Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Op-Shop Treasures

Greetings lovely friends & readers

The weeks go by so quickly & here we are in the final week of January already!


I want to teach my grandsons the value & the JOY of op-shopping & buying second hand.

I took Sid along to St John's Op Shop last week as we had a couple of bags to drop off & - as luck would have it - they had a large collection of dinosaurs that had been donated.

Sid & I chose all the above figurines & Jeep for the sum total of $35.00.
(including Dragon book further below)
 


When you push the orange button on the top of the Jeep the cage doors open & a dinosaur pops out & growls. This was priced at $4.50 ... I let Sid take this one home with him as well as 2 dinosaur figurines that he chose.  (the other figurines I kept here for both Sid & Alec to play with when they come)

Sid's Mum pointed out to me that this crocodile was a Schleich brand.  A quick google search of this same toy & it showed a new price tag of $25.00 ... I paid $3.50 for this one. 


This beautiful Dragonology book was in nearly-new condition - I paid $5 for it & found it on Book Depository for $62.00 !!  I have put this book away to gift to one of my grandsons when they are a bit older.


  
Whilst at the Op-Shop I found the aluminium pots above for $4 & $6 respectively.  I had an idea for both of them ... I will share the larger pot today but the smaller one has not yet gone to its recipient so I will share that in another post.


I painted it with two coats of chalk paint in the colour Pumice - then applied the remnants of an Iron Orchid designs transfer to the base & the lid.  Then I gave it 2 coats of Annie Sloan clear wax.



I purchased this beautiful pink Begonia on special at my local Mitre 10 & it fit perfectly in the pot.  The friend I am giving it to just loves anything Pink 💗
  I decided I am not going to plant it as she may choose to use the pot for something else.



My friend Gail is having a birthday at the end of this month.  She is really tricky to buy for now as she more or less has everything she wants or needs.  I bought this book awhile ago for her & decided to make her one of the beautiful free bookmarks that Jenny of elefantz designs is so generously sharing throughout this year.


I stitched it on a scrap of pale blue linen (using Cottage Garden thread "Blue Wren") ... & instead of "2022" I stitched Gail's name.  I embellished it with some lace scraps & a piece of treasured Tilda Fabric from the Windy Days collection.



The cotton dish/washcloth knitting continues - I like to knit these at nights when I am tired or perhaps when Sid is watching his Dinosaur programmes on YouTube & sitting still for half an hour ... I like to have something to pick up. 
 * Here * is the free pattern I like to use - knitted on the diagonal - easy peasy.


Yesterday I made myself a new Ironing Board Cover.  Long time readers of my blog will know this is something I like to do as each new year rolls around.  I had 60cms of this lovely Cath Kidston fabric purchased from Mystyle which fit perfectly.  

I always just take the old cover off, lay it on my new fabric & cut around it, then overlock the edges, sew a casing & thread a new piece of elastic through it.  It probably takes me half an hour tops.  I even gave my Iron a clean 😉


Thank you as always for your visits here today dear friends

I first tried to do this blog post on Sunday Evening but you can see by the photo above, how much progress I made on that !!!  😐

Sending much love & friendship to You All,

Love Julie & the furry nuisances ones x0x0x



25 comments:

  1. I just knew those pots were going to turn into something spectacular! So glad you rescued them. We have a big stash of dinosaurs here, my girls still love to play with them and now the littlest addition to the family has discovered them so it looks like they'll be around for a while yet. No 'op-shopping' for me for at least 4 weeks due to broken ankle so I'll just shop with you vicariously, Julie, for now! xxx

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  2. Great dinosaur shopping Julie, lots to keep the boys entertained. Beautiful book mark and the post look amazing. I am knitting new dishcloths here too, it is a bit hot for hand sewing hexies onto the big quilt top at present. Your new ironing board looks fantastic. Ah the office assistants hard at work!!

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  3. Great dinosaur haul Julie, I bet the boys will get many hours of play. Love the bookmark. I still need to crochet some dishcloths as the lot I did a few weeks ago have gone to happy homes.I have a big rip in my ironing board cover, I never thought of making my own! How thick does the material need to be? Love the furry ones helping with computer work!

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  4. Oh! Wow! Love that dinosaur truck..and all
    the dinosaurs that go with it..I would'nt
    mind those..even at my age..! :).

    And the aluminium pots look as though there
    from the dinosaur era..but..l'm sure once you
    wave your magic wand over them Julie, they'll
    look great!
    Not often we see your ironing board Julie
    without a furry one on it..HeHe! Bless!xx
    Someone gave me a new ironing board cover a
    couple of years ago..pink of course..what else,
    what l tend to do, is remove the bottom one,
    and place the new one on top of two that l
    leave on the board...makes it even softer then!

    I see the 'office' staff are taking there mid
    morning break..they look worn out..perhaps if
    you turn the keyboard round, Blackie may help
    out on the posts..! :O).

    It's Wednesday, coffee morning day, my turn
    to~day, lots to catch up on, hope the ladies
    are have plenty of gossip to reveal..it's
    amazing what they have hidden up there sleeves!
    I only have to mention some~ones name, and l
    get ALL the DNA in return..! HeHe! Bless! :O)
    ✨ 💛 ✨ 💛 ✨ 💛 ✨ 💛 ✨ 💛 ✨ 💛 ✨

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    Replies
    1. ooops! Sorry Julie...To~day is Tuesday
      of course..not Wednesday! So coffee
      morning is tomorrow! Sorry!

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  5. What a lovely gift for your friend. Love what you did to the pot so pretty.

    God bless.

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  6. So I'll be curious to see if the boys do "crafting" with their OP finds as you do! That truck is really something. I'd enjoy seeing it operate myself. I have to say, I decided to try the knitting again after years of a break. Had to pay a whopping 10 cents for new needles and I had Peaches and Cream. But I will redonate the needles, as I am definitely a crochet person. Never got past row 12 of the Chinese Wave pattern, lol. The flower and the pot look so warm weathery. I'm finally having snow every other day or so. My exercise now is shoveling instead of biking. Your friend will enjoy the book and the bookmark for sure. Pet the kitties for us. Lynn and Precious XX

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Lynn & Precious. I think you may enjoy a simpler pattern than the Chinese Waves one, which I found tricky in that you had to concentrate so much. Perhaps try the one I have linked here today as its so simple to run up that I no longer even need to look at my pattern & it knits up to a nice size. Just a thought. Happy thursday to you both. xx

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  7. What fun! LOve the dinosaurs and what good prices. I would hate to iron on the beautiful cover, mine gets so skanky so soon.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Kim ... yes the ironing board covers get such a hard time that its nice to have a fresh new one. So simple to run up too!

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  8. Great find with the dinosaurs & truck. Beautiful book mark & i love the pots. I need a new ironing board cover but to lazy to make one. :) Hugs, xx

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  9. Swooning over the Cath Kidston ironing board cover! I have never thought to make my own covers...you just changed that. :-)
    Julie, your bookmark is beautiful, and wow, the aluminium pot? Oh girl, visiting you in like treating myself to a stroll through an old shop where we once lived - it was full of beautiful handmade items.
    I need to begin making those dishcloths...perfect gifts. What yarn do you use?
    Dinosaurs. Boys and dinosaurs. LOL!!!

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  10. Great dinosaur haul .... well done on that one.... I do love how you have done your pot. I will try your dishcloth pattern. I mostly just do boring squares and they go out of shape so badly once used. I think I need a thicker cotton yarn. I plan to do some of Jenny's bookmarks... I love the one you have done. Such a pretty ironing cover - you make it sound so easy...
    Hugz

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  11. Wonderful dinosaur treasures! My mom used to knit the same dishcloths when they were traveling to and from Florida for the winter. Have a great week!

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  12. Great dinosaur finds!!
    What a beautiful cache pot for that stunning begonia.
    A very sweet personalized bookmark.
    It would take me so much longer than 30 minutes to make a new ironing board cover! I still take the easy way out and buy mine, though my Mom enjoyed making them for her board.

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  13. Another wonderful post.
    Great buys, Great crafting .
    Just love your blog always full of information .
    Have fun.

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  14. Oh wow, Sid certainly scored at the op shop. Fabulous you are teaching the value of buying op shop finds. The book was a real find, Julie. The saucepan looks terrific. Love what how you made it beautiful. Gail's bookmark is pretty. She will love it, both because you made it especially for her and for the sweet stitching. LOVE the ironing board cover. Such a beautiful view as you iron away.

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  15. Sid is following in Grandma's footsteps! Bet he was very pleased with his shopping. The pan looks lovely painted up. I'm sure Gail will love her bookmark. That Tilda fabric is so pretty. I love your new ironing board cover. How great would a dress be in that fabric! xxx

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  16. Lucky Sid. What an amazing find. I especially loved the truck. I could play with those myself. What a miracle worker you are. When I saw the two pots I wondered ???. Only you could make a pigs ear into a silk purse. My pot pourie brings me great pleasure. I have just ordered some oil to refresh it. I had a really bad fall last week so things that smell nice or look beautiful are very helpful. Your ironing cover is beautiful and what a view you have. Don’t work too hard. I do enjoy your letters. Lots of love 🥰

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  17. That dinosaur truck is brilliant and what bargains! love the ironing board covers - maybe I will have a go when hands are working better :)

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  18. Great buys from the op shop Julie, my boys still have their Jurassic Park dinosaurs, not sure they still work anymore. Love your pots, and your ironing board cover, I wish I had some of your energy, I have packed up all my craft stuff and put it away in the cupboard, so will concentrate on things around the house for now. Chris xoxo

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  19. Hi Julie, I love all the bargains you got and you did such a beautiful job on the pot! Oh and the ironing board cover is gorgeous too. I can't wait to get back to thrifting and getting things done around the house - hopefully soon!

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  21. There is some amazing treasure to be found in op shops.

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  22. It is a good lesson learning how to op shop! I thoroughly enjoy hunting for bargains and making use of second-hand buys! You are so deliciously creative Julie. What a fabulous makeover on the pots and what a difference! I always enjoy your posts…they practically make me drool looking at all your lovely makes. Keep well. Amanda x

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