It was my Friend Shelly's fault, yes, SHE started it!
Such an Over-Achiever *winks*... Decorating her Showroom next door to mine in an Enchanting array of Vintage Shiny Bright Splendor!
Good Lord she was at it by the tail end of October there in Showroom #113... luring me in like a fish hooked on a line offering alluring and the most tempting bait!!! *Le Sigh*
Nothing Evokes a Vision of Christmas Past to me quite like Shiny Bright Ornaments and Vintage Aluminum Christmas Trees!!!
Recollections of Wonderful Childhood Christmases danced in my head... no, not Sugarplums... I'm not even sure I know what they are... but Wonderful Memories of how the Magic of Christmas was first Introduced to me as a Child.
With European hand blown delicate glass Ornaments that had been handed down for Generations in our Family... and of the Retro Shiny Bright Ornaments of the Era of my Childhood that my Parents began Collecting so that they had some from that time period to hand down as well.
Yes, Shelly's Trees were Reminiscent of our early Childhood Trees and waves of Nostalgia came rushing in like a flood!
And so I got caught up and swept away in the Tsunami Rush of Christmas Vibe that was starting to be Transformed for the upcoming Holiday Season at THE BRASS ARMADILLO WEST by those Dealers that so ambitiously got to it that I felt like a sloth by comparison.
I'd Sold almost all of my Halloween Inventory so my own Showrooms were lingering between Holidays and didn't look like much of anything Special at the moment. And the times between the beginning of October and the New Year ARE Special to me so I wanted my spaces to Evoke that Atmosphere too.
Other Showrooms and Booths were beginning to Transform their spaces into Winter Wonderlands... with such Visions as Burlap Luxe, Rustic Christmas, Retro Yule, Hollywood Regency Holiday and so much more! So my dilemma was... what would my Christmas Theme be this year?
I pondered this question as I walked around the Mall to soak in various forms of Inspiration...
Mine wouldn't be a Shiny Bright Retro Christmas only because I couldn't bear to part with my vast Collection of them. I give my Friend Shelly props for having that emotional detachment to her Collections... I couldn't do it Girlfriend, the Customers would have to be prying the Inventory out of my hands as I said tearful Good-Byes and that's no exaggeration! *LOL*
Yes, last year I Sold our Family Heirloom six foot Retro Aluminum Christmas Tree because my Dad had given his Blessing before he Passed to flip it and cash in on the Retro Trend that was resurging. But it had taken me years after he Passed for me to get to the point of actually DOING it devoid of Emotional Attachment to the piece and the Memories it held.
It wasn't even about the money it would fetch, because if it went to a Loving Home I was quite willing to give a good Deal... and it did, the Lady that bought it was ecstatic and I was Delighted to pass it along at a good price to someone who Appreciated it so much and had been seeking one for a long time. That warmed my Heart... but the Shiny Bright and Antique Ornaments... can't do it... at least not right now.
So what WOULD I be willing to part with this Christmas? What out of Personal Collections or Picks would I be Okay with and willing to Letting Go of? That was the primary questions... with the Styling of it all and the Theme being secondary, but no less important.
Would I want to go more Monochromatic with the Color Scheme... or full blown Color? And if so... what Colors... a predominant one... or a Rainbow blast of Christmas Color totally Gypsy Style?
We have some New Dealers in the Mall that I'd just met and who Style Impeccibly and have Fab Inventory... they're from Long Island, New York and both of their Booths {in the Six Hundred and Eight Hundred rows} are Spectacular and filled with Creativity, Inspiration and Enchantment!!!
These Gals go All Out in the Realm of Artistic Vision with their Inventory and I just LOVE that. Because I had decided that for Home I want to Create most of our Decor this Christmas... but I have more TIME for Decorating at Home because we never begin Christmas Decorating at Home until the day after Thanksgiving, which is our Tradition.
I know I want to have Fun with it though... and perhaps Purchase some Items that would blend with the Vision I have for our Home Christmas Theme. But right now it's about the Showrooms... and they can be totally different than our Home Theme... which is what is so great about having Retail Space... you can Decorate several different ways for a single Holiday!
But in Retail you must begin early to have the best results for the bottom line... I know that the earlier I put the Inventory out for a Holiday, the quicker it is snapped up... and the closer to the Holiday, the more it slows down because everyone has pretty much Decorated already for this year.
And sometimes when you least expect it an indecisive moment is solved for you by pure Serendipity!
Which is how the Anna Lee Christmas Theme rolled out this year and Transformed a corner of Showroom #114 into an Anna Lee Collectible Wonderland just in time for Christmas!!!
Reminiscent of those Enchanting Anna Lee Displays at 'Dillards' in the Seventies that used to make me wish I had an extensive Anna Lee Collection to Decorate my Home with.
The Anna Lee Creations have never lost their Appeal to me, their Whimsey and painted faces and details still Enchant me. I never did amass an extensive Anna Lee Collection in the Christmas Past because they were always quite pricy and Collectible as Works of Folk Style Art.
Over the years I think I amassed a 'Collection' of Three pieces. *LOL* Well... three is Technically a 'Collection', right? *Winks* And so as a Young Adult I gave up on the Dream of having an Anna Lee Christmas at my House and eventually Sold my trio to a more Serious Collector.
But in recent times Anna Lee Collectibles have been showing up on the Market again as Serious Collectors have decided to part with their Collections... or have Passed and had the Inheritance of them Sold Off.
And I buy them whenever I come across them since I still have Mad Love for the Art Form that has never diminished, though I'm no longer at a Season of Life where I NEED a Personal Collection that I shall Hoard. *Smiles*
And by Serendipty I had the chance to Purchase a Box Lot of Anna Lee Collectibles, many with the original retail tags still attached... and my good Fortune is now also your good Fortune if you've been Jonesin' to have an Anna Lee Christmas!?!
Or begin or expand an existing Collection of the Whimsical Creatures?
I not only 'Scored' a Christmas Theme Collection of them... but there are Anna Lee Thanksgiving, Halloween and Summer Vacation pieces...
St. Patricks Day...
And the Beauty of the Anna Lee Collection is that they're all so Cohesive that I recall 'Dillards' decorating their Trees with an assortment of Holiday Inspired Creations representing a year round display of the Artist's Work.
So your Anna Lee Christmas Tree could be decorated with some of the Valentine Day and Spring pieces...
And Easter Pieces...
As well as the Traditional Christmas pieces.
It would look Adorable with such an Assortment displayed and predominating a Theme for the Holidays of an Anna Lee Christmas.
Their expressions still make me Smile even after all these years.
And so I was totally Jazzed to procure the Box Lot so that I could Showcase them for an Anna Lee Christmas Showroom Display just in time for the Holidays... and then build upon that Theme. I have the tiniest pieces and up to Jumbo sized.
And I'm not the only one that offers Anna Lee Collectibles, my Friends Rita and Dan also have an extensive Collection in their Holiday Showrooms... with an assortment of Sizes too.
The Beauty being that with the exception of Mr. and Mrs. Claus holding the Candy Basket... each of the pieces we're both offering are completely distinctive and different... so if you haven't found a missing Vintage piece for your Collection, we might just have it to fill the Void!!!??!?
And if you're just starting out, you can build an instant Collection at a fraction of the usual Retail Cost.
And who doesn't like a Bargain, right? Especially during the Holidays!
And you might be Wondering, wasn't I just a wee bit Tempted... after not having procured my Collection in Christmas Past... to hold onto the newly 'Scored' Collection for Christmas Present or Future?
Yes... perhaps a wee bit... but Thankfully I've moved past my Anna Lee Obsession of the Seventies onto New Obsessions of the Millenium... *Bwahahaha!!!*
You see my Obsessions Evolve... and I CAN Let Go of previous Obsessions and move forward when something else replaces them... *LOL*
And I'll retain my Fondness for Past Obsessions certainly... but no longer have the urge to Hold Onto them or Hoard them.
Even Parisian Themed items I've been able to finally turn loose of... not easy for an Avid Francophile!
But Retail Therapy has taken a new twist for me... since I've now got some Retail Space, my Therapy is now in the Thrill of the Hunt for OTHER people... my Customers, who Appreciate the efforts and tenacity I have for procuring what we all Love and have a Kindredship about.
And yes, the G-Kid Force is also Instrumental in my Letting Go Process since they're so NEEDY... and those NEEDS have to be Funded some kinda way, right?! *LOL* So Princess T especially is on board to Help Gramma Let Go of what I Love so that we can buy MORE of what SHE Loves! *Ha ha ha* In fact, that's her Currency for Child Labor... I'll Help you Gramma, you buy or Trade me Stuff as my Salary! *Winks*
Yes, it's a type of Grandparent Extortion to be sure... I often feel 'Held Up' anytime the G-Force offers to 'Volunteer' because I know it will come at a Negotiated 'Cost' at the end of the day. *Smiles*
But they really are a big Help and Enjoy the Process of Pickin' and Stylin' as much as I do... it's in the Blood. And those of you with the same 'Affliction' totally 'Get It' don't you? {And you know who you are! Winks}
Yes, Myko and Brett, I'd be talkin' about you guys too... among others in our Circle who have a Love of Old and of Art. *Winks*
A Love of the Thrill Of The Hunt...
And the Rush of Discovering that Old 'Gold' of the Vintage, Salvage, Antique, Long Forgotten, Discarded Treasures, the Rusty and Crusty... and items just begging to be Saved, Salvaged and/or Repurposed, Upcycled and Recycled... into breathing New Life into them and being Cherished once again as a New Creation with Purpose.
So... if you're in the area, stop by as Christmas is being Transformed at the Mall... you never know what Treasures await you?!?
Seriously... there I am Transforming my Showroom into a Christmas Wonderland and a New Dealer, Michael, in a Booth nearby that I've been Admiring, is there Transforming his Space. And we get to talking... and then I spy THIS in his Booth... at an AHHHHHMAZING Price... for my Funky Hat Collection! *Booyah!!!*
Even matches my Ensemble, no? *Winks*
Of coarse this one has to try it on and look CUTER!!! Show Off!!!!!!! Stealing the Spotlight from Gramma with your Youthful Beauty and all that! Such a DIVA!!!!! Wonder where she got THAT from??!??! *Winks*
Yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian