Renovation reveal

 Vinnies' Queanbeyan shop reopened this morning after its weekend renovation, and I Op was there to see what was new.

 We were given a tour of the changes by Queanbeyan Centre Manager Aaron McNeil, who had dressed up for the occasion, in a tail coat*.

Aaron's background as part of the Melbourne IKEA management team informed the redesign of the shop. 'Not only can we fit in 40% more stock than we used to be able to with the old design, which is great for our shoppers' he told us, 'but we now have the ability to rearrange the shop quickly to reflect stock levels and shopping trends'.

There are still a few finishing touches which need to be added, like signage and some displays, plus Aaron is hoping to have the shop repainted sometime soon.

But the shop is definitely lighter, brighter and easier to navigate.

 

Vinnies Queanbeyan is at 130 Monaro Street (free parking in the carpark behind) and is open Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, and Saturday 9 am to 3 pm.

(*Not really, he tells us he has four of them that he wears regularly. Also, what is it with Vinnies Managers and amazing fashion sense?)

Vinnies Queanbeyan closed this weekend.

Vinnies’ Queanbeyan store will be closed for renovations from Saturday 24 to Monday 26 October. It will reopen, with a fresh new look, on Tuesday 27 October.

As a reopening special, they will be offering 50% off everything in store on Tuesday only.

Queanbeyan on Sale

TOF and I sampled the delights of Queanbeyan's four op-shops today.

All but the big Salvos Family Store had half price sales.

Little Salvos had half price on everything; Vinnies, half price on most stuff and Bargain Hunter, half price on summer clothing.

We didn't buy as much as you might expect.

A pair of brogues for TOF and a vintage cotton sheet which may or may not become blouses and/or a skirt next summer.

Still for $5 the lot from the little Salvos, we were happy.

Ops this week

Charity Book Fair
RB Smith Community Centre, Crawford Street, Queanbeyan
Friday 4 February (5-8 pm) and Saturday 5 February (10 am-2 pm)
Wide variety of second-hand and near-new books. Fiction and non-fiction at bargain prices.

YMCA GARAGE SALE
Meuller St, Yarralumla
8 am-12 pm
$5 bags clothes $10 boxes books.

Queanbeyan Charity Book Fair

CHARITY BOOK FAIR


RB Smith Community Centre
262 Crawford Street Queanbeyan

Friday 5 Nov 5-8pm
Saturday 6 Nov 10am – 2pm

Great variety of second-hand books !

Op-Shopping on Family and Community Day

On Monday we were faced with a public holiday in Canberra but across the border it was a normal working day.

Hooray Taph said. Let’s go op-shopping across the border.

So we piled into the sub-zero, and set a course for Queanbeyan. Our first stop was the Red Shield Store on Morrisett Street.


Fate seems to shine on us as we got rock-star parking outside the door. However the fate gods left us as there was nothing there that followed us home. However, they do have a good supply of 4xl and 6xl Mens S/S Shirts.

We did a short walk to the Salvos Store, and all we found there was a Country road linen shirt and a jar.

Feeling that the Frugaling gods would shine on us at our next two stops, we moved the car closer, and were rewarded with another Rock-Star Car Park.

Taph picked up a jumper, and a vintage knitting patten. I found a CD for the Collection.

But our luck ran out at Bargin Hunter, and we left empty handed.

We had a quick Brunch at the Central Café as we shared a Big Breakfast.

A quick visit to SpotLight for some needles, also turned up some bargain wool.

We were finished in Queanbeyan by 12, so we set course for Cooma.

Our first visit was to the Red Shield store. For the grand total of $10 we got a shirt each, a Tupperware mixing bowl, some genuine Croqs and a selection of knitting patterns.

We headed down to the Vinnies and got a Book, Shirt and knitting pattern.

We decided the day was still young, and Adaminaby was 30 minutes away. The cruise control on the Sub-Zero got us there well before closing.

It is easy to find, there is one main shopping street, and it is supporting the Snowy Mountains Museum.

We had a lovely time inside. I picked up a pair of xc-skis for $5. The Bases are shot, but I will use the bindings on another pair of skis.

Taph got a pure wool jumper, Tupperware rock and serve, Cheese knives and a cook book. All up this cost us $11.50.

We took the back road home via Namadgi national park. It is a lovely road, but don’t do it if you are in a hurry.

Easter treasures

Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa

I had today off and high on my list of things to do was finally get my knives and scissors sharpened for the year (a task which is well overdue.)

As usual, I was asked to come back to collect my knives in a couple of hours so there was only one thing to do: continue on to Queanbeyan and check out the op shops there before dropping into Narrabundah and Fyshwick on the way back.

This collection was strongly influenced by Ampersand Duck's fabulous work at the opening of Three Chords and the Truth last night at ANCA Gallery:($3.50 the lot)

D is for daisy. I seemed to find a lot of them today (plus a vintage set of Cuisenaire rods):(Cuisenaire rods: $10, bag of various fridge magnets including the d is for one above: $4, toy badge making set including daisy blanks: $2, white daisy buckle: $1, vintage daisy doily: 50 cents)

Also in the bag of fridge magnets (and the main reason I bought them) was this and a couple of similar vintage wooden magnets, which will be turned into brooches this weekend:Shown on my "new" trans-seasonal coat ($15)

Finally, I found this set of cards in Vinnies Queanbeyan for $1. I guess it's a game of some sort (there are instructions. They're all in Japanese) but I think the cards would look great hung on dolls house walls...
And remember, being Easter weekend most op shops are closed until Tuesday. If you get desperate it's Portobello Road at The Old Bus Depot markets on Sunday. I won't be there: I've spent my frugalling budget for the month...

Buttoned down

TOF and I celebrated Canberra Day (acutally on the 12th, but we had the day off today), in a way that John Gale and the other advocates of this region for the National Capital would approve - we supported the economy of Queanbeyan.

The Bargain Hunter was the smartest of the four Queanbeyan op shops - it had a Canberra Day sale, marking down the half-price summer stock to $2 a piece where we picked up some yoga pants, a couple of shirts and a Geelong Cats t-shirt for my nephew.

At Vinnies, I picked up 3 vintage Patons patterns for the collection for 10c each.

My favourite buy, though, was in the little Salvos shop (not the Family Store), where I picked up all these gorgeous vintage leather buttons for $6 and we found a piece of hard to find Tupperware for $2.

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!)

Op Shop outfit

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

In the spirit of perempuan's recent post: Today's outfit consisted of:

Skinny rib: $6, Salvos Fyshwick
Skirt: $6, Salvos Queanbeyan
Shoes: $4, Vinnies Queanbeyan
Wool coat: $12, Vinnies Phillip (not shown)

Today's Treasures

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa)

Spotty shirt: $3.50 (Vinnies Queanbeyan: the collar sits a bit strangely so it'll be unpicked and finishing it as a chinese collar)Daisy shoes WITH COLOUR! (Also Vinnies Queanbeyan: $4.00)

100% Merino stripy ribbed jumper (Vinnies Narrabundah: $7.00)

Where the wild things are book (Salvos Mitchell: $1.00)Arty box with oil paints and watercolour paints and acrylic paints and brushes and matte varnish (Vinnies Dickson: $20)I'm happy!

If you're in the market for...

Old movies on DVD: Little Salvos in Queanbeyan, $4 each (could be the ideal Christmas present for someone...)

A gorgeous vintage lounge suite(we didn't test it for comfort):Salvos Mitchell, $300.

An almost complete set of Childcraft books (I think #7 was missing): Vinnies Dickson, $1 each.

A light blue portable typewriter: Salvos Queanbeyan: price unknown.

Bargain clothing: Vinnies Queanbeyan has all clothing half price and Bargain Hunter (almost next door) has 50% off "selected jeans, lingerie, sleepwear and touch of class (green ink only)"

Queanbeyan find

Went out and enjoyed garage saling this morning - nearly called in to see you TSS... but realised we were out of room.

Queanbeyan Uniting Church has a jumble sale on - at the back of the church - and for wool lovers - they have a bit of a range there for cheap cheap prices. I got 4 full balls (50g) of knitting cotton for $1.

If you haven't yet discovered All Classified for garage sales - you need to go here

Help!

Did anyone take note of Bargain Hunter's Christmas hours? We're probably in need of some of their free jars and it seems dumb to drive all the way out there tomorrow only to discover that they're closed for the week between Christmas and New Year...

Bowled over at Vinnies Queanbeyan

(Reprinted from The Shopping Sherpa) Beautiful set of four Crazy Daisy Pyrex nesting mixing bowls: $18 the lot. Damned shame I don't do green, huh?

(Still trying to decide if these are heading for resale on eBay next year or are the first of the presents bought for Christmas 2009...)

Orange things

Orange things
Originally uploaded by redmag

After a having last weekend's op shopping activities called off due to some ghastly 24-hour bug - I was primed and ready to hit the shops just after 9am this weekend.

The Bargain Hunter in Quenbeyan is always good for fabric and other crafting supplies but this morning it was excellent - here are some of the new additions for my ever growing stash.

There was also lots of good quality kids books there too (no photos)

Hope you had luck in your hunting too!

Curtains and carrots

The net curtains in my front upstairs room (aka The Room of Shame) are fugly. Two layers of flouncy patterned fugly. They're also ever so slightly torn (a wee accident when shifting a dolls house which I haven't got around to sewing up just yet, mainly because I was hoping to replace them rather than mend them)

The curtains in the other two upstairs rooms are not my taste but at least they don't give me the screaming heebie jeebies every time I see them:(frugalled here)

Finally, yesterday, I found another pair of not my taste net curtains to replace the heebie jeebie curtains: Bargain Hunter, $6. I haven't put them up yet so there's a very slight possibility they won't fit.

The only other thing I bought in my Queanbeyan Crawl was a pure cotton single sheet:Bargain Hunter again, $5. I plan to turn it into a Christmas present.

And the carrots and broad beans? A gift from Happy Spider 's garden.