I ain't gonna lie, with long Buffet Spreads of Holiday Foods and Confections and so many of our Friends present in one spot, I spent far more time eating and Socializing than Photographing all the Festivities! *LOL* Lucky for me my Friend Pamela takes her Job far more seriously and Beautifully covered the Events to Share here in the Land of Blog... it's always good to have Photography Backup, just in case, right? *Winks* So, many of the Images are Courtesy of Pamela's Faithfulness to bring you all along virtually and give me enough Visuals to actually Create a Post! You can Thank her later... *Smiles*
I had to lead off with the one thing I haven't bought myself for Christmas but am totally Jonesin' for... this 1930's Seafoam Green Old Door! *Swooning Lustfully after it, yes, we're definitely having a Forbidden Love Affair!*
It's Okay though, The Man knows I have Forbidden Love Affairs with every Old Door I meet! *LOL* He had to stop on his way to the Holiday Party for me to Photograph it after all! Since it intercepted us in the Loft Area on the way to the Buffet! *LOL*
Source: My Friend Pamela
I really miss Working with my Friends as a Key Dealer. Even though I only worked Part Time I looked forward to my Shifts, when you're doing something you Love then it's not like Work at all is it? Granted, I still have my two Showrooms and that keeps me busy when I can get in there to Work them.
Source: My Friend Pamela
Of coarse I get to see all my Dealer Friends and Co-Workers when we have our Events. The Christmas Party had a great turnout and we all had a Good Time.
And since she'd been behind the lens most of the Evening, I took some candid shots of my Friend Pamela and her Oldest Daughter in front of one of my Showrooms, both have Matching Identical Beautiful Sunny Smiles, like Mother, like Daughter!
Its so nice when all of our Families can get together during the Holidays at Events like these and Share Special Memories. I find it difficult to Host Holiday Parties at Home nowadays like we used to, so this is the next best thing.
Of coarse the Dessert Buffet was my downfall at the Christmas Party... just look at that Selection of Confections!!! I've been losing weight so well and I'm trying not to gain it all back during the Holiday Season! *LOL*
Source: My Friend Pamela
Our Friends at THE BRASS ARMADILLO {both locations Staff came together to pull this off} worked tirelessly to Host the Christmas Party for all of the Dealers and we Appreciated all their their hard work and showing us how much they Appreciate us too.
Our Friend Hugh Gifted Princess T with some more OOAK Original Oil Paintings by an Artist out of Taos, New Mexico. Both he and Princess T Share a Love of Fine Art and he really digs that she Appreciates the Good Stuff at such a tender age and Admires his vast Art Collections, so he's helping her to expand her Art Gallery Collection.
So, she wanted to Surprise Mister Hugh with a Christmas Gift from her, so we chose something out of Gramma's Primitives Collection that we knew he'd really like since he Collects Old Pottery. So this Lidded Antique Pottery Crock with Blue Accents was just the thing to stick a bright Blue Bow on top of and present to Mister Hugh during this Weekend's Sale when we'd all be there together again! He Loved it... and especially since it was from his little Princess T, he Adores her just as much as she Adores him!
Source: My Friend Pamela
My Co-Worker Friend Joseph was there with his little one... neither of us Works as a Key Dealer anymore, but we spent many a 2nd Shift Working together, he and his Wife are such a Sweet Young Couple.
Source: My Friend Pamela
Yes... our Friends were showing up in droves and everyone looked so Festive and Adorable, I'm so Glad that Pamela took so many pixs of everyone and Shared them, since I was slack at the Pathological Photo taking at the Events this time around! *Gasp... Shocking I know! Winks*
Source: My Friend Pamela
Yes, you too Hugh, you're Adorable too! *Smiles*\
Source: My Friend Pamela
Sometimes it's only at the Events that we all manage to get together since everyone's Schedules are so busy and hectic... and so many of the Dealers Travel to other Shows across the Country and other States to do their Pickin'.
Source: My Friend Pamela
But when we do get together we can catch up on what everyone's been up to and swap Junquing Stories and Share our mutual Passion for the Love Of Old Stuff. That's the real Beauty when Kindred Spirits get together isn't it... we REALLY ENJOY the back end Stories we all Share of our Found Treasures, Adventures on the Thrill of the Hunt and the Provenance of those Special Finds that Excited us upon Discovery!
Source: My Friend Pamela
In fact, this was some of the Friends at our table Sharing those Stories over our Dealer's Christmas Dinner! *Smiles*
Source: My Friend Pamela
And the Kiddos have a Big Time as well, since everyone brings their Families and so there's also lots of Youngsters... and so many of them have grown up around the Antiques, Vintage Items and Collectibles and come along on the Junquing Adventures, already becoming Seasoned 'Pickers' and 'Negotiators'. So you'd be Surprised how many of the Kids are also swapping Stories about those Found Treasures they 'Scored' or want to 'Score'! *LOL*
Source: My Friend Pamela
And Pamela obliged by taking some Family Pixs for us as well... it's so hard when you're always the ones behind the lens to ever get in front of it with your Loved Ones.
Source: My Friend Pamela
And of coarse we always have to have one of Pamela's famous Photoshopped Images! *LOL... Hey, I'm having serious Hat Envy Pamela, yours is so much bigger and more Fabulous than mine! Winks*
And here's the Kiddos at the Flea Market Parking Lot Sale with our Friend Amy... who really spoils them rotten with Gifts! Yes, Princess T brought her Infamous Pug Purse, Mister Fluffy Pants... so, Imagine our Surprise when...
Our Friend Miss Myko brought the Real Deal, her new Pug Puppy Mister Pickles!!! Who looks JUST LIKE Mister Fluffy Pants! Well, that and the Pug in 'Men In Black'!!! *LOL*
Mister Pickles was Loving all the Attention... and how absolutely Adorable is that mardie little tongue sticking out for the Photo Op?!? Not many can upstage the Princess in a Photo Shoot, but Mister Pickles is definitely a Show Stealer and Loves the Camera as well! *Smiles*
During the Parking Lot Flea Market Sale we also had the Antique and Vintage Car Show going on. This was the G-Kids Favorite Vintage 'ride'.
And it was pretty chilly that Morning so a perfect excuse for Hot Coffee for a change rather than Iced Coffee! *LOL* And finally we can also wear our Jackets because it's feeling a bit Wintery now in the early Mornings and Late Evenings here in the Arizona Desert! *Smiles*
Fellow Junquers and Friends Sal, Dan and Michael Trading Junquing Stories. This trio really has a fine selection of Mantiques in their Booths.
But don't worry Gals... there was also a Wealth of the Found Treasures that we J'Adore as well! That's why I Love a Good Flea Market!
And THE BRASS ARMADILLO is so Generous to their Dealers that during most of these Special Events they provide the Dealers with Breakfast as we arrive {This one was catered by Manuels} AND...
Lunch as well!!! {This one was catered by Papa John's Pizza} So you can really concentrate on your Customers and your Retail Spaces without having to leave the Mall to feed everyone during a Busy Event. And that's really Important, so much of the Work has been done for me by the Staff at The Brass so it makes doing this possible without it consuming me and taking precious Time away from my Family.
And the Staff do Work hard during these busy Events... and I only have to be there when I can be without feeling as though I'm torn between Business, Family and Pleasure... I can have it all... and how Special is that?!?!
I Love looking down from the Loft Retail Space because you can get such a Great Panoramic View of what's going on at the Main Floor.
Where can you find a Polar Bear in the Arizona Desert? Why, at our Antique Mall, that's where!!!
I thought Princess T might be falling in Love with this guy and he was pretty darn big so there would be no place at Bohemian Valhalla for him!!!
This is usually her 'Please... Gramma' face... but she was just messing with me! *LOL and Whew! Insert me wiping brow with Relief!*
And since during our Dealer Christmas Party we could get 15% Off anything in the Mall I must say it was pretty Tempting because there was so much Great stuff begging to come Home with each of us! *LOL* How Sweet is this Burlap Teddy Bear Wreath?
And during our 'Name Your Own Price Sale' this Weekend all Customers could haggle with Dealers and try to Negotiate their Best Deal just in time for Christmas!!!
I have so much Fun Haggling and taking Customer Offers that I do quite well during this 'Name Your Own Price' Sale and it's one of my Favorite Events. Not only for Selling... but also for Buying if there's something I want to try to Negotiate my Best Deal to 'Score'! *Winks*
And of coarse you all KNOW what that was, didn't you? That one Salvage Treasure that I Rushed there first day of the 'Name Your Own Price Sale' to try to Negotiate my Best Deal for... as Princess T rolled me out of bed early, reminding me we needed to get there Early! *LOL... yep, that Kid is better than any Alarm Clock!*
And yep folks, my Offer was ACCEPTED!!! *Booyah, insert me doing my Victory Happy Dance!*
Source: My Friend Pamela
Dontcha just Love it when a Good Deal comes together like that? I Love to Barter and Haggle, I so Enjoy the Art of the Deal, don't you?
This only had to move downstairs to Showroom #133 where it will become part of a Display for that Showroom.
For right now it's just propped up in there... but it will soon become part of a Display for Inventory.
That 1920-1930's Era Hue of Seafoam Green is my Absolute Favorite Color... and the Hardware on that Old door on both sides is to Die For too... and the Window is the Original Glass... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!
I also Loved having such a Fabulous Breakfast {and Lunch} Catered for us while we Worked the 'Name Your Own Price' Sale too... just look at that Breakfast Buffet Spread!!!
I was actually Glad for once that Princess T had rolled me out so early! *LOL* It's so Tempting on the Weekends, when I don't have to get them up and ready for School, to want to sleep in 'til practically Lunchtime, you know! *Ha ha ha*
Source: My Friend Pamela
But then seriously, I would have missed so much of the Fun and Festivities wouldn't I?!? And there will be Future Posts showcasing some of the Fabulous Inventory we had at all these Events... so stay tuned and be sure to come back...
Source: My Friend Pamela
Merry Christmas... Dawn... The Bohemian... and her Family and Friends