Op Shopping - Puzzle Time

Puzzles.  The kids love them and we spend huge amounts of time puzzling together.  I recently gave a heap of our puzzles back to the op shop to make way for some fresh new ones.  I've had a couple of op shop trips to re-stock our puzzle supply.  

Today was Habitat For Humanity, and for $20.50 I got everything below, including some great puzzles.  Definitely not as cheap as things used to be, but for the Libby Weaver book alone it was worth it!

I actually squealed when I saw this.  Excited much?

Strawberry Shortcake puzzles.  I am sure I had one of these when I was little, they brought such a rush of nostalgia back when I saw them.

Fairy puzzles for The Girl

A Melissa and Doug Puzzle and a 100 piece for Sprat.  The Melissa and Doug puzzle is awesome!

A two handled mug for The Girl.  She loves to have 'cups of tea' (milkshakes or hot chocolate) with me, so now she has her own special mug to use.

Golden Circle books we don't have yet for our collection, and Elmo.  We all love Elmo. 

Of course I can NEVER go home without books for myself.

Now to just find some room for my new books....

Op Shopping - Tea Cups and a New Collection..

There is always much excitement from me when I manage to find a tea cup trio on my op shopping forages.

This is a Queen Anne 'Violet' 8301.

There is even more excitement when you manage to find a set of awesome vintage double sheets that don't cost your left kidney!!

And I think I have also started a new collection.  Sigh.  In my vintage years I am going to be that 84 year old lady with 17 cats and a house full of hundreds of dusty salt and pepper shakers.

What is the appeal?  I can't tell you, except I wasn't able to leave them behind.  Am I starting a new collection?  I think so.

My finds this week were found between Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army.  There were also a large pile of chocolate molds that came home with me, along with a few books for the kids.  

Op Shopping - Tea Cup Trios

Moan and ye shall receive..... no, not really.....  But I did have a whinge to a friend only a few days ago about how its been months since I have found any teacup trios in the oppies lately.  And today I found two!  A lovely coincidence and I take back everything I said in my moan about my first world op-shopping problems.  *blush*

I love this.  Its Royal Vale and very well loved and used.  I don't actually believe its a true set - I think the saucer is an impostor.  I could be wrong, but I think with these sets the spots were all the same colour.  But I love it all the same and by the wear I think the previous owner did as well.

This is Queen Anne and quite a common set, but so pretty and in beautiful condition.  

Our local SaveMart was having a 50% off sale, so on the same op-shopping trip I picked up a massive bundle of clothing for the children, along with more books.  I miss having the children around me when they go back to school and kindy, but it does mean I get to op-shop in peace.  

Op Shopping - Cooper by Trelise

Got myself a treasure today.  100% silk cami top by Trelise Cooper.  $6.  Thank you Salvation Army.  Doesn't look too much on the hanger, but I love it on.  Yay.

Also picked up a rather PVC looking handbag (because it is PVC and rather squeaky) but I like it.

Margaret Mahy for the kids and a Christmas book to add into our Christmas Book Advent Calendar.  .50c each.

And an embroidery hoop for $1.50 which will become a feature soon in my new sewing room/office - (eeekkk exciting!!).

Op Shopping - Family Board Games

I love spending a lazy afternoon playing board games.  Especially while on holiday.  I buy board games with the full intention of taking them to the bach and leaving them there ... but they never make it.

I have memories of playing Sea Battle with my brother - I hope my boys can learn to play it together.  Boggle was $2.50 and Sea Battle was $4.

The Game of Life - the hubby and I have already had a night of playing this ... he won each time

Books out of the .50c bin

New puzzles.  I think these were $2 each.

A Speed Racer costume for Danger Mouse - $4.50.  The Evil Kineval helmet was his already.

And a top for me from Max.  This is really flattering on - $6.

Op Shopping - The Final Haul Before Shifting

Awesome haul today from Habitat for Humanity and the SPCA Op Shop.  Crazy really, that I am shifting house in three days and here I am bringing more stuff in to be boxed and shifted.

The SPCA Op Shop along the Te Rapa straight has everything half price until the end of the month.  This place is chocka full of awesomeness.

 Old Soda Stream bottles, $1 each which I was happy to pay  - I am going to use these at the kids birthday parties

This makes me so happy and will feature again soon.  It was a bit pricey, $6, but I just love it. I actually drove back specially to get this as I decided at first I didn't need it.  I do.

