Op Shop Bargains

This morning I had to be up early as the electrician was due to arrive at 7.15 am (OMG) to fix the light switch in our upstairs toilet. I then had to drop one daughter at work by 8.00 am and take her partner for an appointment at 9.00 am. After the appointment I dropped off my passenger at her next port of call and was back in Papakura by 9.45 am-ish.
As I started to head for home I remembered my plan to at some non-determined time visit a couple of local op shops here in Papakura where I live. So a quick u-turn to head back the way I had come and soon I was pulling into the Hospice shop just up the road.
A brief look around... and I soon found myself walking back out with a teacup, saucer and side plate set with purple and blue flowers and "Mother" in gold on it; a couple of lace doileys and three books - not too bad, all for $13.50.
Off I trot back up the road towards home and I call into the Salvation Army shop. This one is even bigger!!! Another quick walk around and this time I am walking back out with... another 9 lace and linen doileys; 2 hymn books, 2 dictionaries and a book of psalms; a box with a flip lid and metal handle and a copper and glass candle lantern and less $30.00 in my pocket.
Did you know that the Salvation Shop offers a loyalty card? Neither did I. Our one does. For every $10.00 you spend you get a stamp... send $100.00 and you get $10.00 worth of goods FREE.
Anyway... thought I would share a few pictures of my bargains and maybe some ideas of what their future might hold.

My friends in the Scrappers Obsessionz Group did an altered teacup swap a couple of months ago and unfortunately I didn't join in, though I really did love the end results. My mother's birthday is coming up in a couple of months and as she does a lot of sewing, I thought I would alter this and add a pin cushion inside the cup so she had something elegant to add her pins to.

 I spotted these three books all had hard covers in really good condition and thought they would be ideal for altering. The "Death of a Warrior Queen" looks quite interesting, so I might have to read that one before altering it!!

 These ones however I bought for their pages. Two hymn books, two dictionaries and a book of psalms. The three smaller books have a very fine tissuey paper in them. The large red hymn book, includes not only the words but also the music for the hymns while the dictionary is always fantastic for backgrounds, definitions for journaling or for die-cutting flowers out of the pages.

 

 Lots of lace and linen doileys. These will all look good on scrapbook pages or mixed media projects.

 Very nice box with a flip lid top. Just thought I could decorate and have it as pretty storage or something.

I ummed and ahhhed over this lantern and had even taken all the rest of my purchases up to the counter to be tallied up. I turned around once more to look at it and decided on the spot that yes I would take it. Talk about impulse buying!!! I'm not sure how but I want to alter this lantern into a show piece for my studio. It probably won't be functional anymore, but I think it will look very cool and very different. You can be sure I will be sharing this with you once I've done something with it.

I just thought this was a really cool thing... so had to share.