Well, I know I said this would be the Finale Post of the SWEET SALVAGE 'BACKROADS AND BLOOMS' Event... but then I had the opportunity to go back on Sunday to have my Zen Shopping Experience after the initial Opening Day crowds had tapered off and take more Beautiful Images at my Leisure.
And though the Opening Day is always a Rush because of the Anticipation, Energy and Excitement of the Grand Opening of the Event of each Month, I actually prefer to spend more time in the Shop on one of the other three days when its not so crowded and hectic.
I'm just not very good with large crowds and I've never been much of an Impulse Shopper so I like to take my time Shopping, contemplating a Purchase and soaking in how everything is Artfully Displayed, while also visiting with my Sweet Salvage Friends.
Taking my time to line up Photo Ops without feeling Intrusive of someone else's Shopping Experience, which is more Challenging when it's super busy. And you can't really get the great Personal Shots like this... of some of my Talented Friends who work so very hard to bring these Events to Life by Sourcing the Inventory and Styling the Shop. This is Robert and Brett who also provide a lot of the Muscle to get those larger Purchases you make out the door and loaded up!
Not to mention there will be more Inventory brought in daily and everything will constantly be Evolving as the Sweet Team perpetually re-stock and re-style all four days of the Event. So nothing remains static and I would encourage you to visit more than once if you can. Each day is like a brand new Experience with something new to see and 'Score'!
So there will be a few more Posts to Inspire you with the Treasures Sourced from the Backroads the Sweet Pickers visited... and the Blooms that will certainly prepare you for Spring Decorating of your own Home and Garden spaces. I Loved this unusual Vintage Soda Bottle... in fact it went into my Basket... but then I regained my focus of what I had come back for and I reluctantly put it back. *LOL*
So I Photographed it a couple of times to ensure at least one good Image of it. *Smiles* Who knows, if nobody bought it by Sunday Night, perhaps it will be at next Month's Event and I can pick it up then? And I know you must be wondering now... so... what DID you come back FOR and Hoped might still be there?!?!??! Well, aren't you?
It was this beyond Fabulous Antique Wicker Barbola Flower Basket Vase. Which will be absolutely perfect for my Easter and Spring Vignettes.
I had Seriously Lusted after it on Thursday... and regret not picking it up then. It is one of those pieces that is rarely in great condition whenever you can even find them because of the fragility and composition... and it was so very ME!!! Not to mention a "Keeper" Anchor Styling piece to Invest in because I'll always LOVE it and want to pass it down in the Family for Generations to come. Any one of my Daughters or Grand-Daughters is sure to Appreciate it as much as I do... Gals, you can fight over it when I'm dead Okay? *Winks*
There is none of the Barbola that has been lost with the passages of Time... and the Wicker is in Excellent Condition for it's Age.
So I didn't mind passing on any Smalls that caught my Eye to ensure I could get this... and I was holding my breath on whether it would still even be there? And breathed a sigh of relief when it was! I don't mind Investing in Extraordinary Pieces, since if they were Ordinary and Common then everyone would have one and they wouldn't be so desirable.
Not that there weren't a bounty of Great Smalls that weren't desirable too mind you! Especially the Lovely Spiritual Treasures... which are perfect to add just in time for your Easter Vignettes and Celebration of our Lord.
I don't know what this Lovely flowering Plant is called but I would like some of these in my Easter Weekend Vignettes. Flowering Indoor plants don't do so well at our Home long-term so I'll wait closer to Easter to obtain some for the Celebration so that they'll be looking their very best for Easter Weekend.
This visit to the Shop provided me with some Stress Relieving Relaxation since Princess T and I would be heading for her Hospital Sleepover for the Testing being done Sunday Night through this Monday Morning. So I'm 'Scheduling' this Post in Advance... don't know that I'll be getting much sleep until we're actually Home... and of coarse the results of her Tests will let us know if she'll require a Surgery or not. So I had lots of pent up nervous Energy to Release beforehand so I can be Cool, Calm and Collected for her benefit during the procedures.
Her Incentive for cooperating will be a Trip to her Fav Restaurant "Wildflower Bread Co." Monday Morning when we're Released after the Tests. Luckily there's a new one nearby the Medical Buildings... which we had also visited Saturday Morning after she had her Orientation, so they could give her a Tour and explain what they will be doing to her during the Procedures and let her see our Room and all of the equipment that will be used and let us ask questions. As you can see she got all dolled up for her Orientation and our Restaurant Breakfast... you'd of thought she was Auditioning for 'America's Next Top Model' or something! And she Lives for the Cupcakes at 'Wildflower Bread Co.' so they're a perfect bribe to take the edge off her anxiety! *Winks*
Not to mention it's also one of Gramma's Fav Haunts to have Breakfast or Lunch too! *Winks* So it's a Win-Win for me!
And we all Adore the Chihuly Glass Art that each Location decorates with. The Princess and I sat beneath this ceiling section festooned with Chihuly Glass Flowers to enjoy Breakfast and her Cupcake for Dessert after she made a 'Happy Plate' of polishing off her Scrambled Eggs and Rosemary Hashbrowns. *Smiles* But I digress... back to my Stress Relieving Shopping Experience and all the Beauty that helped to Restore and Calm my Spirit and Soul to get me Centered for Sunday Night's Hospital Sleepover with the Princess...
After I had ensured that my 'Mission' Treasure was still there and I had it held safely up front, I could then totally Relax and just Enjoy Browsing and seeing if there was anything else I felt I couldn't live without? *LOL*
I had no Intentions of needing to buy anything else but you never know what might turn up that wasn't there the last time you visited?!? *Smiles*
And there was lots that wasn't there on Thursday... or that perhaps I didn't spy on Thursday with it being so crowded and hectic, so not staying very long! *LOL* I know that the Styling is done in layers of Beauty, so Honestly, you could make several sweeps and not really see or take it all in.
Many things from Thursday had Sold and were gone or waiting for pick-up... so lots of new Inventory had come in to take it's place and was being moved in and Styled even as I was visiting this day.
My Friends Myko and Brett were busily re-styling their area... I'm always in Awe of how quickly the Sweet Team bring in Inventory and re-style everything in the midst of a flurry of Shoppers so that it looks Fresh and Lovely even as it's being Sold off. I know that my Showroom can look a shambles at times so I have no delusions how much skill and work is involved in keeping everything Showcased so Beautifully and in Captivating Vignettes, especially during a Sale or Event! My Props to the Sweet Team for Managing this and having it so well orchestrated, its nothing short of Miraculous!
I've learned so much about Styling, Picking and Vignette building from my visits to the Shops of my Talented Friends in the business and talking with them about our Mutual Passions and Dreams. Its you all who have Inspired me and given me the Confidence to begin the Journey of opening my own Retail Spaces and do what I Love, feel Purposed to do and Enjoy so much! Thank You for all of your Generous Sage Advice, Mentoring and Encouragement along the way!!!
And talking of Talent... Myko had Hand-Painted the Fab Lettering on this Salvage Window... of coarse it Sold right away to some Lucky Shopper that got there first on Opening Day. *LOL*
And that Cool Vintage Shady Ridge Grocery Sign that Brett had Sourced... I didn't see that there on Sunday either.
I liked the little Succulent Gardens tucked into Vintage Items.
Even if you don't possess a Green Thumb you can easily Nurture Succulents and Cacti... they thrive on neglect actually... only too much TLC can usually do them in! *Winks*
But I also enjoyed the Informal arrangements of single cut Blooms scattered about... adding pops of Color and Springtime Freshness to the Vignettes. You can make some Garden cuttings or inexpensive Spring Bouquets go a long way Styling like this around the house.
And being the Old Chair Hoarder that I am, you KNOW there's always at least one Fab Old Chair that I would have to Resist... this Month it was this one!!! *Swooning* Yes, hard to Resist something that is so Perfect and Desirable, but you'll be Proud of me for not Caving this Month... and luckily this was on top of Vignette near the ceiling so I couldn't fondle it and fall totally in Lust with it!!! *LOL* But it has Inspired me on how I can best utilize some of my Antique Lace Cutters on any Old Salvage Chairs that need Restoration that I might procure on a Junquing Forray!
So Dawn... what else DIDN'T you Resist you might be saying or thinking? Well, you were, weren't you?!? *Winks* Yes, you know me too well my Friends... well, it was this... an inexpensive but Beautiful Italian Tole Rose Sconce that Friend Katie had said didn't work at her place because it stuck out too far where she wanted to install it. I'm a Sucka for Italian Tole, especially when I can find it at a Bargain... and I'll definitely find SOMEWHERE that it doesn't stick out too far at Bohemian Valhalla, I hardly ever know where something is actually gonna end up when I'm buying it??!! *LOL* I don't know yet whether I'll keep it wired for electricity, or use it with a real candle instead... we'll have to see where I want it to end up to finalize that decision. I utilize several of my Vintage and Antique Lighting Fixtures Outdoors too and typically use Candlelight rather than electricity for Outdoor Lighting since I like the Ambiance it Creates better, especially on Moonlit Nights... so Romantic!
And speaking of Moonlit Nights, its starting to get Late and so we're almost ready to leave for the Hospital... we've got everything packed as if we're going on an extended Vacation... you wouldn't believe all the stuff Princess T thought she needed during this sleepover! *LOL*
And since I'll be attempting to sleep in a Recliner in her Room I'm bringing LOTS of Reading Material and Hope the TV gets Cable so I don't miss 'Mob Wives'!? *Winks* One of my Daughters actually knew and hung out with one of the Gals on it... naturally it was my Wild Child, the G-Kid Force's Mama, during her more turbulent years. Ah, the Stories I could tell about that Prodigal Child, my Wild Flower, it would make a killer Reality Show... 'cause you can't make stuff like that up, not even with the most fertile Imagination! *LOL*
Maybe one day I'll write a Book about Mi Vida Loca... but 'til then I'll just Blog about it... *LOL*
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian