Winter wonders

I have a friend from out of  town who visits Canberra each year for the Craft & Quilt Fair. And it's tradition that we meet on the Sunday morning for Trash and Treasuring, followed by brunch.

This morning we went to both Jamison and Woden. And this morning we both bought typewriters (hers is a beautiful teal Olivetti, mine a more subdued cream Brother).

 I was excited to discover dolls house miniatures for sale at both markets and went a little overboard. The beady-eyed amongst you may notice a miniature typewriter beside the full sized one...

Other finds of the morning: a book on Banksy ($8), a rubber stamp that says 'bullshit' (50 cents), Powder Puff yarn for knitting miniature flokati rugs ($5, including colours not shown here). And a display case (not from Trash and Treasure but from Portobello Road at Old Bus Depot Markets) for $20.

And these mini socks were bought for me by my friend:

Because everyone needs miniature hand-knitted black and white socks, apparently...

Market savvy

It's been a while since I posted my market finds so I thought I'd share this morning's treasure:

Linen Trent Resort jacket ($6), the most fabulous vintage first aid cupboard (also $6: can you believe it?!), a selection of DVDs to keep me glued to the sofa and knitting stock for my soon-to-be-launched Etsy shop (between $2 and $4 each), two plastic storage containers for mini supplies ($1 each) and eight brand new sheets of silver 2D scrapbooking alphabet stickers, still with their original $2.95 price stickers attached (50 cents each)

Total price: $30.

Have you been to Trash and Treasure recently? Care to share?

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?

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!

A frosty reception

Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa

After I scraped the ice off Miss Daisy's windows this morning, we drove through the fog to visit Jamison Trash and Treasure before work:

(I decided scraping the ice off the CDs in order to read the titles wasn't worth the effort and so retired to a nearby cafe where I spent my money on coffee and raisin toast instead)

Long Shorts

I had not been to an op-shop, fee or auction for months, but managed a 5 minute quick stop at Salvos in Jamieson a few weeks ago on the way to my daughters soccer match.

They had a heap of brand new children's patterns for 50 cents each. With a daughter who wears nothing but shorts 365 days of the year, it was a good find (now just to find time to get my sewing machine out!).

Queens of the op shops

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

Today was another of those rare times when Taph and I were both off work on the same day and the op shops (except for Vinnies) were open. Plus we had Salvos cards that are due to expire on Thursday.

So there was only one thing to do: chose the car with the most spare space in it and do the rounds.

At (Big) Salvos in Queanbeyan I picked up this shirt for $3.50 (as part of our use of the first card):Yes, I'm well aware it's not black and white but for I figured if I don't wear it it would make great a) hankies or b) dolls house bedding. Besides, when I tried it on it reminded me of my days in student radio back in the 80s. Or Adrian off The Collectors (not that I've watched a complete episode as yet). Enough reason to drop $3.50, I figured...

At Salvos Fyshwick I remembered I was in need of a punk costume. And I spotted this tail coat:
Home made. Green tagged (so $3 instead of the marked $15) and reminiscent of a tail coat I used to wear in the late 80s (see above).

Then there was this vintage Simona tartan shift dress: $4.50 with card:I pulled it out. We (Taph, two lovely op shoppers who we'd been bumping into at every shop we visited (as you do) and the chap working at the shop) agreed it would be perfect under the tails at a punk party. But I put it back. The party is in mid summer. This reminds me more of winter.

Taph rescued it and made me see sense.

Then the chap that worked there came up with this which he said would work perfectly with the tails:Homemade, fits perfectly, would be great for openings and $3.50 with card. Sold!

I was on a roll! Spotty vintage Equipment shirt (I swear I had the matching short sleeved shirt many years ago) $3.50 with card:(I'm starting to feel the need to pull out my turntable and play Hüsker Dü)

But wait! There's more!

While waiting for the fitting rooms I perused the green rack (all items originally marked under $6 for $1, over $6: $3) and pulled out these for $1 each: Brand new daisy T (I plan to remove the pocket)

And Target Veronicas T shirt which, with a little tweaking , might just work under the tails with skinny jeans. And maybe my bowler hat. For $1 it's worth taking the chance...

But we're not over yet. Salvos Jamison Centre has all short sleeved summer tops at $2. This is a little more scoop necked than I'm used to but for $2, worth trying out. Besides, it has spots:
Finally, Taph points out a full wool felted regimental dress uniform:We laugh a bit. We admire it. She asks me to try it on. There's more giggling. Until I try the trousers and discover they fit perfectly. As in the length's spot on. So's the waist. Wool trousers (with a groovy red stripe up the leg) for $30? Sold to the mad woman in the fitting room!

Highlight of the day? The discovery that the larger Salvos stores now have itty bitty carts to fit their shopping baskets: So friends can op shop with a basket each, space on the handle to hang coat hangers, and two free hands to explore the racks. Big thumbs up to Salvos!

Now, as seems a fitting end to a day like this, I'm off to watch Mary, Queen of Charity Shops. (While washing my work shirt for tomorrow, of course!)

Big T, little t: what begins with T?

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

A case (or two) of mxing things up

Friend Tania and I planned to go to Jamison Trash and Treasure yesterday morning to find something for the part of my Design class brief which said "Select and evaluate two disparate 3D objects - one natural and one manufactured that have had a life or been functional and have now ceased to function or been discarded".

Except I'd managed to snaffle a dead printer from Craft ACT on Saturday night so the need wasn't quite so pressing. We went anyway, even though there were intermittent showers on the way there.

The showers had obviously kept most of the stall holders (and shoppers) away. Which meant some hard haggling was easy peasy.

The first purchase of the day? These two school cases ($15 for both) to add to the (now much taller) pile of suitcases I keep my wool stash in. Except once I pulled the stickers off them I discovered this on the top:Some googling brought up the fact that the ACT Schools Authority was in existence from 1976 to 1988 so I think I'll be offering them to the ACT Heritage Library before filling them with wool...

And I snapped up this vintage Sunbeam Mixmaster for $30:I did intend to pull it apart for my project. For about one nano second. But it seems a shame to kill it when I've been told it's in working order (although am a little worried about testing this pronouncement out in case I explode into a puff of electrical smoke when I plug it in...)

Some favorite finds.

Hello,
Although this is my first post in this blog, I have been op-shopping in Canberra for as long as I have lived here, some 8 years or so. I think op-shopping is in my blood. I get that withdrawal mood when I haven't op-shopped for a while. ;-)

I'm going to share with you some of my all time favorite finds.

$1, Scullin Op-shop

It was covered in ugly dirty clear plastic. I almost walked out the door before went back to check it out. Bingo! Underneath the plastic was this stunning handmade embroidery. Still hanging proudly in the guest bedroom.

$8, YMCA Jamison (now Belconnen)

This is one of my earliest op-shop finds. Bought this some seven years ago and it's still being used as the most favorite TV blanket in the house. Every house guest has seen this. Also used as a background in many family photos. ;-)

What are your favorite op-shopping finds?

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

J asked if we could go op shopping last weekend to update her working wardrobe now she's in a less corporate environment. Except I ended up working last Saturday. But this weekend we managed it: my first op shop foray in far far too long.

The Frugalling Fairy had obviously been missing me. Before I left home this morning I realised I'd have to shift my Mac before this afternoon's Photoshop lesson as I only had one high stool to sit at. But then, at Salvos Tuggeranong I spied this for $15.00: Yes I realise it's yellow but I justified it as I figured it would be a temporary resident chez TSS before possibly heading into The Craft ACT shop to replace the current chair which is on wheels and is prone to whizz off across the (vinyl) floor if you so much as shift position.

Except it would now seem that Abode Suite lessons will be a regular occurrence for the next little while. So the either the stool stays or I donate it to Craft ACT with the proviso that I can come and borrow it when required...

I also found a copy of this intriguing looking book at Salvos Tuggeranong. A tad expensive at $10 but too stunning to leave behind. The SuperJesus CD (from Salvos Weston Creek) was a $2 gamble as I didn't know their music but somehow recognised the cover. So far I'm not impressed but I'll give it another listen before deciding if I'm redonating it.

And the Jeffrey Steingarten book ($2) was a random pick from Salvos Jamison which because a must-buy when it clicked that this was JEFFREY STEINGARTEN aka the main reason I still subscribe to US Vogue.

And I also bought a little wool for Taph (not photographed). And a coffee at Chocolate Olive mid quest. And lunch at Ha Ha Bar post quest. And J went home with 3 pairs of trousers for $15.50 and a top (forgot how much it was, but less than $7). All in all a good day...

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...

Hello, I'm new here! *waves to the old hands*

Hello, I'm Zoe, a long-time op shopper, somewhat less long-time Canberra blogger (here on food and here infrequently these days) and very new member of the I op therefore I am team of Frugalistas.

Our car is in for repairs this week, so I made the most of clearish day last week to traipse around with traps with my 2 yo for assistance entertainment.

We went to the Salvos and Aussie Junk in Mitchell, to the YMCA in Kingston and the Salvos in Fyshwick. I had an appointment in Belconnen in the afternoon, so we finished up with a lightning raid on Salvos at Jamison, which confirmed its reputation (in my house at least) as the most "dreamin'" overpriced op shop in Canberra. I ended up with a most satisfactory haul that I think's a pretty good reflection of my particular op shopping fetishes - cookbooks (especially the Time Life Good Cook and Foods of the World series, some vintage and modern Australian cheffy type ones - here a TL Foods of the World folder with the Middle East volume), weird stuff about cats, cast iron cooking pots and pans, ($13 for saucepan, frypan and lid that fits both) vintage melamine (50 c), mystery kitchen appliances, some kids' videos (50 c each) and the occasional clothing item (a very nearly new pair of size 10 1/2 shiny patent boots for $25 from Salvos Mitchell).

Score of the day was the mystery appliance, which was $5 at the Fyshwick Salvos upstairs. It turns out to be the Benriner Cooks' Helper, $79 new at the Asian supermarket at Belconnen Mall. Even better, the manual's on the web, so my older son's been having "vegetable spaghetti" in his lunchbox. I love the internet ; )

Golden Hands alert

If you're after Golden Hands Salvos Jamison has the binders with the magazines: numbers 2 to 6 for $2 per binder... (I wonder what happened to volume 1?)

Post-Christmas Op Shops

What a disappointing morning. There were only 3 garage sales advertised in the Canberra Times, and nothing listed on All Classifieds.

We went to the Mugga Lane Aussie Junk - and there was nothing there. They are arranging their stuff in cabinets, and I couldn't find the clothes and linen section anywhere. Narhhh - not worth going.

Then to Vinnies in Woden - not open, and ducked up to the Salvos, This was better - I unearthed 5 books for a dollar.

I committed evironmental Hari Kari and went to Sam's Warehouse... found packets of 18 Christmas Cards for 50 cents. OK - and will make a great base for card making next year.

There was nothing much to be found at Salvo's Jamison either... Well they do have a major sale on till early January, but nothing there rocked my boat.

I definately prefer garage sales and auctions to the op shops these days... there is still the rummage factor there, and a chance to bargain a real bargain in the process.

Not really wanted

I saw this in Vinnies Gungahlin over the weekend:



I am not going to say it is the worst film ever made, but it would have to be the worst film I saw in 2008. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493464/

Even funnier is that it was released on DVD only a couple of weeks ago, and here sits a copy at a second hand shop for $3.00. Admittedly it is a R1 copy in NTSC format, but to find it like this is a surprise.



We also found these videos in the same store. PufnStuff was one of those 60s -70s kids shows, which is so full of innuendo, that even adults will find it funny. Just say the name slowly - Puf-n-stuff. Nuf said.





And finally sometimes it pays to look around. I found a second hand bookstall at a market had two copies of the Da Vinci code. One was $2 and the other was $5. I read the book ages ago, and I think even the copy for $2 is overpriced.

Market intelligence

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

I was going to say "I rolled out of bed super-early this morning" but that would be a lie.

So let's start again, shall we?

I rolled out of bed at my usual pre-7am time this morning and headed off to Trash and Treasure. The plan was to buy some more plants and pop into Coles to use some gift cards I'd been given for Christmas to buy a mix of essentials and Christmas treats.

But the plant people I bought from last time weren't there and the other plants didn't look to good so instead I ended up buying:
*A brand new shrink wrapped copy of House of Eliott complete series 3 for $25. Damned shame I don't have series 1 and 2 yet...
* A copy of Lonely Planet London for $4, only because I discovered recently that my name appears in it. So this isn't really a travel guide, it's actually a piece of memorabilia!
*A very cute vintage sewing machine accessories tin for $1 to replace my very boring plastic one.
* Yet another vintage row counter for 50 cents.

Don't the colours all blend nicely with each other?

(Alas, I forgot to ask the chap on the gate when they reopen in the New Year...)