I Love Pickin'! The Thrill Of The Hunt is Intensely Satisfying and Gratifying to me, I can do it for Hours, regardless of how I'm Feeling Physically or Emotionally. I'm in The Zone when I'm on the prowl for Found Treasures, I should have always known I could do this for a Living. I look forward with Eager Anticipation to every 'Pick'. I only Wish I had sufficient Space to Organize and Inventory it all while it waits to become Showroom bound... and so I Restrain myself from Pickin' too often, but only because of that particular Limitation. You see, I don't need a big 'Pickin' Budget, it would be Nice to have one, but I don't need one to have a Successful 'Pick'.
I'm a Digger... I can dig thru mounds of Trash in Search of that Treasure waiting to be uncovered and Discovered. I don't mind getting dirty, in fact, the more offputting it would be to some folks, the more Assured I am that I'll find something that was Missed because most wouldn't bother to Search there or Believe that something Worthwhile could be 'Scored'. You'd be Amazed at some of the Treasures I've Found being a Committed Digger! Yes, 'The Boy Christ' was a recent Dig 'Score'.
So was this Awesome Old Canvas Image of a Hollywood Glam Starlet in an equally Awesome Old Frame! Very 1930's Fay Wray Type Beauty, though it's not Signed and so I'm not sure who it is exactly, she's just who it reminded me of.
My Maternal Nanna's Old Portraits in her Youth always looked Flapper Era Awesome like this, she got Married in a Flapper Dress and Flapper Pea Hat in fact, very Theatrical she was from Years of being on the Stage!
So many things I've Decorated our Home with to Accessorize the Dream Purchases were 'Picked' and Cost a pittance... so it was easier to Save for and Invest in the Anchor Pieces that were the Fantasy Buys. You see, I also Love a Restoration Project... bringing something back to Life or into a New Purpose after it has been damaged and/or discarded by others and considered Worthless or Trash.
I Love to Imagine the Potential of a Thing... or Decorate with it just because of it's Intrinsic Value. I take my Seam Binding out of the Package and Decorate with it until I'll be using it for a Creation or Project. I Like the way it looks just draped over other Beautiful Things. I could be duly Inspired just beholding a Sea of Colorful Seam Binding or torn Strips of Vintage Velvet.
In fact, I could layer my entire Home in Colorful Seam Binding and Vintage Velvets! I have piles of them everywhere and my Tapestries and Vintage Velvets are some of my Oldest Fabric Collections and several were Inherited and I remember from Childhood Gracing all of our Homes. Mom also had an Insatiable Appetite for Exotic and Luxurious Fabrics, it must be Genetic with us, having that Luxurious Fabric Craving Gene!? *Winks*
And I'm always paying Attention to other Lovelies I see that Intrigue me... so that I'll Recognize the Value of such Things when I'm on a 'Pick' and Digging... because it is thru Educating myself over a Lifetime of Exposure to the Good Stuff, that I've Learn to Recognize it where ever I may come across it!? I've come across it in some very strange ways indeed, you wouldn't Believe it in fact!
I've always had an Admiration for the Antique Doorstops, especially the Lovely Floral ones... I always stop and Admire those I've seen in Antique Stores and Shows so that I could Recognize the Real Deal, opposed to the many Reproductions out there. I always wanted to begin a Collection of them even though they aren't Affordable to me as a Collectible. But over the Years I've been able to begin a Collection of them anyway, by Discovering some on Digs!!!
This Lovely matching Pair for example I got in a bagged Lot for under two bucks on a 'Pick'... along with other items in the bag I Flipped for over ten bucks and so they were Beyond Free... I could keep them for my Budding Antique Door Stop Collection and still make a Profit from my 'Buy'! *Winks* Since most Antique Door Stops of the Genre I Love are around $80+ each, this was an Exciting and yet totally unexpected 'Score' of pure Serendipity. I Love when that happens, don't you?
And I'm always trying to Learn about what I don't know much about and the Tricks of the Trade... lately I've been sniffing Vintage Barbies... {long story}... and sorry Pamela, but she doesn't smell like Crayons to me so I don't know whether or not she's as Old as Me, she sure looks like it tho'! *Winks* So I'll have to run her by you and get more Intel! *LOL*
And I'm always trying to Learn about what I don't know much about and the Tricks of the Trade... lately I've been sniffing Vintage Barbies... {long story}... and sorry Pamela, but she doesn't smell like Crayons to me so I don't know whether or not she's as Old as Me, she sure looks like it tho'! *Winks* So I'll have to run her by you and get more Intel! *LOL*
And I don't just 'Pick' what I would particularly Collect or Decorate with... it makes it easier to part with those Found Treasures that are very Nice and I Like and know I can make a Profit on, but aren't particularly Tempted to want to Keep. But I never Buy what I can't make Money on or what I don't Like or Love and wouldn't even remotely Consider putting in our own Home. If I wouldn't be caught dead Decorating with it, why would I think you would? *LOL* And since the majority of my Customers Appreciate my Vibe and particular Aesthetic... so they are naturally my target Audience and Following... I keep that in Mind when Sourcing Inventory. If I don't at least Like it or Love it, they probably won't either.
