Rant

Hubert and I just returned from a trip to our local Savers...mostly with books as they're the only thing that one can afford there. Is it just me, or WHAT THE HELL are Savers thinking? Old CDs that I used to have in my collection (for example Mechanical Animals, and Mellon Collie) $7.99 each. What?? I could go to JB Hi Fi and buy them for $10 brand new. So they stayed there. Oh look, vintage 30s Grindley dinner plates, a design I would have loved to own called "Acacia Bloom"...$9.99 each. So for the 3 dinner plates and 5 breakfast plates, ah, 80 bucks?! A cute pair of shoes, hmm my size, fit too...$14.99. Nah. I bought a couple of old Agathas for 99cents each, and two old Kylie concert programs for my sis. Savers, you can FRO, because you're beyond ridiculous now.

Spot of op

As my new real estate agent's office is around the corner from Savers, of course I had to drop in yesterday afternoon. And I'm glad I did, for it was rather yielding in kitchen related items. I often wonder why someone like me that hates cooking loves kitchen paraphenalia so much?


I think these are my favourites - a Pyrex dish in my favourite colour (White Daisy pattern) and some very cute vintage cups and saucers. They are marked underneath "Roslyn fine bone china, Made in England." The stamp dates it from 1958-63. Might be time for a tea party soon.

Normally I don't worry about buying stacking mugs, but this was rather special. And the iphone camera totally failed in picking up it's real colour, which is a lighter washed out aqua-blue.


I think this pattern must have been very popular in the 60s/70s as I often see it about...not really my cup of tea though, but I loved the blue so grabbed a cup and saucer. (English - Staffordshire Potteries Ltd.) [Check this pattern out, how groovy!]


A funny new Japanese sugar jar for 2.50, can't complain about that. "Flour" was there too but I left him for someone else. Visitors to my place are always looking for sugar, so I figure if I fill this one right up, everyone will be happy.

And the piece de resistance, some lovely art glass. I saw this and went "Oooh!!" ...and then thought what a lovely pressie it would make for my friend Nat, who is developing a nice little collection of pink and blue mix art glass. You know I want it for myself, but the fact I got it for a good discount (!) told me that it's meant to go to Nat as a thank you pressie for looking after us with her rental property. Plus it will look stunning in her lovely home.


I also grabbed some vintage teatowels and doileys, and a big crochet tablecloth that's become a bedspread. I'll give you a pic later when I've finished washing linen and remaking the bed.

Every time I do one of these posts I worry if I'm too materialistic? And God bless Hubert, who had to listen to me boof on about vintage Pyrex last night when I was filled with post-purchase excitement. As one of my mates said "He's a keeper."

Op-shop china

Yesterday's trip to Savers was rather fruitful, although there were a lot of things I left on the shelf, mainly due to that spreading disease Ridiculoulslyoverpricedluenza. Damn viruses. So I took a few pics instead:

Small Pyrex bowls - pretty but the designs didn't thrill me.

This one I liked very much - English Staffordshire dinner set, but at $3.49 a dinner plate, it was staying there. And I couldn't find the cups to go with the saucers, so couldn't even get a teaset out of it. (Today's whinge at Savers - WHY THE HELL DO YOU SEPARATE TEACUPS AND SAUCERS?!!!!) Yes I am yelling.

Just cute. I love that clear blue glaze. And boy do I need to rectify this no-camera situation.

Not my thing but most groovy!

Pretty New Zealand-made dinner set. 'Autumn Leaves' (I think) is the pattern.

This is what I did end up taking home:
Japanese casserole pot with phallic mushrooms, lidless deery cookie jar, glass of orangey goodness and one of the cup and saucers from the 'Autumn Leaves' dinner set. (And a vintage sheet and pillowcase, more white ones for stitching, and a Jeff Buckley cd.) Also my crochet blankie. I also left a cute 50s wooden coffee table there, and was beaten to a wooden sewing box thingy on legs by a determined (read: aggressive) woman and her mother. Oh well, I was happy with Bambi.

It should be noted that the $80 cannister set had gone... had someone bought it? Did they discount it first? Who knows?

Score

There was a nice, non-stinky, non-trashed crochet rug waiting for me at Savers this afternoon. So I took it home and washed it and now it's living on my couch. Yay!

PS Big footed bunny was made for me by Anthea, many moons ago.

More stuff

Yesterday Hubert and I went to the local secondhand shop, in search of a frame for Mrs Percy and possibly some more family members for the collection. Plus I just like to fossick. Given that it's a shed and it's always too damn hot in Adelaide, it was hot in there and my energy was somewhat lacking. Once the crazy lady shopkeeper started singing 'Rawhide' (with the wrong lyrics no less, which amused us) I'd had enough but left with a few goodies:
A flannellette pillowcase, more wee china animals, a Hollie Hobby plaque, and 'Tommy Goes Round the World' which I bought because I like the illustrations. (I'll share some of those with you later.) Hollie Hobby says "Happiness is having someone to care for."...and she has a wee ginger kitteh. Sweet.

More opping

I decided to do a Savers trawl after work yesterday, as I felt the need for some "new" bed linen. Surprisingly I found the linen I wanted, as I came away with two sheets and four pillowcases, a book ...and the crankies.

Washed and waiting for action.

I also scored a very nice copy of this fun book...not sure if I'll knit anything out of it ever, but these pages appealed:

"out of step with the world"

I really just want this knitting bag! Sooo much!

Further to this post, finding these on the shelf gave me a chuckle:

(and yes Pip, I did buy you a wee yellow one.)

As usual however, a visit to Savers gives me the cranky factor, as the prices are just getting ridiculous...

Example one ~ this lovely bit of green art pottery. "Hooray..." I said as I spotted it, "mmm green glaze." "Boo!!" I said as I found out it was $29.99.

Blurry photo as I was probably shaking with rage. (Nah I just made that up...taking pics with the i-phone is shite.)

Example two ~ getting slightly more ridiculous and sad making. "Hooray!!" I said as I spotted a vintage comforter, in all it's orange beauty, "just what I'm after." "Boo!" I said, as I saw the price tag "You've gotta be f***ing kidding me!".... $39.99!!

Example three ~ TOTALLY RIDICULOUS. "Oooh," said I, about a month ago, when I first spotted these "kitschy 50s/60s cannisters, I could make room in my kitchen for these." "FFS!!!" said I, when I saw the price tag of $79.99. "What the dog is this, Antiques Roadshow or something??"


Get REAL Savers. These beauties have been on the shelf for over a month now, and will stay there, I'm tipping. I'm not disputing the monetary value of these items, but Savers, you're a second hand recycling store that gets FREE STUFF from people to sell to people with not a lot of disposable income. You're not the bloody Chapel St Bazaar. Most disappointment and much booing to you.

Speaking of doileys

Once upon a time there was a doiley. It was a rather nice doiley, white cotton, interesting shape and a good size for living upon a dressing table. Someone worked for some number of hours stitching pretty flowers and french knots upon it. Then as fashions changed, it was discarded, ending up in a rag bag for the op shop.

It probably thought it would never see the light of day again, let alone a pretty dressing table. Then an enterprising soul scooped it up, along with it's other neglected brothers and sisters, and decided it should live again, decorating an item of clothing...

The maker was happy with their creativity, and perhaps proudly wore it out for luncheons and shopping. Or maybe gifted it to a poor unfortunate loved one lucky person.

{It should be noted that I can really only guess at the past life of the doiley and salmon pink jacket as I not responsible for any of these goings ons.}

Anyway, who knows... did the jacket get worn with pride or stuffed in the back of the wardrobe in shame? All I know is I happened upon it one day back in 2008 at the Salvos in Carrum Downs. I freed the doileys and ended up with some pretty ones for my stash. Happy ending for the white doiley?

Well almost. The other day, upon blogworld I saw a lace doiley covering a stereo speaker. I think the link was via Pip. So then I came across Kootoyoo's doiley excellence. Ahoy! Doileys everywhere! Nannas were cheering. Most inspirational. And then when I was playing a cd last week, I observed the damage done to my speaker covers by Ms Drewzel Fossil using them as a kitteh chair (oh so soft and comfy) when they were stacked in the spare room at the old villa.


So today I dug through the doileys... found one the white floral doiley and stitched him to the speaker cover to cover the kitteh dirt and rips. Et voila!

However, I'm having some post-crafting quandrys. Does this look good? Am I on the bandwagon? Is this as bad as attaching doileys to the pink jacket? I was going to embroider "Kick out the Jams!" on it...but stopped as I wasn't sure if this was adding insult to injury. Do I take this all too seriously? Any thoughts?

Bit o' opping

As today was somewhat trying (read: no new house for me anytime soonish) I decided to hit Savers after work. Which actually was somewhat yielding... I'm outta words tonight and feeling rather exhausted, so a couple o' pics for you:

Yes, some nice vintage Pyrex, a floral tray, vase in my favourite colour and a nanna tin. And an Penguin mug for a whole 69 cents, to keep Gatsby company.


Also a kitteh pillowcase, a mat for embroidering and a doiley for an experiment:
Is that any better?
I also bought some retro panty hose, a couple of embroidery hoops and a footstool, but that's tomorrow's story...

Wee china animals

Over time I've gathered a little collection of wee kitsch china animals. My only rules are cute, super-kitsch, and reasonably priced. (No Savers I am not paying $8 for a silly china ornament...the squirrels stayed there. Grr). The latest additions are the kitty head biscuit jar and the little broken bird...both came home with me from my last Adelaide visit. On the weekend, after Ninja chipped the pair of yellow kittehs, I decided to put them all up on the shelves above my stove. Only thing it really needs now is some cute paper/fabric up on the wall behind them and it's kitsch-a-rama.

Oh dear, blurry photo, I'll take another one tonight and replace it. I SOOOOOO want a new camera.

* just for the record, Ninja is not to blame for breaking the hat-wearing kitty pepper shaker, that was me, I knocked it off the top of the fridge.

More orange

Yesterday I called into Savers on my way home. The shelves didn't offer too much and there were maggoty children everywhere, so it wasn't very yielding. But I did get some practical kitchen stuff, so I wasn't totally disappointed.

• Nice jug for making up cordial (mmm I have ginger beer cordigal)
• Little painted glass, marked France underneath
• Orange plastic plates for putting nibblies on
• A lidded Pyrex dish - I bought this one purely for usefulness, as the design doesn't thrill me
• Groovy retro Australiana tray

and

• Some white bowls with a rainbow sort of glaze (American).

Not a single souvenir tea towel or white pillowcase left in the store...did someone know I was coming? Still, better than a poke in the eye.

Seen around Savers

Photos of the things I *didn't* buy:

Okay, who even would have wasted time thinking up such a useless piece of crap? And look at those fingernails. Ick.


Gorgeous Laura Ashley dress... early 70's methinks? And the price? For you, just $99.99. I kid you not.

Another original 70's dress, but my sieve like brain can't remember the brand... it was "Miss Something" this one is a size 13, and again, only $99.99. Savers are tripping. Grr.

And ...well words fail me! Spotted in the homewares section: