Some Suggestions Please

This post isn't really about anything I've bought recently. I've had the tablecloth for a couple of months now. The side plate, I've had for just ages and the mismatching teacup and saucer I bought at the RSPCA Op Shop at Burwood East a few months ago.

I keep my eye out for really pretty teacups, saucers, sideplates, bowls and dinner plates as I want a totally mismatching 'good' crockery set. I don't like to pay very much for each piece and I haven't seen a lot around, so, I was wondering if anyone would be able to tell me some great places to go where I can find really pretty pieces of fine bone china, preferably from England or anywhere in Europe really.

I'd really appreciate your help and suggestions to which op shops to visit.

~ Ky x

the happy hunter-gatherer

This article is actually a couple of years old now but I can't recall whether anything was posted about it at the time. Writer Amy Choi, who was kind enough to give this blog a shout at the time, has started her own op shop-happy blog called Revival.

(Illustration by Robin Cowcher, originally found here.)

Watsonia opshops.

The small Watsonia shopping centre has three busy op shops: The Red Cross, the Brotherhood of St. Lawrence, and the Salvos. My friend G. and I visited them all today. G found some great clothes as usual, four beautiful cushions, and a new four piece dinnerset for $11. I saw an English "Churchill Imari" teapot and matching milk jug in perfect condition, for about $18 for the pair. I wish now that I'd bought them, but I have enough teapots and milk jugs, and no room to keep any more. But I didn't come home empty handed. Of course.


Two craft magazines from two shops: one for 50c and the other 99c (don't you hate that? We haven't had one and two cent coins for years, so it's a bloody DOLLAR, not 99 cents)


A huge ball of lace for 50 cents! Most opshops would sell this by the metre, but the lady at this shop just looked at it and said doubtfully "Is 50 cents okay?" Is the Pope a Catholic?


A self-help book about Arthritis. With my hands and feet aching most of the time now, and my neck and back getting stiffer every morning, I need all the help I can get.


A stunning glass paperweight for $7 (the ticket price was $6.99, but if you read what I said above...) A friend collects them, so I've been looking for them to keep for Xmas gifts, and they are mostly around the $20 mark, so this was a bargain.

Treasures For This Week

This is the first time I have contributed to 'I op therefore I am'. I'm feeling a little privilaged right about now.

I love looking at all the things that everyone finds and how much and where they got them. It's so inspirational.

Here a few of my finds in the past week.

Found this straw handbag in almost perfect nick at the Glen Waverley Salvo's for $3.99

These Demonia Mary Jane's in perfect nick at the Rotary Clothesline on Mitchum Rd, Mitchum for $4.50. I was so stoked to stumble across these!

These Nine West shoes for $8.00 at the Vinnies store in Mitchum.

I also picked up some old, hard back classics at the Adra Op Shop in Mitchum for 50cents each. Am finally going to read Doctor Zhivago.

You can read/see more of my op shop treasures by visiting my blog and clicking on the 'op shops' label in the side bar.

Hope you all have a great week and find some fabulous treasures while op shopping!

~ Ky x

Forest Hill finds

I had a little trip to Nunawading last week to get my tax return done, but what I did AFTER that was a lot more fun... I managed to visit 6 op shops but my best finds were from the three on Mahoneys Road in Forest Hill. I got this necklace for $2

and this convection oven that can be used on a stovetop for $13.50
(sorry that I can't seem to get the pic the right way up, not sure why this has happened, tips anyone?), both from the Youth Education Support shop. The oven is missing a handle and I'm not sure if it can be used on an electric stove but luckily the instruction manual is included so I'll just have to give the manufacturers a call and ask.
The Lion's Den op shop on Mahoneys Road is for hardcore oppers, it is like organised chaos but if you feel like a rummage it is perfect. I found some AMAZING fringed over-knee boots in my size .. but they were $30 which is over my budget and they weren't quite the right colour. But anyone looking for fringed boots, go and check it out!

Confessions of an Op-a-Holic

So after a very full week of classes and work I was in desperate need of some op-therapy! Here are my finds:

Country Road top/dress $6 @ Edithvale Vinnies

Purr "Betty Davies Eyes" tank top $3.99 @ Hastings Salvo's
Brown Witchery v-neck $4.99 and yellow Saba tank top $1.99 (was a 50% off item) @ Salvo's Keysborough
Silk tie $1.99 @ Hasting's Salvo's; 'The Art of Living' (an 1950s US Readers Digest collection) $2 @ Edithvale Vinnies; Books all $1 @ Mordialloc Lions Op Shop; Esprit brown leather belt $4.99 @ Salvo's Keysborough
Barkins purple and white stripe business shirt $2.99 (was a 50% off item) @ Salvo's Mordialloc

Pyrex pretty

I'm always on the lookout for vintage Pyrex. There's something so lovely about the translucency of the casseroles and covered dishes- it's very like milk-glass. And the coloured finishes and patterning are so pretty. They're like dressing-table trinket boxes you put in the oven!

Seen here is a Snowflake Blue divided casserole found today at the Brotherhood of St Laurence Opshop on Glenhuntly Road, Caulfield, for just $3. I've seen similar dishes in other opshops for $10 and upwards so I was very pleased. When I get my Pyrex pieces home I give them a gentle bicarb-soda scrub to remove baked on residue then rinse with clear water- they come up beautifully.

Besides being lovely to look at, this retro cookware is very practical. If you make a large bake or casserole, the leftovers can simply remain in the dish and get covered with the lid to go straight into the fridge. You don't have to fuss with gladwrap or get tupperware-type containers dirty. The flat covers enable safe stacking of two or more dishes, or other refrigerator contents can go on top.

The Pyrex Love blog showcases the extensive collection owned by Linda and Bryan, and offers a taxonomy of the different colours and patterns fossickers may find in opshops. I'm warning you, collecting these dishes is addictive!