Two Big Games = Beaucoup Visitors

With BOTH the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl Games being held here in the West Valley for the next two weekends back to back, we will have beaucoup Visitors descending upon our area for the two Big Games.  So I have been in hyperdrive adding to the Showroom Inventory at our Antique Mall in preparation for the increase of potential consumers who will probably want more to do along with coming for the Epic Games they arrived to Enjoy.

You see, we aren't very far from the Stadium... and the majority of Gas-Food-Lodgings are closer to our Sister Towns to the South of the location than going into the Metro Glendale or Phoenix areas, so it just makes sense that a lot of Shopping and Dining will happen around here.   Sure, the Metro Phoenix Downtown area is having a closure of Ten Inner City Blocks to hold the Big Block Party for Super Bowl Partying, but what to do in between all the Big Events is probably going to be more Localized.   And won't most of the Wives and Girlfriends WANT to go Shopping and bring back their own Trophies while their Guys are into the Sporting Revelries?  And I'm banking on them wanting to buy some of my Stuff as a Souvenir of having come to Arizona for the Big Games!  *Winks*

We're already seeing the influx since the Pro Bowl was Yesterday Evening and so many Visitors had arrived this past two weeks and gone Pre-Game Shopping.   We had a Big Sale Event and a Parking Lot Event at our Antique Mall these past two weekends and it was Shopping Pandemonium!   WOW, so much was going out of the Showrooms that I needed to ramp up the Big Edit and Purge Quest of 2015 and get it into hyperdrive pronto!

Fortunately The Son and Family came to the house over the weekend to Help me de-stash a few rooms of potential Inventory... and haul the rest that wouldn't be Showroom Bound away and over to their house or to be donated.   Yes, we made amazing progress with two more Adults aiding in the massive Project I'd undertaken.   Me, myself and I can get quite a lot done... and Princess T does her best to be my Assistant most of the time... but it was astounding how much quicker and how much more we plowed thru a couple of rooms with the added Adult Assistants and Teamwork!

  

And... The Son's Beloved also Loves to go 'Pickin' with me, so us Gals headed out to 'Score' even more Great Junque... Junquing Partners are invaluable since it adds another set of Eyes and Hands to the Mission.    Day No. 1 we moved stealthily without Kiddos in tow... Day No. 2 we took the G-Kid Force with us to Bird Dog since Time was of the Essence on a Sunday Afternoon when things close down earlier.

Loved this huge Old Plaid Metal Trunk originally from Hollywood... reminds me of those Old Picnic Baskets and Thermos from that same Era!  Can't say I've ever seen a Trunk like this before either so it was a Great 'Score' and Addition to Showroom One-Thirty-Three.   If I told  you how much I paid for it you wouldn't Believe me, I had to do a double-take that it was being Let Go of so low since for it's Age it was in remarkable shape and clearly had been well cared for!   Cha-Ching!

Of coarse, with so many things moving out of the Showrooms it also meant I had to do major foofing of both Spaces to get them back in order and Inventory moved in to replace what had gone out... and around crowds of eager Shoppers swarming in... no small feat!  It reminded me of those Comedic Challenges of just how many people can you cram into a Volkswagon... only it was just how many people will cram into a Showroom before Dawn has to Exit Stage Left because it got just too cozy for moi!  *LOL*

I would have liked to have spent more time playing with my Vignettes to get them Just So since I'm quite anal about Styling and having it look a certain kinda way.  But honestly, Customers didn't seem to care one way or the other so I was rather just throwing it in there for now and going Home to get more.   Though at Home I did play with unstuffing some mini styrofoam ball pillows to use the innards as faux Milk in the half dozen Vintage Style Milk Containers I was bringing in.  Must have worked because three of the larger ones Sold immediately!

And The Bohemian Cat Duo at Home had commandeered the two pillows I hadn't yet eviscerated as their Cat Beds by the time I got Home that Evening and gave me looks like "No you don't..." and had spilled out so much of the innards of the eviscerated pillow that it looks like freshly fallen Snow all over the Front Porch!   What can I say when they're all cuddled up together like this and looking so damned Content and Comfy... now I'll have to Source more styro ball pillows to utilize for Future Vintage Milk Container Projects I suppose!  *Smiles*

And yes, in case you're Counting... I know that I will go over my Designated Image Sharing Quota on Today's Post... *LOL*... Sorry, couldn't help myself, I was having so much Fun deciding what to bring into Inventory and how to Marathon Style it like an Olympic Race was in progress.  I was quite Proud of Self and patting Self on the back for pulling it off in such a hurry actually and glad the Home Team showed up to Assist me just in time!

Actually when under the gun and pressed for Product I found that I could Fall Out Of Love quicker with so many things that I might have been more reluctant to Let Go of out of my Stashes at Home or Freshly Picked.  So it was a very Enlightening Revelation that such Pressure and having to make spontaneous decisions is actually beneficial for My Process in this Editing and Purging Quest I've got going on.

And the fact that The Son and Fam actually Enjoyed Assisting me made it so that I didn't feel like I would be causing an Imposition to them in the Future if I asked for them to come over to Help Purge the Hoard every so often when they have the time and inclination to do so!  *LOL*   The Son merely said so long as not too much of it flows over to their house he's Okay with it.   His Beloved is totally diggin' doing a Freestyle Pick at our house and so she was in her Height of Glory loading up their SUV coz Free is always the right price, right!?!  *Ha ha ha* 

 But since they are setting up their Home as Young People do, they were Thankful for how many useful things were up for grabs and I was Happy to send them away with.   Because only certain things can be Showroom bound and be appropriate and suitable Inventory for Selling at an Antique Mall such as ours.  Though I am certainly not a Purist and neither is our Mall, and I think 'Antiques' in general are Deaded and no longer very high in demand, I do think certain things shouldn't be offered up.  It kinda bothers me when Vendors do 'cause it's tacky and more suitable for other Venues like Tag Sales or Yard Sales... I try hard to be more Discerning and Donate what I don't think is suitable, but would be a Great Find at a Thrift Shop for someone.

And I'm blasting thru as many Household items as I am Antiques, Vintage and Collectibles here at the Ole' Homestead as I clear out Room after Room in order to downsize and Simplify Life.   I'm finding that at this Season of Life we tend to use about 10% of what we have in the way of useful everyday Household items, so 90% of it could Go and we really wouldn't miss it one iota.   Since I always buy the best Quality I can afford, if Friends or Family can use it then I don't want to just Donate it without giving them first option of what I can't bring into my Showrooms. 

So most of what they hauled away was Modern Kitchenware, Big Fluffy Towels, Newer Linens and Pantry Items that I have an overabundance of and wasn't utilizing most of the time.  My Kitchen Cupboards look practically like Old Mother Hubbard's now and are bare, my Linen Closets as well.  *Smiles* But it will really Help me to better Organize what is left and is used most often so I'm Delighted with the Epic Purge that got done in one fell swoop this Weekend and so quickly that I was Amazed at how fast we got it done and outta here!  {Insert me Happy Dancing!}  Having empty Storage will be an added Bonus for what we Keep.

Since all but one of my Vintage Suitcases and Train Cases in the Showrooms got Sold I was also Happy to glean my Stash of extra ones and get some of them into Inventory.   I Hope to get the rest of them into Inventory this week because I just Love how a Mountain of stacked Vintage Suitcases looks, don't you?   I've Upgraded my Vintage Suitcase Collection constantly over the years I've been Collecting them and using them for Storage and Display... and now only hold onto my absolute Favorites that I consider the cream of the crop of the Styles and Colors I prefer.

The same goes with Vintage and Antique Lampshades.  I Confess I've had a complete Fetish and Infatuation about both Collections and so I amassed more than any Sane Person oughtta. So it was high time I Culled the Hoard of them and Let Go of  those that have been replaced by Upgraded ones I preferred.  *Smiles*   It isn't easy sometimes because when you really dig a certain kinda thing you might have a tendency to hold onto it longer than usual... or at least I do.   This Sweet Old Shade for example I was totally smitten with the Velvet Trim and Tulle Ruffle of.  Bt it's in a more Pastel Shade than I Decorate with and the Fabric was too Pristine and Pretty to Deconstruct the Shade to where I'd rip it off and consider it a Keeper for My Style... perhaps Tea Staining the Trims to Age them to my Idea of Time Worn Decrepit Perfection.  {I know, I know... those who Love Pastels and Shabby Chic or the Colorless Palette are Gasping and clutching their Chests at the mere Thought of doing such a thing right now aren't you?!  LOL}

In fact, I had actually Stashed several of these Sweet Girly Vintage Shades with the Intention of putting them in Princess T's Bedroom... but she's just not that much of a Girly-Girl and she really isn't a Fan of Pink, Colorless or Shabby Chic Style Little Girl Rooms.   Remember, she's our Wednesday Addams Child, a Girl after my own Heart, so if Gramma digs it, then she's diggin' it equally and is Content to follow in my footsteps when it comes to Style preferences.   And I'm perfectly Okay with that... perhaps she will WANT to Inherit the rest of whatever is left when I depart from this World?   And that my Friends will be a Good Thing and I can leave knowing I can Rest In Peace!   *Ha ha ha* 

Blessings and Love from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

The 21st Century Collector

The Topic of this Post is near and dear to my Heart... Collecting and being a Collector.   Or more importantly, the difference between the 21st Century Collector and the 20th Century Collector.   This is important only because as those of us who were 20th Century Collectors begin to reach Critical Mass, Saturation Point, Downsize and Die Off, or whatever other reason takes you to the place of disposing of your Beloved Collections and want them passed along some kinda way... recognizing the differences is critical!   What is your 'Heaven On Earth' in the way of surrounding yourselves with your Beloved and often Time Worn Objects, is very likely someone else's 'Nightmare' to dispose of if you leave it behind for them to have to Deal with!   Or try to Honor your Wishes Respectfully about your crap ummm, I mean Found Treasures that are often Priceless to you and you've Lovingly Curated all these years and left as your Legacy in a Good or Bad way!   *Winks*

  

When, where and how to dispose of what you've Lovingly Collected over the years can be complicated if you haven't done your due diligence.   Not only for you, if you bring yourself to finally begin parting with it all or even some of it... but for your Heirs if they Inherit the task of what best to do with your Collection of Stuff?!?   People are mostly and generally quite Passionate about what they Collect and if it's taken them a Lifetime to procure it all, the mere Thought of it not being Appreciated, Cared about or for can paralyze them!   They hang onto it all for a myriad of reasons and with the 20th Century Collector the Money wasn't even very often the catalyst or incentive to be able to Let Go... even WHEN it all had Maximum Value and could be turned into Financial Liquidity and be an Asset rather than a Liability! 

And because I move in the Circles of 'My People', as I like to call the Collecting Community of Kindred Spirits and Hopeless Hunters-Gatherers, who know they are driven to continue in their Quest to go on The Thrill Of The Hunt regardless of how much has already come in... or gone out from their Stashes... I've heard a multitude of Opinions and Predictions about what is going to happen to their Legacy.  The Legacy of the 20th Century Collectors who are fast becoming a dying breed as they are replaced with the New Generation of 21st Century Collectors.   And a Legacy is often what it is thought of in the 20th Century Collecting Community, since their Attachment seems to be much stronger than the 21st Century Collectors who may not have sustained Love Affairs with specific genres like their Collecting Predecessors did?  The 21st Century Collector can be quite fickle in fact as their Loves and Likes change at warp speed and they're all over the map about what they Collect, why and for how long.  In this disposable, upgraded Society where The Next New Thing is Celebrated, that's just how it now IS and thus Normal to them.   What's On-Trend now is far more Important when it comes to Buying, Selling Off and Styling than Personal Taste might even be.

The 20th Century Collector was often very Collection Specific about their Loves, even if their Loves were vast and eclectic... they liked what they liked and they continued to like it even if it went in and out of Style, Fashion or Trend.   They were Loyal to their Loves and perhaps it was that Loyalty to what was Sentimental, Cherished and Sought After that made their Collections so Complete and they didn't mind taking a Lifetime to accumulate them?   Or a Lifetime of holding onto them to be more specific... often too long to realize the full Value beyond intrinsic when it became Time to Sell.  And it's vitally IMPORTANT to know when is the BEST Time to Sell your Stuff and not miss that Window of Opportunity for Maximum Profit or even to find the right Market and Demographic to Purchase it! 

 There are many things that WERE Hot items in the Past that you might have paid a lot for and can't Give Away now! Cherished Things you thought or were convinced would appreciate in Value and you'll now have to reconcile yourselves into realizing they peaked long ago, their bubble burst and you're likely to take a hosing on now... even IF you can get someone to want to take it off your hands at any price?!   Some things might have only had Perceived Value to you and nobody else, you have to come to terms with that too.  I see so many morose Collectors in that position where their Collections are now deemed practically Worthless on the Market and they're quite upset about it, because their Mindset is still locked in the Past.  And the Reality is and always has been... something is only REALLY Worth what someone is willing to pay for it... period, end of discussion.  If you're Crazy about it you might pay any Price, even inflated or ridiculous prices.  If you see no Value to you then you won't care what anyone else thinks its allegedly Worth, you aren't gonna Buy it or perhaps even have it Grace your Space even if it was Gifted.

You see, the Vintage, Collectible and Antique Markets have fluctuated greatly when it comes to Value or even Perceived Value of items... and there were peak periods that Personally, I don't think will ever come around again for many of the genres of Collections.   There used to be a Cycle in the 20th Century that came back around eventually so that things could hold their Value and not depreciate to lower than you actually paid for your Stuff.   Often Old things appreciated in Value over Time and became more sought after or Rare so the 20th Century Collector began to view their Stashes and Hoards of Lovelies as an Investment of sorts for their Old Age... or to pass along as a True Valuable Inheritance to their Heirs. 

  

Personally I feel that's Delusional to much of a degree now in the 21st Century... things have Changed... drastically in fact... including the 21st Century Collector and their Mindset about Collecting and their Collections, what is now Valuable and Coveted and what they just aren't 'Into' anymore and may never be interested in... EVER.  Or maybe you even Collected TOO MUCH... Imagine that... so even if the "American Pickers" Guys showed up and were Impressed with your "Good Eye", Hell, no one Person or Company would or could probably pay you what you want for it all in a Massive "Bundling Negotiation" because it is just too Epic a Collection to afford or to consider Selling Off en mass, even to them!  *Smiles*   Even Pickers are going to be very Specific about what they Pick from your bounty of Beloved Objects.  I've seen those Guys go into locations that have a Honey Hole of Fab Stuff and come away with just a paltry few items of Particular Interest... it's just how it IS when you're Selling... or Buying.

To me the 20th Century Mindset of Collecting and Collections is Deaded... probably not an actual Word but it's my description and Opinion about it.   The 20th Century way of Collecting and viewing Collections should be laid to rest, put a Daisy on it, Grieve if you must and go through that Process of realizing things will never be the same again in this 21st Century of Collecting and Collections, then move on and do whatever you feel is right about how things now ARE.   Re-Invent your Methods of disposal of your Junque and making it more Desirable, Interesting and Fresh IF you even can, be sure some things will be a Lost Cause to re-sell well.  Discern what can and will Sell and what should just be Donated or tossed.  Because if you don't, then you may not be so successful in the disposal of your Beloved Objects in your Lifetime, if that's the Path you choose... and it would be really Delusional to Imagine that your Heirs or the Executor of your Estate are gonna have an easier time of it and be able to Honor your Wishes successfully, even if they desperately want to... or you Imagine they want to.

And it's really a Conversation you NEED to have with them while you're still on this side of dirt, because even IF you have already begun a Great Edit and Purge in earnest... if you're a Serious Collector or Hunter-Gatherer... you're probably not gonna dispose of it ALL and so someone else is gonna have to Deal with it!   They are probably Dreading that part of your Story!   I can't begin to tell you how many 20th Century Collectors I've talked to still Believe that their Heirs will want and Appreciate what they will ultimately leave behind as their Legacy and Inheritance in the way of their Collections!    I'm Hoping they're right... otherwise the Goodwill is gonna have a Field Day upon their demise.  Or {shudder} the Landfill is gonna be filled up with some Amazing Stuff that was Lovingly Saved, Salvaged or Procured as an Actual Legit Collection... but nobody wanted or wanted to bother with disposing of properly!   *Gasp!*   Yes, the deceased will be rolling over in their graves... and the descendants may or may not feel badly about their Methods of disposal.

You should have that 'Talk' with whoever will be responsible for disposing of your Stuff in much the same way you would discuss them taking on the responsibility of your Beloved Fur Babies or other Living Dependent Loved Ones upon your departure.  Once you have Crossed Over it is too late to Process the input of what everyone wants to do or doesn't want to do or be done and how they Feel about it!  I already know that the 21st Century Collector is very likely to have completely different things to be Sentimental or Excited about because they're simply coming from a different Era and Filter of their own Past.   They aren't likely to be as Nostalgic about your Era and Past as you were, because they weren't there and didn't Live it.   Sure, they may have a Fetish about Eras they never actually lived in and their interpretation of those Eras, but not having been there, it will be filled with Imagination and done with their own Modern Spin of it, that's only Natural and Logical.  Or maybe many won't want to Collect at all and the Past will just be left behind in their World and Forgotten without any regrets... good riddance!  You have to face that fact as well, the Future of your Stuff could hang in the balance at any point in Time.

I have no Delusions about what will happen to the majority of my Stuff if it gets left behind... my Kids, Grand-Kids and probably the Great-Grands will not want it and have said as much about it all... or at least most of it.  "Get rid of most of it now Mom... Gramma...", because it would simply be a burden to them to dispose of since there is so much and it's not necessarily their Style or Aesthetic.  In fact, most of them wouldn't even know where to begin to try to dispose of it properly and make Money off of it if they could... or how long that would probably take?  After all, I wouldn't expect them to spend their entire Lifetimes trying to dispose of my Estate, even if it had actual Value left to be a Blessing to them all.   So... I'd rather do the Job now myself and let them know that whatever I don't manage to get rid of... it's Okay... they don't have to worry about being Haunted if they have to call the 1-800-Got-Junk People to carry it away or ask everyone I knew to come by the Property and load up as much as they can or want to!  *Ha ha ha*  So be Prepared... in case you get 'That Call' my Friends... they'll probably be Depending upon you to empty out Bohemian Valhalla!  *LMAO* 

And... if you happen to have the same Instructions for your Heirs to dispose of your Legacy... and don't get thru with your own Massive Edit and Purges in Time before you go into the Afterlife... you've got my Number too, right?   Because I still have Showrooms to fill and a lot of Cultivated Contacts to pass the Word out to that a Great Stash is up for grabs!!!!!!!   *Winks*   

*******

Blessings, Love and Peace coming at you from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

Sweet Salvage ~ Room For Improvement Finale'

Yes, though I still have a wealth of Images of the Event, this shall be the Finale' Post of it and I'll utilize the rest of the Images to sprinkle throughout other Posts as Eye Candy while discussing other Topics.    I have more Stories in mind to tell so before I forget about them I'll have to move on or risk having a Senior Moment regarding the other Topics I want to Blog about.  Not that any of it is particularly Earth shattering, but when you're Writing a Journal you know how it is... things are relevant in the Moment and not so much as Time moves on and takes you with it.  

My Memory gets shorter too as Time marches on and I just simply Forget some of the things I wanted to talk about if I keep delaying the conversations.   In fact, if I get distracted enough, I can Forget about what I'm talking about right now and completely lose my train of Thought!  That's probably another reason I Enjoying having a Creative Space apart from the Home even though it's on the same Property, I can sequester myself and completely Focus upon the Process of whatever it is I'm doing.

If I wait too long to do anything in fact I'm less likely to actually do it because my Mind just isn't on it or in it anymore.   That's the Challenge of having a cluttered Mind that skips from one thing to another at warp speed and is filled to the brim with too much data to process in a finite amount of Time allotted.  *Smiles*   With Blogging I find that I either have too much to Share or I am in a dry place and don't feel like Writing at all.   Sometimes I do have a lot to Share but no Time to actually sit down to Share it... or too many activities dovetailing each other to linger on any one Topic and devote sufficient Time to it in Posts.

This Editing Thing has actually Challenged me even more... since I am determined to keep Image Sharing to around ten to a dozen per Post with the Story Line interspersed between the Imagery.  When I run out of Image Quota for the Post then the Story has GOT to Wrap at about the same time you see!  *LOL*  It's a Personal Challenge to acclimate myself to new self-imposed conditions that I Hope will assist me with other areas of Life I'm trying to be a better Editor of.   Part of my Room For Improvement List for 2015 where I'm being more Mindful of things on many levels.

  

It's Old Me but with better habits instilled that will Hopefully improve Quality of Life because the new habits will replace others that weren't working so well anymore... or at all.   Funny how bad habits can develop so insidiously that you barely notice... and when you finally do... they're already deeply entrenched and so habitual that breaking free of them is no easy task.   I often Wonder why this rarely happens with better habits without more Intention having to take place?!?

I have set some Habitual Goals to work on every single day until such time as I just do them Naturally and consistently without really having to Think about it so much.  Or without having to be quite so Intentional about it simply because its foreign and still new to me right now that it's not a Habit yet at all.   Dietary changes are only part of it... so is relinquishing ten items per day in the Great Edit and Purge Process, which I decided to ramp up into overdrive now.   It doesn't have to be ten big things to Let Go of... in fact, it's the Habit and Training of Letting Go of a significant number daily that I'm instilling more than about what it is exactly.  It is the Consistency that counts more than the amounts... the same goes with Saving Money and just about anything else you want to Train yourself to become Habitual about in a Good Way.

I also decided that for 2015 I shall be Intentional about not Isolating or Feeling so Isolated as much.  Caregiving is unfortunately one of those Life Changers that can become very Isolating and before you know it you've disconnected from so many things and so many people that you've gone Off The Grid unintentionally.   Only surfacing when you absolutely can't stand it anymore and need to come up for air and an Escape or Release from the submersion into Caring for those who are your responsibility.   It can be all consuming and so self-sacrificial that you lose yourself and whatever it was other than that which you are Purposed to do or be!   I miss my Friends and Socialization... I can be Solitary, but I seek a Balance of both.  I haven't had a Balance of both for a very long time.

You want to Feel as though you are Living and not just Existing or having to be on the clock Caregiving twenty-four-seven and three-hundred-sixty-five as a Volunteer.   I've done a lot of Volunteer Work in my Lifetime and thoroughly Enjoyed it all.   I miss some of the Ministry and Volunteer Work I used to be able to do even though much of it was hard and often Challenging work.  But Caregiving has stretched me in ways that other Ministry and Volunteer Work never did, only because it is non-stop, there is no Going Home or On Vacation from it... it is not a Part-Time Volunteer Gig whenever you can find the Time for it if you are Caring for a Loved One(s) that live with you.  The hours are way longer than any Paid Job or Career you ever had and there aren't Co-Workers to Share the workload.

And so for 2015 I've set some Room For Improvement regarding the Time spent away from Caregiving Duties... and with Assisting those I'm Caring for with becoming more Independent and Self-Sufficient, so that I can do other things and they can Feel more Empowered and Confident apart from my presence in their lives.   It's a relatively slow Process, with setbacks and obstacles, but we're diligently Working on it every single day because it is Essential we Succeed.   I've often joked that I need Staff... but since that is not within the Budget, well, this is the next best thing... diminishing my Workload so that non-existent Staff isn't so necessary.

I'm also Improving my Capacity for remembering Great Ideas for Future Projects.  Developing a System to Archive Great Ideas and Inspiration for Future Reference is a way to keep Creativity Fueled and put some of the Stuff I'm keeping to good use.   I Adored this Creative Idea of painting Driftwood pieces to resemble Bone and wiring them into a Wreath around a Skully!   I actually thought it was Created from Bone, even up close... and with being Driftwood it was also very lightweight and Ideal for hanging and working with to get the same Look... more so than Bone would have been.

