Hats,... I think i like them.

Todays hat even has interfacing in it to stiffen it up. Not yet lined,as im still trying to work out what the best way to line a hat is with minimum effort.

The material was from the op shop, $3 for about 3 metres.

I would never buy this for any other reason. Its just not my style. But for a boys hat.. Its cool to the MAX. well so says the 5 year old

Perhaps the next one will be for me?

$47 Dollars. What does that get you at the Op Shop?

Here we go.

1 pair of leather Mary Jane style shoes.

1 Ben Sherman blue top. (its a size small, but i actually wanted it for the buttons on it. It was 2 dollars.

1 CHarlie Brown black and whitedress.

1 x Red skirt, which i want to use the material to make into a sun hat for me.

Some brown grey black and white cotton material to make some sun hats.

2 x sun hats to use as templates to make into hats (can you tell im on a hat craze)

1 pack of kids coathangers

2 packs of self covering buttons.

3 school shirts

7 pairs of school shorts, (i bought one pair from the school clothing pool and it was $20. These are exactly the same!!!!!

a book with loads of pics of Avoca Beach. Just the thing for the Inlaws coffee table.

Grand Total $47.

The feeling that i get from all that thrifting... Priceless.

Monday Craft

YAY, monday craft has re-started.

Today, there was not a huge amount of crafting going on. Three of us, plus 5 boys, 5 and under. It was fun.

Jo made some bean bags for her boy to play with. Here my boy is giving them a good workout, and contrary to how this photo looks, it didnt hit him in the head.

Of course, Monday craft would not be complete with some 100% healthy and nutritiously sound food. mmmmm



MMM,.. well, i had to include this one.. Here's me out in the rain, testing out the new wrap skirt, that started its life as a vintage tablecloth..a huge tablecloth, its oh so comfy and just the thing for doing a rain dance.


I might be overweight, but look at those leg muscles!!!!

and here is the end product. An extremely comfy wrap skirt. Thanks Cathy for the tip on how to tie it. Button hole and ribbon working a treat.

How difficult is it to take a photo of yourself wearing a skirt. I tried a zillion times.

Preparing for Op Shopping en masse.

Before i start blabbling on, i just had to share this find. It was $1.50. I had no idea what is was, or where it was from, but it does have the name Vera, with a little lady bug in the corner. Actually, i didnt know it said Vera till i was checking out blogs and came across this blog . I felt a bit dizzy, actually finding out about something that i bought from an op shop, so easily, and i wasnt even looking.. Anyway, i love it. Thinking it might make its way onto a bag perhaps?? or a skirt???

Tomorrow, Cathy,Jo, and myself are going on our own Op Shop Tour. First stop Hornsby Salvos. Good op shopping, crap parking.

I was there last week and the shop was not yet opened because someone had emptied the contents of their garage at their front door. The whole lot went in their skip bins. When one young guy asked, if rather than them throwing away two snowboards, could he have them, and was willing to pay for them. Nope.

I was a bit shocked. Surely, rather than throw something away, which they have to pay for to be taken away, they would rather it be sold?????

Anyhow, next stop will be Asquith and two of the three oppies there, stop for a reviving cup of tea at the very child friendly cafe there, then finishing off with Berowra Lions Club. Will be a lovely day of chatting, shopping, and more shopping.


Had to put this pic in. No child dared sit in the pram. Too much op shopping action going on here to actually put a child in the pram.~


On the way back from Salvos, last week, we stopped at Donut King. Both boys watched the doughnut machine for 42 mins. 42 mins!!!! it made for a lovely little break for me.

Oh, and here is a lovely leather shoe i bought for the older boy. Contrary to how they look, they are unworn, and leather... love em. oh and they were $3! Love em even more.

Melbourne Madness

Last weekend i went op shopping. Nothing unusual about that except that i went op shopping in Melbourne ... for one day...

Yes peoples, i drove to the airport at an ungodly hour, caught a plane, bus, train to meet up with 9 or so like minded people (well not like minded enough to fly from sydney!) to do a bit of op shop touring.

Beks won a ticket in an op shop tour and being unable to get there herself, and knowing what an op shopping addict i was, asked if i wanted the ticket. Of course i do. Doesnt matter that flying to melbourne totally wipes out any potential savings you make in an op shop..but thats not the point.

Any way i had a FANTASTIC day (exhausting yes, but great).

Our intrepid tour leader erica was wonderful. The op shops were wonderful, and no i didnt come back laden down with bags and bags,.. what i did get, amongst other things was these shoes. I LOVE THEM. Must remember to take my camera next time. took this when i got back.

Also Jo and Cathy, i did a reccie of the Op shops round my way, and although benny and i did them by public transport, which of course he thought was wonderful, we wont be doing it like that. Ill send you an email to let you know where we are going.

any one else. Wednesday starting at Hornsby we are going Op Shop Touring. I have warned my op shop that we are coming.!!!!

I heart this ring...

Once again, its been AGES since i posted. Lots has happened in meantime as does with life.

I was at the local op shop, and saw this ring in the window. It was $5 which is an indication that its not a cheaply made ring. I loved it at first sight, but loved it even more when i saw the inscription inside saying. Made in Norway, sterling silver. I love love love it and keep looking down at my hand.


After a very successful time in Melbourne doing at Op Shop tour, ive decided that im going to do my own, with some friends. Let me know if you want to come along.

A new year,..

2010, a new year.

I have been very slack posting this year. It has been very busy and only 0ne month has passed. So much has happened. Our beautiful dog Reg, had to be put down on New Years Day. It was quite traumatic. He was 14, nearly 15. He was around long before the kids. He put up with the kids, he loved us all unconditionally. I miss that dog.

Andrew is away in China at the moment, and has now been for 5 weeks. Its been fairly full on with the two kidsand looking after the house. Things like trying to get the lawnmower going, which andrew woudl fix in 2 seconds, becomes a drama....

anyway its now february, and this is what ive bought today.

Benny checking out the tub of Mobilo, $2. quite a few of the connector pieces have been chewed, but most are fine, and ben is enjoying himself there.


a wooden marble run game, which i know is an Aldi brand... but it was still in the original plastic bag inside $2

pack of nappies... yes i know they are girl nappies, but for day time, who cares particularly when they are $5

a tablecloth in this funky print with dresses and tops all over it . have visions of turning iit into a skirt or a tunic.

and this little shoulder bag which i made at craft morning at Jo's

material madness

Onceagain, things have been quiet here. Ive been house sitting for the last week or so, so quiet on the op shopping front.

For christmas this year, i have been attempting to make things for people for christmas.
Here is benny holding mums beach/pool bag. Made from oilcloth, and lined with red linen serviettes, from Lions club oppy, i think it looks cool. So cool, that im def going to make one for myself, as i have been using this one non stop to cart all the kids stuff about.


On Tuesday i stopped at Hornsby Salvation Army Oppy and came back with this lot of material. all the small pieces were 50c, and the big piece, which is a curtain was $3.


as you can see i whipped up a pair of shorts for benny. Its lovely and thick cotton material, and i think they are pretty good looking shorts. The sort that i would buy if i saw in a shop. Unfortunately i didnt have any elastic, so they are draw string, or should i say draw shoe lace! at the moment.

My gorgeous model.

and here is another little bag i zipped up with the oil skin, with lining made out of a $2 tablecloth from Berowra.

Today is thursday, today is one of the good days (although every day is a good day) to go to the op shop as the ladies churn out a lot of new stuff into the shop...

Doona cover to tote bag and a little bit dipsy

Benny loves the Teletubbies,.. I found this Dipsy at the op shop for $3 and he has not let go of it since i gave it to him. You think he likes it?

My friend Kath gave me a pattern for a picnic tote bag. I have started it using an old doona cover, and the pink material is an old sheet. Unfortunately the sheet has a bit too much polyester in it so it makes it "walk" when you sew it, so i will

have to re do the straps before i line it. Ilike it though

More material from the Oppy

Interesting way to put my pictures... how did i do that?

No matter... Today i got from the Op Shop a Pippi Longstocking video . How could i not??

This lovely blue fabric which will be excellent to use as a lining for one of my bags.
Jo, this picture is particularly for you. My material was SO out of control, shoved here there and everywhere, that i decided to use a picnic basket that tom bought at the op shop once. It now houses some of the material, with the rest organised (for now,) in a plastic container.

And last pic is of my new messenger bag in progress... what do you think?

Shhhhhh

My mega press setter... any one needs some press studs put in?

My Peter AlexanderSheet

My cot sheet i bought today which i am going to make into another top soaking, of course i didnt think to take a picture till it was already in the nappysan....

Things have been quiet on the Op Shop side of things. Not because there hasnt been things to buy, but more because i have been busy. Busy doing what im not sure, just busy being me. To think of all the bargains that i have missed!

Anyhow,yesterday i went to craft day, and finished my top that i had been making and wore it yesterday. I want to wear it today but its too cold, but was very happy to hear that tomorrow is going to be hot, so it will get another outing.

Today at the op shop i bought, what i thought was a doona cover, but its a queen sheet, but it turns out to be a Peter Alexander sheet, so am going to buy some white, or dark blue sheeting material and turn it into a doona cover.

Did i mention that i bought myself a press setter. It was cheap, and silly me was checking the letterbox each day for it. I laughed when it arrived... It weighs more than 15kgs, and is very large, but boy does it put in press studs super fast. Now to think of all those things that i can make that have presses on them... oh the possibilities.... i also bought some bamboo material and some PUL and have made tom a night nappy as he wants one that can be put in the wash and used again. Who am i to argue

what a morning!

This morning i awoke thinking that the world was coming to an end. The sky at 5.50am was red... I mean red. I have never seen anything like it. I turn onthe TV to see that its a duststorm, the likes of which Sydney have never seen.

This is a picture taken at about 7am out my front window. Its amazing really, apart from the fact that breathing is a bit of an issue!

Op shop loving this week i picked up these Dr Seuss books, all practically brand new, for $1 each. Tom thinks Wacky Wednesday in particular is the most hilarous book he has ever seen. I really enjoy reading that one to him. Also "Put me in the Zoo " was a book i remember reading when i was younger, and he thinks that ones pretty good too..

And lastly, here are some of my choc bikkies that tom cooked for us. He wanted the strawberries because they looked nice, not because he likes them..

Had to include this photo as well. Tom doing some reading. He tells me he's going to be an electrician when he grows up. Wonder why?