'Magnifique'

A school holiday op-shop outing to visit Y's Buys (who must have the best craft set up of any op-shop in Canberra), Salvos and Vinnies in Belconnen, and while we looked around and hunted through racks of clothes and shelves of crockery, we did not seem to find a great deal that screamed 'take me home'.

We did find a few books, knitting needles and sewing patterns to add to current collections, an old version of Sim City that  still works on our old PC and Buffy Season 1 on DVD (the universe must have heard me saying I had never seen it).

Sale at another chance

Another Chance at Scullen is have a 50% off all clothing sales until the 30th of November.



 

 
Considering they are one of the best value op-shops in Canberra, 50% their clothing off is an even better saving.

 

More Op Shopping Hours before Christmas

Fresh from my Twitter stream:

Belconnen Vinnies extending trading hours over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas. The store will
be opened on Sundays from 10am-2pm.

Happy birthday Vinnies Belconnen!

A big day coming up at Vinnies, Belconnen

Put the date in your diaries folks. and the venue is Vinnies Belconnen.

Y? It's a sale.

I made a visit to the Y shop in Belconnen, and discovered that they are having a Half Price Sale.

The ladies behind the counter said It goes until this weekend, but if they do not shift enough stock, then it will continue next week. Also this sale is only at their Belconnen store.

Belconnen Festival Op-Swap

ACT otherWISE is hosting a GIANT OP-SWAP and recycling drop-off at the Belconnen Community Festival on Saturday 13 November 2010. The Festival is at Margaret Timpson Park (35 Benjamin Way, Belconnen) between 10am and 5pm.

HOW WILL THE SWAP WORK?

Bring clothes, books and other swappable items to the Festival and exchange them for something else. Come by any time between 10am-5pm.

There is no minimum on what you can donate, but we ask that if you have bulky items, or you're unsure whether something is appropriate, please get in touch first.

CANNOT ATTEND THE FESTIVAL?

If you cannot attend the Festival, but would still like to contribute, you can drop your items off any time at the ACT Conservation Council (17 Childers St Acton - next to Street Theatre). There is a marked box just inside the front door.

DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DONATE?

Not a problem - just bring a donat ion to help cover the costs of running the event.

PRIZE DRAW

Everybody who donates something in the lead up to the Festival, or brings something to swap on the day, will go in the draw for a fantastic prize.

HOW WILL THE RECYCLING DROP-OFF WORK?

We are collecting mobile phones (and accessories), printer cartridges and batteries. Just bring them to our stall and we'll send them away to be recycled free of charge.

MORE INFORMATION

Contact ACT otherWISE Project Officer Scott Walker by email on otherwise@consact.org.au or leave a message at 6229 3211

Lifted directly from Conservation Council Newsletter, November 2010.

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!

Lunchtime finds

I managed to pop over to Y's Buys at lunchtime today (yay! op shopping!) and spent $4.30 on this:

Four rolls of vintage wallpaper, a good dolls house scale, for $2 the lot (let me know if you'd like some and we can arrange a swap). Three rolls of vintage tape for $2 the lot. And a length of braid for another 30 cents. I was well pleased with my haul.

Two quick things about Vinnies Belconnen

When I visited Vinnies Belconnen today I saw two interesting signs on their door:

1. This weeks Special: Ladies Tops and Slacks, only $2 each. I assume this sale finished on Saturday 3 October.

2. Starting the first Monday in October, they will be having "Half Price Mondays". I assume this starts on Monday 12 October as the fifth is a public holiday. The sale excludes their "blue ribbon" and "bric-a-brac in cabinets".

Can the hive mind let me know if this is happening at other Vinnies shops in Canberra?

Two day clothing sale at Vinnies Belconnen

Vinnies Belconnen are having a two day clothing sale on Friday (23 September) and Saturday (24 September).

All womens clothing will be marked down to

$3.00 Tops
$4.00 Skirts Blouses and Pants

Naturally get in early for the best bargains.

A truncated trip

Today was the beginning of my first two day weekend since July 25th. I had to feed friends' cats this morning and decided the only thing to do next was a quick visit to the op shops in Mitchell and Belconnen (my poor Salvos card is feeling lonely: it was last stamped on August 14th.)

I've recently smashed the light fitting in the hall when changing the bulb and knew I'd find one on my next op shop trawl: and I did. For $5. I also picked up a Midnight Oil best of CD for $3.

Salvos Mitchell news: all books are half price. Ditto bric a brac. And if you're in the market for curtains, there's a supermarket trolley full of part bolts of brand new curtain fabric (mainly fawns and pinks and creams and whites) for $10 a bolt. And the most recent estimation of an opening date for the new store is October 24th: Ken, if you're reading this, can you let us know when it's finalised?)

On the way down the GDE to Belconnen my work mobile rang. I should have stopped there and then to deal with it but, oh no, I continued on my merry way to Belconnen. Got Rock Star parking outside Salvos, checked my messages and turned the ignition straight back on: I had to go in to work...

To make up for my disappointment, I'd love to hear your recent op shop adventures!

Belco round-up

The YMCA at Belconnen has half price on everything in store, so if you're after an orange and brown Monier crockpot with the original recipe book, it's yours for $5.

Vinnies has expanded their clothing racks, and they've got heaps of kids rash vests if you want to get in early for summer.

And there's a "silent sale" at the Salvos - I didn't find out about it until I asked how much the old magzines were. If you buy one of their reusable bags for 95 cents you can fill it with books for free. Bad luck if you wanted the 25 Gourmet/Gourmet Traveller magazines from the late 1980s and early 1990s, as I've greedily snaffled them.

Second hand Show and Tell

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

It was wonderful to have time yesterday to do one of my favorite op shop loops.

First stop was Salvos Mitchell where I picked up a book and a paper making kit for $5 total (just what I need: another hobby. But for under $5 I figured it could sit in the craft cupboard until inspiration struck. And if that never happened I could donate it to the Community Arts tent at The National Folk Festival next year)
Salvos Belconnen provided me with three CDs for $4 each: Hoodoo Gurus' Ampology (especially pleased with this one as I don't have any Hoodoo Gurus on CD and this is a very comprehensive double best of collection), Norah Jones' Come away with me and The Whitlams' Torch the moon (another double CD which contained a cover version of my favorite Icehouse track)

Keeping to the music theme, at my next stop ( Y's Buys Belconnen) I picked up some recorder tuition books for $1 each. This week I rediscovered a recorder I picked up second hand ages ago and had the sudden urge to do something with it. So I'm planning to reteach myself to read music, a skill I last used about twenty five years ago. I surprised myself last night by discovered I can play Depeche Mode's Just can't get enough by ear...

And at Vinnies Belconnen I found this.... err... thingy for $3: No idea what it is but since it looked like it could be a spinny weavy type thingy I bought it on the off chance that it could be useful for Taph. Any ideas what it might be?

St Vinnies $3 shirts and pants.

Just seen at St Vinnies at Belconnen.

All mens shirts are $3 on 29 and 30 June and 1 July.

Also all mens pants are $3 on 29 and 30 June.

More pears for the collection. And the return of a new old favorite

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

Hurrah! Yesterday I finally had the time to go op shopping. More importantly, when I opened my wallet I discovered there was money in there. Always a handy thing to have when you plan to go op shopping...

I did the Salvos Jamison/ Vinnies Belconnen/ Salvos Belconnen/ Salvos Mitchell run and spent $19 of my $20.

There were five more pears bought for my collection at Vinnies Belconnen:$4 for a container which included a pile of other mini fruit as well (which will be returning to an op shop near me in the very near future.)The colours are a little bright for my collection so I have plans to experiment with various paint finishes and see what happens.

The excitement of the day was this dress which I bought at Salvos Jamison:It was a complete rip off at $15 (I didn't even have a full Salvos card to bring the price down to something sensible) but I just had to buy it.You see, I have an identical dress which I'd just mournfully realised was really past the state to be worn in public after several years of weekly wearings through Autumn, Winter and Spring. It was inching towards the rag bag while I tried to convince myself I really couldn't decently wear it again. So to find a replacement was something to celebrate indeed, at whatever price...

Vinnies Belconnen extended hours on Saturdays

Now open until 3pm.

(I've updated the spreadsheet)

For all the crafty people out there.

Vinnies Belconnen will be having a Craft Sale on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 April. Further details will be posted when I know them.

Vinnies Belconnen - 1/2 price on clothing

I called into Vinnies Belconnen today, and saw a sign on the door saying they were having a 1/2 price sale on clothing.

I walked out much later with two pairs of pants and two shirts (well there goes my 7 things for this week).

I have no idea when it finishes so if you are in the Belconnen area, stop in.

Y's Buys news

Y's Buys has everything half price at the moment: not sure how long for.

They've also just received a huge stash of handspun wool, which works out a 75 cents a ball after the discount.

Also in Belconnen, it looks like Colleen is back at Vinnies as their wool bin was full as well, with some rather interesting looking bags of yarn in there...