Never Underestimate an Op Shop!

I’m a big fan of Op Shops (Charity Shops to UK readers, Thrift Stores for those Stateside).  Is it because I’m cheap?  Is it because I like to recycle?  Is it because vintage and retro are in?  Is it because ‘old stuff’ is normally better quality?  Is it because I want something a little different in my cupboard? Well, in a word – ‘Yes’.

Recently I talked about shipping boxes back from the UK, filled with goodies from the Charity Shops there.  I’m a Saturday and holiday browser in Australia too.  Remember my Op Shop rule ‘Under $5 – just buy.  Over $5 – do you really need it?’ Here a few recent finds:

Mexican anyone?  I’m thinking some teen or young home maker embroidered these drowsing Mexicans on doilies in the 1950’s.  Probably seemed like a good idea at the time but by the time they finished all those painstaking stitches, the Mexican fad had passed and everyone was into Hawaii, surfing and Gidget.  If you’re coming over for some Mole any time soon, chances are you will be seeing these on the dinner table.  $2.50 large & $1.50 ea for the small ones

These two little dishes in a Cannon Hill Lifeline were sitting in amongst a lot of horrible pressed glass, that had arrived at the Op Shop via Crazy Clark’s and China.  I suspect the brown colour is not to everyone’s taste (not even mine) but I know an Art Deco design when I see one.  $1 each

 
This beautiful, beautiful sandwich tray comes from a little farther afield, from Tanunda in the Barossa Valley.  There are a couple of good second hand shops there.  It’s so unusual to see anything with an Australian motif and the plate that these lovely gum blossoms are hand painted onto is in particularly good nick.  Therefore justifying a purchase over $5.  My friend Michelle was miffed when I showed her my find.  She had seen the same plate but had no cash on her, had left the shop and meant to go back but in the mean time I had swept in. $7 well spent

Lovely Red Gum Blossoms