As promised, for you my Friends & most Loyal Supporters here in Blogdom... I am taking you behind the scenes for a sneak peek at the new BRASS ARMADILLO WEST location...
Out of respect for the fact that there is still a lot of work in progress inside of many of the Booths and Show Rooms as we all madly work well into the Night getting everything ready for the Grand Opening, I will refrain from full interior Booth reveals for now... but suffice to say that some very Creative Visions are coming together...
And the Displays and Inventory are making me, and many other Dealers, salivate already because there is so much eye candy being Designed, brought in and Artfully arranged! *Winks*
Now I know who all the Talented Handymen & Carpenters are in the far West Valley for constructing innovative Creations! *Smiles* They are working tirelessly from Sun-up to Sundown and to see the Visions coming to Life is truly exciting!
I'm just Loving how this Location is built... the Floorplans and peripheral Show Rooms with Galvanized Tin Awnings are awesome! And it's HUGE... the Booth numbers go up to the 900's... so if you're a Dealer, I must tell you they've got spaces for Rent and some amazing Grand Opening Deals to get you started! The sizes of the Spaces/Booths/Cases are a wide variety too.
And I'm really Loving the eclectic mix of Vendors/Dealers/Artists, there is a diverse variety of Styles, Aesthetics, Decor, Creations and Inventory, which is a refreshing change from the Local Swap Meets which had begun to look more Commercial Same-O-Same-O than Flea Market Style that us Junquers and Collectors adore!
And here in the Valley... having so many Vendors under one roof in AIR CONDITIONING is a Big Deal for most of the year when our weather gets fiercely Hot and feels more like the surface of the Sun than the Valley of the Sun! *Winks* Yeah, I know most of my Blog Friends in Cold Climates are green with envy right now that we're already enjoying balmy warm weather in the high 70's and low 80's... but wait a Month... when you're in temperate Spring conditions and we're spontaneously combusting here in the Desert! *LOL*
And another great thing about this Antique Mall location is that there is a bevy of other good Shopping, Sports Bars & good Restaurants close by, most within walking distance! Everything from Chuck E Cheese to Majerles... Applebys to In-N-Out Burger... JC Penney's to Lowe's... and much, much more!
The Man is on 30-Day Light Duty & Bedrest in order to stay out of the Hospital, but he was invaluable in helping me critique the progress of foofing my Booth, advising while I weilded a hammer {Very scary business me with hammer! LOL}, Photographing me hard at work {Yes, I'm making you wait another day for the Reveal of my Booth & the pixs taken this day!}, and then taking me out to Dinner at Appleby's when I needed a break. I needed someone who was keeping track of Time since when I work I tend to lose consciousness of how long I've been working non-stop, I'm very intently focused and OCD like that! *Smiles*
And we had so much Fun visiting with the other Vendors/Dealers/Artists that stopped by to say such sweet & encouraging words about our Booth and share what their Vision is, what they do and invite us to see what they're doing with their Spaces.
There will be a Social Event being Hosted just before the Grand Opening for all of the Vendors and we can hardly wait, this is such a Fun and Friendly group so the camaraderie is already strong!
And for me at least, the Social interactions and having Fun aspect of this Venture is just as important as the Sales... I have always been Blessed to have Joy in whatever I have chosen to do... because if you Love what you do then you'll never work a day in your Life!
The long hours preparing have whizzed by because I'm enjoying the entire Process and Journey so much... I'm having Fun... and regardless of the outcome, I'm Happy and Content in the Moment and excited about the Possibilities and Creative Outlet and Opportunities.
It's a 'good tired' when you've had a day of working that has been a Pleasure and you've been totally lost in the Joy of doing it. I've really missed all of the Volunteer & Ministry Work that I used to spend so many hours doing, even while holding down a full time Career... and so to be back to doing some Work that balances Time with the Family because it's a Family Affair and they can participate and not make personal sacrifices, well, it is Ideal.
And shhhhhhh... don't say anything to the Young Prince, but today his Special Girlfriend from School came up to us with her sweet Parents and they too have a Booth there! So... the Young Prince and his Special Princess will be able to see each other as we all work... and I could tell she was very excited about this prospect... and he will be too! *LOL* Ah, Young First Love & Childhood Sweethearts, ain't it Grand!!!???? *Winks*
And speaking of Children, check out these absolutely amazing Lifelike Dolls that one of the Artists there Creates! Honestly, even the skin and eyes looks absolutely real even upon close scrutiny!!!
These Images were taken through Case Glass so forgive the poor quality... cheap camera + glass obstruction = less than Ideal Images... but I simply had to share these precious Dolls!
Though I'm not absolutely certain it wouldn't creep me & the G-Kids out a tiny bit that they appear so real and alive!!??! *LOL* Remember, we live in a very Old House as it is... and Dolls has been one of those things that I can sometimes find spooky so I've never owned many. *Ha ha ha* But these, for the Doll Lover & Collector, would be very desirable... and in the Daylight they weren't scary to me at all. *Winks* Though their expressions had Personality like real Babies... and the hair looked absolutely Human!?
And check out this Amazingly Talented Artist's Work on Salvage Architecture! WOW...
The only thing better than an Old Salvage Door is a fabulous Painting on an Old Salvage Door making it a piece of Collectible Art!
I was really digging all of the pieces on Display at this Booth!
I would definitely like to own something like these... any of them... each Painting was Beautiful and the Salvage Architectural pieces were Aged to perfection as well!
My Booth is on the West Side of Nebraska Avenue, Booth #44... on the East Side of the Mall, turn Left when you enter... and right up front near the Seating area, Check-Out and those fabulous Showrooms I Photographed at the top of this Post! I Love the Location I got... and the Peacock Blue Color of my Booth couldn't have been more perfect if I had painted it myself... sometimes the Sun, Moon & Stars line up just right! *Winks*
And Tomorrow's Post will Reveal Images of my Booth and the Pixs that The Man took of me hard at work. But for now I shall Reveal the finished Bench I had been working on up until this Morning!
Unlike The Man I am no Master Carpenter and so this was my first Upholstery attempt, Thank You my Creative & Talented Friend Angela for convincing me I could do this *Winks*... and I do like how it turned out even though this Old Bench was exceedingly abused by a previous owner, Weather & Age Worn... and it looks great on top of the Harvest Table that The Man made as a layered look Display piece.
Improvising on the Booth Furnishings at the last minute was somewhat crazy since Time was of the essence, but it all worked out Beautifully and I like it... sometimes the best things are the unexpected things that we have to be ultra Creative and it is True that necessity IS the Mother of Invention! *Smiles* And let me tell you, it was a Mother! *Ha ha ha*
From a distance and if you squint and don't look too closely it looks well done in fact... *LOL* Of coarse up close all the mistakes and imperfections are evident, but hey, it's a Salvage piece of Gypsy Chic Bohemian Style Tramp Art now, right, it doesn't have to be perfect! *Smiles*
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So... see ya tomorrow my Friends... and your input will be invaluable... so any suggestions and advice will be greatly appreciated... especially by those of you who have done this kind of thing and have it down to a Fine Art! I know I have been Greatly Inspired by all of the Vignettes and Styling you all do in your Shops, Booths, Shows... you have made me really WANT to step out in Faith and do this thing... and your Encouragement and Well Wishes have meant so much... so Thank You from the bottom of my Heart!
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian