I've always been a Dreamer... even as a Child I Daydreamed constantly. My Dad called me "Dolly Daydream" as a term of Endearment. I don't know who Dolly was, but if she was indeed a Daydreamer we certainly had that in common! *Winks*
My Daydreaming didn't have any lapses as I entered my Teens, I Dreamed all the more as I matured in fact... and my Dreams became even more Grandoise! I come from a long line of Dreamers you see and it was encouraged. There's nothing you can't be, there's nothing that you can't do was the Mantra I remember being instilled in us as we grew up & thus we Believed it.
My Dear Parents Dreamed up the most marvelous ways to Decorate our Home and Create a Palatial-like environment and interesting Life. They were avid Collectors of all that was Beautiful and had Mystique. Their World Travels made it possible to have an Eclectic & Exotic Mix of Decor & Style. Dad was a Gifted Artist, Stylist & Master Chef so his Creativity abounded and Mom was and still is reinventing her Unique Style constantly. Here she went from her Natural Exotic Blue-Black hair to Platinum Bombshell Blonde... she Rocked it both ways!
I'm certain that exposure to different Cultures, World Travels and the Environment I grew up in played an important role in expanding my Dreamscape and making my Daydreams rich and satisfying.
Exposure is everything... you can't Dream about that which you don't know about or have never imagined is or could be. My Parents made a point of exposing us to the diversity of Life, far beyond what our personal experiences might have been up to that point. It wasn't unusual to spend time driving around looking for the most amazing scenery, beautiful destinations and interesting neighborhoods.
And when I think back and look back it makes me aware of what Dreams became Realities and my Destiny. I am fortunate that many of my Daydreams played out in real Life eventually and many aspirations, however lofty, were attained. I Hope it has been so for many of my Childhood Friends... I have always been Blessed with amazing Friends. But with moving frequently there are more than a few that I lost touch with over the years and I often wonder how they are now?
Thank Goodness for some of the Modern Technologies that allow us to reconnect via the Internet... I have recently enjoyed numerous online reunions with long lost Friends... and exchanges of how Life has evolved for us all.
And there have been Friends I've serendipitously run into again in Person, which is always a thrill... especially if we instantly recognize each other... because who among us would like to imagine we haven't changed all that much in all these years?!? *Winks* And we can look back on those Kodak Moments... or Photo Booth Moments {remember always getting those with your BFF's?!}... and reminisce.
The older you get the more you enjoyed reminiscing I've found... perhaps because you have more to remember after having lived a longer and full Life? And Dreaming a lot of Dreams.
And some things don't change all that much really... I still wear a lot of Velvet, hand Embroidery and prefer Exotic and Bohemian Styles. And though they wouldn't fit I wish I'd kept some of my Vintage Wardrobe that I Loved and wore so much... it would be Inspiration for Creating new Styling with Retro flair. Nostalgic for many of us that Lived in those Eras, and Fresh for this new Generation of Bohemian appreciative Fashionistas!
Everything Old can become New again if it's been out of circulation long enough and then reintroduced. *Winks*
Are there any fav pieces from your Vintage Wardrobe that you Wish would make a comeback? I know I do... Flowing heavily Embroidered Velvet Caftans like this one I was wearing back in the day I'd definitely purchase again... just in Big Grrrrlll Sizes now. *LOL*
Morroccan, Moorish and East Indian Styling and Decor in particular has appealed to me from as far back as I can remember and is Traditionally Timeless rather than a fleeting fad you might never see again... or even want to. *Smiles*
Some things are very dated... and others have shown up in various forms in almost every Generation that comes to appreciate them and incorporate them... making them a little less likely to be defined as a particularly dated Style. I used to Dream about what items I wanted to embellish my Room, my Vehicle and Myself with and be on a Mission to acquire said items. Not always an instant gratification type of thing back before the Internet and Online Auctions were invented.
I fondly look back at the Images of where I grew up and the Carefree Lifestyle I remember so well.
Here's my Beautiful Mom in Bohemian Gypsy Style splendor at our Mobile Encampment with me happily playing in the background. Yep, that's me hunched down probably making mud pies or something Creative. I was always a Sun worshipper and enjoyed being Outdoors with bare feet and the feel of the Grass or the Earth between my toes more than anything!
And I remember Collecting such things as Peacock Feathers, tall fluffy Pampass Grass and other Natural Treasures to Decorate my room with... and with my Green Thumb the Live Plants were as thick as a Tropical Jungle and I would Dream and Imagine that I was in some Tropical Paradise.
I always had the Religious Artifacts and Spiritually Inspired Art... as did my Parents... our Faith was always evident in our Home's Decor... with various Cultural touches blended in since our Family has a rich and diverse Cultural Heritage and Ethnic Blend. With Faith ALL things are possible and that definitely influences the size of your Dreams!
So many things Inspired this Post today... including Images I saw on other Blogs that brought back some Memories... one that had the exact same Peacock Papasan Chair that I owned for more than two decades! So I found this old Photo of my Chair with an Algerian Tapestry that I still own to this day and is in fact right behind my Computer Screen as I type this! I do miss that Chair... but it went to a good Home as I Gifted it to a Teen Friend of our youngest Daughter who adored and appreciated Vintage Bohemian Style and was putting together her Dream Bohemian Bedroom Lair...
And I received an unexpected surprise e-mail today from an old Friend I had recently reconnected with via the Internet and he attached an old Photo he had and I'd never seen before of the two of us on a Road Trip to Cali with a Posse of our Friends piled into my Car... in what seems like a 1,000 years ago! *Smiles*
Good Lord... I don't remember being a Pepper? *LOL* But I do remember my 1973 Maverick Grabber that we drove "Animal House Road Trip Style" across the Arizona and California Desert on a whim! Back when there was absolutely NOTHING between Phoenix and our destination!!! Brave Souls we were... ah, the fearlessness of Youth and Dreaming up Huge spontaneous Life Adventures!
This Friend is still Living out his Dreams & Adventures in fact as he recently returned from an Exotic Tropical Island Vacation, I'm absolutely Green with Envy!!! *LOL* Look at this gorgeous Snorkeling Image he shared, I'm so jealous!!! *Smiles* OMG, I'm having a Jacques Cousteau Moment!
The Man sighs whenever my Friends share their Vacation Photos like this because he knows I'll be wanting and whining to go where ever it was they were now... sometime in the Hopefully not too distant Future... yet another Dream added to the long list! *Smiles* You all know Bora Bora is on the Top of my "Bucket List" after all! *Smiles*
Isn't it Fun when old Friends share Vintage Photos you've never seen before of you all though... times you may not have even recalled for a long while until the Image brings back the Memories? Thanks my Friend, it was good to recall those Fun times of yesteryear... that archived Photo cracked The Man and I up... and I know The Son and G-Kids will think its hilarious! For some reason the Kids and G-Kids get a kick out of seeing us Young... as if we never were and they simply cannot believe it?! *LOL*
And I won't be a Hater about the fab Island Trip Adventure, I Promise... *Smiles* After all, in due Time I Hope to have my own Tropical Island Images to share with everyone! *Winks*
Even though I have New Dreams now, it is Fun to look back every now and again and remember what the Old Dreams looked like and were... and who we shared them with and what Dreams they might have shared with us.
My Welsh Nanna was quite the Dreamer, being in the Theater and on Stage she brought many Dreams to Life through her Art, Singing, Dancing and Acting. I remember her regaling us as small G-Kids and all of our Friends in impromptu Skits, Musicals and Plays she would put on for us... she was so Theatrical, Talented and Funny... we were mezmerized, captivated and entertained.
I wish I possessed even an ounce of her amazing Talents and there's not a day goes by that I don't miss her still, even after all these years! Grammas are very Special People, aren't we, the Cheerleader of Grand-Children's Dreams and avid Supporters of what they aspire to do and be! *Winks*
I Hope that as you pulled up a Chair and joined me on the "Dolly Daydream" Post that you might have thought back upon YOUR Dreams? What they were and what they are today...
And if you're a Dreamer like Me then you will always have an abundant wealth of them... and may the really important ones to you become not just Dreams, but your Reality!
Blessings and Sweet Dreams from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian