Salvos Jamison Centre: reopening

I don't know if it was because this Salvos returned to the space it originally occupied(as opposed to the Phillip and Mitchell stores, which moved to new premises) but I have to say I was fairly unimpressed (sorry, Ken)

First up, the "Grand Opening" sign was well hidden behind a donation bin (see photo one).

Then there was the Grammar Nazi in me which cringed at the new (unapostrophied) signage:I turned the corner, noting the new carpet, paint job and branding:(Yes, it looks brighter and cleaner than the old store)

The furniture is in the same place and I have to say I didn't notice much difference in ambiance...

But, as I turned round to head to the craft and book section this is what greeted me:
(That's a "Staff Only" sign on the door)

What! No craft section!?

Ken told me they were pushed to get things in order before the opening and the craft section would return soon. I though he meant to the same spot. But those doors look pretty permanent.

And the books have been rehoused next to the furniture:Which seems quite silly when the homeware section is now shoehorned in behind the mens' clothing (see picture 4 above)

All in all, I sadly have to say I'm giving the new Jamison Salvos a big thumbs down (even though I did pick up a brand new MIP Queen cotton valance for $5) and hope that I'll be able to change my rating once they've settled back into the space.

Did you visit on opening day? Can you convince me otherwise?

OpShopFails

Another op shop related blog you might be interested in:

"I have started a new blog dedicated to oddities found in op shops, its called Op Shop Fails!

I'm spreading the word to op shoppers around Australia and New Zealand to partake in the fun. If you find something worthy of this blog, please email me a pic, and I will upload to the blog.

Miss Op Shop Fail"

An intriguing email...

This landed in my inbox today:

"Hi there, I work for Anglicare – Canberra & Goulburn and wondered if you have heard about our 2 new shops?

First there is “The Purple Patch” on Auburn St Goulburn – utilising the old name in a big new beautiful shop. And now also “Take 2” at 11 Cowper St Ainslie, 6248 9692, (where the sadly missed Angels Boutique used to be). Take 2 has been open for a week and a day and is settling gently into the welcoming Ainslie Community. We hope that you’ll drop into one or both stores and say Hi

cheers Sarah"

Anyone visited either of these new op shops?

Making Good Use

Macksville is a favourite frugalling haunt on the mid-North coast.   It has 3 op-shops.  One run by the local Anglican community, a Vinnies and a Salvos Red Shield shop.

I have no idea what I will do with this roll of wallpaper, but at 50c it was coming home with me.  TOF and I have been singing the Wombles song (much to the annoyance of my mother) and think it may well be our anthem.

Pin up

TOF and I are holidaying on the mid-North coast. 

South West Rocks is a town we both knew as children.  In recent years my parents chose it for wintering in.  It's a small town with two op-shops, both church run. 

Our first frugalling foray yielded a few needed pieces of Tupperware (surprising, I know, but we didn't pack any and needed some for bait, sugar, coffee etc), some vintage Patons knitting patterns for the collection, craft materials for our mothers and this, one of my favourite finds for quite some time.

Vintage marquasite leaf pattern brooch, in perfect condition.  $5.  Photo taken in low light on camera phone - it's still shiny pretty.

Move over Two Buck Chuck*

7.30am, Saturday.  The temperature is -1C. We're leaving town for a couple of weeks but there's a garage sale in a suburb near the highway so we pop in - it doesn't do to anger the frugalling gods by passing an open garage sale or op-shop.

Among the usual detritus is a full wine rack. 

"How much?" we ask.

"$2 a bottle".  TOF's on his knees in seconds, sorting through the small collection of reds, picking  out the odd bottle.  

We're in a bit of a hurry, though, so we grab the 13 bottles thay have. At $2 a bottle it is within our holiday budget and we load them up.  I figure we only have to get one or two decent bottles out of it and we're ahead.  The rest can feed mother (the red wine vinegar mother, that is).

We open a bottle at a caravan park in South West Rocks on that night.  Chateau Tahbilk (one of our favourite wineries) 1996 Shiraz.

Our verdict, bloody brilliant.

*Charles Shaw, American wine producer.

Don't go to Salvos at Jamison...

It's closed for renovation, with a grand (re)opening on August 21st.

To market to market

Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa

With Rooruu in town for the Quilt Show (and pretend grumbling about the fact we hadn't arranged the exhibition opening to coincide) there was a mini bloggy meet up this morning.

This time I introduced her to Trash and Treasure, where I accidentally spent this week's grocery money on a number of treasures (with much encouragement from beside me) including the find of the year: a vintage laminate top table. In grey. For $20.

But wait! It gets better...It folds up!

So it's perfect as an extra work surface in my studio when needed, and able to be tucked away when not...Other treasures that followed me home: (Doll's hutch dresser: $5, doll's size sewing basket: $2, giant metal nut container: $5, 2 vintage rulers: $3, vintage snakes and ladders board: 30 cents (that was actually from Ys Buys), sewing machine accessories box: $2, record cabinet: $7 (from a blog reader! *waves*), Dover books, reading and writing clip art book: $2, vintage music case: $10)

(I'm feeling all very Fresh Vintage, being able to take a shot like this)

And here's a picture of the top of the sewing machine accessories box:Love that lettering!