OMG. That is; Oh! My Gocco!

Are you sitting down? Tell me you’re sitting down? You really should be sitting down.

I just bought a Gocco B6 at an opshop for $2.

I told you you should have been sitting down.

We were driving back from a positively splendid time at an indoor swimming pool with waterslides (A new favourite place for Punk & I), where I had whittled my initial $20 for the day down to $5, after pool entry & snacks, when I was surprised to see the oppy at the tiny town between here & the pool still open. I drove past, thinking “Probably no point stopping, I’ve only got $5…” but then I turned around & drove back because, well, I’m me.

In the alcove before you even get in to the opshop proper, I saw this thing of beauty sitting on an old ironing board.

I think I was in a state of shock. I’ve wanted a Gocco for ages but would never be able to afford one, unless, as I often half-joked, half-desperately hoped, I found one in an oppy. I calmly snatched picked up the boxes & placed them on the counter, reminding myself to breathe.

$2. $2! I still can’t believe it. And the Gocco fabric stamp kit for $1.50. Everything in tip-top condition, including the hilarious 80’s family shot on the box.

This is the find of the year peeps. Fo’sho.

More finds with Sophie!

Fifty Cents.

An adorable wee tea infuser.

Made in England.

Fifty frikkin cents.

This is why I shop at Opshops.

As if oppies weren’t cheap enough…

…there was a half-price summer sale at one of my local haunts, which morphed into “Everything a dollar or less!” at the end of the week.

On the first day of the sale I picked up these gorgeous jigsaw puzzles for fifty cents each;

…and on the last day of the sale all these vintage sheets for one dollar each.

Bargain.

Maybe more thrifted whatnots over here, later? Sophie is maybe enjoying that extra leisurely hour?!

Are you ready boots?

Yesterday was a good day. The sun was out, The Punk was in a good mood, I had new boots to wear; all was right with the world.

The “new” boots of which I speak are my oppy find of the week for Sophie’s Flea Market Finds – oh how I love them, and how they were so obviously meant for me…

On Wednesday I was very tempted to break my Ethical Clothing Pledge with a pair of $25 boots from Rivers, they were cute damnit, and cheap, but, luckily for me & my weak will, I could nae get the pair I wanted onto my elephantine feet so left grumpily yet morally sound.

Thursday, after Gymbaroo, a spot of opping was called for & the second I glimpsed these lovelies my heart skipped a beat. They were EXACTLY what I have been after, trawling Etsy for in the hopes of finding a cheap pair of with free shipping or something… and they were right in front of me. I picked them up – Size 8. ‘Aren’t I a Men’s 9?’ I wondered (I am in cons – I mistakenly thought these were American), but I thought I better try them on anywho – they looked about right – and oh they were! They are comfortable and tough and waterproof – which is somewhat of a novelty to me with my previous experience of cheap, cruddy boots. I could go on about their awesomeness, I could, but I shall content myself with smiling to myself when I see them and being rather chuffed. Oh – and they were $25, precisely, and about a thousand times better than the tat I wanted to buy the day before.

Garage Sale Finds.

Obviously, the planets were all correctly aligned yesterday, as although the Punk & I were off on our treadly out in to the wild weather (Punk looking a-frikkin-dorable in her Miffy raincoat - how did I not take a picture?!), our expedition yielded some lovely results.

I can't wait until I have my licence & we can go garage saling far & wide in whatever weather the universe decides to throw at us! Even sans car we had a nice time, people are always taken with Punky, especially when she does her scrunched up piggy/demon from another world snorty face that says "I don't know you & I don't want to talk to you", they think it's charming. A fellow browser even tried to convince me to buy my own bike "Oh that seat on the front there is JUST what you need for your little girl!".

So, do you think it's fate, or what....? Three issues of BH&G that I didn't have (I have noted the other interior design mags from the comments on my last post, & I will be sure to check the oppy for them, but I don't hold out much hope! It seems my reliable BH&G is not as treasured as the others...!), a ye olde DIY repair manual (perfect for a ye olde house that will need ye olde type repairs, me thinks) & totally unrelated but wonderful all the same; a bunch of cute vintage fabric & 5 Johnny Cash records... score!

Um... one other thing... I had a dream last night (obviously because I was worrying... as I do...) that that room IS haunted, by an old lady in a granny cardy. She seemed nice enough but I was still terrified. Perhaps she could teach me to crochet....?

Oh Op Shop.. How Do I Love Thee?

...let me count the ways!

• I love how you are so unpredictable, two days are never alike with you!
• I love all of your special treasures, just waiting for me to find them...
• I love your beautiful staff, who almost always go out of their way to assist.
• I love how affordable your wares are... most of the time!
• I love how you invoke memories, without even trying.
• I love how you provide so much that goes toward making new memories.
• I love rummaging around in your piles of stuff.
• I love finding things that I would never buy, wear or use, just to know that such things exist.
• I love your surprises....

• I love mustard coloured chairs that cost $5.

• I love that said chair has already become Punky's firm favourite.
• I love that I didn't realise until I got it home that it reclines.... bonus!

• I love vintage table & chair sets that cost $50.
• I love how sturdy & solid old furniture is...!
• I love how I can now relegate our dodgey, wobbly, IKEA table to the back room (more space for crafting...!).
• I love how it only cost an extra $5 for two LOVELY old gentlemen to deliver everything, immediately.

• I love how I was able to find all these treasures & squirrel them away early - before the torrents of rain started, and the wind ramped up it's hurricane efforts...