Recent Bang for my Buck? A few things..

Somebody asked me today what my best finds have been during my op-shopping/garage sale-ing career!. This is a VERY tricky question!

So many good scores, so many 'fill-a-bag-for $2' fabulousnesses, so many 50c items.. so many glorious things!
I am a bit of a cheap skate actually, even for op shop standards. Because I started thrifting so long ago, I used to get so much bang for my buck that I now expect it!

Anyway - in what I like to call 'The Glory Days' of op-shopping (20 years ago) LOADS of brilliant things were 10c, 20c, 50c etc.
It would be rare to pay $5 for something. My $10 pram (bought when I was 16!) was exorbitant and I had to think about it for about an hour! No-one else wanted it so I was under no pressure - LOL!
 

SO I thought about it..
in terms of what could be resold for a huge profit at the moment. Not that I will!
I walked around the house and photo'ed what I think are good 'scores' for what I paid for them.. I'm talking about recent finds.

This bevelled picture mirror was $2 and in SUPREME nick. about 2 or 3 years ago. It's heavy and huge.

This was from the Ham East Hospice shop, before it had a major makeover. I  rarely go in there now. Genuine Crown Lynn and very collectable/desireable here in NZ.

I LOVE this.. it is genuine Marimekko and cost 50c!! It is over a metre wide, and was already mounted! That was from one of my fav op shops.


If only I'd taken photos of all the op shop booty/junk-in-my-trunk back then!! I would take $20 out on a mission and end up usually with at least half of that left over!!!

Quite a lot of it will appear in my ongoing 'Collection' posts - when I get around to doing some more!!

End of lecture!

What have been your best bang for buck stories?

Spring Day and a couple of scores..

It was a classic rainy SPRING day yesterday..
So we went to Clandon Daffodils on the outskirts of Hamilton..

We went before the rain came - JUST!

The kids played hide and seek for ages. Great to get them out  to shake their sillies out.. coz there's a lot of inside weather coming up..

Here's me carrying baby + everyone's jackets. 

Iris found a purple tulip on the ground - she clutched  it most of the day.

Tip toeing through the tulips..

And in other news...

After my thrilling root canal on Friday I popped into my fav oppie.. (it's right by my dentist)

Delightful curtain. Quite big. $2

This was 50c.
I LOVE it!!!
Little baskets that you can make up.
You pop them out of the card.
They look pretty old.
Dunno what I'll do with them.
Other than gawk at them every now and then!


I have a lot of questions to get to - sorry.. I will asap!!

Happy Days!

I am the housework fairy .. Wardrobe Wednesday

The sun is shining today so I really MUST get some washing done!

I'm wearing  a nana dress like my blog friend Rhiannon..
I LOVE Nana dresses..

Today I am wearing something I haven't done for  long long time... wearing tights!!

These were $3 from a shop called Shanton. where my niece works..

So to celebrate my tight-wearing  re-emergence I will insert my favourite TIGHTS ad ever. (no not the "My mum's the one in the baggy pantihose" one Remember that?)

This one:

It's a sixties ad.
It couldn't be any cooler.

Happy Days.

( dress and cardy op-shopped

tights - shanton

belt - op shopped

balloon 'twin' camper boots - trademe for a song! )

Linking to CreateHopeInspire for Wardrobe Wdnesday..

Rain falls from concrete-coloured skies

It's exhausting, this weather.

One minute it's pouring horizontally. The next it's sunny. The wind varies from moment to moment- gale force to gentle breeze.

Last night there was an AMAZING storm with thunder and lightning that was spectacular.

Lots of indoor time going down. But I love it when the rain stops and I can send them all outside. 

 

We took a break in the weather to go to the field behind us and have an unbirthday for Leo for afternoon tea.  I have owed him a birthday cake since last November as he had a sleepover - and I FORGOT to do a CAKE! LOL.
What this photo doesn't show was that as we walked out our gate we saw a couple of people walking past carrying a flat screen tv and a stuffed black bin bag. Of course we rang the cops who promptly turned up and set chase. 
To the left of this photo was a clump of bushes that the crims were hiding behind. I was quietly keeping an eye while  waiting for the coppers. They saw I had a camera. Suckers.