Agee Preserving Jar - $1.50.  Can never have enough of these.

Green tin bucket which I will use as a base for a cupcake bouquet - $1.50

Big bucket of Mega Blocks for The Girl - $5 - the kids fight over this stuff daily as The Girl often steals the boys blocks so hopefully having her own will stop that.  Probably not.

More books...

Unused sticker books for the kids - .50c each.  These will live in my handbag.

For my new sewing room, it needs a good clean but was only $7.50.  I am going to fill it with my fat quarters and cotton.  

I also brought Danger Mouse a pile of bible story pre-schooler readers and a heap of kid sized coat hangers for The Girls wardrobe.  

Three sleeps till a new house.

Joining in at the Op Shop Show Off.

Op Shopping - Love New Clothes

I found time in between packing my house and cleaning to sneak to the oppies and treated myself to some new clothes.  I love adding to my wardrobe cheaply.  And there is some truth when I reply to hubby "New?  No this old thing - its been around for ages...."  

Ricochet Top

Just Jeans Dress

Max Cardigan - I love slouching around in a slouchy cardy ..

OK, this is a kinda freaky looking Elmo - but I am into it.  

And Billabong jeans.

So that little lot set me back $35.  And I can never not come away with something for the kids.

For the 2 year old Hi5 fan in the house - .50c

And Angry Birds for the boys - .50c also.

Right, back to packing ... sigh ....

Op Shopping - Cook Books

I am having a love affair with my slow cooker.  I do every winter.  So how could I pass by slow cooker cook books in my oppy today?  Was also keen on The Low Carb Bible as I (but not the rest of the family) try and eat low carb at night time.  Yes, more books ..... its an obsession, I tell ya .....

Slow cookers have to be one of the best kitchen inventions ever.  I seriously lag in energy at the end of a manic day child wrangling and office working, and sometimes cooking dinner feels like such a chore.  That's why I love my slow cooker.  I do it all in the morning when I have the energy, and can present the family with an amazing meal at the end of the day when all I feel like doing is collapsing into the chair and ignoring the world.

Op Shopping - Really, More Books ...

I carried a box of stuff out of my local Habitat for Humanity today.  I guess I am making up for a few weeks off....

I brought more books.  I know.  Its an addiction.  But at .50 cents each who wouldn't (someone who is not addicted?).  I am going to take them all to the bach and leave them there - easy rubbishy summer reads.

A bunch of Healthy Food Guides - these are mostly from last year, and I wasn't buying them then so are ones I don't have.

Another book from the .50 cent table.  The Girl is happy, especially seeing as she has recently discovered my old Care Bear.

I also picked up some clothes for The Girl to put away for next year.  The pink skirt and top are from Pumpkin Patch and the red bunny top from Cotton On.

DVD's for the kids.  Who doesn't need a pile of DVD's to watch during winter.

And lastly this platter.  Made in China, nothing special, but I really like the pattern on it and don't own an oval platter.

Op Shopping - Egg Beater

I have been after one of these for the last 2 years.  Yesterday was my happy day when I found this in a jar of can openers at Habitat for Humanity.  $2 it set me back, which made me even happier!  After a good clean (it has cake mix crusted in its crevices) it'll be a stunner.

Joining in at Black Bird has Spoken with other Op Shop Show Offs!

Op Shopping - A Tea Cup Find

My local Habitat for Humanity pulled through for me today.  I've not stopped searching for tea cup trios, but in the last 5 months or so none of my local oppies have had any worth looking at.

This Colclough trio was only $5.  A great buy.

Joining in over at Blackbird has Spoken with the Op Shop Show Off.

Op Shopping - A Plate I Love

This was my prize op shop find this week.  I am so in love with it.  Its from the Noritake Bahama Collection and is in pristine condition and cost me pretty much nothing.  The hubby thinks its hideous.  I am displaying it on top of my china cabinet, which I am extremely happy about, and him not so much.

I brought it to the couch with me tonight while I was writing this post and his reaction was "What, so now you are watching TV with your plate?".  I wonder what he'll say when I bring it to bed with me tonight....

My other find was this gorgeous vintage Holdson puzzle, which Danger Mouse has claimed as his own.

Joining in over here at Op Shop Show Off.