You know, sometimes when you're out Junquing, well, the Sun, the Moon and the Stars just seem to line up and you hit the Motherlode of Junquing 'Scores'! Such was the case for me Friday Evening after dropping the G-Kid Force off at the Aunties Homes for the weekend. I was simply on a Mission to find some Vintage Valentine's Day Cards for my February Mantle Vignette. But it was late and most fav Junquing Haunts were already closed so I headed for THE BRASS ARMADILLO Antique Mall in Phoenix, which is open 'til 9:00 pm and usually holds Promise for great Vintage Ephemera. Little did I know that I'd find a Booth laden with a Motherlode of Laura Van pieces!!! *Be still my beating Heart!* I adore Artist Laura Van's Creations... and to find them at a bargain whilst Junquing... Color me Happy & giddy with excitement!!!
And the Laura Van trio of Treasures wasn't the only Valentine's Day Junquing 'Scores' to be had on this fabulously fateful Evening even though I had a mere 30 minutes to Shop the whole Mall, which meant Marathon Speed Junquing worthy of an Olympic Gold Medal! My Junque Radar was honed in perfectly and I had a bead on everything I adore, it was quite the Rush!!! *LOL* Just look at my Haul!!! We'll go into details shall we? *Winks*
Okay, first I spied the Laura Van Heart... at such a discount I had to hold back a Squeal!
It couldn't be more perfect for Valentine's Day, the Palest of distressed Pink with Crystal Beaded hanger and Lovely tiny Tole Roses and Butterflies.
Now I'm the proud Owner of TWO Laura Van Hearts!!! My Collection is slowly expanding!
Hearts with Florals on them... in preparation for Decorating for Valentine's Day = PERFECT!!!
And I actually walked away from the Booth after claiming my Heart... and Thankfully came back around for a 2nd pass because I had completely missed two more Laura Van pieces, hidden in plain sight right up front... I'd missed them the 1st go-round with eyes wide shut! Probably because I was still giddy, euphoric and swooning over the Heart 'Score'!!? *Winks*
Now this piece I'm sure used to be a Laura Van Box Lid, but alas, the Box was no longer with it and since it has a small etched Mirror on the back they were selling it inexpensively as a Small Mirror instead. No problemo, I still LOVE IT and snatched it right up! I can always have The Man construct a small wooden Box for it later, he's a Master Carpenter... so that can be added to the Honey-Do List once he's sufficiently recovered.
But for now it shall make a delightful small hand Mirror to utilize while I put my make-up on.
And the most exciting 'Score' of Laura Van Loveliness was the Frame!!! I almost felt faint when I spied it... also at a deep discount and absolutely Magnificent! It will hold a 5x7 sized Portrait...
And it's adorned with Deep Red Tole Roses and Buds... Angelic Cherub Metal Corners...
And Bohemian Bling accents against weathered Barnwood in a Shabulous White!!!
Yeah, it doesn't get much better than THIS my Friends... Bohemian Valhalla!!!
And doesn't Dear Ole' Dad look splendid Handsomely Framed in my new Found Treasure?
I am just tickled Pink with how well all the new Laura Van pieces look around the House! Don't you just LOVE IT when you unexpectedly discover some of the Work of your all time Favorite Artists during your Junquing Forrays!
I also 'scored' this Great Old Book from 1906... I Love how perfectly Aged and Tattered the Covers and Binding are... the Wonderful Graphics and the Beautiful Sepia hue.
And I also 'scored' three skeins of this Wonderful Jute textured Yarn in a Sepia hue!!!
But back to the Book... *Smiles* Here's a close-up of the Front Cover...
And the Back Cover... I'm pleased with the old Ink stains & fraying... such benign neglect always appeals to me and is just what I'm looking for... it imparts such Character and History to a piece... you just know there is a Story behind anything this worn with use and age!
And Inside are some Lovely Graphics... what a Handsome Johnny Depp like Character this Fellow is! Actually he looks somewhat like Dave Navarro!? *LOL*
And that Beautiful Exotic Young Woman in the front... well, she resembles Salma Hayek don't you think? *Smiles*
And there are even some Notes that previous Owners scribbled inside in the flourish of Beautiful Artistic Handwriting they used back in those days.
And I 'scored' this other threadlike Yarn in a most unusual and Lovely hue... difficult to tell by my Photography but it has Red and a Dark Pigment close to Black mingled with the Organic Natural Colored hues throughout the strands! It actually came in a bag with the other 3 skeins of Sepia colored Jute Yarn... all for less than $3!!!
And last but not least, yes, I did actually "Score" what I had been on a Mission for! *Winks* The Antique Valentine's Day Cards! There was a very good selection of Antique and Vintage Valentine's Cards... from Whimsical to Romantic to Victorian... but these two were my absolute favorite. And rather than getting a bunch of the really cheap ones, I opted instead to get only two of the better quality Antique ones for my Vignette.
Loved the Boheme' Gypsy Girl on this one and the raised Golden Foil & Painted Graphics...
And this Bronze Foil Masterpiece with the Sweet Bluebirds... hadda have it! Both cards were encased in a protective sleeve and are in pristine condition given their age...
They lent themselves well to my Valentine's Mantle Display {more of that to come in Future Posts}...
Yes, I was very pleased with my Card Duo...
And the Lovely Writing adorning the backs... they must have been Cherished to have been Saved all these years and Survived to the Present Time...
And each had their Penny Stamp still affixed... how Great is THAT?!? I used to Collect Stamps as a Child and I always Loved the Old Penny Stamps best of all...
Ah, to be able to have sent Mail for a mere Penny! *Winks* Well, I certainly Hope you've enjoyed my Motherlode of Valentine's Day Junquing 'Scores' I've Shared... as much as I enjoyed discovering them all?!? And an even Greater Thrill was to be had when I got to the Register to pay for it all my Friends!!! THE BRASS ARMADILLO will very soon be opening a new location right here in the West Valley not far from our Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dealers will be moving in February 17th and the Mall opens March 1st... there will be room for 700 Dealers {Yes, SEVEN HUNDRED!} and the location is bigger than a Football Field! It will be at the Palm Valley Cornerstone Center in Goodyear... and for more information contact Dan Briddle, General Manager at: phoenixwest@brassarmadillo.com . I can hardly wait... not only will I have an amazing new Junquing Mecca close by... but I might even consider getting a Booth again to rotate some more of my Treasures out of this Ole House during my Wabi Sabi Mission... we'll have to wait and see... *Winks*
And it's time to change the Banner to fit the Season... so Good-Bye Winter Banner! Welcome Valentine's Banner!
And be sure to join us over at Doni's Blog Party at FAITH, GRACE & CRAFTS!
Dawn... The Bohemian