So... I had been Lusting after them for Months and Saving my dollars for when I felt I'd accumulated enough to make a reasonable offer on them. Thankfully the Dealer Accepted my offer so no further negotiations were necessary... and the Art Nouveau Style Bookend Girls are now mine!!! *Happy Dance*
There's just something about the Art Nouveau Era that I really Connect to. In fact, I could see me in an Ensemble like this because it is Timeless, Stylish and Classy for any Era.
And now both Stylish Ladies are sitting on my desk right in front of me, organizng my India Temple Incense stick packets.
In fact, until I can get my Art Studio Cottage Remodeled and up and running, my Desk is my only Creative Space in the Main House that is Exclusively mine and Sacred Space nobody is allowed to mess with or use. So I like to Style this Room "Full On My Style" with no compromises so that I'm surrounded by the Atmosphere, Style and Vibe that I Love being immersed in!
Sure, many of the Rooms of this Old House hold my Treasures and I've Styled them all, but usually compromising my Aesthetic enough to Accommodate all the others who reside here and make it palatable to them too in all Fairness to the Family.
But of all the Rooms this one holds the Essence of my Soul best and what most draws me in, holds my Interest, Captivates me and what I'd Envision my Ideal Dream Home actually looking like if it were all about me and I had nobody else to consider Decorating for. If there were no Restraints to Styling the entire Home would look more like this Room.
And it is within the walls of these deeply Personal Spaces I've gone "Full On Me" in that I recognize who I am at my very Core. My True Aesthetic and what I Truly Love. Most of the Collections and Decor in this Space will never be Turned in a Showroom or given away... well, not while I'm still vertical anyways! *LOL*
Now, whether you've done up one Space or an entire Home "Full On You" I think you'll know what I'm talking about? It's these Spaces that are an Extension of Self and anyone walking into it will Feel your Essence and what you're about, what makes you tick and squeal with Delight when you Discover it and make it yours!
I often switch up most of the rest of our Home, but in these deeply Personal Spaces I find that not much really Changes in the way of Aesthetic, except maybe a few new Additions of Ultra Special Pieces newly procured in the Forever Keepers Category. This will also be the Space, for me anyway, that I'll tuck some Creative Elements that I don't want to Forget about... so that they For Sure end up being made into a Bohemian Treasure by Dawn.
So the Room can get a bit cluttered at times with random Elements awaiting a Project... but for some reason, unlike the other areas of the Home that I prefer to keep in Order and de-cluttered if at all possible, it never bothers me to have my Beautiful Mess in here... my Organized Chaos. *Smiles*
And many of the items chosen to Grace this Space I just Enjoy being surrounded by often. This Old House has many Rooms and some of them aren't utilized all that much really... or I might not even go into some Rooms for extended days at a time... nor will anyone else. We have our Rooms that we each frequent most... and mine is this one... I'm here at some point in time every single day.
It is also a room with many entrances and exits so it's a Pass-Thru Room that everyone will walk thru at some point in time during the course of a day also. So what is in here will be seen, often... and Enjoyed regularly. So many of my very Favorite Found Treasures will typically be in here and not rotate out very often, if at all.
I only lament that the Space isn't larger so that I'd have more Styling Options! *LOL* But... that's what the Art Studio Cottage will be for... that Unrestrained deeply Personal Space that is an entire BUILDING that I can go 'Full On Me' in and be Creative to my Heart's Content! *Winks*
The Timing hasn't been right to Concentrate on that Space yet though... until things Calm down sufficiently that we can immerse ourselves in the Grandoise Project it will be to come to Fruition as I Envision it being.
And the same goes for Showroom #113... which one day I Hope to also have reflect 'Full On Me' Retail Style. I only Hope my Customers will Receive it well and be ready for 'Full On Me' there?! *Smiles* The hardest part for my Retail Spaces is Sourcing enough of 'Pure My Style' to Feather my own Nest AND have abundance of it for Inventory too to fill a Showroom! You see, 'My Style' isn't that plentiful in the Pickins' around these parts.
The Weird and the Wonderful... the Oddities and the Relics... the Religious Antiquities and Bohemian Splendor are Scarce in the Arizona Desert Region... or cannot usually be had at a Bargain even when you can locate it. And I am not in a position to be able to satisfy my Wanderlust and hit the Open Road to go Pickin' across the States or Overseas, due to Personal Reasons with the Family.
And my ability to just Create what I want and need has also been hindered by the Issues of Life for quite some time now. So my other Hope is to be able to get the Studio up and running and sequester myself in there again, like the Old Days, and Create what I want and need for my own Spaces and to fill my Showrooms to offer for Sale again.
The Frustrated Artist in me has been Yearning to Create again... because Truly I Live and Breathe Art and Beauty... and not being able to Create my own has been difficult. And so I've Exposed myself more to the Art and Creativity of others to fill the Void it has left in my Soul so that it can be fed. There's so many Ideas I want to Explore, so many Projects I want to get busy with and have the Time for, Workshops to take, new Art Forms to Learn.
I have always said that had I not had a Family to take Care of and Support, I would have been quite Content to be the Starving Artist, even if I remained Obscure and Created just for the sake of it rather than being able to make a Living at it.
And if I were not a Full Time Caregiver I would probably be Lost in the Creative Process most of the Hours of my day with utter Contentment being in my own Bubble. Emerging only for Socializing, the Thrill of the Hunt, Nature Walks, and whatever Events piqued my Interest.
I realize that my Needs really are quite Simple, I'm not a complicated person and it's the little things in Life that I tend to Enjoy the most.
The older I get the more Simplified I like my days actually, the more my Routine is uninterrupted the Happier I am... I really am a Creature of habit even though I tend to be Spontaneous in Nature and not much of a Planner of how the day will unfold. I Enjoy the Journey more than the actual Destination, whatever and where ever that might be.
But striking that delicate Balance when you do have other Obligations and Loved Ones to Consider is sometimes quite Sacrificial... and there are things that you must give up, put on the back burner, not dare to Dream about just yet because the Waiting would get to you.
And so for me, at this particular Season of Life, I have Adapted and Improvised... Okay, so some Dreams might not actually pan out as originally Envisioned and Desired... but I can Modify them to a degree that I don't have to forfeit them completely.
The Traveling part may have to wait and be put on Hold for an indefinite amount of time... but I can Transport myself on the Canvas of my Imagination and within my own four walls of any Space I'm spending Time in regularly. And that is the Process I'm delving into right now... Refining the Found Treasures so that only that which is Loved Best remains as Decor and Collections.
That which Inspires me and makes me Smile and Feel Good to be surrounded by.
And I know that when things Settle down I'll be able to make the Time for Creative Pursuits again. Maybe not as often as I would prefer, but that's Okay, so long as I can set aside some Time for it, enough to Feed my Soul.
And Maintain Areas throughout the Home that the rest of the Family can Feel at Home with... which can take the wear and tear, Posse's of Playmates, the spills and Happy Accidents that come with daily Family Living.
And I'm Fortunate that I do have a Family that Indulges me in my overall Vision for the Home with a lot of latitude and very few Compromises really, so long as they're Comfortable and the House is a Home, which is a Reasonable Expectation. And fulfill those requests and needs they each have... such as The Man requesting and needing larger, squishier lounging Pillows to relieve some of his Pressure Points of Pain after the Accident. For use in his now Favorite Chair that used to be mine, but I relinquished because it's the most Comfortable for him to lounge in now.
And I was Delighted to find him a Huge, Squishy Down Pillow Created by my Friend Shelly out of Vintage Sturdy European Grain Sack Material that can hold up to Manly Daily Lounging... and with the Hand-Dyed Vintage Velvet Ruffled Accents I so Love and is Distinctly 'My Style' too... and Whimsically and Appropriately bearing the Accent of a Medical Cross in it's center! *LOL*
Because the things that actually make a House a Home aren't really things at all... nor Styling... nor Aesthetic... but the Moments... which are Priceless and cannot be bought or sold. And I'm absolutely certain that when I'm on my Deathbed I won't be asking for any of the Found Treasures to be brought to my bedside, no matter how much I J'Adored them during Life... the last Images I'll want to see are the Beloved in my Life... and I'm sure you will too my Friends. {Yes, she's Recovering nicely, even though sometimes she chooses to Nap in the Laundry Basket! It's one of HER Quirks! Winks}
And MY Quirks and Other Loves, well, most of you know what they are by now, don't you, since I'm quite the Open Book?!? *Winks*
And my Weaknesses... both in things I have trouble saying No to... *LOL*
And Beloved Peeps I have trouble saying No to as well... *Le Sigh*
Well... the Epic Post has Concluded my Friends... Wish you could be here to also Enjoy some Fresh Fruit Tart with me... *Winks*
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian