Today will be the last day of the SWEET SALVAGE Event of DECK THE HALLS DECK IT ALL and when I went back Saturday the Team was madly re-foofing as Treasures continued to roll out the door.
I've been madly Shopping this week and preparing for Christmas early because come Monday I'll be too busy doing Seasonal Work with only Sundays off.
Since Sunday is our day of Worship and Rest on the Sabbath I seriously doubt I'll want to stray from that Tradition by attempting any Marathon Shopping after having Church.
So this week was my cue to get the majority of it done and I feel that I accomplished my task.
This Christmas my Vision was to have a White Faux Christmas Tree trimmed with Burlap Garland, Industrial Hardware & Salvaged Items of Interest, Old Pocketwatches & Stopwatches, Old Books propped open or tied with Twine & adorned with Feathers & Vintage Photos, Antique Wooden Spools, Antique Silverware, Wine Corks, Vintage Advertising Letters and Vintage Shiny Bright Ornaments.
This keeps it simple and quick to decorate an interestingly Unique and Beautiful Tree without too much effort and time spent doing so.
Though I had a lot of what I wanted and needed on hand, naturally I kept my eyes peeled while out doing my Christmas Shopping, for those items that would fit the bill for this year's Christmas Decor Vision.
I knew I'd find many of my items at SWEET SALVAGE and it's Sister Store NOT TOO SHABBY in their Vintage Industrial Sage & Sepia portions of both Shops. I wasn't disappointed, I found a lot of what I had a Vision of and needed. Old Industrial Pulleys, Old Books, Old Photos, Feathers, Old Glass Bottle with Feathers & Butterflies, Vintage Letters, Twine, Wooden Spools... I was on a roll! *Winks*
I also stopped by my Friend Shelly's Shop, RUST & ROSES and found an Old Wire Vase filled with Fresh Pine Boughs and a Vintage Metal Flower Frog to hold some of the Old Photos I'll display on the Mantle... and the perfect Burlap Garland! I was getting Jazzed that everything was coming together so seamlessly.
Then it was off to some Thrifts to do some Goodwill Hunting since the local Goodwill Stores and several other Thrifts were having their 50% off Everything Saturday!
I scored the 6 foot White Christmas Tree pre-wired with colorful twinkle lights for only $19 at the Goodwill! *Whoo Hoo!* It's already set up and just folds like an Umbrella... perfect!!! I love Goodwill Hunting! *LOL*
I also found a large ornate Silver Tray for only $3 and all my Wine Corks for $2.99 as well there. And though it wasn't on the agenda, I also snagged a cute Scrabble Tile Necklace for only $1!!!
I was delighted and relieved to get so much accomplished in just a couple of afternoons of focused, intentional Shopping.
The Man and I had previously done all the Christmas Shopping for our G-Kids... so now we're Golden and I can focus on Ministry Work and enjoying the Holidays.
So tomorrow after Church I've reluctantly decided to break with Tradition and take down the Autumn Decor before Thanksgiving... since I've got this 6-foot White Christmas Tree in the back of my PT Cruiser and it must come inside. *Winks*
I'll slowly put up Christmas each Evening after work then until I've got it just the way I envisioned it.
I've been so very Inspired by all of the Christmas Vignettes my favorite Shops have Created and it would be a shame to throw my own Decor up hastily or minimally just because my schedule gets hectic with starting Work.
So I've resolved to do it properly, in increments, by being prepared ahead of time and then Creating the Enchantment over time, with no hurries and no worries.
And it will give me the perfect excuse to rotate some clutter {and Toys} out of the rooms I'm decorating and give it a deep clean. *Winks*
Because the G-Kids Toys have a habit of migrating to all of the rooms in the house... like the 'Toy Story' playthings it's almost as if they're alive and have a life of their own when you're not looking... and I say this because when I interrogate the G-Kids nobody claims to have moved them there?!? *Winks*
But boxing the overspill of Toys up for storage in preparation for Christmas and all of it's Magic and Enchantment shouldn't be met with as much resistance... tears or drama... so I'm using the Holidays as leverage to get things in order and edited. *LOL*
Here's a tray full of those fab Pulleys that I'd decided I must have some of for decorating our Tree this year... mine were already prepped with Twine for easy hanging... perfect!
Naturally at the bottom of the Post... after we've finished showcasing the final day of SWEET SALVAGE Event of DECK THE HALLS DECK IT ALL, I'll show off my haul of goodies so you can celebrate my good fortune at Scoring everything I'd put on my list of Holiday Decorating wants.
I think that so many of us were out in force in fact that we've virtually stripped the Stores bare and they'll have to scramble to Source even more Found Treasures for the rest!!! *LOL*
But I have confidence that they'll re-stock with even more fabulousness so that everyone comes away with a bounty of Treasures to decorate with and put under the Tree or exchange with Friends in the Gift Swaps.
Have you begun your Treasure Hunt for the Holidays yet my Friends?
Or do you typically wait until 'Black Friday' or beyond to set out to seek the perfect Found Treasures?
When do YOU typically begin your Holiday Decorating for this coming Season?
Will you recycle what you already have... or go with a mix of old & new? Or perhaps an entire make-over of Christmas Decor at your House?
Either way we do Hope you'll be sharing your efforts and Creativity?!?
And in the process of the Decorating, the Shopping, the Cooking, Baking, Visiting, the possible extra Hours you may have to put in at Work... it is also my Hope that you make and take that Special Time just for Yourselves my Friends.
To spend Time doing some of the things that make the Holidays Special to and for YOU!
To connect with those who are Beloved and you Cherish the relationships of.
I know it can be challenging... but it can be done.
Because if something truly is important to you I've found that you always find a way.
Anything that is a top priority to us we will make the time for.
And so I do Hope you will also make Yourself a Priority this Holiday Season... You're worth it you know!
And setting aside that Time to Yourself will make a significant difference in your countenance, your attitude, your mood and your enjoyment of the Season.
It will make You the best version of Yourself that you can be!!!
And that will certainly be a Gift to those who Love You and spend Time with you.
It will be a Gift to your Co-Workers and your Clients or Customers at Work.
Do you know that each Season when I have Worked for the Salvation Army as a Bell Ringer there have been a multitude of people approach me and tell me that they look forward to seeing me and miss me if I'm not there... and remember me throughout the rest of the year when they see me around Town... and do you know the #1 reason why my Friends?
Because I have the Joy of the Lord in what I'm doing... I Smile at and Acknowledge each Dear Soul that passes in and out of the Stores I'm standing in front of. Just a simple thing... and it costs nothing at all... but it is amazing how much it means to people & they almost always respond in kind!
That personal connection... a Simple Smile and Greeting initiates it...
And quite often those two Simple gestures, done with consistency, open up a line of communication and many stop and allow me the privilege of getting to know them as well!
The Customers and the Employees of the Stores often then become new Friends and People I also look forward to seeing... and because I Love People it enhances the Joy of what I'm doing.
And it can enhance the Joy of what you are doing too my Friends... try it and see the results... if you haven't already made it your habit... because it is a delightful habit to get into... having Joy regardless of circumstances... because Joy is not dependant upon circumstance and so it abides... and it tends to be contagious, spreading rapidly from Person to Person as it touches their Lives...
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And now {drum roll please}... the Reveal of my 'Scores' of the two afternoons I Shopped:
A Vintage Medium Sized Wool Persian Rug for only $4!!!
Vintage Bottle full of Pheasant Feathers and mounted Butterflies. Great Old 8x10 Sepia Framed Photo of a Victorian Boheme' Family at Christmas in their Parlour... the Frame has a great Tortoiseshell Finish.
The Burlap Tree Garland... Roll of Twine... and large Roll of String in a gorgeous Hue... a Vintage Mini Appliance Brochure... Vintage Crocheted ribbon tie {I'll use it to tie around Old Books}... a pair of very Old Suede Missals Circa 1873.
The $3 Silverplate Tray... $1 Necklace... Vintage Commercial Letters in brushed Gold and a reflective Blackish mirror finish... my Turquoise Vintage Metal Flower Frog.
My Vintage Wire Vase with Pine Boughs... a trio of Vintage Books Circa early 1920's...
A close-up of my Old Books... they will be tied with Twine & adorned with Feathers, Bohemian Bling and Old Photos.
A close-up of my Scrabble Tile Necklace for a buck!
A close-up of the Victorian Family... how cool is their Home!?!??? Naturally I'm Loving their Persian Rug and Victorian Chandie! *Winks*
A close-up of my mounted Butterflies in the Old Bottle... Note to Self: The next time The Man goes Hunting remind him to bring Home the best Feathers from his Wild Turkeys, Pheasants and such when he's Field Dressing them!!! I always forget and it would have made great Christmas Tree Plumage! And the next time I see a dead Butterfly on the ground, preserve and honor it in this manner... I like the Anthro look to it all.
My small Industrial Pulleys... Vintage Scissors... Vintage Wooden Mini Spools... a Silver and Horn handled specialty piece of Cutlery... a Petit Point Embroidered carrying Case {I haven't looked inside yet}... an Old Book tied with Twine & with a Vintage Photo tucked in {my Inspiration piece for the Old Book Tree Trimming Project}...
A close-up of the Inspiration Book and Vintage Scissors with Beautiful colorful Design upon it.
Close-up of little Case and a Pulley... {all eclectic items will be Tree Ornaments for now... and Future Projects or Vignette Decor for later... Winks}
A Collection of Vintage French Postcards & Photos of Castles and a Vintage Grocery Price Tag that will all be used on the Mantle or Tree along with Treasured Vintage Family Photos of mine.
All the Wine Corks were $2.99 for the lot at Goodwill... the lovely Ostrich Feathers were from NOT TOO SHABBY , love the color... I only regret now not picking up the large Chocolate colored Ostrich Feather at SWEET SALVAGE on the 1st day of the Event...
My missed opportunity... Alas, someone else had snagged it by the time I went back. *Le Sigh* I have this 'Thing' for Ostrich, Pheasant and Peacock Feathers, I could decorate the entire House with them! *Winks* I can't give you a peek at my White Tree until I get it out of the car and inside... *LOL*
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I Hope you've enjoyed this four day Event with me my Friends... be sure to catch next Month's Event too... it's held on the 3rd Thursday of each Month!!!
And join us over at FUNKY JUNK INTERIORS ...
for the SATURDAY NITE SPECIAL Blog Party!
And also over at 2805 for POTPOURRI FRIDAY Blog Party... and to let you know about the Holiday Blog Party coming on December 5th-9th CHRISTMAS BLOGGER BLOCK PARTY!!!
Dawn... The Bohemian