"tinny" Op-Shop Show-Off Feb 5th 2013

"tinny"=kiwi for good luck/a lucky person. 

we did a wee bit of day-tripping over the christmas holidays as opposed to a holiday, as pregnancy does not like a strange bed. one of our outings took us in the vicinity of  probably the best second hand shop in New Zealand. though in Mayfield-in-the-middle-of-nowhere, none the less it is always bustling when ever we arrive, the owner invariably re-stocking from the latest auctions in the district, multiple unsorted boxes to rifle. foraging is the funnest way to find, and as op-shopping goes, rural plus high turn-over is always a good recipe for a fresh find, i find.

to date i have always found one of these tins in this specific design, of varied size and colours for my collection there, this visit was no exception. one of them proved my previous theory, that the tins were produced for the New Zealand choysa tea company wrong... perhaps instead a tin-specific NZ company making them for all and sundry?

now we're finally back in our home, post earthquake repairs (actually they're still working on it, around us,. don't ask,it might set off another bout of thwarted nesting/anti-EQC rage) i'm going to get stuck into displaying them. between unpacking the room of boxes to the ceiling behind which the collection lays, and giving birth (I'm 36 weeks now) hopefully!

so, what are the hallmarks of a truly great secondhand shop for you (and spill, where is it?)

and, are you an op-shop show-off?

it’s charitable, green, cheap, exciting, fun, nostalgia inducing, potentially lucrative and often just plain necessary. whatever your reason for op-shopping/second hand shopping we’d love it if you joined us on Tuesdays here at blackbirdhasspoken.blogspot.com for Op-Shop Show-Off day, a linky open to all, all week, to link up a blog post about any aspect of your second-hand shopping life.

tell us your op-shopping philosophy, or divulge your secret hunting techniques. let us know about your wants, or skite (English translation= “show-off “) about your amazing finds. review the best op-shopping spots in your town, or request or give information on your fascinating finds, you’ll always be talking to an appreciative audience here.


How to link up?
1.   post your blog post. 

2.   link to Op-Shop Show-Off in your blog post, so your blog readers can come over
      and peruse or post in the linky too

3.   scroll to the bottom of my latest Tuesday Op-Shop Show-Off post and click on the    
      linky tool, then follow the 3 easy steps


4.   don't forget to leave me a comment to let me know you linked up

5..  grab the Op-Shop Show-Off Button from my sidebar to decorate yours (paste the
     code into a HTML gadget under the 'add a gadget' part of the layout section in 
     blogger and save)

Choysa tea tins

recent op-shop finds; in red, blue & the black tea tray table, add to the growing collection. i know from the advertising inside just one of the lids that the tins in this design were from the New Zealand Choysa tea company. now owned by multinational Unilever i wonder if they will reply to my email request for information? i do hope so, i just can't find a thing out about them, though if they don't i'll still have the promise of, and the thrill of finding a new colour, shape or object of it's kind.

The collection is so grown it now requires a purpose beyond it's own beauty to justify it's continued existence. kitchen or craft room storage whichever, they need a shelf all of their own so i can look at their shiny prettiness and purr.

Op shop find of the week

Lots of op-ing down the oppy but not much op-taining this week. A bit op-ed out, but op-ful for next week.

Hmm. In the meantime here are some tins I've recently acquired and what I'm using them for...

Ahhh, cute!

Brooch making bits and bobs

Native kiwi plants (my fave)

Containing seeds, of course!

Japanese tea tin

What else in a tin this shape, duh!

Battered and beautiful

Doily project

Another 'kiwi'-ana beaut.

Empty, for now...

                   And, for all the brown pottery lovers who came out of the woodwork last week, this!
                                                    Full of husband gubbins. Not pretty!


                                              'Appy op-ing' to you all this week x