And I finally did come Home with the Bling Baby that my Friend Cyndie had Created and utilized for Display Purposes but agreed to Sell to me.   It was the very first one in her Collection of Bling Babies so I was Honored that she was willing to take the NFS Tag off and part with such a Sentimental Piece, knowing it would have a Good Home at Bohemian Valhalla.   Thank You again Cyndie!  You'll see Bling Baby in some Home Vignettes in Future Posts.

Well, I've come to the end of my maximum Image Sharing Quota of a Dozen so this must mean the Story Line is a Wrap too!  *Winks*  Until next time... Blessings and Love from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

Messy Areas Of Life ~ Room For Improvement ~ Sweet Salvage

As we take a relaxed leisurely stroll together and continue with Room for Improvement and taking in all of the Event that I captured through the Eye of my Lens, it has slowed me down enough to contemplate what I personally have Room for Improvement for.    Beholding this Magnificent Antique Gown that my Friend Myko had in one of her Vignettes reminded me of Improving my overall Health and Appearance this year.  Had I been more successful at my weight loss Goals last year I would have sprung on this for my own Wardrobe because it was just My Style and Sepia Palette.

I don't know about all of  you other Beautiful Big Women, but I find it frustrating not to be able to find my preferred Wardrobe Styles in Big Women sizes.   Or to be able to find Magnificent Vintage Wardrobe in larger sizes since clearly Back In The Day obesity wasn't quite the Issue that it is Today.  I would incorporate a wealth of Vintage Wardrobe if only it were in my size, but it isn't, so add one more Incentive for weight loss to the lengthy list I already have going on to Inspire me to slenderize and get Healthier!   And yes, this Gown SOLD so some Lucky Lady now has it in her Collection.

In fact, I hadn't realized how drawn I had been to the Sepia Palette this time around until I downloaded my Images and saw a distinctive pattern emerge with it being a predominant color I'd been particularly attracted to.   Not that I didn't already know I Adore Sepia tones, I have always had a fondness for the Divine Aged appearance of the Hue, but that for once the Bold Jewel Tones hadn't taken center stage and Sepia had been more on my Radar and hogged the Spotlight.

I see this as an Evolution of Needs and Style Preferences for me and I am Allowing it as Room For Improvement in the Metamorphosis of Change that is a Constant in Life as we move through Seasons.   Though the Bold Jewel Tones are certainly still highly Attractive to me, I find that the Mood a Sepia Atmosphere evokes and Sepia Surroundings are more Tranquil and Peaceful to me.   Right now Tranquility and Calm are what I am gravitating towards because I like how it Feels, especially in my Personal Spaces.  I don't NEED the Stimulation I once did in the Past when I was younger... or for things to be Mad Exciting and Stimulating all of the time.  At this Season of Life an uneventful day of Resting, Silence and Mindfulness of my Surroundings and Thoughts are Blissful enough.

Sure, I am Cherishing the daily Adventures raising the G-Kid Force afford me that I probably wouldn't be Experiencing if I weren't still Raising youngsters at this Season of Life.  It does often remind me of what I Enjoyed not only at their Ages, but also when our Children were their Ages.  Things you don't do so much as a Senior, unless you have youngsters present and are participating in their activities and what they prefer to Enjoy in Life.   Things I probably wouldn't choose for myself initially, but that once I am in the Moment of doing it for them and at their insistence, I must admit, I AM Enjoying it as well and Glad they got me On Board!

There is definitely Room For Improvement in that area of my Life as well... to be more Open about Participating on a regular basis in what they're Passionate about and want me to do with them or Share with me.   I Confess that sometimes Age catches up with me and I'm not so Game or Down With what Excites a Nine and Fourteen year old... sometimes I just can't muster the Enthusiasm they would like for Gramma to have about it all or the Energy to Go For It.  When I'm as Enthusiastic about what we're doing as they are, and vice-versa, the Mood and Energy is so much better between us all.   The Young Prince for once wasn't Camera Shy and avoiding being captured through the Eye of my Lens nor immersed in Teen Angst this Afternoon, so it was a nice day out with him in tow because he WANTED to be Involved and spend Time with Gramma and his Little Sister for a change. 

There was in fact a Reason for this "Switch"... the Morning hadn't unfolded so Well at all, since my Trio here had been in a very Negative Head Space and they'd been up since Too Early!  So by the time I sufficiently woke up and reluctantly joined them, since I'd heard all the Drama unfolding and didn't REALLY want to be a part of it... none of the three of them was getting along and playing well with others.  There was a lot of mutual Unlovely Behavior and Attitude going on and it was a Toxic way to begin the day as soon as your feet hit the ground.   A day when you Wish Life had a Rewind Button and you could hit it and just Start Over!

 Especially since I had Planned for such a Special Family Day Together and I wasn't certain I could now pull that off without a Miracle!??  I folded and had a major meltdown from the strain of Coping with all this Negative Energy and how best to diffuse it!?!   To say I was disheartened and distraught would be an understatement, because this happens so often that it makes me Feel overwhelmed on how best to Cope with those suffering from Brain Injury and Mental Health Issues to make days more 'Normal' and Uplifting for us all?!?  I am a Positive Energy Being and it sickens me, literally, to have too much Exposure to Negative Energy.  I descended into Hysteria because the floodgates of not Crying about it all opened up and I couldn't stop once I started Weeping uncontrollably!  Tick Tock Tick Tock... could I, would I, be able to pull it back together in Time to Salvage the Day and get back on Track rather than Off The Rails I Wondered?!?

 Thankfully, me folding up and going to pieces, when they're used to seeing me remaining Strong through all Adversity and hardly ever crying, well, it shook the Trio up enough that things weren't so Messy between them all by the time I pulled myself Together and got a Grip.  They apparently needed to see my vulnerability and frustration being more Transparent and it was a Wake Up Call for us all that enough Pressure will crack me eventually.  This is yet another Incentive to be even more Serious about Living a much Healthier Lifestyle in order to renew my Strength, Endurance and overall Health and Well Being, so that I'm not left in their dust panting as I try to keep up and Cope with daily Caregiving and Life as we know it in general!     The Young Prince was very much Into the Industrial Antique Hardware and Vibe in the new Warehouse Space and Enjoying himself instead of being so Gloomy and Depressed, that Warmed my Heart to see him Happy and Engaged for a change.  His Attention to Details and noticing them is exemplary, he wanted this Hinge, I probably should have gotten it for him as he Imagined all kinds of Possibilities for it's use! 

But it was enough that we had Salvaged our Special Family Day Out Together and ended up having a Great Time.   Even though The Man had opted not to join us because he just wasn't Feeling Well Enough that day to try to keep up with The Force and he didn't want to put a damper on the day that already had endured a major hiccup and almost completely derailed with my Emotional train wreck about it!  *Smiles*    I don't like to scare my Family with big Emotional Cryfests that I can't Control... being the Control Freak that I am it even scares me to have one since I'm just not one to Cry... and when you do and can't stop, it's frightening and exhausting, I was drained afterwards!

After all, I'd Held Up through an onslaught of Family Court Dates about the Adoption of The Force and Medical Appointments so Well... it seemed rather Silly to go to pieces over the usual Mood Swings of my Trio here when I'm used to it being the Norm for them, so it's not as if it blindsided me.   But I guess deep down I was really Hopeful that in the New Year I could bring more Positive Energy and Peace to our Home and diminish the Drama and Tension that can escalate when one or more of them is being Unlovely or Difficult to Manage.   Some days it seems Futile to continue to try to Change that which I have no Control over really and not delude myself into Believing I can turn it around since it involves how others 'are'.  But I do still have Hope that there is ALWAYS Room for Improvement and we'll continue to put in the Work in that area of Life as well for the mutual benefit of us all. 

Because Life and our Environment can just sometimes get very Messy... but it doesn't mean that it has to STAY that way... Clean Up Efforts can Improve things considerably.   Here's Hoping that you too can Clean Up the Messy Areas of your Lives my Friends and remain Hopeful that there is ALWAYS Room For Improvements... Blessings and Love from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian