Pile of Vintage Boys' Threads = BOOM!!

 Last Tuesday I ended up at a little church op shop that I hadn't been to before... and I was so STOKED to find all these 1970s boys' clothes..

It's so hard to find them in the bigger size (3-6 years ish).. I have 4 boys - so  know!!

I find it quite easy to pick up little vintage dresses and skirts for Iris - but boys' stuff is rare in my experience!

I was SO thrilled with all this stuff.
It didn't cost much and it was all in a big pile, just waiting for me!!!

3cute little sweaters.. obviously beige and brown is a common theme!

I think it's rare to find good boys' stuff because the clothes probably don't last the treatment they get from the boy!!
Do you think? That's my theory and I'm sticking with it!

Deer cardy and a velveteen panelled one.

4 year old cord shorts (I LOVE these)
A pair of brand new looking longs, that say Size 7..

These jeans appear to never have been worn! So cool. I have a feeling we had some VERY similar ones..

T-shirt - I love it.
Mothercare tracky top.

Hoody made from a bedspread (love) and a rogue cord dress that I had to nab too..
And the best belts ever!!

Close up of the belts. We had belts like these. They are so easy to do up and can fit any size, almost.
I think I'll be wearing those..

Last is this handmade shirt, that was probably curtains before being a shirt..
Size 5 I'd say.


And to celebrate here are some family pics from the early 70s...

My twin bruv and I..
Note the twin slipper thing going on!!

My bruv, one of my sister's and two of our cousins. Paul is sporting a terrific suit, don't you think?! And I love that boat tank..

Paul and I..

Paul at kindy, wearing classic seventies boys gear... I would LOVE to find a little pair of shoes like that!!!!
And some lino just like that too!!


Happy Days!!



Don't forget, tomorrow is the end of Google Friend Connect - don't leave me!! I'm following all your blogs via bloglovin - use the thing on the right to do the same if you want....

Another day to add to my collections post/ giveaway...


Linking up to Sir Thrift-a-lot
A Living Space

Freebin Friday

I love how Jasmine @ What the Magpie Saw 

 posts her free scores on Freebin Friday..

So I'm copying her today...

Some commenters have lamented the fact that their oppies don't have a Freebin..
Bummer!!

Baskets and covered coathangers..

I can think of 4 here in Hamilton that do...

Kids clothes were ALL free at an op shop the other day..
This is not usual.. I think sometimes they get a bit overwhelmed with too much stuff!!
There's some leg warmers and a funky towelling apron in there..gold.

It's amazing what you can pick up.

A cute little hanging thing that now houses Iris's socks..

I wish they all would. Most must have a skip into which they toss things they think no-one would pay money for...

Pillowcases (quite faded) and marae crown lynn..


Happy Days!!

It's not Garage Sale/jumble season here but there look to be some great ones tomorrow morning...

I hope I can make at least one- chances are slim as we have 3 soccer games to watch, all at 9am!!! Mmmm sounds a bit tricky!!

Being a Teapot

Apparently Google following thing (the 'join this site' thing on the right) is disappearing in a few days....
I have NO IDEA what this means.

I'm not sure how y'all 'follow' this blog..

but I do know that there are 200-300 views of  Op Shop Mama per day..

So if you are in that list over there and you want an alternative there's Blog lovin (also on the right) and other options too apparently!

And I would like to again say "Thank you" to all my readers.. 

And now the teapot thing....

Coz this would otherwise be a very boring post!!!

Here's my current favourite song. I think you should watch it because
a. It's funny
b. You'll get a good dose of kiwi accent
c. This crew are long-standing Hamilton/waikato funny guys, who have livened up many an event, since I was a teenager..
d. These guys are musical magicians.
e. I bet you've sung about the fact that you thought you were a teapot before too! What are you - nuts??

"Do you have friends?"

"Yeh, but they all thing they're crockery"

Genius.

Happy Days

Hunted and Gathered last week..

 More stuff from last week...

I can never pass a plastic woven basket.. 50c

Royal Vale polka dot plate.. 50c

Crown Lynn.. Kirikiriroa Marae.. Kirikiriroa is the other name of Hamilton..
Stoked.

Doilies

Cute plate.. 20c

The last day at Assisi Op Shop... everything was $3 and under.. so I got a few things of course..

This coat was $3.. and I got it just in the nick of time..

the temperature plummeted the following day and it really feels like winter now!!

Happy Days

Linking up to
Op Shop Show-off
A Living Space
Apron Thrift Girl

Reducing Reusing Recycling

The op shops here in Hamilton (and around the globe)continue to provide.

I cannot emphasise enough 

that they are a GREAT option for spending LESS on everyday things.

SOME of the STUFF I GOT THIS WEEK:

Glasses are at least $2.50 each at regular stores - and nowhere near as funky as these daisy glasses I found at the dump shop...

