all the cool people come to Sandlewood Op Shop.... seriously!

Yesterday we had the pleasure of having Katie in our shop. 

Katie is a personal style blogger and has created the blog Be Inspired. 

Her blog aims to "teach you a thing or two about how easy it is to be fabulous, confident and stylish, on any budget".

She's also a guest blogger for MTV fora.
Last month Katie bought a great jacket from the shop, which you can read all about by clicking here

Her next piece will also feature another purchase from the shop, so be sure to check it out.

slacker

I'm sure it can't just be me who finds these colder months harder to cope with. Seriously.
I get so slack that many things that I can keep up with in the warmer months (like blogging) go by the wayside.  Perhaps it's because my fingers are like tiny little icy-poles while I type this blog post ...

So, yeah, I've been really slack with blogging lately. Hopefully that will all change soon.

So much has been happening at the shop. If you've popped in recently you would have noticed that we no longer have the adjoining shop :(   Sadly that's been taken over by office space.

Our tiny little shop is literally bursting at the seams while we try to cram everything from 1.75 shops down to just 1.  

We are in the process currently of looking for new shopfittings to refit the shop. 
Well, when I say new I mean new to us... it's silly of me to dismiss the fact that we are an op shop and funds are tight so we'll probably end up with someones second or third hand fittings - it's all about recycling!

So hopefully in the next few weeks you will see a transformation take place.
From crowded & cluttered to slightly more spacious and organised.  That will mean that all our regular suspects like the books, shoes and toys that we keep getting asked about daily, should be able to be moved back in to the shop. 

So please bear with us while we make some big changes to our little place!

Many THANK YOU's to some generous businesses!

A HUGE THANK YOU to all who have donated items for people in the community who have been affected by the recent floods.


We have several amazingly generous donations, both from individuals and from businesses wanting to help!

We would like to thank the following companies for their recent donations :

Jacqueline Davis and Paragold for the donation of new womens nightwear

John & Ruth Lui of Winalite Australia P/L for the donation of womens sanitary products

Hailey Douglas and Aqueo Import and Distribution Pty Ltd for the donation of new Havaianas

 

Flood Update

Thankfully we were lucky and the shop did not get flooded. 
However, we are having issues with the safety of our power and may be open ad-hoc from tomorrow. 

I thought I'd add in some pictures of our surrounding areas to show you what we are facing.  These photos are taken in Muriel Avenue, which is the street running off Beaudesert Road very close to the shop.

This first one is Muriel Road - the Rail Underpass which takes you to Sherwood Road Rocklea.

This is the Skate Park next to the Scout Hall in Muriel Avenue (I took this one yesterday and today it's higher again)

John Bright Street - once again this is one I took yesterday and today the water was higher again - I just haven't uploaded those photos from my camera just yet.

Heaton St Salisbury (looking off Beaudesert Rd Overpass at Salisbury) taken approx 7.30am today by Brit Ibanez.

Temporary Shop Closure 12.1.11

As most people would be aware, Queensland is facing it's worst Natural Disaster in many, many years. 

75% of our state has been considered a Natural Disaster Zone and many areas local to the shop are already affected by the floods.

Beaudesert Road near the Motorama 4x4 by More is under water and has been closed.  Muriel Avenue (off which you turn in to get to the shop) is also closed due to flooding. 

Water levels are expected to be greater than in 1974 floods, which, many locals will be aware the water levels did come awfully close to where the shop is (across the road where the safety shop and servo is was underwater).

This is the prediction of the area that will be affected by flooding (in yellow) if you look you'll see that our street is on the prediction map. 

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201101/r700540_5364790.pdf

As a result we are not taking risks, and have closed the shop until the imminent risk of flood waters has passed.

Obviously this is a very trying time - many of our clients in the Yeronga, Rocklea, Fairfield, Sherwood, Tennyson areas will already be affected by flood.  This is the time when our community needs to band together and work as one to help those who need it, so the closing of the shop is not one that we take lightly.

Spring is here!

The racks have been cleared with the Super Birthday Sale and we are currently in the process of bringing in loads of summer stock!  

We're also doing a little shifting around of things - so you may find that when you're next in things are in a slightly different spot to last time, so just ask us if there's something you're looking for.

What's in this week's window ??

Thanks to our customers who regularly comment on how inviting and interesting our shop window display looks.

I try my best {even though I'm not a window dresser} to display a range of interesting items from within the shop in our front window.   I thought I might try and regularly blog what's in the window, in order particularly to give some of our interstate lookers a chance to see some of the wonderful items we get.

Above : Vintage ceramic Bookends,   Vintage Cake Plate now SOLD

Above : Vintage Teapot

Above : Painted Timber Sewing Box {school project circa 1946}, Vintage Candleholders & Dish, Vintage Oil & Vinegar jars, Vintage Cut Glass Sherry Decanter, Vintage Small Round Frame with roses {circa 1950's} 

We've also got a collection of gorgeous Olga Berg Vintage inspired handbags.  Most of them will convert to a clutch look simply by putting the strap inside.  For those of you who aren't familiar with Olga Berg, they make lovely bags - mostly evening bags.  Sitting behind them in this photo are some whimsical little wooden birdhouses.  Too cute!!

Amazing Limited Edition Prints & Artists Proofs !!

We have been donated a stack of Limited Edition Prints and Artists Proofs from a Deceased Estate.

Artists include Darcy Doyle, Rachel Lewis, Gordon Hanley and Brian Wood.

I have just spent (literally) all day photographing them and over the coming weeks we will be listing them on eBay.

If you don't already check our auctions - our eBay ID is sandlewoodopshopmoorooka

I'll update shortly with some pictures of what we will be listing soon!

The Op Shoppers Guide to Brisbane and Surrounding Areas

Sandlewood Op Shop is proud to have been included in the latest 'The Op Shoppers Guide to Brisbane and Surrounding Areas' published by Suellen Retschlag.

Click HERE to see the website and details on how to purchase the book.


The Book Launch for the publication will be held on Saturday 19th June 2010. 

Hopefully Suellen has visited our shop and knows that even though we are small in size, we are a bit like the tardis - full of treasures and great quality items inside !!

** have you visited our website?? **

http://www.sandlewoodopshop.com.au/


We recently started a website, including information about the Shop and who we support, how to make a donation and other information about us.

There is also an "Items for Sale" page - and I will be listing things as they come in - in addition to our eBay auctions, this allows people from interstate to purchase items from us.

I have just uploaded 2 items - a great pair of vintage leather knee high boots- perfect for winter!, and a fabulous Country Road top that I just adore (if only it would fit me!!) .... so please stop by and have a look.... more items to come as time permits!

http://www.sandlewoodopshop.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=2&Itemid=4

** are you a collector? or looking for something specific? **

We have a "wish list" at the shop.

Simply drop us a line at  sandlewoodopshop@bigpond.com to let us know what you're looking for.

Some examples of things currently on our wishlist are

• vinyl/LPs
• vintage handkerchiefs
• dinky/diecast toys
• retro clothing (we seem to get quite a bit of retro clothing in!)

Don't be shy - if there is something you really want, we're happy to get in touch with you if we get it in.

Last week we were able to help a lady find 2 items she had been looking for - a medieval style dress and mens tails (formal jacket).  She was thrilled! 

As op-shopaholic's ourselves, we know what a buzz it is to find what you're looking for, at a reasonable price. 

** vintage crystal necklace with matching earrings **

SOLD

This beautiful Genuine vintage (1030s?) 3 Strand Crystal Necklace has matching earrings, the longest of the strands measures 43cm (17 inches).


This stunning necklace is in immaculate order. These Aurora borealis crystals sparkle brilliantly, and are very GOOD quality (vintage swarovski?).

The necklace fastens with a silver tone hook and silvertone links.

The clip on earrings are also in great condition and are in the form of a flower (7 crystals), both silver tone clips are in good working condition. There is very little wear to the aurora borealis finish on any of the pieces. I cannot see any wear to the silver tone clasp. All hardware works.

** vintage dressing table stool **

SOLD

Look at this beautiful old dressing table stool which is a well made and heavy piece of furniture. It has an upholstered top which could do with a clean or replacement and is in pretty good condition for its age - the timber does have some bumps and bruises but nothing major.


I cannot be sure of its age - but it has the clean lines of an art deco piece. Unfortunately I cannot offer postage for this item as it is much too heavy.

The stool measures approx: 46cm tall x 53cm wide x 38cm deep

Currently listed on ebay - auction # 230430908000

** vintage cast iron Spong No 2 coffee grinder **

SOLD

This is a rare old piece of cast iron. The company name and country are embossed on the piece, along with the no. 2.


The design of this mill has remained the virtually unchanged since they were first made around 1860. This particular mill was made earlier in the century. It features a wooden handle and can be mounted on a table, shelf or mounted on the wall.

It is in excellent original condition.

Spong made five coffee mills, based on the famous spice mincer and numbered them according to size from 0 through to 4 (0 being the smallest and 4 being the largest). Each mill works in the same way; the whole beans enter in the hopper, are ground by the spindle and blades as handle turns and the powder falls and is collected in the bottom of the machine.

$85 ONO

** wedgwood pink jasper ware bowl **

This delicate pink Wedgewood Bowl arrived this week.  It is in beautiful condition and would make a great addition to any Wedgewood collection.

** SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER Rare Silver Vinyl 2LP Bee Gees **

                                                                            SOLD

This fab 2 record set just arrived and will not last long.  The rare 2 silver vinyls are in excellent condition and can be posted to you anywhere in the world.  There is one set now listed on ebay for BIN$95 - but we are open to offers.  Please contact us if you are interested in making an offer.

** Stunning Indigenous Artwork now in Store! **

Yellowbelly Dreaming - M.Mcguane

We currently have in the shop a range of original Indigenous Artworks, by a young Indigenous Artist from Queensland.

Tomorrow we're having the local newspaper in, and they will be doing a feature article on us! {Well, more the fact that we have the Artworks in the shop!}

They are reasonably priced at $120 each - in fact, the artist does them especially for us at this size as usually his work is larger and obviously more expensive... he also does stunning pieces on Kangaroo Skins, and Didgeridoos - if you're interested, please contact us and we can let you know prices etc.

Keep your eyes peeled for our newspaper article :)