Source: BRASS ARMADILLO WEST FB Page
Before I tell you all about how Wonderfully the Memorial Day "Name Your Own Price" Sale went at THE BRASS ARMADILLO WEST let me just get the Rant out of the way first... I almost had this Post completed and it Deleted itself some kinda way even though it had been 'Saved' along the way! WTF?!??! That has never happened before and there went an Hour's worth of Blogging down the tubes in an instant and into the Abyss that is Cyberspace! *Grrrrrrrrrr!* Okay... so now that I've gotten that off my chest and outta my System *Winks* on with how the Sale went! Lotsa my Friends stopped by the Showroom as I was busy wheelin' and dealin' and Sales were brisk so I was Jazzed!
Source: BRASS ARMADILLO WEST FB Page
You know how much I Adore Negotiating and Haggling... so I was in my Element... and Visiting with my Friends and the Customers was a blast! This isn't even like Working... it's Pure Bliss and I'm having so much Fun with it! And it's a Small World 'cause a Young Apache Couple that came by the Showroom just happened to be from the Reservation my Dad's Family are from! The Wife said I looked a lot like her Aunt... so who knows, mebbe we were Kinfolk? *LOL* And you'll never believe this... but I forgot my Camera!!! *Gasp... The Horror!!!* Luckily my Friend Pamela filled in to Photograph the Event for me! *Whew* And got some good Candid Shots of some of us during the Event...
Source: BRASS ARMADILLO WEST FB Page
We had Enjoyed a Wonderful Catered Dealer Breakfast from 'Manuels' before the Mall Opened... and then complimentary Dealer Bar-B-Que for Lunch with my Friend Dealer Dan as Grillmaster... YUM!!! We also Received these nifty Dealer T-Shirts to wear and Helium Balloons to Decorate with anchored by these Great Cowbells!!! All I could think of was my Fav Vintage 'Saturday Night Live' Skit with Christopher Walken and Will Farrell... MORE COWBELL!!! *LOL*
Source: BRASS ARMADILLO WEST FB Page
Honestly I don't know who was having more Fun, the Customers or the Dealers?!? I'd like to see more of these "Name Your Own Price" Sales throughout the Summer since they are so well Received by the Public and Dealers alike.
And isn't that the Adorable Old Mall Mascot Max hitchin' a ride?!? Old Max suffers from Arthritis like many of us Seniors and yet he is always so Friendly to everyone, Cheerful and Delighted to Work alongside his Master, he's an Inspiration to any of us who are afflicted with painful joints. And a reminder to be mindful of not getting Grumpy when we're having those uncomfortable days. And you can see he's Smart too... saving those Old Legs by hitchin' a ride! *Winks* Whoever said you can't teach an Old Dog New Tricks never met Max! *Smiles*
I managed to sneak my swiveling Mid-Century Modern Bar Stools outta the House... the G-Kid Force had gotten very attached to them since they Spin *Winks* and didn't want Gramma to Sell them. I must say it was Tempting to keep them because they're so Cool and Comfy, but they're too tall for our Tables and we don't have a Bar or Breakfast Bar... but I knew I had to do a Covert Ops Departure of them lest there be Drama, Pleading and Tears! *LOL*
Though they'd been in Storage for some time, the Previous Owner took excellent care of them and they still have the Original Turquoise Upholstery and are in Great Condition for their Age. The G-Kid Force are drawn to the Contemporary Futuristic Furnishings of the 60's, which is really Popular with the Younger Generation since it's so very George Jetson!
And they were really comfy whilst I was sitting in front of the Showroom wheelin' and dealin' Memorial Day... and they made good Props for Photographing some of the other Inventory coming in for the Sale... like the Bohemian Clock and Tuscan Landscape Painting.
All kinds of Unique Treasures were making their way up to the Cashiers. Check out this Unique Lamp from the 1940's that still has it's Original Bulb with tiny Tole Roses that light up inside... still in Working Condition, what a 'Score'!!! The Young Couple that bought it were dressed totally Period Retro and were so stinkin' Cute!!! I'd Love to see how their Home is Decorated, Retro with a Modern Edge!?!
If you J'Adore Retro then there was plenty of Inventory for you to Negotiate for! I just Love the Art of the Deal, don't you?
And there were a lot of things that caught my Eye... but you would be Proud of me... I only made Purchases to Improve the Showroom...
Like this Awesome Vintage Persian Rug for the floor... which I got at a Killer Deal! I Photographed it before I Duct-Taped the edges down.
And I'd spent all Week Pickin' with the G-Kid Force to have plenty of Inventory for the Sales this Month... I 'Scored' a Trio of these Great Art Deco Salvage Windows!!!
Great Colors and Textures and Leaded features... two of them Sold immediately... but there was one still left.
Though I don't know how long it will last since I Priced everything to Sell... these Windows... only Thirty-Five Bucks each! 'Cause I KNOW you all Love a Deal as much as I do, right?!!! *Winks*
And Frames... without the Art in them, sell FAST... so I'm always Sourcing those.
This is a Large one with Great Gesso Details on the Corners.
And the more Inventory that Clears Out... the more Inventory I can bring in...
Another little Rant I'll throw in... this Weekend I had another Attempted Burglary Incident in my New Studio Cottage... someone used Bolt Cutters to cut off the Lock!!! *Gasp!* Thankfully they didn't get the chance to steal anything and I was able to notice right away, Call Police and get the Cottage Secured with new Security Measures. I absolutely Love our Old Home, but the Older Neighborhoods in recent years have been hit particularly hard with Burglaries and Vandalism and it really chaps my hide and I'm fed up with it!!! This used to be such a nice area to raise a Family in, with Great Neighbors, until about two years ago when many of the Original Home Owners that bought their Homes in the 1950's began dying off or moving. If The Man wasn't so Sick and if we had the Resources to, I'd probably move, even though this is our Dream Home and I hate to even think about giving it up due to the Criminal Element victimizing Good Decent People. May Bad Karma catch up with them all!!!
It was good to see such Patriotism at the Mall with many of the Dealers Decorating and Styling their Spaces with Red, White and Blue to pay Homage to the Veterans. I know that Memorial Day is particularly Poignant for our Family since we lost some Friends during Wartime... and many Older Veterans we Love have also passed from Time into Eternity now.
I think that my Dad would have been particularly Proud to see me now stepping out in Faith and finally doing something I've always wanted to do... following a Lifelong Passion and turning a Profit at doing something I absolutely Love and feel Purposed to do... being a Full Time Artist, Antiques/Collectibles Dealer and Junquer Extraordinaire.
Though I certainly Enjoyed much Success in my Corporate Lives when my Dad was still this side of Time and Eternity and he was very Proud of my Accomplishments, deep at our Cores he and I have always had a Love of Art and being Artistic Beings... and a Love Of Old. I remember Scouring the Flea Markets all across Europe with my Parents and Bartering with the Locals, which was a great way to learn and perfect the Native Language of any Country Hosting you as their Guest.
Some of my fondest Memories are during the Thrill Of The Hunts with Family and Friends and the Treasures we'd find in our Adventures. I've Traveled the World doing it... and in numerous States here in the U.S. and it's a blast where ever it takes you! BTW: 'Scored' this Awesome Floor Globe in a recent Junquing Adventure.
In fact, I can hardly keep Globes and Wall Maps in Stock because they Sell so quickly... the rolled Wall Map Sold within an Hour of it hitting the Showroom! And I was down to a mere Globe before discovering the Standing Globe... which shouldn't last long either since it's Priced to Sell FAST!
In fact, the Thrill Of The Hunt has never Lost it's Appeal or it's Excitement for me... I Enjoy it as much as I ever have and the Urge to Junque is in our DNA I think since the entire Family is 'into' it and has a Natural Talent for it. The G-Kid Force prompt me to go 'Pickin' more than I have the Seed Money to do it in fact... and then Princess T reminds me that we can STILL go even if I don't have any Money... 'cause look at all the Freebies or Practically-Freebies we've often found Gramma! *Winks*
The Kid is right... it's unbelievable what some folks will discard and not place any Value upon! Here's two such Treasures in fact... an Old Suitcase with a Lovely Interior Lining... and a Cool Old Black Art Deco Gooseneck Lamp! The Addams-Family-Gal in me really wanted to keep that Old Lamp since it's kinda Goth... but I have so many Lamps and Chandies around Bohemian Valhalla that I'm finally beginning to Purge the Cache of them I've Collected and amassed. So Ambiant Lighting abounds in the Showroom now!
Well... the 2nd Attempt at this 'took' so it's Time to call it a Night my Friends...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian