Melbourne shop love (& some delightful opshops too!!!)

Ok so I'm not much of a shopper anymore due to the kids usually playing up at the shops (one time forever etched in my brain, I lost Kobe for a few minutes as he was playing hide & seek & didn't tell me we were playing; enter mini breakdown, hysterical tears & some fellow lovely mum's who helped me find him in his hiding spot minutes later) & a house bursting at the seams with stuff.
However I did mark down a couple shops I just had to visit whilst in Melbourne & found some more interesting ones along the way & thought to share.

Let's start with the opshops, oh the thrill of the chase of a bargain!!!

City centre
*Shag- a mix of new edgy gear & retro vintage. I was left speechless at the window display & ready to move on in. (There are 2 in Melbourne the photo is of the window display at Shop 20, Centreway Arcade).
**Hunter gatherers- located upstairs in the Royal arcade. It's tiny but all the good stuff is on show & at decent prices. It's style is eclectic. I got a gorgeous block puzzle for Kobe for Christmas for $4. It's the sister shop to Brotherhood of St Laurence.
*Brotherhood of St Laurence- these op shops are gems & 20 shops are located across Melbourne. So worth any track down!!! I only had time to go the one in the basement of The Royal arcade.
*The Conscious closet- I found out about this preloved women's clothes shop upon return. Sniff sniff I didn't get there as it looks amazing! Plus they at offering 10% off this week as part of national op shop week, check out their Facebook page as to how to get 10% off.

Prahran
1.**Redcross  - hands down the best op shop I have been in all year. It's a tiny shop but full of designer boutique labels. I walked out with mint condition Witchery overalls (the ones in the header photo, love love. I wear them atleast 3 times a week) for $30. Located across the road from Prahran markets. The staff are so lovely too!!!
*Chapel street Bazaar- a curated treasure trove of vintage loveliness. You pay top price for top pieces. (Don't bring the kids as too many breakables).
*Uniting care mission- your typical opshop. 211 Chapel Street.


General shop love 
Prahran

3.*Shop neutral- my favourite Eco store ever!!! Located in the Prahran markets, it's filled with everything you need to live a life less of plastic. I bought a bamboo bottle brush scrubber, a bamboo veggie brush, Sienna nail polish & a stainless steel straw brush cleaner.
*Little Sweethearts (also located in Prahran markets)- lots of cutesy stuff for the kidlets.
*The nomad society- where all the beautiful homewares live.
Prahran is full of delightful shops & if we had more than a couple hours (Dylan needed a nap) I could of browsed happily in all of them.

City Centre
2. *Funkis- This shop which specialises in Swedish style clogs has been on my hitlist for years. I have always wanted a pair of clogs that will never outdate & it's an added bonus they use vegetable dye. I bought the classic low clog which is the comfiest shoes I own & I got zero blisters from walking in them (mostly pushing a pram) all day everyday.
*Jasper junior- it's slogan is "toy suppliers to Santa" & you better believe that as its true the moment you walk in the shop! All the best kids products in one shop. The girls costumes upstairs are oh so lovely. And I heart the educational DIY products like the mini power house science kit . I have bookmarked this for when Kobe is old enough.
*Rap- a boutique shop, I only took notice of the gorgeous baby & kids products. They do sell other things too.

I only bought a few things as much as I like browsing, Im careful to only buy things that I deem "forever items".

Happy Wednesday friends!
Grace

**I have numbered my top 3 shops to visit; Prahan Redcross, Funkis & Shop Neutral.

What I learnt from "Plastic free July" while travelling with kids

My household is not zero waste but we do try to limit as much wastage as possible. Unless you shop at a bulk store, it feels like everything in the supermarket is wrapped in plastic. I decided to do "plastic free July" as best as I could. We as a family actually snuck away to Melbourne for a few days in July while undertaking this challenge.

What I learnt while travelling
* I knew there was going to be slip ups. I preordered our meals on the plane when I booked in June & they came out wrapped in plastic. I kept the plastic cutlery (one way & refused for trip home) which I cleaned & can be used for the next kids party. Next time I'm flying on a trip 4 hours & under, I will eat at the airport & prepack some bakery snacks in a paper bag or cut fruit in a reusable container.
*I did pack some bribes for Kobe which were store bought cookies & chocolate with the plastic recycled at Coles (via their Redcycle program). I need bribes & can not avoid this until I can make chocolate as good as Cadbury.
*I forgot to ask for no straw in my drink at one eatery so I binned a straw. I did pack my stainless steel straw but didn't end up using it.
*Being away for so long, I couldn't puréed any food for Dylan (as we stayed in a hotel) so I bought a stack of baby food in glass which I washed & recycled in one of many recycle bins dotted around Melbourne. I underestimated how much I needed & bought 2 plastic wrapped baby food (Woolworth metros where I shopped, stocked only the plastic wrapped pouches).
*Although I packed 2 Camelbak drink bottles for Kobe & I, which I filled up at Cafes who offered free jugs of water,  street water fountains or from boiled kettle water which cooled overnight. I still had to buy 6 large single use water bottles. We were on our feet walking most the day & I did not want anyone passing out from thirst. Plus Dylan needed water for his formula drink. I recycled these in the recycle bins. In future I will pack 4 large reuseable drink bottles.
*I didn't pack a keepcup & I really needed a coffee so I binned one polystyrene cup my coffee was in. In hindsight I should of asked what sort of cup my coffee was coming in & refuse. I did keep & reuse a cardboard cup to be used for growing micro herbs.

*Perth & Melbourne airports have recycling bins so if you have stuff to recycle which had foodstuff in, you can do a quick trip to the toilets sink to wash then recycle in the recycle bins. Which is exactly what this weirdo did lol.

Other Wins during Plastic Free July
*I found a shampoo bar which replaces my bottled shampoo (which I have a bit left to use). I'm on the lookout for a decent conditioner or recipe for one to make. I have been using apple cider vinegar but my hair is quite dry & needs more moisture.
*I pack a cutlery kit when I'm out & about now. Which is basically a couple forks, spoons and stainless straws wrapped in a tea towel. Now I won't be trapped getting plastic cutlery. I still have to make a massive point of asking for "no straw" when ordering a drink.
*That standalone bakeries are ok with you bringing a large container to take home pies in but when you pull out a cloth bag (aka a clean pillowcase) to cart bread home they still try to wrap it in plastic first?!? I explained my plastic free mantra & since that first time, the bakery staff happily place my bread in my pillowcase without weird looks (they must be use to me- winner!).
*Deli departments at the large supermarket were A ok putting sliced meat into plastic reuseable containers brought from home (apart from one incident).  I just have to remember to take the price sticker off when I go back.
*I use plastic grocery bags I get from family who would just throw them out which I use as bin liners but now have discovered that large brown paper bags are super handy as a bin liner (compostable too). These are usually from boutiques & fast food chains (I have lovely people who offload their old brown bags or paper gift bags to me). I only put dry rubbish into these or the paper will tear.
*Baked my own crackers which aren't as good as the store bought ones but they will do.
*No more plastic wrapped laundry powder for me as I have gone back to making my own laundry powder which is 1 grated soap, 1 cup borax, 2 cups washing soda crystals & a few drops of lavender essential oil. I use half of one laundry scoop per load.

Other Failures during Plastic free July
*I can not bring myself (yet) to live without the following plastic wrapped goodies; Panko breadcrumbs, Cadbury, toothpaste, wraps, baby corn puffs (they come in foil), yoghurt & cheese (I can't find blocks of it in any deli/market unwrapped). I was able to recycle most of the plastic except for the toothpaste, cheese & foil wrappers. And every now & then I forget my cloth pillowcase bag at the bakery so I get a plastic wrapped bread.
*I won't deny my boys a balloon or their loot bag full of plastic wrapped lollies & chocolate at parties. It's too much for me to expect my 5 year old to be accepting of being the only child going without these at a party. He is however a champion recycler at home.
*I did accept strawberries as gifts which came in plastic containers (which I use to sort craft bits & bobs).

I made a vast improvement upon last year & hope to keep this up as well as I can throughout the year.

Happy Monday friends!
Grace