Okay, so that's a bit of an exaggeration, he probably didn't mean to join us... but it's such an exciting Story of Serendipity I just HAVE to Share it my Friends!
Picture this... we're in our Adorable Friend Wendy's Shop MELROSE VINTAGE {See, I told you she was ADORABLE!}... The Shop has the most extensive Inventory of Mixed Media and Scrapbook Supplies coupled with Vintage Lovelies and Antiques to Style your Home... with the most Lucious Fabrics and Linens you've ever laid eyes on... such as Bella Notte, Rachel Ashwell and Cath Kidston!
I'm over browsing through my Fav Supplier of Mixed Media Supplies, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Line... and my Friend Pamela rushes over to tell me that none other than Tim Holtz just walked through the door of the Shop!!! No kidding... he and his Friends REALLY did! What are the odds... Seriously?!???!???!
Now if anyone can Rope someone into having their Photo taken it's my Friend Pamela, she's so Endearing and Exhuberant about it! *LOL* And I must say, Tim was so very Gracious and Obliging, what a really Nice Guy he is! And I want to Thank Tim's Friend for also being so very Gracious and Obliging about getting behind the Eye of our Lens to do the Photo Shoot!! We really Enjoyed meeting both of you and getting some great Shots to Share here in the Land Of Blog!
Color me Happy... it's always such an absolute Joy to meet some of the Iconic People whose Work, Style and Products you've Admired and who have provided so much Inspiration! Tim and Friends were at several of the other Favorite Shops we were visiting so in a way he DID join Girl's Day Out! *Winks*
And here's some 'Friend Trivia'... Wendy and Pamela actually went to Grade School Together... we simply must dig up some of those Grade School Shots Gals... *Winks... I KNOW ya gotta have some!*
And as we 'Let Our Hair Down' for a Photo Shoot... *LOL*
You can be sure we're always having the Time of our Lives!
Not just Shopping and being Inspired {though that part is Fun too... specially when you Discover something Awesome like Old Stock Vintage Velvet Trim on it's Original Wooden Spools! Whoo Hoo!}...
But most of all having a Good Time with Good Friends... like my Friends Gail & Judy that I actually met through the Land of Blog first... and then became Friends with in Person! Judy is often my 'Voice of Reason' when discerning what will come Home to Bohemian Valhalla or should stay behind... Thanks Judy! *Winks*
And this Post is going to be dedicated to the Girls of Girl's Day Out, and Shared Images of those who got in on this Month's Photo Op... such as my Friends Audrey & Pauline and this Month Audrey's Adorable Daughter joined them, she is an Aspiring Stylist and so darn Stylish & Cute in her new Hat 'Scored' from SIRENS & SAINTS!
Yes...we can close our eyes and just Envision all of the Swoon Worthy 'Scores' we're gonna Discover and drag Home to our Lairs! *Smiles* You Gals ROCK and are such Kindred Spirits that I can't wait to see what you all Discovered this Month and 'Scored'?!
And Punky and Pamela... These are just a few of The Friends that Work at or Own the Shops and/or make the Monthly Pilgrimage to attend the Events and Congregate in our Fav Haunts to have Fellowship, Seek out Found Treasures and catch up on what everyone's been up to.
There are the Avid Photographers and Bloggers amongst us... Obsessively Covering everything for you here in the Land Of Blog! But that's why you Love us huh?!? *LOL* We take you along Virtually darn near everywhere we go now! *Winks*
Yes... we DID hit the SWEET SALVAGE 'Sweet Flea' Event and Future Posts of the Adventure will follow!
Okay... just a Glimpse of one of the 'Sweet Flea' Treasures I 'Scored' with The Son's wad of Christmas Cash... at an unbelievable Bargain... a HUGE Antique Velvet Edition of the Book "Paradise Lost"...
The Hue of the Lucious Aged Velvet even matched my Ensemble *LOL*... and goes perfectly in Bohemian Valhalla... so hadda have it! *Winks* You know how Vintage & Antique Velvet just stirs my Soul and is a Delight to the Senses!
I could just stroke the rest of the Velvet right off this Old Book I'm Adoring it so much... nothing Feels quite like Old Velvet to the Touch! *Swooning* And they just don't make Books like this anymore... I'm also an Incurable Book Collector... my Library is vast... rivals Barnes & Nobles I tell ya! *Winks*
And the Interior is as Wonderful as the Exterior... the condition Issues are a Bonus to Yours Truly because I Love Old Paper Aged to a Tea Stained Sepia Hue and even the Water Marks give it the Character I prefer... I'm not a fan of Pristine where you'd have to handle everything with Museum Gloves... I want my Collections to be Accessible and be Enjoyed Daily with no qualms! If pages even happen to detach I will use them in other Styling Projects & Altered Art.
I even 'Scored' one of the FREE Gifts the Sweet Team sprinkled around the Shop during this Month's Event!! *Whoop Whoop!* And it just happened to be something I Adore and Collect... Vintage Show Ribbons!
Yes.. my Freebie was a Lovely early 1960's Dog Show Ribbon... it was a Good Day to be ME!
And I had a very Good Time pondering what I would spend The Son's Christmas Gift Money upon... and I won't leave you in Suspense about that because I'm Eager to Share it all with you since I hadn't expected any Christmas Gifts this Year... so here 'tis... The Son's Gifts to me that I got to pick out in a Fun Girl's Day Out {Note: He was suitably Impressed that Mom got so much bang for the bucks!}:
I couldn't pass up 'Scoring' at least one of the Fabulous Old Spools of Yards of Vintage Velvet Trim from Wendy's Shop in a Lucious Rust Color! You just don't find Old Stock like this often and as a Fabric Artist I was having a total Eyegasm beholding such a large selection of it! Usually I have to make my own Trims from Vintage Velvet because I can never find any suitable options for my Art.
Though to be sure choosing just one of the numerous Gorgeous Hues was painstakingly difficult... I pondered for a VERY long time since the Turquoise, Wine, Dusty Rose, Faded Gold, Grays and... and... and... were ALL Calling to me! *LOL* Quality of Old Stock can't be matched with Today's Cheap Trims so I always opt for the Real Deal whenever possible when Creating my Fabric Art.
Which brings me to yet another Fabulous Vintage Fabric 'Score'... this one Delightfully Exotic... a Velvet Middle Eastern Tapestry 'Scored' at my Friend Shelly's Shop RUST & ROSES. Thanks Shelly for giving me such a Great Bargain on this piece... it's in all my Favorite Hues!
Excellent Condition, Fabulous Design and Workmanship to the piece and it's Large... this is it draped over The Man's Recliner so I could Photograph it.
Exotic and Vintage Fabrics are most definitely my Obsession! At least ONE of them anyways. *Winks*
And my Friend Agnes over at THE BRASS ARMADILLO WEST Negotiated a great Bundle Price on a Set of 5 Vintage Framed Botanicals that she had in her Art Gallery.
I Love good Quality Vintage Botanicals and this set was drawn by the same Artist. For a mere $2 each I couldn't pass up the Offer to add these to my Botanical Collection of Art! Sorry the Images are a bit fuzzy... was trying not to hit any Flash Glare off the Glass so I shot these two Images in pitch darkness last Night! *LOL* I will replace the ribbon hangers with Raw Jute for a more Informal Grouping.
Next was a Thrift Shop 'Score' that I even got a 25% Senior Discount on making it an even deeper Bargain! I Love Carnival Glass... and there was a HUGE Collection of the heavier pieces of Blue Carnival Glass. I wish I could have 'Scored' it all and flipped some pieces in my Showroom... but I was on the Hunt for my own Christmas Gifts so I didn't wanna use my Christmas Cash on Inventory so I Resisted. {SO Hard to leave such an Pickin' Opportunity behind!}
So the pieces that Won Out to come Home with me for my Personal Collection were the Grape Leaves Pitcher {I have the same Pitcher & Design in other Colors of Carnival Glass}...
And the matching Biscuit Jar which I also have in the Marigold Color in my Collection at Home. With the Blue Carnival Glass I Love that it looks so Bohemian and the Hue is like an Oil Slick, with the Colors of the Rainbow coming forth out of the darker Hue's depths like an iridescent Rainbow! I got these 75% (Seventy Five Percent) off the price I see them going Retail or at Auction so I was Jazzed!
And lastly, but certainly not least... the Vintage Show Ribbons from the 60's & 70's that were either FREE or 50%-70% Off during the SWEET SALVAGE 'Sweet Flea' Sale & Event! *Whoop Whoop!*
This one was HUGE!
Loved the Color Combo of this one...
And this one is a Lovely Shade of Bluish-Purple... the flash kinda washed it out a bit, it's much Richer in Person.
We even got to sit in an Antique Sleigh as we waited for Lunch at THE OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY. No Snow in Phoenix so this is the closest to a Sleigh Ride as you're gonna get in the Arizona Desert! *LOL*
Be sure to come back and Join us on the rest of our Girl's Day Out Adventures where we will Share details and visuals of all the Amazing Shops and Inventory during the next few days Posts...
Merry Christmas from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian