Monday 24 May 2010

Op Shops

My idea of heaven is to have a WHOLE day fossicking around in lots of different op shops. I started op shopping in my early teens – it was a good way to make my pocket money go further and I quite liked wearing floral vintage dresses and had my own unique style happening (as teenagers are want to do) – so op shopping was full of wonderful opportunities to find cool stuff to wear that no one else had.

As I got older I rummaged around in op shops collecting all kinds of things to fill my house. Especially of course when I moved out of home and had my own house to decorate. I’ve always been attracted to domestic objects from between the 1930’s and the 1960’s – so those particular kind of vintage treasures over the years have caught my eye and my dollar. The ebbs and flows of my collections have covered items such as green glass, anodized aluminum, soda siphons (of which I have about 50 tucked away in boxes in the shed!), made in Japan ceramics (of which you have seen a few in the last post), jugs, teaspoons, mixing bowls, glasses, marbles, Chinese patterned ginger jars, glass jelly moulds, biscuit and chocolate tins, golden books, fisher price toys from my childhood, Enid Blyton Books (to add to the collection I have had since I was a kid) and of course the list goes on and on!

Funnily enough – when the right time finally came along for me to branch out and be in business for myself – I made sure that op shopping was something that had to be done in the name of ‘work’. And true to my ‘work’ I get to go to ‘work’ sourcing material for my creations every second day or so. If we are driving along in the car on an outing – I am constantly on the lookout for places to stop and do some work (I confess I am a workaholic) and I especially love the discovery of a new op shop I haven’t been to – oh the thrill of undiscovered gems!

The photos for this post are just a tiny few of my favourite finds from over the years – the ones that were closest on hand!








7 comments:

Sophia - Red Lotus Jewellery said...

Really cute stuff :-)))

HighVoltageDiesal said...

All your hard 'work' over the years has been well worth it. What a fabulous collection of treasures you have!

Cintia Gonzalez said...

Me too. Especially country oppies.

Rebecca Alker-Jones said...

ohhh yeahhh morgana! my dream honey moon (if i ever got married again!!) would be an op-shopping honeymoon! ooohhh the love we would make fueled by soooo much op-shop joy.....!!!!!.........."

Suzanna ~ Mon Tresor said...

Ooh I LOVE these treasures!
what fabulous creations you have :)
I especially love your babushka range of cards.

Come by our blog
www.montresorblog.blogspot.com
for stylish little treasures

~Suzanna

Paper Tree Studio said...

Hi, I love all your finds. I too am addicted to fossicking around in op-shops and luckily get to call it 'work' too.

Just wanted to let you know that I have passed on a blogger award to you. Your blog always makes me smile. Come over and collect it when you get time. Michelle

Running Thread said...

OOhhhh you've snapped up some lovely things. I love op shopping too and can't believe the treasures I've found. It's quite addictive don't you think.