Okay, so my Plan of sneaking out of the house this Morning without an entourage to attend SWEET SALVAGE'S 'Boho Nouveau' Event on the final day didn't play out exactly as I'd planned...
On account of a Lil Someone had apparently ditched Sunday School and dolled herself up to attend with me!!! *LOL* Apparently the 'Gramma Radar' had gone off and the G-Kid Force suspected my Covert Operation... so The Man said she was up before the Sun to ensure I couldn't get thru that front door undetected and unaccompanied! *Le Sigh*
The Young Prince had voluntarily gone to Church anyway, since my actual Destination had remained under wraps and my Cover wasn't totally blown... otherwise I'd of had both in tow! *Winks* If he's not certain of where we'll end up, he's not always Game anymore to tag along and Shadow me... but the Princess is another matter and more of a risk taker. So with a Supremely Confident Comment of : "I look so Beautiful Today it looks like I'm going to a Party, huh Gramma?" and the sly Obligatory Comment to engratiate herself to accompany me of, "And you look Beautiful too Gramma..." *LOL*... we were off together on another Girl's Day Out. Yeah, that kid's not Conceited, she's Convinced... AND a budding Con Artist! *Winks*
She was beyond Delighted when she realized the Destination was the SWEET SALVAGE Event and that the Decor and Vignettes looked like Home and was more 'Our Style'! She's definitely a 'Colorful Girl' too... you can only tell, right? *LOL*
Actually her coming along ended up being a Blessing in Disguise since it gave me another set of eyes that knows our Style and Tastes well, so I had her bird-doggin' for specific pieces I Hoped might still be there and had just been moved around and Re-Styled in other Vignettes as the Evolution of the Event unfolded each day. She has a good Eye in spite of her tender Age... she was obviously Born to do what we do... it's in the Blood!
Not to mention she's an Avid budding Photographer already and so I can put her behind the lens and step out in front of it with some Friends for a change. Or pass the Camera Duty off to her and have her go take some Images to capture Events as seen through her own Perspective and Stylish Young Eyes.
She takes the Job Seriously and has already been Trained to take more than one Shot to ensure a decent pix of those she's Photographing. Here's a couple of my Sweet Friend Ron and I.
And Princess T located the first coveted piece I was on the Hunt for right away... patiently waiting for me to find him and take him Home...
Good Job Girl... one down... two to go...
I had remembered that piece No. 2 had been in Brett and Myko's Vignettes... and whew... he was still there waiting on us too to find and take him Home... and Brett took him right up for us so we could continue the Thrill Of The Hunt without delay...
My Carnival Kitsch Crew is expanding and I just Love them grouped together in the Main Kitchen.
There was another Fab Large Carnival Kitsch Prize Pony that would have gone Fabulously with my Little Carnival Kitsch Prize Pony... but alas, I erroneously thought his Price was what actually was on the Necklace he was Modeling and by the time I got this Home and downloaded to realize otherwise, the Event was over! *Darn!*
And for those of you Swooning over that Vintage Mannequin Hand Display and saying, "But Dawn... what about THAT?!?"... Yes, I was Jonesin' for it too but alas, NFS at this time... but if it ever is... I'm all over it and have dibs on it okay!!!??! Yeah, I'd definitely go to the dirt and throw down with ya over that one even tho' normally I'm not a competitive or crazed Shopper. However, there are the occassional exceptions to that Rule and I'd break my Zen for a Moment to get a Killer Piece and I must warn you, I can be Scrappy if the Payoff is worth it. *Smiles* I'm Luvin' that Big Carnie Horse even more after downloading his Image... *LOL*
Because there is nothing quite like Vintage Carnival Collectibles to bring some Whimsy and Nostalgic Good Times Memories flooding back every time you look at them in a Vignette at Home... so I don't care that they're considered Kitsch. The fact they aren't for everyone means there might be more for me to 'Score', so it's all Good! *LOL*
And sitting in front of Cabinets filled with Carnival Glass Collections I think it makes the Home Feel like a Carnival Atmosphere and I like that Cheerfulness and lack of a Serious Tone in our Home's Styling. I'm more of an Informal Decorator than a Formal Decorator... I can Appreciate Formal Styling but I never feel entirely Comfortable with it for a Home where Family is being Raised and I want Friends to feel Relaxed and Comfy. I'll choose Comfort over Style any day and yet I also Feel that you don't have to Compromise one over the other if you think it through and blend both with Balance.
Alas, Carnival Kitsch Doggie No. 3 had gone Home with someone else... but two outta three ain't bad. And now because I've said that phrase... of coarse I've got that Song by Meatloaf stuck and replaying in my head... and now you probably do too, right? *LOL* Sorry...
But no worries about not 'Scoring' everything I came back for... since there was plenty of New Inventory that I was Jazzed to Discover and 'Score'... like this Awesome Boheme' Cut Velvet Throw from Sweet 'Steam Punk' Nancy's Vignette!
I have this 'Thang' for Exotic Fabrics and Cut European and Middle Eastern Velvets and Tapestries in particular. I drape them EVERYWHERE... and I do mean EVERYWHERE...
This one is likely to spend equal amounts of Time Gracing our Outdoor Living Areas...
As well as our Indoor Living Areas... and I liked the size and weight of this one since it was not all Velvet, but a blend of Cut Velvet and Linen, so it was more Lightweight for Summer and not such a grand scale that it couldn't be more versatile than larger pieces in my Collection of Boheme' Vintage Fabrics.
Right now it's doing Bedspread Duty... and joining the recently Purchased Vintage Pillows.
One can never have too many Vintage Fabrics if you're a Fabric Artist... I can always find good uses for my Hoard of Vintage Fabrics! *LOL*
And so... with the Carnival Kitsch safely 'Scored' and up front waiting for Purchase... I now had my Mind on Vintage Fabrics and Vintage Fabrics on my Mind! *LOL* So... right away I zeroed in on this Persian Rug Remnant hiding beneath a Lovely Vignette...
If the Price is right I hardly ever pass up a Persian Rug or Remnant of one... so since this one was an Awesome Deal... it came Home with us to Bohemian Valhalla.
And it will have plenty of utilitarian uses 'til it finally ends up in a Bohemian Treasures Creation one day... I J'Adore the Vivid Hues and Design.
And remember that Handy Set of Extra Eyes I brought with me... Eyes like a Rat that don't miss a thing? Well, yes, they come in mighty handy because sometimes I'm so distracted by a prospective 'Score' that I could miss something that is just a Glance away. As I'm drooling over said Carpet Remnant Princess T is tugging at my pant leg and is crouched down on the floor next to THIS! And telling me to look down because she'd just Found an Adorable Little Footstool covered in a Remanant of the same Persian Rug!!!
I had failed to look down or even see what was under the table the Vignette was sitting upon so I would have totally missed it and walked away! *Gasp!* But being at her Eye Level she was 'Scouting' all of the Lower Vignettes that us Big People sometimes miss! And she knows exactly what Gramma likes and is Our Style. She'd also already check out the Price and determined it was a Bargain so she'd done all the Work for me... all I had to do was...
Add it to the Stash that my Friend Sweet Kim already had up at the front counter waiting on me! And yes... I totally Spaced Out and forgot the last Salvage Industrial Drawer covered with Persian Rug Remnant on the shelf up there behind her... see what happens when Rushes of Adrenalin on recent 'Scores' clouds your Pickin' Rhythm! *Smiles* Well... maybe I can contact Katie later about said Drawer... if it didn't Sell at the close of Business Day?
This too will serve double Duty Outdoors...
And Indoors...
And it will be getting a Gypsy Makeover with Vintage European Fringe and Trims as well as Antique Tea Stained Laces to make it just My Style. I haven't yet decided whether to paint the Wood with a Milk Paint Wash or just Oil it?
Whaddya Think? I'm letting you also weigh in on this Makeover since I'd like it either way.
But there is a Lil Surprise Somethin'-Somethin' that I Discovered underneath that I'm leaving completely alone for obvious reasons!!!
In Delightful Serendipity the underside has a board painted in my ALL TIME FAVORITE 1930's Hue of Seafoam Green that is Chipped, Aged and Weathered to Perfection! I Love Hidden and Layered Beauty in Objects, don't you? Nobody has to see it... but I know that it's there and it's a Special Secret Surprise for whoever Owns it. That's why when I make my Bohemian Bags I always try to make the Inside as Beautiful as the Outside, just for the benefit and Delight of the Person it belongs to.
Now back to the Event... I just Love Fresh Flowers at an Event. And SWEET SALVAGE always has an abundance of Living and Cut Fresh Flowers and Greenery amongst the Inventory... and often as a part of the Inventory you could Purchase. This Beautiful Bouquet was very likely a Gift to one of the Sweet Team... any one of them would be Deserving of such a Gift, they all Work so hard to bring these Events to us!
Absolutely no Space is left unattended and unstyled... even the Powder Rooms have Fab Displays and Inventory to Surprise and Delight... so don't forget to always check those rooms out... and yes, I ALWAYS check the Men's Room out too... I ain't missin' nothin'!!! *LOL*
And this Month the Goods were definitely in the Ladies' Powder Room... loads of Vintage European Fabrics! *Swooning* Not to mention this Killer Pink Vanity and Embroidered Ice-Cream Parlour Style Chair that matched it perfectly!!!
And on the Wall... another Persian Rug Remnant that I would have LOVED to have brought Home too had I not already used up the Pickin' Budget! Guess I visited the Powder Room too late... *Smiles*... but no... I was completely Content with what I had procured and this will just have to wait 'til another day perhaps.
And just a thought... but if you're timid about going completely Boheme' but the Style is beginning to Appeal to you... try it out on one of your Smaller Spaces and see how you can Live and Co-Exist with it first? I always do that when I'm Experimenting with different Styles than my Comfort Zone and Personal Aesthetic... just do a Small Space and see how it makes me Feel and how or if I Connect to it?
Sometimes just a small Nook of something completely Different is a nice little Surprise and might expand your Styling Horizons and Introduce you to something that you wouldn't even Imagine you could Live with and Enjoy. I'm Seriously Exploring the Possibility of a Small Space done Minimalistic with an Asian Zen Contemporary Theme... Really... for a little Spa Retreat and to Channel my Inner Minimalist that could be hiding in there somewhere waiting to come out!? *LOL* You never know where that Experimentation and Evolution could lead...
But wherever it leads I'm certain it will be a Journey to Enjoy and to take whether long term or short term...
And I'm so Happy that the Boho Nouveau Theme was so well received by the Community here in the Valley of the Sun... we may have Channeled some Inner Bohemian or Gypsy Soul in a few peeps, ya never know? Or Created some Modern Day Hippies among us?!? *Smiles* Know that you'll be in Good Company...
And even if it has given the Neutral and Colorless Palette Gals and Pastel Gals the Inspiration to add a Pop of Vivid Color into their World for perhaps a Season... it will all be Good!
You might Discover that you could be an Undercover Boho or Gypset Princess in Disguise!?! You never know what could be Ignited within you... and brought forth boldly...
And of coarse you know I took a gazillion more Images to Go Boho all the way for a few more Posts... and then Beyond since some other Events we attended this week also had Gypsy Flair... so be sure to keep coming back for more Bohemian Adventures from the Arizona Desert!!!
We'll see you next time...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian