Finding things..

There was some good news this week when Target and Kmart announced that they are signing the international accord to protect workers and uphold safety conditions for garment workers in Bangladesh. I've sent messages via facebook and email thanking these companies for taking this stand, and urging them to keep vigilant in maintaining integrity in their purchasing processes.

 

Still no word from Big W or Cotton On - I'll keep you posted.

 

Lately I've been trawling op shops with purpose, well, a bit more purpose than usual I mean. A friend asked me to keep an eye out for good quality Australian made wool blankets. She is moving overseas and wants some for for her family. No trouble I said boldly. I've had quite good luck in the past with vintage blankets. So how many do you think I've been able to find so far?? That's right. None.

This is one of the fantastic vintage blankets I found last year, when I wasn't even looking for one. It's hot pink with red and white stripes and looks totally fabulous on one of my girl's beds. Vintage, Tasmanian-made and in perfect condition. Oh, and did I mention there were two? - a perfect match. They were around $25 each, and for some insane reason that seemed wise for a milli-second, I only bought one.

 

One day I will post about all the mistakes and fails-to-buy that have peppered my op shopping experiences. I can't right now, it's too painful. 

 

My other purpose has been looking for snazzy serving dishes, platters or cake stands and glassware for an upcoming event I'm holding, sort of a belated birthday party for myself (more on this later). I've found a few pieces I'm really happy with.

 

Firstly, this large Maxwell and Williams Cake Stand. Looks unused. $10. The recipe book holds the secret to making the cake I hope to bake and place on this stand...fingers crossed.

I've never been sure how to determine what is real lead light crystal and what is lookalike cut glass. Can you tell just by the weight? (I know, I should google this.) I've found two lovely items that could be the real deal. Both are heavy. The bowl is large and will be great for serving fruit salad with a bit of style. The tiered cake stand is a lovely shape and its height will be fantastic in an array of serving dishes. It has a tiny chip on the decorative edging but no one will know except me.. and um, you. (Both cost under $10)

Then I found a jug, definitely not crystal. It may be vintage. It reminds me of that yukky yellow glass found in 1970s front doors. I  couldn't decide whether it was ugly or attractive. In the end I decided to get it for practical reasons - I don't own a jug that pours without dripping. It cost $6 and was worth the risk.

I still haven't poured with it to see if it drips or not. But the design is growing on me. I think I like it.

 

Finally, because the thrill of op shopping is always in finding something you weren't actually looking for, I found two things that made me punch the air. A world globe. Love globes. Arch saw it first and yelled, "EARTH!" How could we resist?

Then I found this set of four anodised aluminium tumblers. I'm pretty sure they're vintage. Quite thick as opposed to the more common thinner edged cups. Aren't the colours fantastic!? The kids love them and especially the way that drinks feel so cold in them.

$3 each! Yes!