$1 each, but you can EASILY get plain glasses for 20c or 50c max at a number of shops here in Hamz.

CUTLERY can't be bought for 20c a piece anywhere else but the op shops!! And these ones are built to last!!  They have added a bit more coolness to our cutlery drawer.. and the handles are particularly pleasant to hold!

We all know there's no linen like 'vintage' linen..
Sheets are a lot more than $2 each at a retail store!

You can STILL find the highly collectable colour glaze range of Crown Lynn at the op shops - this pasta bowl is green .. and will be added to my piece-by-piece collection..

Ovenproof dish (Made in Sweden) was $3 from Vinnies.

Alfred Meakin and Crown Lynn. 50c

Added a few more things to the 'Tending Kitchen' (play/pretending kitchen)
Egg cups 20c each..  They are PERFECT for little hands.
All you see here was gathered from op shops/garage sales or handmade. The wooden food sets were gifts.

The kids have LOADS of books. Apart from gifts the have been given, I have sourced some truly magnificent books for the kids. SO many great ones at a fraction of a price of a brand new one.
This one is a bit of a nostalgia trip for me..
Those funny puppets in the pictures used to be strangely intriguing and a bit creepy to a young me.
This book was 50c this week.

I think I'll do a post solely dedicated to STorage from the op shops.
I am obsessed with storage!
These things I found this week :
* Great plastic weave basket with wooden lid $2
* Solid shadow box thingy $5
*Tin Bin $1

From a 20c basket at Red Cross 5-x Roads (I love that shop!!)
REALLY useful kitchen stuff.
That strawberry bowl is a Crown Lynn pattern I've never seen before.

And of course the op shops help you to fill your house up with stuff you love!
Like this cute Blue Jay $2, St Francis ..

I could go on of course!

I am most likely preaching to the choir - but I am passionate about advertising the fact that Op Shopping is a great way to get the stuff you need/want and also to reduce reuse and recycle, one bit of crazy kitsch tat coolness at a time!!

Happy Days!!

(don't forget to link up to the collections post and be in to win..)

Linking up to The Penny Worthy Project @ Hey Mom what's for Dinner?
Thriftasaurus @ Sir Thrift-a-Lot

Story of a Dress - Frock on a Friday

I once had a dress..

It was one of my all time favourites..

Here I am in January 2010 wearing that dress...(singing at a friend's wedding) 

 And here I am in my best fisherwoman pose ...

Guess what happened to that dress? 

MY.SISTER.LOST.IT.

I don't know how and she doesn't know how.

ANyway, I was gutted. (SHALLOW, or what?!)

It was my go to, dressup or dress down frock. So comfy it must have surely been made with me in mind. 

I HOPED and HUNTED..
ANd a couple of weeks ago
there she was like a beacon in the darkness
staring at me from my screen
via trademe..
(The first dress I've ever bought online.. and I wasn't actually looking for one!)

Blue background, not red.

WAY shorter (more like a top than a dress actually)

SLEEVES still attached.
(I foolishly removed the sleeves from the other one  many many years ago as I found them annoying!! I kept them .. I had intended to reattach them..)

Happy.
(but remind me that bending over aint the best idea for photos, with my enormous endowments. Gah!!)

Happy Days!

I have a feeling Vintage Bird Girl fell in love with a skirt in similar delicious fabric..

Collection Selection Link up - Mother Brooches (not mine!) + Giveaway

This Collection Selection features one of my favourite collections, but it's not mine!!!

I've coveted a collection like this since I first came across it, featured in the Herald supplement Viva ..

The owner of this amazing brooch collection, Nicky, has since gone on to make cards and gift tags that feature the brooches.. such a cool idea!! This collection is too cool to NOT share!!

As well as for Mothers' Day (obviously!) they could also be given to new (and returning!) mothers on the birth of their babes,  and as birthday cards/gift tags for your Mum or mum-in-law..  

For me they evoke vintage memories of my precious Mum.
I've put this card on my wall..I love it.

  

Nicky sent me a set of these. (thanks Nicky!) She didn't ask me to plug them, but I love them so much I wanted to!

If you're in NZ or overseas and you're interested in getting your hands on some...
nicky@motherscout.com will get you there..

Here's her facebook page.

 Here's the sum total of my Mother Brooch collection so far (I'm working on it!!)
That's me wearing it on Mothers' Day this year.

I also thought that I'd share the love with y'all and give some of these brilliant MOTHERSCOUT tags and cards away!
Just add a linky below and you'll be in to win. 

I'll select randomly (ie from a hat!) from the many millions of entries! lol
I'll leave this linky up for a couple of weeks so you have time to do a post if you want..

(thank you to all those who have joined me in the linky to date..LOVE seeing those collections!!)