Yes, it's that time once again to say Farewell to the SWEET SALVAGE Event until Next Month, August 15-18, when the Theme will be 'Second Time Around' for the Second Anniversary of the Shop! Wow, has it already been Two Years?!? How Time flies when we're having Fun! And how Perfectly Timed that Next Month's Event will fall during the Week of my Birthday! *Winks*
Will I have a Birthday Gift List... well, of coarse!!! *Smiles* And since I'm having a long, drawn out Farewell on the Finale' Post... in order to use up all the Images I went berserk taking... you better sit down and get real Comfortable if you Intend to take it all in! That's the necessary Disclaimer I Feel Obligated to stick in there when I know I'm gonna go L-O-N-G!!! *Smiles* But if you Enjoy Visual Overload, well, this is certainly the Post for you my Friend!
And there are sure to be Treasures I find that aren't even on The List, you know how it is... sometimes you don't even know what you're looking for 'til you SEE it! And if you don't see something in this Post that makes you Swoon, I'm checking your Pulse, Seriously.
Those are actually the most Exciting Finds for me... those I wasn't even looking for and which Found Me instead!!! How about you?
A good portion of the Thrill Of The Hunt is not knowing what to Expect or what you'll actually Find!?! I'm not much of a 'List' Person or Structured 'Picker' actually, I prefer Spontaneous Encounters with Serendipity when I'm Treasure Hunting, Junquing and Scavenging.
And just being Inspired and Visually Delighted is Priceless and worth the Trip!
These particular Southwestern Style Inspired Vignettes were Visually very Stimulating and I just Loved them... the Wardrobe and Accessories were definitely Wearable Art and very Gypsy Cowgirl, so I could see myself wearing any or ALL of it. *Winks*
After all, who doesn't Love wearing a Good Pair of Vintage Cowboy or Cowgirl Boots, they go with everything... and more importantly, they are the perfect Arizona Desert Attire in fact.
And the Vignette Inspired by the Movie 'Fried Green Tomatoes' made me want to pull up a seat and order something delish... in fact, those Vintage Counter Stools would match my Vintage Lucy Chairs! If only I had a way to safely anchor them for The G-Kid Force, I might have considered them as the mismatched seating at my Retro Diner Table!!! But I did Visit with the Lady that ended up purchasing a pair of them and thoroughly Enjoyed hearing about the Project she had for Decorating with them... her Home sounded Awesome!!!
Okay, what shall we order? How about a Retro Style Sundae or Malt? I'm always Down for that! *Winks*
There's something about Dining at a Cafe or Retro Diner that just can't be beat... I always Love the Atmosphere and Home Cooked Classic Meals, Beverages and Desserts they Serve.
I was Lusting after this Awesome Log Cabin Bread Industrial Cart... my Friend Ron said it's only the second one he'd ever seen and what a Great Item to Source for the Event and the Theme he and Cynthia were Inspired by and so Skillfully Created!!!
And speaking of my Friend Ron, there he is!!! We were both Admiring that Table and Chairs Set... perfect for a French Country Kitchen!
I was also Loving this Vintage Industrial or Commercial Grade Bakery Table with the Zinc Top... it had a nice Blend of Style and Function for either the Kitchen, Workshop or Studio. And those tall Fruit Baskets underneath were catching my Eye as well!
In fact, if you were Styling for a Workshop, Dream Kitchen or Studio Space you would have found some beyond Amazing Furnishings at this Event! I think they must have knocked off a Commercial Bakery or something to 'Score' such a bounty of Commercial/Industrial Style pieces?!? *LOL*
Just Kidding... after all, who knocks off Commercial Bakeries!?! *Smiles* But I bet they would have the Perfect Inventory to Style a Functional Space Beautifully... so perhaps an Auction for a defunct Commercial Bakery would be Divine to stumble upon someday dontcha think?!?
Even though I rarely Bake, I found that Commercial Vintage Graniteware Bundt Pan Trio to be worthy of Display in any Country Kitchen!
And the Old Milk Bottles Delivered in these Carrying Containers reminds me of how we used to get our Milk Delivered Daily to our Doorstep while Living in Europe. I always preferred the Gold Top Bottles which had a thick layer of Cream risen to the Top of the Bottles! *Yum!* Of coarse Mom always Hated that us Kids would try to skim off all the Cream like Cream Bandits! *Winks*
What Fond Memories do you have of Country Kitchens, Farms, Produce Stands or Home Product Deliveries for the Kitchen from your Past?
Sometimes I Think I am drawn to Collect certain Items just because of the Nostalgia Factor they hold for me Personally.
Or perhaps in the Pursuit of a Dream Vision I've had stuck in my Head a long Time and want to Replicate one day.
Like, I don't even drink much Wine, but I've always thought a Vineyard and a Wine Cellar are just Dreamy... and how Cool would it be to have a little Vineyard and Wine Cellar at Home? I know my Parents planted a lot of Grapes to shade a Dog Run when they bred Collies and we Loved to Play in there under the massive Grape Arbors, it was like a Long Secret Garden Cave of sorts with a variety of different Grapes to Savor just hanging there for the Pickin'.
And naturally I had to go back and take some second looks at my Fav pieces of Bohemian Bling.
Some things are just worth Re-Visiting and for me it's almost always da Bling! *LOL*
Now Traditional Jewelry Stores just don't do it for me... but OOAK Upcycled Creations or Vintage Bling... that's another Story!!!
There were SOOOOO many pieces this Event that I would have liked to add to my Collection! Especially the Religious Inspired pieces like the one with the Cross.
And this one with the Virgin of Guadalupe.
And the Fab Altered Art Bottles too... I Collect those too by the way... *LOL* And one day I Hope to take a Class to learn how to Create some and use up all the Old Bottles The Man and I have Collected in the Desert over the past couple of Decades.
I liked the backdrop of Silk Kimonas hanging behind the Jewelry Displays... Nice Touch!!!
And this Vintage Garment District Caged Dress Form is DIVINE and would go very well with my Trio of similar Forms at Home! There's always room for one more you know! *LOL*
And I Loved the Form made into a Vase filled with Peacock Feathers... I am Certain I'm gonna steal... ummm, I mean borrow, that Idea! *She Winks*
Ephemera and Old Doorknobs... two of my Favorite Things!!!
And if I didn't already own more Desk Lamps than a Sane Person should have, I would have bought this one... isn't the Form and Shade of it Gorgeous?!? Luckily it SOLD so that I didn't have to Cave in and bring it Home to the Desk Lamp Hoard! *Smiles*
But it would have looked mighty Fine sitting here beside the Computer as I Blogged away the Nights... just sayin'...
After the Crowds had thinned on my return Visit I was able to get a few Panoramic Shots for you... this one is of my Friends Myko and Brett's Space...
All the Twinking Chandies suspended and the Tree Branches hanging above everything was Pure Enchantment and I'm sure Brett must have felled all the Trees in his Neighborhood to Create this Wonderful 'Secret Garden' Effect?!? *Smiles*
I really liked the Wooden Crate with the Number Plaque on it... different...
And there were still some Vintage Luggage Towers left... in fact, The Sweet Team were replenishing Inventory all Weekend long so each day was filled with New Treasures and re-foofed Vignettes.
It's like a Beehive of Activity in fact as the Stylists continuously Re-Style the Entire Event as we're carrying our Treasures out the Doors! They do it so seamlessly it's as if like Magic that the Spaces are Transformed again and again!!!
I'm always taking Notes in my Head of how it's done so that when I'm Attempting to Transform my Showrooms as Customers buy my Inventory and it has to be replenished, it doesn't look like a Ransacked Mess while I'm doing it! *Smiles*
Somehow, in spite of the Heavy Traffic and how much goes out the Doors so quickly, The Sweet Team keep it well stocked and Styled Beautifully, nothing ever looks untidy or barren, it really is a Talent to Accomplish that during Popular Sales and Events and in the midst of a throng of Shoppers!
Yes, "If I only had a..." SWEET SALVAGE Assistant I might be able to pull that off too?!? *Bwahaha!* Hey, a Gal can Dream can't she?!?
This Tower of Bank Storage boxes was Awesome... they were from the 1920's and Aged to Perfection!!!
And I always Swoon over the Deconstructed Furniture.
What is it about a Display of Citrus that always looks and Feels so Summery Fresh?
The Hue of this Velvet Bench really caught my Eye!!!
In fact... too many things caught my Eye and it was difficult this Time to be as Discerning about what to Purchase and what to leave behind!
Thankfully I have no more room for Ambiant Lighting, because I Adored this Chandie!!! *Swooning*
The entire Vignette was a Showstopper in fact!!! Dark and Oppulent, just the way I like it!
Had to Photograph it from every conceivable angle since I couldn't take it Home...
But as you know I did take Home one of the Mannequin Forms from my Friend Nancy's Space... Steam Punk always has some Unique Inventory.
Yes... this Image Appealed to me for a Variety of Reasons. *Winks* Wine, Ostrich and Peacock Feathers, Gilded Ornate Frames and Sconces... oh my!!!
There was a Section Inspired by the Movie 'Practical Magic', which I never saw and so I can't tell you much about other than everyone says it was a Great Movie and so I don't know why I've never taken the Time to see it?!? Are there Apparently Great Movies like that which you NEED to get around to Seeing because everyone else on the Planet already has?!?
I can't even tell you WHY I haven't seen this Movie... I keep Intending to you see!
Of coarse there is a virtual Laundry List of things I keep Intending to do and see, how about you?
Like I Intended not to make this an Epic Post that would Visually Overdose you and cramp my hands or take half the Afternoon to Create... but I didn't realize how many Awesome Images were still left to Share!!! *LOL*
But that's why I Love Blogging actually, I can be as Excessive as I wanna be here and it Costs me Nothing but some Time that I really look Forward to spending in the Land Of Blog!
And though Blog Masters and Blog Jedis Warned never to Go Long in a Post because Bloggers don't like it... I found that not to be a Carved In Stone Rule or Absolute Truth because some of us do Enjoy and Frequently Visit and Support the Blogs that Go Long in Visuals and/or Stories. I know I do... both in the Creating of my own Blog and those that are some of my Favs.
I can Admire those that are Brief and may carry only a Single Image or Short Profound Verse too... but that's just not Me and I wanted to keep Authentic to Self here as well as in Real Life.
I am quite an Excessive Person and go Full Tilt in most things... so Blogging certainly wasn't gonna be an Exception to my Rule... or a New Version of Me! *Winks*
And every once in a while a Post just takes on a Life of it's own and it's not Done 'til it's Done Sharing whatever there is to Share... like Today's Post... which Obviously still had a LOT to Share! *Smiles* And you're probably Comatose right about now, if you're still conscious and got thru this then you Truly are a Marathon Blogger too! *Winks*
Sorry... you don't Win a Prize or anything... but you did Cross the Finish Line and I'll give you a Standing Ovation for Hanging in there 'til this Concluded and the Long, Drawn Out Farewell was Complete!
I REALLY wanted to sprawl out on that Amazing Sofa... since a Girl's Day Out can really drain a Gal... especially when it's swelteringly Hot and Humid... and you really don't wanna head back Outside into the Natural Sauna that awaits you...
Where it's so Hot that any Bling you're wearing will practically heat up to a level it could Brand you! And that's no Exaggeration, ask any Desert Dweller why they wear sparser Jewelry in the Arizona Summertime!?!
And if you Collect Vintage Fans you probably have them Re-Wired and actually USE them around here! ALL of them... in every room! *Smiles*
But I wouldn't want to Live anywhere else... the Desert has grown on me over the Years and now it's 'Home'.
And we have some of the most Amazing Shopping here for those kinds of things I Love... and our Prices are some of the best in the Country I'm told!
So your next Vacation you might want to brave the Heat and come for a Visit... and Experience it all for yourselves firsthand!?
And add our neck of the woods to your 'Bucket List'... and visit such places as SWEET SALVAGE while you're here!
And we can stop out Front before the Event begins at my Friend Carissa's Hot Dog Stand MAMA'S DOGS... she makes the most AHMAZING Home-Made Cookies and she's such a Sweetie!!!
And I don't know how she stays looking so Fresh, Cheerful and Gorgeous whilst standing Outside cookin' Hotdogs all day in this sweltering Heat and Humidity during the Monsoon Season, but she does!!! Showing that it CAN BE DONE!!! So... we'll be waiting for ya whenever you can make it out to Sunny Arizona...
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian