Op Shop Finds

A spontaneous visit to Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula on this gorgeous sunny winter day, resulted in an equally spontaneous visit to JackanAndy’s, the St John’s and St Andrew’s Opportunity Shop.

I am still on a clothes shopping ban; the Free Fashion Challenge, but picked up a few non-clothing treasures.


An adorable children's book; Possom Magic by Mem Fox

“Once upon a time, but not very long ago, deep in the Australian bush, there lived two possums. Their names were Hush and Grandma Poss. Grandma Poss made bush magic…”

We stopped by a cafe in Sorrento where a waitress did a double take whilst I was reading Possum Magic to my son, "Oh I remember that book!" she says

As a child raised outside of Australia, this book is not familiar to me, little did I know Possum Magic became and remains the best known picture book in Australia and the best selling picture book ever in this country.

Look at the illustrations in Possum Magic, just wonderful..

Some snippets..




I also picked up a McCalls sewing pattern to make 5 children's bags. I have my eye on the dinosaur backpack, and can't wait to try it out.


I scored an 1970's apron pattern, but what is a little special about this find, other than it remains unused and intact, is that it still sits in a typewritten envelope to its recipient with a stamp post dated 01 May 1973. I imagine it would have been a free pattern available from the Herald & Weekly Times back in the day. The lady behind the counter said I was very lucky to find an apron pattern?!


Lastly, I picked up a polka dot fleece baby blanket for craft projects.

Shared with Flea Market Finds

Bag with removable brooch

A gift for my friends birthday...

I used the same pattern (Made by Rae) as the previous clutch bag I made, which was auctioned for Queensland's Premier Flood Relief Appeal (end auction $33). Although this time I used two alternative pieces of fabric, including a floral print for the band accross the top. I also included a wrist band and flower brooch which can be removed.


All materials are used from my fabric stash, and the black interior jersey material was actually a t-shirt in a former life. The only new item I had to purchase to complete this bag, was the magnetic closure clasp.



The flower is a removable brooch, which I created using an old vintage tissue pattern I purchased from Mornington's Outlook Environmental Recycle Market.



Inspiration to create the brooch came from Miss P..., she blogged about EAB designs vintage pattern tissue flowers. I followed instructions by cutting two long strips of pattern tissue paper using pinking shears for a zig-zag edge finish, gathered using a basting stitch all the way through, and used the same floral fabric as the band on the bag for the brooch center. The little beads and ribbon were given to me by Mum; previously decorations from a christmas cracker (Mum is great at keeping craft stuff like this for me!) I cut a circle of felt, and used a safety pin for the back:

Because the brooch is made with paper, it would not be good to get wet, therefore I thought it would be best that I allowed it to be removed, and that way, it could also be worn as a brooch on items of clothing too:




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