Thrifted Thursday #5

More from Yamba

I forgot to include these 2 weeks ago. That op-shop had so much to offer.

A pair of ladies khaki pants for me...

A book on Australian Wineries for my husband...

A fluffy (and washed) pink teddy for Frances...

Pink Ted and Piggy have become fast friends

Then across the road was a Beachside Bargains shop and they had this 'family values' canvas. I have been keeping my eye out for a good one since Pinterest first showed them. This one was perfect - well I don't like the last comment because it is the only negative one, and in Australia it's called 'whinging' not 'whining' - but maybe it's comical. It set me back $50! Lucky for the bargains at the op-shop!

I also went back to the camera store that is the local LEGO agent and picked up the 'Star Wars' and 'Friends' Advent Calendars for this Christmas.

They pointed out the bakery over the road that was economical and varied. I bought us all a hummingbird cake. mmmm delicious! Wish we had a bakery that good in our town.

Linking up with Thrifty Things Friday.

Garage Dump (More than a Tweak!)

I hate our garage! It is full of stuff. Stuff that we have moved at least 3 times in the past 5 years. Stuff that I hang onto just in case I might need it one day. Stuff that people gave to me and I don't want to throw away lest I offend them. Stuff that looks messy and makes me cringe every time the garage door opens. Lots of reasons to have stuff cluttering up my garage and my life. Lots of reasons to avoid dealing with it too.

Week 2 of Home Organisation 101 with A Bowl Full of Lemons was about dealing with the garage. That's pretty confronting for only the 2nd week of a 14 week program. I just knew that I could not contemplate the garage 1. early, 2. alone and 3. in one day. I knew it would be a process.

So a few weeks ago I confronted my hoarding instincts and recycled all of the boxes for toys. That was the start of it. Then I started dealing with the toys that my kids no longer used. 

Today I had my husband, and his newly registered trailer, for about 2 hours. So I made the most of it.

Out went the items that needed to go to the dump - 'old Brown' the couch, futon mattress, trundle mattress, fridge and a dishwasher. The refrigerator cost $40 because of the gas issue and the rest cost $20. I can't tell you what a relief it was to see these things go!

Next we filled up the back of his car with things to be donated to the op-shop in town - linen, toys, sports equipment and clothes. I even let go of my favourite surfboard when my husband agreed to get rid of his old boogey board. This was freeing too. 

It's still a work in progress but the garage is less cluttered now than it has been in years. 

I'm linking up with... A Bowl Full of Lemons

This Week's Menu

Thrifted Thursday #4

I have not bought from an op-shop in ages but whilst I was in Yamba last Wednesday I found a shop with much to offer at bargain prices.

The top three items are now in my sewing room and the Japanese tin holds my tape measures.

Linking up with....

Sunday Stash #16

Today's post is a mixed bag of treasures old and new.


Old - some vintage pillow cases from the local 'Bargain Basement' at 50c each.

Old - some fabrics donated by my MOPS mentor Lanie. These include a few swatches of green upholstery fabric.

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New - a brown, white and orange floral that would look right at home in a Denyse Schmidt range. I found this for $5 for 1 meter at a little fabric and scrapbooking shop in Yamba NSW whilst on a MOPS overnight  retreat 2 weeks ago.

Feedsack IV ca. 1930 Pattern No. 39011 by Windham W Fabrics

New - My first digital photography book from Lindcraft for only $8.

I hope that this week's linky tool is flawless.


What's new in your stash today?


Feel Free to link up below...(and maybe spread the word about 'Sunday Stash')

Thank God for Good Friday

Back on the 5th of April 1985, I woke up and asked God if I could be friends with him. I didn't really know what to say but I had been going to a Youth group for about half a year, and realised that some of the kids talked about God like a real person. I didn't think that just believing in God was the same as following God. 


Anyway, 27 years later, God and I are still friends. All because of what Jesus did at the very first Easter.  


Expedit Love


Last Sunday, passing through Brisbane we picked up 2 new Expedit units from IKEA. My husband put together the first and set it up in my daughter's room.


Before                                                                                          After

More storage space was needed and so this unit was place alongside the old one. 


Before

After

A little decluttering of the two baby boxes.


Before

After

The New Expedit 2x4

 top surface now houses the baby boxes and cds.

top shelves house the smaller hard cover and board books.

 2nd shelf is a bit more decorative with handmade friends.

3rd shelf houses the accessories and dress-up clothes.

bottom shelf filled with books.


The Old Expedit - 2x2

op surface of the 2x2 unit now displays the 'le Toy Van' fairy castle.

top shelf $5 pink boxes now house the Disney Princesses and their friends. 'Beast' and 'winged Dora horse' were from Op-shops.

bottom shelf - more books (these will need to be culled soon. I pulled out a few books to donate but I need to spend more time on it).


Girly I-Spy Quilt


I can't claim this one. It's yummy goodness was made by my mother for her only grand-daughter. She made this BEFORE I even owned a sewing machine and learned to quilt.

for some reason the uploader keeps turning these...but you get the idea of the fussy cutting.




Large Zipper Pouch


Remember the 20c zips from the op-shop this week? I used the pink one to whip up a large zip pouch for my daughter. And seeing I had some scraps of the Easter give-away fabric, I used up a large strip for the front. It's the size of a large pencil case.

 I did some free motion quilted eggs on the pink polkadot fabric strips.

When I told her it was a an Easter pouch she promptly out it into the waistband of her skirt , popped a teddy bear inside, used my measuring tape for a tail tucked into the back, and hopped around the house like a marsupial. 


So I may need to re-think the name of this one a little!

Retro Barbie Bargains

It's funny how retro 70's and 80's is quite popular thesedays. I was a Barbie girl from way back. I used to earn $1 a week pocket money and it would take me 2 weeks to save enough to buy my Barbie a new outfit for $1.99.

I recently purchased a re-issued Malibu Barbie at a discount store. It was $24 but it took me back. My next-door-neighbour had this exact one because I remember the sheer yellow outfit with the flares! I had a Malibu Barbie from the 70's but she came with a surfboard/sailboard. Does anyone else remember that one?

So buying retro Barbie gear can be expensive. You can buy this groovy lunchbox for a cool $100 online! Cute but not THAT cute!

Or you can do what I mostly do and pick up some bargains at the Op-Shop (Thrift Store). They are rare but they do happen. I went into my local Vinnie's (Saint Vincent de Paul) store 2 weeks ago. Imagine my delight at finding this 'Jukebox Jive Cafe' for $3 and in it's original box!

and the pieces were all there...even the cues and snooker balls!

Other Op-Shop Bargains


This cruise ship for only $5 bought at the same Vinnie's last year.

Inside it features inter-changable movie screens.

deck party movie

romantic beach walk movie - check out Barbie's painfully thin legs even then!

sea life documentary

the 'Kids are all right' movie

Other features include the Buffet shelf selection

which folds out to double bunk beds

and then folds up to become the ship's Disco!

This Barbie carry box was only $2 and came with a retro picture on the front that my daughter's friends (unfortunately) ripped off.

I have a box full of Barbie and Sindy furniture that I have saved from my own childhood...but I will show and tell at a later date. Stay tuned!




If you blog about your old toys, then please share your link too.

Bloggy Friends


I am very fortunate to have a few new friends through the miracle of Blogland. We have similar tastes and humour and everyone is willing to teach me 'new' things to improve my skills. Kristy from Quiet Play sent me a link to the 'Small Blog Meet' hosted by Lynne at Lily's Quilts .


Whilst my blog following is small, I don't really mind. I mostly write for myself - like a virtual diary - so I can remember what I have been doing. I mean, if I want to, I can just link to a URL photo of the gorgeous Jared Leto.

or a link to my favourite Red Pepper Quilt called ' a la Grande Mere'.

But anyway, in the interests of 'going viral' (hehehe), I am linking in with this group. I might make some more 'bloggy friends'.