Sunday night storm food. Essential.

rain rain piss off!

This was me today.
The skirt is wishful thinking. It has rained most of the week and I'm over it!
Look at the state of the place. And that's actually quite good compared to how it has been this week. Washing is piled up and getting worse. And we're having a few challenges at the mo with some of the kids.... 

Lucky the op shops are there for some escape and respite! 

I only went to 4 this week.
Amongst other things this is what I got...
* Velvet bag (looks like it may have been bought at Zinnia, a very cool shop) 
* Barkcloth apron
* kitsch pelican vase thing (badly placed photo - doh!) to add to my collection and some cute old playskool toys..

* Fantastic orange party ware..
* old puzzles
* more table party ware - the 3 flower trays come off the main tray
* more retro table linen.. how much is enough?!
* orange storage things.. I've got quite a few of these and I LOVE them
* picnic s and p set
* groovy kids' clothes (it's the change of season sales at most of the oppies!)

Been having fun with this (more escapism!)

Welcome to my washing rack.

Yes I still look quite pregnant! And my hair is very Mick Jagger right now.
Sheesh.
When you've got 5 kids it's easy to be number 6 in the priority list!!
Keeping it real y'all!!!!

Looking forward to the weekend and MAYBE I'll be able to get something done!
Hope the weather plays ball!

OP SHOP STYLE

For those of you who haven't worked it out... 

Most of my clothing is from op shops, and that of my kids!

This has been the case since I was about 15, when I caught the op-shopping/garage sale-ing bug!

Clothing kids DOES NOT have to be expensive.

(I also inherit a lot of stuff for the kids from wonderful sisters, sisters-in-law and friends, which is SO cool and lucky..)

I don't claim to be a style guru by ANY stretch, but I would like to say (in case you didn't already know!) that  cool things can be found...

Lots of my blogging buddies are op/chaz/thrift shoppers, but this is for those who aren't!

And we can help charities and save the planet, one garment at a time!

I have been asked a few times for my top op-shopping tips .. I will put a post together about this asap!

Now that recipe that peeps have been asking after..

sheesh I'm boob-feeding again. I'll update this soon when he's asleep!

This recipe is from the fabulous Julie Le Clerc (of Garnet Rd Foodstore cafe in aucks..

So good. And easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Lemon Slice

Crust: 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 caster sugar and 150g butter, cubed.

Pulse the flour and sugar in your food processor to sift, then add the butter till you get breadcrumb texture. Press over a lined tin (20 x 30cm)

Bake 15mins (till golden) @ 180 celsius.

* Remove, reduce oven to 140 deg.

Filling:

4 large eggs

1 3/4 cups caster sugar

finely grated zest of 3 lemons

2/3 c lemon juice

1/3 cup flour, seived.

Whisk eggs and sugar together till very thick and pale. Fold in juice, zest, then flour. Pour over crust and bake 40mins or until set. 

Cool completely and chop it up! dust with icing sugar if ya want!

purple paisley

We went to my friend's 40th last night. 

ALL of US!!!

Getting us all ready was RIDICULOUS!

It was like a slapstick comedy. 

CrazyTown.

Amidst the mayhem I asked my kids to take some photos of me for the blog.

I had to crop my head out of this because I think I was hollering at someone and I looked BAD!

This is another dress I've had for about 15 years. It is so comfy. I had to wear a skirt under it coz frocks are NOT breastfeeding friendly!

It's all op-shopped of course.

There were plenty more of these!

The party was great of course, once we got there. The kids were all good and showed people their best dancing moves. I love a good old fashioned kiwi party in a hired church hall!


And in other news: Today is Fathers' Day over here.
My kids have got a good one!
They gave him cute cards and breakfast in bed and a few extra squishy hugs.

(For those of you who asked for it..next post will have the lemon slice recipe.
I'm  boob-feeding right now and can't get up to get it)