Op shop Finds....

With the kids back at school this week the op shops have been singing their siren call. "Come to me Julianne! Come to me!" And I have.

In one shop I found: The Woman's Day Complete Book of Handicrafts. And goodness it is complete. Will share some of it in the coming weeks. The book is from 1974.

An Australiana tray which I just adore. I love kangaroos....

And some super thick wool which I've started knitting....

 

And there's even more but I won't want to make you explode with thrift envy so I will show you more....another day.

Frocktober 18 - An epic op shop adventure!

It was epic! We started at 10 am and didn't stop for a drink, food or toilet break until 5.30 pm. Yeah. Epic!
My good friends Sal and Leanne  (both not frock wearers!) took ourselves to the well heeled part of town to raid their op shops. We  are well matched with our stamina and shopped til we finally dropped...at the pub for a drink! Here I am, the weary shopper returns!

I wore my flouncy 70's prairie style dress. And can I just say - for a big shop like this you need to be prepared. Comfy shoes and a slip for getting changed!

I got a huge haul - head piece (you will see soon!), cardies, frocks, skirt, ear rings, necklace and SHORTS! Yes! SHORTS! I'll be wearing pants for a month after this! The frock above is an eighties fitted number with bright trim and bows on the sleeves....

and I can NEVER resist an islander moo moo  dress!!!! I did resist the sequin number below however...

 and this disco pink frock.

But it wasn't all fun and frocks. Leanne told me about a friend of a friend who is only 32 years old. She was out running one day when she felt a pressure in her lower abdomen and a strong urge to wee. She was diagnosed shortly after with ovarian cancer and she was already at the palliative stage. That's why all the frocktoberers are raising money - to find a way to detect this insidious killer disease in the early stages and save lives.

If you can spare a dollar or too, donate here.

And thanks to Jac who did just that!

When does something become a collection?

When you have one thing...

 

 

and then two......

 

 

 

And then three...

becomes four....

Next thing it's five...

and then SIX!

Do we call this a collection now?

op shop lament

I don't op shop much these days. But I still love the thrill of the find! The discovery of treasure! I see other people posting about their op shop finds and I wonder where the hell they op shop (yes New Zealand looks amazing!) because there's not much to find in these parts anymore.  Haven't op shops changed? Around here it's like a bag of jellybeans where everyone has picked out the yummy ones and left only the black ones - it's all either been picked over OR it's over priced. $25 for a seventies polyester Nanna dress? I don't think so! Oh how I long for the old days where you could buy a sixties cashmere jumper for $2 and a beaded frock with matching coat for $3. If I had have known those days would end I never would have cut up all those vintage frocks into crazy punk outfits in the '80's - ah but we're all wise in hindsight!  So the other day I hopped on the bus and went to Ascot Vale and Moonee Ponds for a look. I can recommend the Vinnies on Maribyrnong Road but I would suggest not bothering with Moonee Ponds. 

At Vinnies, I got this lovely wooden lady, a vintage satin straight skirt (which needs taking up), these vintage bathers (with great red and white striped details)

and a pair of Melissa Wedge t-bar shoes all for $15! (That's cheap for these parts!)

BUT! The shoes are too big - size 39. Any takers? Just email me.