Off the beaten track in Burnley

It's been a while since I posted- hello again! There's been a few changes in my life- new job, youngest child started school, and I have also been focused on buying less stuff- which means less op shopping. I have been visiting opshops, but mainly to drop items off, rather than bring them home. However, seeing as it's Buy Nothing New Month it feels somewhat obligatory to go op shopping :).

Yesterday I paid a visit to St Bart's Op Shop at 290 Burnley Street, Burnley, in between Swan Street and Bridge Road. I was in the area visiting friends and lucked out in finding it open. It's certainly off the beaten track for me, as I was visiting from Ballarat.

I scored a short jacket for $10, a top for $3, a pair of shoes for $5 and a white scarf for a dollar.

There were heaps of shoes in my size as well (size 71/2).

It felt good to score some items from which I will get a lot of wear!



St Bart's is open Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am-4pm.

BSL Eltham last week.

I've been so busy this past week I haven't had time to post my finds at the shop last Friday, and it is already 'next' Friday - i.e. tomorrow!  Here is what I found last week:  Book on recycling - 20 cents.  It is about ten years old, but it has some great information about composting.  The worms have disappeared from our compost bin, so I'm hoping to find out why, and what I can do to prevent it happening again.

:
Craft stamper thing.  I don't really have a use for it but I have a friend who is very into paper craft and if she can't use it, I guarantee she'll know someone who does!  $1.50

Scarf 50c and beautiful scarf clip $3.   

Another small bowl for the kitchen shelf where I keep these for little jobs like cracking eggs and putting measured quantities of ingredients into.  You know, when you have a few different items to use in a recipe and it is easier to have them all measured out and lined up before you start cooking?  (Sorry, nobody wants a how-to lecture on cooking preparation.)   This bowl was actually a freebie.  Sometimes on Fridays we find a box of perfectly good bric a brac out in the back room, marked to be thrown in the skip, because they have been on the shop shelves for longer than a month, so it is obvious nobody wants to buy them.  In the meantime we have donations every day, so we try to put fresh things out and recycle the old ones.  Our Friday ladies can't bear waste, so we put them out in front of the shop with a little sign "FREE".  They are usually all gone within a few hours!

Toilet roll holder 50cents.   LOVE it!!   Even if I don't use it for that purpose, I can cut off the kitty fabric and recycle.

Buttons for 5cents each.  We have a couple of button jars and regular customers who come in and spill them out down the back of the shop, find the ones they want, and put the rest back in the jar.  Last week a woman came in and wanted to buy one whole jar.  I said I'd have to tip them out and count them to find out how many there are, and multiply the quantity by 5c  to come up with a total.  She said no, just give me a price for the lot.  I explained again that's not the way we sell buttons because we have customers who like to go through them just to buy a few.  She walked out in a huff.  So another customer standing by came up with the jar, emptied it on to the counter and we happily sorted through them to find exactly what we wanted!

lions sale - change of date

Blackburn North Lions Club will hold its next monster trash and treasure sale on Saturday, 19 October 2013 (not 5 October as previously advertised).

Time: 8 am to 1 pm

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

As usual, there will be lots of bargains and something for everyone.

tiny treasures

 I have neglected my blogging lately but have been opping regularly.

I bought this doiley and threads at vinnies in Springvale Rd Springvale a couple of weeks ago.

It is quite a simple design and wont take long to finish.

 I have been collecting shells for a Christmas project and was thrilled to find a bag of them, also at Vinnies Springvale. 

This little frame was one of a pair I bought at Salvos in Carrum Downs a while ago.  Each frame was 50cents and they are perfect for the tiny embroideries that I love to do.