First splurge for this year!

I was in Mill Park today and couldn't help myself - had to stop off at Savers. I haven't been there for a couple of months, but I made up for it today!

I broke our coffee plunger while I was washing it last night, so the first thing I looked for at Savers was a replacement. There were a dozen different styles and sizes, but I liked this one for $2.99

Seeing I had a whole day to myself, I spent an hour checking out the shoes and came home with four pairs.

Top row - black shoes (Rivers - very comfortable) $9.99, black sandals $9.99,
bottom row - denim scuffs $6.99, tan leather sandals $7.99
If you are thinking they were expensive, let me tell you that my feet are swollen with arthritis, and I can go to six shoe shops and not find anything that fits me.  So I'm happy to pay Savers for shoes that do fit!

Four plates and matching bowls 99 cents each.  These are to be used when we eat outside on the patio which is brick paved.  As much as I don't want to see them dropped and smashed, for 99 cents it is better to risk these than my 'good' kitchen set.

A couple of interesting books.  The Art book ($3.99), is full of useful tips.  The other book ($5.99)is a school text book of some kind, but it has some fascinating photos and documents in it relating to the English colonising Australia and the USA.

These cute lady bugs are hand worked in cross stitch - a bargain at $1.99.
The total was about $56, but being Monday, I qualified for 20% seniors discount, so got the lot for $46.40.

Op Shop Ball

I hope that this is not considered too "off topic".

Found that perfect ball gown at an op shop - now looking for somewhere to wear it?  How about to the Variety Op Shop Ball on March 31 at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne- all proceeds to charity. Details at the Variety website

Australian tea towels

A few weeks ago I took at day trip to Ballarat, 

which has 10 op shops! 

A few were still closed for the holidays 

but I managed to get to 5 of them. 

I found these lovely linen Australian tea towels 

that had never been used. 

And this wicker plant stand which I was going to paint white 

but the natural look has grown on me.

Cheers, laura

Manchester Sale at Salvos Dandenong South Today and Tomorrow

For anyone in the Dandenong South area today or tomorrow, the Salvos in Lonsdale Street is having a half price sale on all its manchester. Happy shopping!

Knox BSL

... is open again after having a facelift! I went just before Christmas and found yet another craft book for $2 (generic 70s craft, so have not bothered with a picture) and this Japanese silk scarf, also $2.

It is printed with old-style acrobats and performers:



Check out the musician sitting under the parasol... those super-long trousers were a fashion a few hundred years ago in Japan.


And as if tightrope walking were not tricky enough... this performer is doing it while wearing geta (wooden platform sandals)!


I hope this year is a great one for you and you find some fabulous things! I have another post coming up soon, but look forward to seeing your discoveries first!

My recent finds

I've been a very slack poster - I think this is my second, even though almost all my clothes are from op-shops. Finding the time to sit down and post is a bit tricky. Anyway, here are my recent purchases. All practical stuff. I needed new tops, since I've changed shape a bit since my baby was born 11 months ago. The skirt is pure silk and it's really soft and cool to wear. The T'shirts are all comfy and super cheap. This lot was from one shop, and I spent somewhere between 5 and 6 dollars for each item.

And the shop? Bargain Browser, 9 Anderson St, Yarraville +61 3 9687 6307. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 9am-4pm

Merry Christmas for yesterday and happy op-shopping for 2012!

Happy Christmas!

To all my fellow op shoppers, my best wishes for a Happy Christmas, and a safe and healthy New Year, with lots of bargains at your favourite opshops!
I was astounded at the amount of stuff being brought into the Brotherhood shop in Eltham in the weeks leading up until Christmas, and equally amazed at the people who swarmed into the shop every day looking to buy Christmas gifts.  But the older staff members have warned me "you ain't seen nothin' yet".  They said that when we come back mid January to reopen the shop, there will be huge piles of bags waiting for us to sort - all those unwanted gifts....