Cameo Brooch

I will definitely have some more bits and pieces coming for you all soon, however I just wanted to share with you my newest find. I have been eyeing off some incredible cameo brooches on Ebay and Etsy for a while, however when I found this one in a Healsville oppy for $6, well, I was pretty stoked. Sometimes it definitely pays to wait.

Introductions.

Hello, my name is Alexandra and I decided to join 'I Op therefore I Am' to simply pass the time until I get the motivation to do something myself. I dabble in op shopping most weeks, always on the hunt for the cheap, and the unusual, but only if it's cheap enough.

I went out on a bit of a spree, as so I had something interesting to share in my first entry.

For $1 each I picked up 'Write; a 30 Day Guide to Creative Writing' by Sarah Quigley and 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller, from the DonCare store in Templestowe. Also nabbed a couple of pairs of stockings. Stockings can be quiet expensive, so it's always good to check the op shops stocking-wise, because they're usually still all in their packaging, brand new.

From a couple of Church-run stores in Heathmont, I found an Estee Lauder beauty case, for $5. What sold it to me was the great mirror in it. I also found, for $4.50 a beautiful woolen cardigan, in a great mustard colour. Perfect for the current weather conditions.

Last of all, from the Mustard Tree op shop in Lilydale, I found this Gold Crest mesh purse, only $5. As a collector of metal-mesh, it's a good one for the collection, in amazing condition.

At the Mustard Tree, all Adult clothing is $1 a piece! Managed to pick up a dress.

Diesel dress find!

Hi there, Dani here.
I've been trying to avoid shopping of late but the lure of the op shop is always too strong for this old girl. I quickly ducked in to SPACE in Fairfield last week and found this little Diesel dress in tencel. Two whole dollars it set me back. It was originally ankle length which looked (and felt) a little awkward but it was a matter of five minutes work to bring it back to just above the knee. The photo makes it appear shapeless but it has a lovely shape when worn.

Finally found what I'm looking for

Hello, this is my first post here. In AA meeting style, I'm Hayley, and I'm quite addicted to op shops. Although, I can say that I don't go too overboard and my place isn't filled with things that I don't need because I usually think through everything I buy. I've already been down that cluttersome path and have since gotten a lot better (limited space and money helps).

I often shop for secondhand supplies at op shops (fabrics, notions or garments to reconstruct) for my little clothing line, heidi and seek, for which everything is made from reclaimed materials. In future I'll take some 'before and after' shots of clothing I've bought and reconstructed.

In the meantime, here are my most recent purchases:

Overall shorts for my one year-old daughter
Five sewing patterns to use as packaging for heidi and seek
Faux leather handbag, which is in perfect condition

I love the bag, I haven't seen anything quite like it before. I've been looking for an everyday bag with a long strap for a while now and I'm glad I held out until this one. I'm quite picky with bags - it has to be interesting and unique but not so busy looking that it overtakes my outfits. This was a perfect find for me, although it is a little smaller than I'm used to.

You can find out more about me at my blog, heidi and seek and ethical fashion, which includes outfit posts from my largely secondhand wardrobe.

Newspaper Article

My mum found this is The Age newspaper on the weekend....there's a mention of this blog in the article. Click on image to make it large enough to read.

Op Shopping for Craft Materials

Hi there everyone, as you all know, I love an afternoon op shopping, looking for interesting bits and pieces for my crafting and yarning habits. I also love to search for vintage patterns. There's something about looking at vintage stuff whilst listening to "Magic 693" on the overhead radio that is very relaxing. I think its because dad always listens to it at home, and also the music takes you to another place in time.

I was disappointed to not find woolen jumpers (what I actually went for LOL) - I use them for either felting or unravelling. The one or two I did find had gross GROSS colours.

Usually, this (jumpers from an opping trip last month)



becomes this . . . (yarn for dyeing and crocheting) . . .



However I did find some other stuff - see below:

Quilt, its nice and thick, in perfect condition, and all hand stitched with perfect tiny stitches (what patience!): paid $8.50 for this (the tissue box is there for size comparison):



Suede hooded long jacket, fully lined, looks like it was never worn (the mark is from the camera flash):





Patterns of simple stuff for me to make - 50 cents each



Jacket in a gorgeous weave, fully lined. Its a size 10 so I either lose weight or make it into a seriously gorgeous handbag.



I also picked up a full set of Lightning McQueen (my daughter's fave DVD) licenced toys for $3.50, and she also managed to find a never-been-used Lightning McQueen back pack (for $3.75). There's some really great puns on it. "RPM . . . Nighttime Backfire Suppressant" and "Re-Volting . . rebuilt alternative" as well as padded pictures of McQueen and Matey. She loves it.

Hope you enjoyed my trip !

Cristina also blogs at Stramenda, homemaking, craft, life!

trying not to gloat...

Yes, I made it to the Salvos designer the other weekend.  Hurriedly scanned my way through racks and racks and racks of clothes.  I'm sure I missed things, and meant to go back the next day, but didn't make it.  Probably good for the bank balance.  However, I was very pleased with the items I brought home.  Briefly, Nolita sweat top, Art garb skirt, Italian leather boots, silk tie, jeans, and  jag track suit pants(didn't bother with a photo of them).

1. NoLita top, 2. Art Garb skirt, 3. Italian Boots, 4. Silk tie, 5. Insight jeans

Then during the week I stopped off at my favourite little Oppe Shoppe on Hawthorn Rd.  For $25 I snagged a pair of jag jeans, new cute little bag for carrying ripple blanket around in, brand new Nine West ankle boots (crippled my feet with them this morning, but damn they look good!), board shorts for my nephew, 3 Madeline books for Miss Whizzme, a spelling game (never opened) and a wonderful little retro book 'Let's find out about butterflies'. Carried around a nine west handbag for a while, but was only pvc so but it back! (what a snob!!)

1. Jag Jeans, 2. cute tote bag, 3. these boots aren't made for walking!, 4. Charlie's shorts, 5. Madeline
(there are no links for the second line of photos)
Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

If you are looking for a pair of nice shoes, this little op shop is worth checking out once in a while, as they often get in Nine West stock that is new but seconds or old stock.

summer holiday finds

1. chinese beaded purse, 2. I want to be a butterfly, 3. overlocker, 4. even more costumes, 5. more costumes, 6. costumes, 7. party dress find, 8. op shop girl, 9. italian shoes

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

finally got my act together and uploaded photos of some finds from the recent summer holidays.  click on the links to see more information.

Op-shopping To Suit Your Shape

My op shopping motto: a thrifted item that doesn't suit you is still an item that doesn't suit you.

Since I made the decision to return to the wonderful world of op shopping, I've been asking myself questions about my past op shopping practices. Why did I op shop, what kinds of things did I go for, and how should I update my attitude towards op shopping to suit the person I am now?

I used to be a compulsive op shopper. During most uni breaks I would trundle off to Savers, comb through the masses of musty-smelling junk, to find the gems. Most days I would come back with over 20 gems; you see, at that time, my idea of a 'gem' was completely insane.

A gem was anything that I could fit into that didn't look terrible (but it didn't need to look terribly good, either); anything that looked interesting, even if I could only just fit into it; anything to which I attached the words "It's so hideous I just have to have it"; anything costumey; anything below $10, and anything I liked regardless of whether it was stained, ripped, had a broken zip, or otherwise needed mending (of course I didn't mend any of these garments as I'm almost useless with a sewing needle). I bought and wore little boys' t-shirts, children's jumpers, hideous dresses, tops that didn't really fit, and things that did not suit my shape at all.

Click to read the rest of this post (link opens in a new window)