I don't always go Full Tilt Me when Sourcing Inventory... but there is always at least some of Me in the Choices I've Selected. And call me Crazy, but I've often 'passed' on Items I know I could make Money on, but which aren't my Aesthetic at all so I won't even Consider them.
I don't just want a bunch of disparate objects in my Showrooms... I like the Weird, the Wonderful and the Quirky, so you'll often find that being Offered... but if it doesn't 'fit' the Vibe it would just look out of place IMO and that would probably bother me far more than it would any Customer. *LOL* They don't have to be Functional or Perfect... just Right and Fitting. Yep, Old Zither that has seen better days was a Dig 'Score' in a pile of Trash... I think it Looks Cool even tho' it's falling apart.
I don't just want a bunch of disparate objects in my Showrooms... I like the Weird, the Wonderful and the Quirky, so you'll often find that being Offered... but if it doesn't 'fit' the Vibe it would just look out of place IMO and that would probably bother me far more than it would any Customer. *LOL* They don't have to be Functional or Perfect... just Right and Fitting. Yep, Old Zither that has seen better days was a Dig 'Score' in a pile of Trash... I think it Looks Cool even tho' it's falling apart.
Presentation is always Important to me... both in where I Shop when I'm seeking out those Fantasy Purchases and Anchor Pieces for our Home... and in my own Showrooms. It is a dichotomy of sorts that I don't mind 'Pickin' in a Mess or a Mound of Trash and Digging, and totally Revel in it... but when it comes to those Special Purchases or my own Sales, I want it to Look a certain way and the Presentation is so Important to me.
You see, it must be the Expectation... that if I walk into a Brick and Mortar Shop that Specializes in what I Love... or Attend a Show or Event... the Art of Display is Paramount to me and will usually set the Atmosphere for Buying those Special Purchases. But, if I'm at a Flea Market, Junquing or Scavenging, I don't Expect as much in the way of Presentation and Styling because that's the Nature of finding a Diamond in the Rough and a Bargain at those Venues. It Helps if it's Displayed Well or somewhat Organized, but it isn't Necessary to me or Important on a 'Dig' or 'Pick'.
And right now my Home is a Hoarded Hot Mess of the Piles of Found Treasures from the last few 'Picks' that either haven't yet been Sorted into 'Keep' and 'Sell' Piles or Inventoried for the Showrooms. I'm trying not to let that Cycle bother me so much anymore, knowing that it's all a Work in Progress. *LOL* This Gorgeous Antique Beveled Mirror was 'Scored' on a recent Dig, buried under Trash! It's Screaming to be a 'Keeper' and since I'm already a Collector slash Hoarder of Antique Mirrors, it could end up being Kept... since I actually 'Scored' TWO on the Dig and don't have as much of a Love Affair with the other one. *Smiles*
The other one is equally Heavy, Old and Beautiful and has a Rounded Top... but I'm really Connecting with the Egg and Dart Details on the Old Wood Frame of this one and it's larger impressive size. Believe me, these Old Mirrors weigh as much as a Boat Anchor!
Both have some of the Cool Hazing of Old Mirrors that I Love, I never see that as a Negative aspect of the Aging Process of Old Mirrors, but if you do, there are Products on the Market now that allegedly remove it... I wouldn't know if their Claims are True since I always keep my Hazing. And in looking at the Shambles reflected in the Mirrors, I realize that the G-Kid Force did NOT pick up all their Art Supplies off the floor before they left for their Sleepover at The Son's Girlfriend's House! They tend to kick things UNDER Furniture to give the Appearance they Cleaned, knowing that Grandpa and I rarely get down on the Floor anymore to check, lest we can't get back up! *Le Sigh* So see... these Old Mirrors are good for Recon Missions so I can Justify propping them all over the House! *LOL*
But I can't blame all the Mess on the G-Force, most of it is admittedly mine, you would think I'm Moving Out or something. Especially with all the Old Suitcases I have laying around with the piles of Inventory! *LOL* I keep 'Scoring' them and though I've Let Go of a good many, I still have a Vintage Suitcase Hoard of Epic Proportions... so if I was ever to Run Away From Home... you know... I'd be Golden for enough Suitcases to do it with! *Winks* Yeah, can you see I've STILL got being a Stowaway for the next Trip to Vegas on my Mind?! *Ha ha ha!*
I've even got my Running Away Shoes... well, if I was Fairie Sized that is... aren't they Adorable!?! And Perfect for that Fantasy Getaway?!? And Yes, that IS another Old Mirror from the Antique Mirror Hoard. A LARGE Antique Mirror propped on a Bed in the Guest Room, just because it's so long it's the only place it would fit for now... just to give you an Idea of how ridiculous my piles have gotten lately! *Winks*
Yep, 'Scored' them on a Dig too... amongst a pile of Old Shoes... some tiny Magic Slippers... I can only Imagine the Wee Princess that had once worn them... alas, too small for Princess T to do the Cinderella Thing with, Believe me, she tried valiantly to squeeze them on! *LOL* But, ah... how we LOVE Pickin'... you just never know what The Thrill Of The Hunt will uncover!!!
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian