You can't get much for five dollars these days...

Or so the ladies in the Rotary Op-Shop in Rosebud mused. It was a cold morning, rain was trying to become horizontal, and Mother-In-Law and I braved the conditions to make a dent on the 7 and counting op-shops in the Rosebud area.

I went straight to the haberdashery section. Totally disorganised, zips with knitting needles, buttons scattered everywhere, and patterns and magazines piled in a corner. It was an Aladdin's cave. Judging by the dust and moth carcasses it had been some time since the area was excavated.

Under a pile of magazines was a lovely tin. It reminded me of some Willow brand tin canisters I had passed by in Mont Albert the day before. Labelled $5, I thought it battered and a little rusty, but certainly a lovely tin.


I picked it up - well, I tried to. H E A V Y T I N. Hmm, getting better I thought! Upon opening it, I discovered the mother load of thread, wooden cotton reels, delicious colours so rich that I possibly drooled on it! It needs airing, being rather musty, but is beautiful in the endless possibilities.


All for $5. Happy.

Add a 50c Golden Hands bonus, and I was content with the haul. So much thread, so little time...


Thank you so much for the comments and thoughts about Mr BB. He really gave us a scare, but is certainly improving daily.

Take care,

J

Auction action

Consumption Rebellion and I went to a deceased estate auction on the weekend. We had no idea what to expect, however the dozens and dozens of cars lining the street made us rather optimistic.

The elderly lady who had lived in the house had been a hoarder, (it was billed as a hoarder's auction), and her house (and 2 sheds) were filled with all manner of items. There were no fewer than 6 big stripey bags and 5 big plastic containers of fabric, as well as bags and bags of yarn, boxes of craft items, and years of accumulated stuff. An entire shelf of a bookcase was devoted to craft books and sewing patterns, all allocated lot numbers we dilligently recorded.

We got there to view the house and contents, registered as bidders, and sat in the rear yard. What a crowd there was, many of whom obviously were very well-versed in the auction company's procedures. Already we have a list for the next one - chairs, pens, clip-boards, drinks, proper coffee, picnic rug, reading material. The local Scouts were there with sausage sizzle, egg and bacon sandwiches, soft drinks etc. It's quite a business! From start to finish the whole event can take from 9am to 2pm - little did we know...

We bid both successfully and unsuccessfully on a number of lots, split some lots, took some to the Salvos, and have plans for the rest. I am thrilled at the chance of finishing some of her UFOs, and cherishing some of her treasures.

Funny old leather coin purse that was inside a bag of linen I bought. The linen was actually a chenille bedspread, and 6 aprons as well as other items. Quite a lucky dip as it turned out.

More of the linen - perfectly starched napkins -mint condition with fabulous roosters.

One of the aprons - aqua seer-sucker with Holly Hobbie-esque design. Rather perfect actually!


An enormous Bushells Tea tin with Australiana on the tin in my favourite blue and while. The pen is on the top to show scale. It needs a good clean but is rather good!


The other view of the Bushells Tea tin.

More tins! Vintage Quality Streets and a rectangular canister labelled 'prunes'. Also the green teapot which pours rather well.

Folky coin purse which I actually bought with the next photo's napkins and placemats from a lady who outbid me. She wanted other items in the lot. Lovely. I adore these Austrian images, and have now a little collection of my own!


The next on-site auction is in Hughes on April 5th and promises a similar outcome! Unfortunately Mr BB will be away so I may have to take the fan club...

"Where do you go to my darling, when you're alone in your head?"

It's been a while since I posted. I've felt like I haven't much to say, and also have been overwhelmed by the Victorian Bushfires.

Thank you so much for the comments and encouragement after my last post. Leaving was easy, knowing what to do in the meantime has been the hardest. I have committed to doing things that make me happy. Drinking tea, walking, swimming, being with friends, knitting, cooking, reading, op-shop browsing.

I have been blessed by the Op-Shop fairies over the past couple of weeks, in a Big Way. Vintage, fully operational Fisher Price (mine not in the box) from '60s/70s:

This plays a gorgeous tune, 'In the good old summertime'. I love it. As I walked around the market I found it at, I kept winding it up to listen to the tune. The ferris wheel turns as the music plays. It makes me smile, so it's a keeper!

Today though I hit pay-dirt. In a big way. Trash and Treasure market near home, sitting on a tarp, I found this. Something I have coveted since childhood. Ready? You may have to sit down. Look!!

Again, it makes me smile. Grin. Grimace. Giggle. What I love the most though is Miss 2 playing so gleefully with it.


All the furniture and people are there, as well as the dog house! The lift works, and the closing meachanism works perfectly. Miss 2 carries the dog house around as it sits so neatly in her hands.


Now apart from a Holly Hobbie sewing machine, the only other item I seek with hope and trepidation was also discovered this weekend at a market:


I will be taking my morning coffee from this tomorrow! I had one identical as a child, and fondly remember taking soup to school in it. This one is in pristine condition, and is beautiful. (The bag - also a recent purchase and a new and firm fave - was a Salvos find that The Shopping Sherpa unearthed for me!)

Lots to play with - lots to share - lots to smile at.

xx

Crotchety...

More crocheting here. When I am feeling anxious, it's the best thing ever. This little bag needs a button. It's a bamboo blend and super-soft. Only one question - how do I stop the sides curling? Hmm. I have also been making more washcloths. Turns out they are also great for cleaning the shower! Enjo no more! I have hook-power!


Another thing that helps calm me down is a quick visit to an Op-Shop! Latest finds:

Beaded shoes for Miss 2 for $1! She loves these "Prinpress" shoes! Dress-ups are a hit here.


Buckles for more brooches, and a Tassie teatowel to for Cam to make one of these ;P

The best news is that the Holly Hobbie Mix-Master cover, fits perfectly over the coffee machine! Hooray! Kitschen looks great!


j

Pav-tastic

I often read a post where someone has been blessed by the op-shop fairies with similar luck to me in the same week... Does this happen to you?

This Lovely Lady posted recently about a pav plate that is used for baking and serving. While we were down the coast, my sister in law (SIL) and fellow lover of all things vintage, took me to a den of pleasure - an antique and bric-a-brac-arie on the Mornington Peninsula. Not the well-known one in Tyabb, no. This was one frequented by locals. The rafters house pigeons who poop onto items on the fringes. The old guys who run it walk around smoking foul-smelling cigarettes, and everything is coated in just the right amount of dust and cob-webs. It was brilliant.

When we arrived, SIL was telling me about a plate that a pav can be baked on, which has the recipe printed on it, and which is also a serving plate. Seconds later, we found a pav plate for $2 which had all the above! I carted it around, determined to make my first pav.

When we got back to the house, it was HOT and the beach beckoned. When we returned, Mother-In-Law (MIL) produced this.






(See the plate in the background with the pavvy goodness on it? Clever bakeware!)

"Unfortunately" Mr BB and the little buttons don't like pav, so MIL and I ate the lot. It only took 2 days! MIL serves up a splendid pav, with just whipped cream on top. Slice one had strawberries, two had passionfruit, three had banana, etc. Rather clever really! If only we had had Peppermint Crisp too!

(Photo by Curlypops from post Triumphant)

CurlyPops must have found her plate on about the same day too! We also both recently realised we had missed our blogaversaries, and are both hosting giveaways. Go to this post to enter my giveaway, and this post for Curlypops'.

Hooray!!

P.S. After finally unpacking yesterday, I realised that the pav plate was inadvertently left at MIL's! Bugger.

J

Christmas Angels and Generous friends

OK - so two wholly unrelated items that squish into one post. I have been absent for some time - got a new computer from Santa, and have been lax about setting it up... Bloglines is heaving under the pressure of the unread posts. Must investigate this Google Reader business soon (slow on the techno uptake, I know...)

Sewing has been my saving grace this week! School term ended, extra-curricular classes winding up, parties to attend and school bags to clean out (how long has this "insert any fruit" been here?!)

A wonderful friend shared a pattern for a three-tiered skirt with me some time ago. After my disastrous luck with patterns, I left it for a long time, untouched, with all the others... However certain fabrics were calling me, and claiming to belong together, so I had to respond.


Miss 2 looked so cute, I had to whip one up for a friends wee babe who has just recently started walking. Two in one afternoon?! Wow, an easy pattern! So Two more in the wings for a bestie's little lass who turns two in Jan, and for Niece PP who also is now a walking doll. Who else can I make them for? Pattern only goes up to a size 4! Love it though.



'Tis the season for op-shop fairy goodness too. The lovely Kootoyoo shared her op-shop goodness and sent me this coffee pot (a while back, photo just hid, sorry Kirsty!) Isn't it magnificent? Love it, thanks so much Kirsty.


Also a dear friend in South Australia sent me this fabulous vintage table cloth of Canberra (which clearly needs to be ironed!) Thanks Em!


Hope your Christmas plans are in full swing -

J

Golden Hands in Good Hands

As an addendum to the previous post, I must not forget my Golden Hands book! I now have numbers 1 and 2 in the series, and look forward to finding number 3 another time.


Nothing like a few frills and bows and puffs to jazz up an outfit -


Matching watchband, tie and hat anyone?


I do love these crochet flowers though!


Love Golden Hands - do you collect them?

Thrifty Thursday

Purchased yesterday but thrifted wednesday has no alliterative ring to it...

Lovely vintage records from the 60s of children's stories, containing story books with lovely illustrations.



Vintage sheets that have been sewn together into a doona cover - will make a cute skirt!


j

Best of pre-loved this week...

Had a lovely time with Eilleen recently perusing the local Salvos and Vinnies. (Game has both boards and all pieces still!)

Magnetic oven mitt still in wrapper!

Patons Wool Craft - has lots of useful diagrams and instructions:

Saw some fabric for this lovely peep, got some vintage pillowcases for this one, and a few bibs and bobs for myself!

Lovely.



j

Op-Shop Up-load

Pack of 6 vintage hankies, still in original packaging. $1.

Best of Abba - sheet music $4 (they knew they had something good!)

Knitting and crochet for dolls houses 50c

Complete weaving loom $1 in box.

100% Australian cotton vintage Summer frock (Nan called these frocks, not dresses) $2
Perfect to lose weight for (old size 16, my guess is that it's today's 12-14).

I really need an intervention... Just because I like-ie like it, does not mean I needy need it. (Repeat often Jess...)

j

"Yay Mummy, house!!"

This was declared by Miss 2 at Vinnies today. She had spied with her little eye the most beautifully-made doll house. It came home in the car and she almost wanted to sleep in it tonight! We will renovate a little though... New curtains for a start! Yay! House!!

j

Reading in bed is the life...

Best part of being sick in bed is being able to READ. Those of you with kids will know what I mean! Anyway, I have a large stack of books I want to read, and three days in bed allowed me to devour Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (amazing stroke of six-degrees is that her lover's kids live in Australia, one in Canberra, and actually works with my best buddy here!!!) I loved the Eat section on Rome.

The Rushdie is still being read - another book that's easy to read, like hot chocolate it is enjoyable, goes down well, and you are sad when it is over. He is a master story-teller.

Pi was a gift from my Best Friend in The World before she went to Saudi for a year. I don't want to finish it!!



A reading session can only improve with 1970s and 1980s cookbooks, including a Robert Carrier classic (each 20c at oppy).

And a forgotten This is... where I craft from - my newly-stacked shelves with fabrics, linens, pillowcases, etc. Larger pieces are still in the huge chest, but this is my treasure trove!


J