Patra's Other Place

I started out with Patra's Place, primarily dedicated to my linen collection and stitching projects. But I kept getting side-tracked, so I decided to create Patra's Other Place for anything not related to embroidery topics. So you now have a choice. If you are interested in me, read this. If you only want to see my linen and stitching, visit Patra's (original) Place! (Please note that by clicking on any of the photos, they will be enlarged to fill your computer screen.)

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Location: Melbourne, Vic., Australia

I was married to Ken for 43 years, but he died in October 2022. So I am now alone with two cats, eight hens, and a few finches and parrots in one aviary.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Opshoppers in the news!

For two or three years, I've been posting details of my opshop bargains on Melbourne's Opshop blog. Last week I received an email from Amelia, the blog's manager - asking if I'd be willing to do an interview with a journalist about my opshop experiences. She wanted half a dozen people from all around Melbourne, and I was chosen to represent the north eastern suburbs. It sounded like fun, so I agreed.
I have just posted this item on the Opshop blog, so if you have already seen it there, skip this post.

Kathryn from City Weekly phoned me around 2 pm on Thursday, and conducted her interview over the phone. After she'd finished she said the photographer was on his way. I arranged a heap of bric brac on the kitchen table - cup and saucer sets, a couple of teapots, various plates and other household items. In the bedroom I laid out half a dozen jackets and kimono type gowns that I've bought in opshops. I didn't bother with day to day clothes like pants and tops, but I did place several pairs of shoes at the foot of the bed. I figured the photographer would select something and ask me to hang it up somewhere.

He arrived right on 3 pm, dragging a heap of photographic equipment up the stairs. I took him into the kitchen where he glanced at the table, then asked if I bought any clothes at opshops. I said yes, and took him into the bedroom. He pounced on my crazy patchwork gown and said "Perfect - put that on!". So I did, then he got me to drape myself across the other clothes on the bed, in various poses. Then he asked me to get a teapot and cup, and he would photograph me in the gown, pouring a cup of tea. I said "Not in the bedroom!", so we went back into the kitchen to do that. In the meantime, the sun had come out, so he wanted to take some pictures outside, and asked me to select a few pieces from the kitchen table to take outside. He took some photos of various items in interesting spots in the garden, then did more of me still in that gown pouring tea!!

I was almost breathless by the time he left about 3.45; he must have taken about 200 photos. I asked if I could see them one day, and he said to speak to the photo editor after the article is published in the mag, and she might supply me with a proof sheet.
It will be interesting to see the mag when it comes out - Kathryn said she would send me a couple of copies. I don't get into town very often, so it is unlikely that I would be able to obtain a copy otherwise. The photographer said there were 8 magazines published by their company, in different areas of Melbourne, and he thought I would be in a local one. My God, I just hope they don't put me on the front cover, draped across the marital bed in my dressing gown, looking orgasmic over my opshop clothes!!! Ken will have a fit, and I'd never live it down with the locals :-O

1 Comments:

Blogger Linens and Royals said...

That all sounds so exciting. I hope you will put the article and photos on your blog when it is published. Who knew op shopping could lead to such fame? I have a sneaky feeling Victorian op shops have better bargains than N.S.W op shops.

Saturday, 23 July, 2011  

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