Opportunity Knocks... vintage shopping

One of my not so secret pleasures is to wander around op and second hand stores for bargains. We are blessed here in the Southern Highlands, in that we have a plethora of these around the area.   A couple of Sundays ago we went into Bowral for afternoon tea and decided to wander around Dirty Jane's Emporium and then take tea in the quaint tea house on site.

Think of your grandmother's best china,  all delicate and dainty and old fashioned silver tea services, and you'll get the picture.  Our chai tea was one of the best I have had in a long time.  And then......

with the tea pot our tea was served in!

so much so that I asked if I could buy that very pot!  Sadly it was not to be had, but then I became obsessed with getting a teapot just like it, I can be like that some times!

I became addicted to getting my ideal teapot!

Not quite the teapot I was looking for

 So I trawled Dirty Jane's after our tea and found this one with a matching sugar bowl as well.

But still my obsession was not satisfied, soon I  was like a drug addict, I couldn't get enough of tea pots!  I found myself hanging out on e-bay and ruby lane looking  to score more tea pots.....

and then I found these two beauties, one came from New Zealand and one is from the United Kingdom.

So now my teapot obsession is satisfied

 I have 3 beautiful pots that I use everyday.

Here are some other little gems I have picked up recently: 

a pair of candlesticks

 and this weekend bounty from our local tip recycling shop a genuine 1970's crock pot, check out that funky font on the dial!

The Doyenne of Australian cooking, Margaret Fultan's autobiography

a 1970's guide to landscaping, perfect for our 1970's courtyard makeover!

and some more info on being organic farmers

I could go on and on on some of the other great second hand shops, but I might leave that for another post. So if you are planing a trip to the Southern Highlands make sure you make some time for some opportunity shopping, as we know Opportunity comes once in a lifetime!

Second Hand Rose

I love op shopping!

Today I was in Sydney for work, and on my way home I detoured via the Salvos warehouse in Tempe for a quick look around for any goodies.

Well all I can say is that I did myself proud!  The place is enormous, and if I had more space at home I would have bought some pretty retro furniture at a very good price.

Here are  a few of my bargains.

Vintage tray, just perfect for my 60's cocktail cabinet, AKA "Don Draper"

Very useful picnic basket, note holder for not 1 but 2 bottles of wine!

Aqua elongated bowl and very retro silver plated serving platter

Every good kitchen needs a good heatproof jug ( $6!!)

Basket $2.50, going to keep it for a gift basket, sherry glasses 20c each got 8 to put in Don Draper

Funky 70's plates

I am getting quite a collection of Nana napkins, all so lovely and only 50 or  20c each!

I am putting together a quirky collection of 60's and 70's crockery, the idea is to have mismatched ones on the table when having a dinner party themed around "mad men" ( watch this space!).

how much did I spend in all, well about $25, and the money is going to a good cause, The Salvos.

My idea for Christmas this year is that for our family we will all give pre-loved gifts, so that we are not contributing to more waste in the world. I can see from my op shopping ventures there is a lot more stuff that is of interest to me and ideas for gifts than I find in the regular stores.

How about you, are you a op-shopaholic???