Flea Market Finds

I had to head into the city on Friday - it would take an hour and 45 mins to get where I needed to go, which is practically the whole day shot - so I decided to head off early and op-shop my way to town.
After a bit of a dry-spell in the local oppies I was relieved and gratified that some of the thrift stores further afield were coughing up some gems. Prepare yourself - I had a $30 budget and I blew it all!

Woo hoo - what a lot of bounty! Now, to take you through it ...

Well priced, instructive books are always hard to pass up and add in a gorgeous Enid Blyton Annual for a buck and the race is run people!

Vintage wallpaper for my daughter - she is currently using it behind her paper-cuts. Thin brass plaques are just great for the metal - lots of it and very pliable. Also a heavy brass tray and a silverplated tray - all bound for recycling.

This is a close-up of the handle of the brass tray - gorgeous - a jewellery component just as it is.

This tin will no doubt get the chop as well. I love the Art Deco design but it is only a reproduction as the tin is rather new. Still it is a great colour and an interesting take on the "Willow Pattern" ...

This linked chain is interesting to me because it looks and feels like brass and as you can see from the pic below, it has a really handcrafted quality. I doubt that it is but still a cool piece!

See - it has that banged-up, handmade look.

One of the oppies had a basket of jewellery bits bagged up into 50 cent lots. It was so much fun to rummage around in - the true spirit of op-shopping revisited! Amongst the lovlies I found these great African tube beads. Awesome!

Also in the 50 cent basket were these gorgeous peachy glass beads. At least I think they are glass - they could possibly be agate. The brass bead is lovely too and  all those metal silver beads were also in the bag!

I was really happy to scoop some nice brown wood beads. I find it tricky to get just the right size and colour when it comes to brown beads but these are perfect.

Scrumptious red seed beads. Given their colour there is a fair chance that these would be pretty bad for you if ingested - but they are super lovely if they are not served up for dinner!

I think this might be my fave find of the day - it looks like it is part of a belly-dancers costume. Heaps and heaps of tinkling brass bells ..

... and these great connector components. The front of them is a star shape.

I take it back - this is actually my favourite piece. It is a brooch of some kind - the pin is a bit different to regular brooches. I adore the Celtic design and will probably use it as a model to cast rather than use the piece itself. At least until I find out its provenance!

A couple of religious medals - always good to have a saint or two on your side.

These are really cute brooches aren't they? I will wear the leaves but the bows may need to find a new home!

Whilst none of the components on this bracelet are real - not horn or bone but acrylic and resin, they are good shapes and designs. I think the black resin beads have a rather Victorian look to them and have the advantage of being lightweight in comparison to glass. The brass bead is rather solid and there are 3 brass (actual brass!) discs that I can use on it too. Score for 99 cents!

I am a sucker for a birdie ( "put a bird on it") - just can't help myself. Again I think this one will make a nice model for a mold.

These dear little buttons are made of glass. So sweet and rather nice for necklace closures. I also purchased a pure wool red jumper to felt, a pair of specs (for the lenses), a pewter mug, some lace and some pretty buttons. All in all I think my thirty bucks was well spent - I bought a cup of coffee too - and it was great fun!
Head over to see what Sophie and the gang have been collecting this week.