The Shopping Sherpa (and friends) in Secondhand Land

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

The full Saturday report as promised:

After an 8am pick up, our first stop was the YMCA Garage Sale. Which I found quite disappointing. We figured it's probably because they're now so regular I'm starting to recognise the same items over and over again: items I chose not to buy on my first visit and also passed over on visit two (and, possibly, three)

I forgot to take photos but I suppose one YMCA Garage Sale is pretty much like another. I spent $12 on a gift (so no photo, sorry) and $3 on this little orange school case which I plan to decoupage with images from 1960s annuals. The giant crochet hook was free (biro to show size)
Next stop was St Paul's Fete in Manuka where I remained *ahem* on the case:
Two brown cases to add to my ever growing pile ($2 each) and, also in a case, a fabulous child sized battery operated Singer sewing machine ($10)Is small. Is cute. It had to come home even though it was a little expensive!

Also picked up for $1 was this set of carafe and glasses destined for a friend:I actually only paid for the carafe. The glasses were free: I think they felt bad for me that 4 intact glasses became three intact glasses and one smashed glass when I set them down to pay for them :-(

Speaking of feeling bad, this is what was in one of the cases:someone's treasures from the Masonic Lodge. I'll be passing these on to someone who will deal with them properly.

There was book buying too (one a gift, one which you'll see later)

Back down Adelaide Avenue we headed, to the St Andrew's Village Fair where we were piped in by a kilt wearing bagpipe player. Taph found the perfect tool to deal with handknitted ack bears (I suspect she's imagining a sacrificial fire under it)I found a completely useless but utterly entrancing round thing full of round things ($5)and bought 6 books for $12. This one I picked out for the cover alone:It looks so good (pity it's full beauty is hidden by a swan's bum, huh?)Next on the list was a visit to Tuggeranong. We started at Salvos as the Arch Bishop was visiting Vinnies doing the official stuff so we thought we'd miss the crowd. But the crowd appeared to be at Salvos (I've never seen it so full!)

Shirley, one of my favorite Salvos Ladies, was there and had a choice of two lots of headgear, this: and a spangly pink tiara.

There were mammoth amounts of Da Vinci Codes(sorry, couldn't help it!):

I bought 2 Simple Minds CDs for $3 each (and ended up giving one to Taph as I realised when I got home that I already had it with a different cover), 2 books ($1.50 total: they had 50% off all books, bric a brac and manchester) and 1 banded ball of Jo Sharp Silkroad DK tweed (50 cents! Yes, my Jo Sharp frugalling Fairy was obviously in town again)

Here's the Vinnie's extention. Not sure if it looks like a castle or a prison...
Inside it's all bright and fresh and smells like new carpet:This dinner set stayed right where it was (aren't I good?):And so did this lounge set (but note the covetous and calculating look in my eye...):I did buy a book, though.

Oh yes, books...This was yesterday's haul:Don't the colours go so nicely (including the wool)?

From top to bottom: $8 (Vinnies Tuggeranong), $2 (St Andrew's Fete), 50 cents (Salvos Tuggeranong), $2, $2, $2 (St Andrew's Fete), $2 (St Paul's Fete) and $1 (Salvos Tuggeranong - I'm rather pleased with this one as I've never seen a copy of Alison Holst's Meals without Red Meat second hand before)