A Few of My Favourite Things

I've put together a whimsical post today to share my "sad, but true" love of op shopping with you!  While it may seem to Mr Cheeky Monkeys that everything in op shops is grist to my mill, I definitely do have specific items I hunt for in such shops.

One of my favourite things to hunt for in second hand stores is vintage bone china!  Not only do I use my finds in my upcycling adventures, but I love using vintage crockery as (shock, horror) crockery and as photo props (as seen above).

I also love to look for vintage bedding when I visit an op shop.  I have found some beautiful designs which reminded me of my childhood, including this Holly Hobbie-influenced Sarah Kay doona cover.  Quite frequently Mr Cheeky Monkeys and the Two Cheeky Monkeys will love a vintage bedlinen find so much that they insist I add it to our linen cupboard for future use!  Any finds which are unuseable in their current state end up in my fabric stash to turn into something useable once again.

A third favourite thing to hunt for is vintage doilies and embroidery.  As you all know, vintage doilies often end up being used in my creations, but did you know that I also use them as photo props?  Larger finds, such as this embroidered doily-style tablecloth are too beautiful to use in any way other than their origianl purpose.

A final favourite thing I look for at op shops is, of course, books.  I love books of all kinds, and although my family thing me a bit odd, I love to find old medical books and dictionaries, vintage Golden books and vintage novels and literature (such as the vintage copy of The Silmarillion I found last year).  So now that I have indulged in some whimsy, tell me, what are your favourite things to look for when you visit an op shop or second hand store?