Thursday 25 September 2008

Thrift Shifter and the Great Set of Knockers

Please note: title is dedicated to Hoppo Bumpo.

This seems crazy, I know, but I can't keep out of op shops lately. It looks like I'm going to have to set up a shop because my husband is going to hit the roof and then some. But I just won't tell him about this score.

I try and go to my local one at least once a week (and now I've found out which day the big load of booty arrives - hoorah!) to keep check on what's happening in the local world of charity shops.

Today, my dear reader, was no exception.

After looking around and around I felt a little dejected. For the first time I thought I was going to leave empty handed. I thought - how could this be? I can't leave empty handed! No no no, there must be something deep in the bowels of this shop for me.

So I did another circuit. The $25 crochet tablecloth that I love so dearly was still there. But I think that's just ridiculously expensive (in fact katiecrackernuts blogged about the prices just yesterday - and as an aside, I saw this via Mikes). Anyway. I left it there. Again.

Nothing yielded in the linen/crafty section.

I went to the toy section. A whole bunch of real ugly softies. But then further down - a great pair of Italian-made (anything Italian is fine by me) red binoculars. My little dude and I made cool binoculars not long ago out of - you guessed it - toilet rolls. We decorated them, and toted them around the yard, bird-watching. He took those 'knockers' around everywhere, to the butcher, to the supermarket. We bird-watched 'til the break of dawn. It was a fun little activity.

Then in my big bin score, I found some very old school 'knockers' that were a little battered, so he had those. "They might be somewhere," says my son. That means, they're down in the abyss that is the back of the couch.. Or under the bed.. Somewhere.

So today, we've been back out bird watching. Spotted so far with the new 'knockers':
- 1 kookaburra fluffing up its feathers
- 1 currawong harassing the kookaburra
- 1 grey bird high up in some branches

Not much in the way of bird life today.. but we're about to go walking, so maybe we'll spot some more in the 'hood.

I also found some Willow tableware. This made me happy because it reminds me of the unit Matt and I lived in before we had babies. The person that owned that unit had a bit of style and had the Willow print put onto the fridge and the water heating unit. It was cool. Trust me. So this find had nostalgia written all over it.
Some Cuisenaire Rods - awesome. I found some of these a while ago too..
And finally these awesome vintage blue plastic beads. They are heavy! Sorry about the dodgy photo a la Mary Boleyn. It was the best I could do in a mad flap.
Plus these funny little karafes that I found while on holidays. Kind of weird because I bought these two - then after that, every single op shop I went into had either one of the designs. Apparently they've gone out of vogue in Tamworth! Shock! Horror! It was like playing Where's Wally with small jugs (that one was for Hoppo Bumpo too).

- Someone asked a few posts back what oppy meant.. Op shops! Just op shops.. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, I wasn't playing hard to get. I am just sloooooow.

11 comments:

CurlyPops said...

Such cool finds...every little boy needs a set of knockers.
We had a willow set when we were growing up...mum collected it piece by piece (it cost a small fortune back in the day). Ahhh memories!

Jodi said...

Where are you keeping all this stuff? You must have great storage in that house of yours! Reply to this via email and I'll let you know the postal address. Che would love to be involved - promise we wont send any of our germs...see blog to fully understand what I am talking about.

Liesl said...

Oh happiness is definitely your own set of lovely round, adjustable knockers!

I love the latest haul. I'm especially excited to see the carafe with the oranges. My mum used to serve that 70s breakfast staple Tang in one just like it. Maybe its just Tang that has gone out of fashion in Tamworth?

Cindy said...

My - you are a potty mouthed Mama. That was so funny, Benny Hill is smiling somewhere I am sure. I was scroling through before I read it and thought you had named it after the necklace shot. There is nothing wrong with a bit of self-confidence I say!

Cass said...

Cuisenaire Rods you lucky thing. I'd love to find some of those and a sentance maker does anyone remember those?

Angie said...

I found a pair of similar looking 'knockers' at the oppie a while back, will be checking to see if they are also Italian or just the Chinese knock-off!

I have an original Tang jug & was recent;y asked by someone a wee bit younger "What's Tang?" HUH?

Mrs.French said...

awesome finds...yet again. why oh why can't you live next door, so we could go together...sigh.

Kirsty said...

Cuisenaire Rods! Lovely. I'm quite taken with the carafes too.

Ellieboo said...

You and HB are incorrigible - look you both have a lovely set of knockers and a great pear respectively.

LisaAnn said...

those are some great finds...
love the carafes.

Lisa [strickerin] said...

Those rods are a great score. I just forked out a small fortune to buy some new.