Our Manager called me Friday Afternoon to ask if I'd fill-in for Sue, she wasn't coming in and it's a Four Day Sale for MLK, Jr. Day, so they couldn't be short anyone. I agreed, it wasn't that busy for the first couple Hours and then we got slammed. So, Sales should be Strong and it's a good way to both End this Pay Period's last Two Days and begin the next Pay Period's first Two Days. I was Working with Friends Yolanda, Judith and Brigid so it was a good Shift, everyone gets along and was working hard. We had a lot of Nice Customers, mostly Young People and they were Buying. I Sold quite a few of the Hippie Tie Dye T-Shirts I'd just brought in. I Bought a Steampunk Altered Art Assemblage Piece {Above} from my Friend Michael, since we were having the Sale... it's a Mixed Media Antique Assemblage embellished Teapot. Once I had it in my Cart a couple of Ladies nearby got really excited about it, I guess one of them used to Create Steampunk Assemblage Art like it.
I brought in a Pair of 1955 Exotic Cuban Calypso Dancer Mid-Century Mod Plaques too that are Signed by Universal Statuary and Dated. I have to pull them first thing in the Morning tho' and re-do the Price, I'm way under Value, Literally I had no Idea they had the Value that they do now, so my Price is far too Light, I was way off. I didn't do my Due Diligence and I should have, especially with anything Mid-Century, which is Hot right now. They didn't Sell Today, so I'll go in first thing in the Morning and Reprice them when the Mall Opens. The Calypso Craze of the early 1950's brought a lot of this Genre of Decor, there are also Statues and Lamps, as well as Wall Plaques, of various other Dancers from around the World. Flamenco Dancer Pairs, Ballerina Dancer Pairs, Arabian Dancer Pairs, Trapeze Artist Pairs, Egyptian Dancer Pairs, Harlequin Dancers, Mid-East Dancer Pairs. {My Pair are Pictured Above... some other versions put out in 1955 by Universal Statuary are Pictured Below}
.webp)
I've had and Sold these Universal Statuaries from the Mid-Century Mod Period quite often over the Years, but didn't know they'd gone up so much in Price now. I remember when most Homes had them as the Decor, including my Parents and many of their Friends. I also did the Mid-Century Modern Decor for a time too in my Younger Early Adulthood, I still Like it if done Well. Then I went straight Hippie Decor as my preferred Aesthetic into the 1970's. *Smiles* My Parents were very Bohemian in how they Decorated, we always had Exotic Decor from around the World's Travels of every Country they'd ever been in. And since the majority of our Friends were also Military Families, most with Foreign Brides from around the World that American G.I.'s had Married, most of our Friends had Intercultural and often even Interracial Unions too, like my own Parents did. And whatever Country the Wives were from, was often also represented in their Decor at Home.
At the Sale I also picked up a couple Jars of Art Glass Jumbo Marbles for only Eight Bucks a Jar. And a New Old Stock 1960's Hippie Bean Bag Ashtray made of Sari Material, the Sale markdown made it Ten Bucks. I don't Smoke but I remember these Ashtrays at all my Friend's Homes and always thought they were Cool, so, this will just be a Nostalgic Display piece. I Collect Marbles and these were some of the fanciest Art Glass ones I've seen in a long time, I don't think the Vendor had done any research on what they had and the Value. I'm Tired after my Shift, but when I got Home The Daughter had Cooked that Ham I'd Scored for only Six Bucks and it turned out really good. I was so hungry when I got Home even tho' my Friend Yolanda had brought in Donuts for everyone from "Bo-Sa Donuts". Usually I don't eat nor like Donuts, but I must say their plain Powdered Sugar Donut was sublime, light as Air and not Sweet, so I could eat it. Usually even the smell of a Donut is too sickly Sweet for me. I was pleasant Surprised by "Bo-Sa's Donuts".
Vinyl is really Hot right now and the Young folks can't get enough of it and of coarse the Album Covers, you didn't get that kind of Imagery on a CD or Streaming. I've kept some of my Favorite Iconic LP Covers and Albums. I don't have a Turntable anymore to play them, but I keep them mostly for the Nostalgia and the LP Cover Graphics/Imagery. I remember Loving Rita Coolidge and her Style and Pride of her Heritage, she's of Cherokee and Scottish Ancestry and is so Beautiful. She's still Living and is 80 Years Old now, she Aged very Gracefully. Rita and her Sister Priscilla and Priscilla's Daughter Laura formed the group "Walela", the Cherokee Word for Hummingbird, in 1996, I like their Music. My Dad's Family still live on the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The Tribal Land is Owned outright by the Three Federally Recognized Cherokee Tribes and is not a Government-Created Reservation... so not like your Traditional Reservations across America.
I'd ordered some CD's by a Fav New Age Artist, Deuter, a German Musician, off E-Bay on Buy-It-Now Features. He's 80 Years Old now but I've been listening to his Meditative Music for a LONG time, since the 1970's. I still play CD's and have a portable CD Player. I do Wish they still had CD Players in Vehicles tho'! I remember the first Truck I bought that no longer had one, I hadn't even noticed 'til I tried to pop a CD in and thought WTF?!!!? *LOL and Le Sigh* I've been upset about that ever since. Even tho' I pay a Monthly Subscription to have Series in my Truck now and Stream Music from a Genre based Station. I keep it set on SPA Music which helps induce Calm in City Traffick and stifles Road Rage. *Winks and LOL* The Kiddos all tell me it's SO Calming, how don't I fall Asleep at the Wheel?! *Bwahahahaha*
.png)
Anyway, I didn't have most of Chaitanya Deuter's Music in CD Form and decided to try to now get most he'd ever made off E-Bay so I'll have a good Collection and Selection of it. Now CD's are so inexpensive that us Dinosaurs can Buy them inexpensively, while the Youngsters Buy Back all our Old Vinyl Records that they're Collecting now, at a Premium. *Bwahahahaha* My Fav CD of all time is Below and I hadn't been able to find mine, I know I still have it somewhere, but I wanna listen to it and was Jazzed to finally find it on E-Bay cheaply! It's notoriously difficult to Source and I haven't seen it for Sale in Decades now, so snapped it up for Five Bucks on a Buy-It-Now, delighted to have a Spare now. I got it from a New Age Novelty and Head Shop that used to be in the East Valley called "Jutenhoops", I LOVED that Shop, but Sadly it Closed in the Summer of 2005. A lot of Old Heads fondly recall that Shop too. *LOL*
There's a FB Nostalgia Page of growing up in Metro Phoenix in the 70's and 80's, all the Destinations that sadly Closed thru the Years, with Pictures and reminiscing. One of the really Old Vendors at our Antique Mall, who Sadly, he and his Elderly Daughter, who was his Caregiver, Died of COVID during the Pandemic, owned a Poster Shop on Central Avenue back in the 1960-1970 Era. He still was Selling New Old Stock of those Old Posters in his Booth at the Antique Mall and must have had one helluva Backstock of it. Princess T bought all her Old Hippie Era Black Light Posters from him. I liked the Old Guy but didn't like his Daughter, I think she highly resented having to take Care of her Dad, it was understandable. But, it embittered her to where she either was never a Nice person, or became an Unlovely one? Her Countenance was always Dour and Sour.
Which, Offspring Caregivers it's a whole different Dynamic they are gonna have of giving up their Lives for an Ailing or Elderly Parent. I helped look after my Parents when they got Elderly but the Cultures I was Raised in, that was normal and expected so no resentment or pushback on it. My Brother and I felt compelled to do all we could for our Parents in their Old Age and help them keep Independent for as long as Humanly possible or move them in with us. The fact that Father and Daughter Duo Died together was tragic tho'. She was easily 20 Years Younger, but looked absolutely Busted Physically, and never got released from her Caregiver obligations to pursue her own Life independent of Caring for her Dad. It had clearly made her Angry and Bitter, Aging her rapidly, so she wasn't Patient or Kind to him sometimes and I didn't like that.
Coz he was a Sweet Old Guy and quite ambulatory, Worked Hard still, seemed of Sound Mind, just very Elderly, I'd say he had to be in his 80's or perhaps 90's. He did ALL the Work in their Spaces at both of our Locations, I never saw her Working the Spaces, or engaging in Socializing like he did Joyfully, just providing Transportation and looking out for him. Of coarse I didn't have to look after him, she did, and that Reality of Caregiving can be Hellish, I know. In all the Years I knew them I talked to him often but she never said a Word to me, not even a Greeting, so, most folks didn't seem to Like her very much.
But, her Dad was Beloved and had the Best Stories of the Old Days running a Head Shop and Poster Shop in the Heart of Downtown Phoenix in the Heyday of that Era. Places with names like "The Liquid Giraffe", "Acid Vat", and "Purple Bag". I can't recall what he said his Shop was Named, could have been one of those or something else, there were many Shops to Hang Out at in them days and I Loved the Posters of that Era, Artistically and so Trippy, they can't be beat IMO. And now some Modern Ones done in that Style are just as Artistically significant. I could do a whole Post on Poster Art, and loaded this one up with some Imagery of the Styles of it I like best.
The Man and I did Environmental Cleanup since it is a Glorious day and in the 70's again, Sunny and why I Love Arizona Winters. We visited with a couple of Fishermen, Abel and Mike, really Nice Guys and it gave The Man some much Needed Socialization coz they all really bonded over common Interests. I guess Mike lives near the Gila River on some Acreage up on the Estrella Mountain Range just South of it. So, he only semi-joked that he was glad folks like us are cleaning up his "Back Yard" out there on the Nature Preserve. *LOL* Then Abel says, "Dude, you got a messy Back Yard, you Needed to do something about it..." *Smiles* They both get aggravated at the Littering and Illegal Dumping too coz they like Recreational Activities there and feel those kinds of folks may ruin it for everyone and get the Nature Preserve Closed Down to Visitors if it continues.
I got my Calypso Mid-Century Mod Dancers Priced appropriately now. My Friend Mary, who Specialized in Mid-Century Merch, all her Booths are Cool and all Mid-Century lamented that she didn't catch them at the ridiculous Price or she'd of Scored them for Sure. *Bwahahaha* She was Lusting after them, they are right up her Alley and she knew the Value was even much higher than what I Re-Priced them at. She Buys a lot of my Tiki Merch and Mid-Century Mod Merch coz she has the Clients for it since it's her Specialty. I told her I know what I know and I don't know what I just don't know. She urged me not to put the Plaques in the Showroom again but to put them in my Locked Case coz Chalkware can Chip and Break too if Manhandled. I agreed at the elevated Value they Needed the Protection and Asset Prevention of Loss of my Locked Case instead. So, now they're in there. We brought in my last Banana Box filled with T-Shirts too. I'd Sold a lot of T-Shirts Yesterday.
We had Breakfast at "Bo-Sa Donuts" coz they also have Breakfast Croissant Sammies, delicious, I had the Roast Beef one with a Cappuccino Smoothie. I brought Home some Savory Breads filled with Cheese/Jalapeno/Sausage, and my New Fav, which is their Powdered Sugar coated plain Donut which is Sublime, not Sweet and lighter than Air. I don't even Like Donuts but I LOVE these and it doesn't elevate my Sugars to have one. I got a half Dozen for the Family to try. The Son has had Bo-Sa before coz they are an Asian Owned Biz and his Ex, whose Cambodian, knew some of the Owners, who also are apparently Cambodian, so she went there all the time. He knew I don't like Donuts so never thought to bring me any. I honestly can say it's the only Donut I've ever Liked and could even eat!!! Picture of the Half Dozen are further Below.
I wasn't a Fan of Grateful Dead's Music, but I love Bob Weir's Brilliant Instrumentals. And of coarse all the Iconic Merchandising and Graphics of The Dead were outstandingly Iconic, so I have many T-Shirts of them that I wear all the time. And you can Sell them to the Younger Generations all day long. Most of our Customers at the Antique Mall now are under 35 and that's the largest Demographic of Clientele coming in all of the time now and loving Shopping there, so, I'm Catering to that Customer now. Today I put all my Vintage "Rolling Stone" and Vintage "MAD" Magazines in the Showroom too, along with Holographic Jumbo Vintage Stickers of Hippie Graphics. I have a lot of Hippie Era Button Pins somewhere, those would Sell really well too.
Quite a few of my Friends were at the Antique Mall this Morning too so I Socialized after I got my Work all done. We're Hopeful the next Three Days of this Four Day MLK, Jr. Holiday Sale takes off and boosts Sales. I was having trouble with my Phone losing it's Charge which was the only reason we came Home early so I wouldn't miss Princess T's Call for Pickup. Never have a Clue now when she's getting off Work coz their Hours are so unpredictable now. Since most of those Young Workers aren't earning enuf to have their own Transportation or Apartment, they have to rely on Ride-Sharing and said these unpredictable Hours are making it really hard to coordinate with anyone willing or able to give them a Ride now to and from Work. I agree, it's a Pain the Ass for me now too never knowing when she'll get off anymore. So, along with Lost Wages which is hurtful to her, now she has to feel Bad that her Schedule is really infringing on mine.
I worked on the RV Garage Mahal for about 1.5 Hours and it's a nice day for it but I tired out without getting as much accomplished as I Imagined I would. Sometimes I do get bogged down in the minutia of Editing the Smalls and sorting thru them, very Time consuming and never looks like you made too much Progress. Bigger things look more Accomplished, but you can't just do those things and I'm trying to have more in the Donate, Throw Out, or Sell piles than the Keep ones. That's not been happening in the percentiles I'd wanted. *Le Sigh and Eye Rolls* I have to be in the Right Head Space to really Curate and Today mustn't be THAT Day, so I finally called it Quits for now. I'd devoted that smaller block of Time I'd told myself I would and then just accept I'm not in High Gear to get more of it cleared out right now... mebbe another Day? I am taking it all just One Day at a Time, with everything.
This was that new location of "Bo Sa Donuts" near our Antique Mall, it was so busy and Opens at 5:00 a.m., we were there around 8:30 a.m. and it was very busy by then. The Young folks working there are so Sweet, some of the Asian Youngsters might be related to the Owners, I dunno? It's nice to see a successful Small Family Owned Business growing, prospering, and being able to open new locations... especially in this challenging Economy. LATER: Worked in my She Shed Pricing Inventory for a while. I ended up spending Two Hours and got a lot Priced and ready to move out of there and into the Showroom.
.webp)
.webp)
I had a 1970's Mid-Century Set of Homer Laughlin Golden Harvest Pattern Dinnerware. It's not complete, some pieces have a Serving for 12, some of 8, some of only 4 or 2, but of the same Pattern. Some must have gotten broken over the Years, so you can tell which pieces got used most often. It has the Sugar, Creamer, Butter Dish with Lid, S&P Shakers, Oval Platters and 3 Amber Pressed Glass Votive Holders with matching Lids tho'. As well as the various Dinner Plates, Salad Plates, Bowls, Cups & Saucers. So, I priced them in some Single pieces and some Groupings for a Quick Turn. Nowhere near the Online Value, which can fetch a lot, coz China is still a Hard Sell in our Antique Mall, even Mid-Century Dinnerware.
.jpg)
The Daughter had gotten them in Trade for some Work she did for an Old Guy. I don't like the Style, Colors or Pattern, I like Bright Futuristic Atomic Graphics Mid-Century Dinnerware better myself. But, a lot of folks like this in Mid-Century Ware. My Parents preferred it in fact. They liked the Harvest Gold Colors of even Appliances of that Era. And even the hideous Avocado Green Appliances of that Era. The Coppertone Grown was the 3rd most Popular Color of that Era. *LOL and Gak to all Three* I think my Parents, at various places we lived in the Era, had a rotation of all Three of those Colors of Appliances and I recall Cabinetry went very Dark and Ugly too. I preferred our Kitchens of the earlier 1960's when the Colors were Brighter, like Buttercup Yellow, Turquoise, Bright Red or a Burnt Poppy Orange. I don't know how it went from that Futuristic and Timeless, to... WTF Hideous and Culturally Deprived?! *LOL*
The Atomic and Space Age Graphics and Colors of that Era still are Nostalgic to me, Boomerang Shapes, Starbursts, Organic Curves, Tripod Bases, Geometric Elements. I Loved all of it and my Fav Colors to Decorate my 1st Homes were the Orange, Turquoise, White & Yellow. The first Two AI Images remind me of my Apartment Decor back then and my Style exactly in those bygone Days. The lower Three were more my Parent's Aesthetic until they went with the Ugh of the Mid-Seventies most Trending Colors and Styles, which I always thought to be hideous and Hated it!! During the Period I Hated what was Trending my place resembled Howard Johnson meets George Jetson melded... then when I went completely Hippie in the 70's, the Jewel Tones were dominant and Exotic Accents Ruled.
I'm still in Love and Infatuated with these Patterns, Shapes and Colors, I just don't Decorate with them anymore, but, I would, if I could do the whole House with them again and do it Right and Authentically Retro. Which, would cost a Fortune now, but, could be done. But those Ugly To Me Homer Laughlin Mid-Century items, I just want gone quickly coz I don't Like them and don't want them taking up Retail or Storage Space long, so, they're Priced to Move. *LOL* The Daughter was Spot On when she Identified them as Mid-Century and Scored them for what she said was reasonable exchange for the Work she did for the Old Guy, whose a Sweetheart and said he hadn't used any of it in Years but had it since the 1970's and they used to use it all the time back then, which, I'm sure they did.
.JPG)
It's been a Good Day and I haven't turned the TV on at all, which helps make it a Good Day. *Ha ha ha and Winks* The Man just watches his Reruns, so, he's Golden too. *Smiles* I've kept busy and accomplished more than expected with taking it a little bit at a time over the whole day. I'd thought about taking this load I just Priced in to the Antique Mall for The Sale, but, I don't really have it in me to work around a Crowd during a Sale Day. Especially Old Men, I don't know what it is about Older Guys, but they will pretend to be looking at shit you know damned well they have no Interest in really, but, just to get in the way! Coz otherwise, they wouldn't even be crowding around where you're at coz they aren't the Demographic that Buys it... not at all. They do the same thing when you're conversing with someone, Old Guys are notorious for then rudely interrupting just to focus the Attention then on themselves. We've got a running Joke about it among the Co-Workers coz I'm not the only one that's noticed them doing it!
Old Women on the other hand, most of them hang out with their Friends in Groups when they go Shopping, and only get in the way for being oblivious that other folks need to get around their slow moving or stopped dead Group. *LOL* I am one of those Seniors that mostly hangs out with Younger People or prefers Shopping or going out to Eat without any entourage at all, so that I can go where I wanna go and do what I wanna do when I have the Rare Luxury of Me Time. I'll always run into or meet people I know, and Socialize some, I just didn't come with them and won't be leaving with them either, and that's how I like it. Or, it's me and my Granddaughter, we LIKE hanging out together and always have a Good Time doing it, she's Fun to be around, even tho' Socially, she doesn't like Peopling at all, she likes just having it be me and her, nobody 'Extra'. She has me all to herself. *Ha ha ha*
I'm making a Ham Soup with the Hambone now that we've finished off most of the Meat. We'll see how it turns out, last Ham it turned out good and we got every scrap of Meat off that Bone and nothing was wasted, not even the Marrow. *LOL* So, The Son had asked me if I was gonna do that again... hint hint... Smiles... and so I did. I had one thing of Vegetable Broth left and some Ham flavored Bullion in the Pantry, threw in some Mixed Vegetable and an extra Can each of Lima Beans and Tri-Bean Blend and have let it simmer overnight in the Crock Pot. I'll scoop the Bone out of it this Morning and it should be ready for whoever wants to try some. The Son never got his Nutritional Assistance for January yet, I think if he gets it at all it's always gonna be closer to the EOM due to the Letter his Last Name starts with. Mando's Last Name starts with a C so he gets his very early in the Month. But since Social Security is coming Late, perhaps Nutritional Assistance will be too, I dunno?
My Two 1950's Mermaid Lures came and I just Love them, so do my Taxidermy Fish. The Man had actually known about these types of Lures and had seen them before, who knew? I guess they were very Popular with Fishermen when he was Growing Up and his Family were, and still are, very avid Outdoorsmen, Hunting, Fishing, Camping, Shooting all kinds of Weaponry. So, really I shouldn't be Surprised that he knew about these and I didn't. They're in remarkable Shape for how Old they are, each being from our Birth Era. I have One more coming that I actually did Win the Starting Bid of, nobody else Bid on it so I was Surprised I got it at the lowest Price Offered since there had been so many "Watchers" that I felt sure I'd get Outbid. It's similar to the one with the Green Fish Tail. And Yes, my Fish are Dusty coz they're in The RV Garage Mahal, which, I don't Dust... it's as big as a Warehouse and I'm just not that Ambitious nor Living In the RV Garage Mahal either. It's my eventual "Play" Space for Fanciful Overage Decorating.
I realized when I Downloaded most of the Imagery I took at the Event, I didn't much like them, so, I didn't use that many of them. They just didn't turn out that Editorial to use for Blog Fodder. It wasn't my Photography Quality, it was mostly just not Visually as Appealing in Photos as the Event had seemed in Real Life, it happens. Not everything makes it Editorially and that's Okay. So, most of them will remain unused and that's Okay too. I didn't stay that long at the Event anyway so hadn't taken as many Pixs as usual either, so, mebbe in Real Life I wasn't that Wowed this time either actually. It was Nice, but, lately it's taking a lot to Impress me. *Bwahahahaha*
So, some Photo Cribbing will continue of Imagery I Saved Online that just Wows me and Inspires me. I am a big Collector of Images as well as Things. I think some of the Talented Photographers and Sellers of these Wares don't even appreciate their Pixs of their Merch and Vignettes as much as I do and probably don't Save them for Posterity, but, I do. And, I think they're worth Sharing and some are from way back in Time that I Saved in my Photo Archives and still enjoy looking at as much now as back then. I'm a very Visual Person. And I just Love Cool Stuff and Photography, so melding the Two to me is Pure Heaven on Earth. And, our Social Security Checks are hitting Late again this Month and so I won't be going out much until they do, since, we're on a Shoestring until we get Paid what we're Owed this Month... in it's entirety!!!
I have to try to find more Wire Hangars for Display in our Showroom. I thought I had enuf but I didn't after I Purged so much from my Closets/Wardrobe. At Home I have those Velvety Hangars, Princess T gets upset if I bring those in to the Antique Mall coz she swears other Vendors Steal them, and, she could be Right? I know we've had problems with Theft of things like Light Bulbs and other Display Items that are NFS if they're too Nice. This is Why I don't use my Best Vintage and Antique Mannequins for Display there even tho' it would Showcase my Merch better. Can't afford for those to Walk out the Door with some Vendor doing The Five Finger Discount to procure their Displays by Stealing yours, too Expensive to replace. And, Why Yes, it is a Goddamned Shame you can't Trust your Fellow Vendors or Staff any more than you can Trust some Shoppers. But, Thieves be Thieving regardless of what else they're there to do when they're not Stealing.
And I just don't wanna be Pissed Off all the time if I'm having my stuff Stolen, so I try to not make it unduly Tempting by putting too much Temptation in the Paths of those who can't Resist it. In a Perfect World we wouldn't have to be so Cynical, Careful and Cautious, but... we know what kind of World we do Live in. They're having a Spring Market and Farmer's Market combined at "Highland Yard Vintage" so I'm thinking of going this Sunday. Oddly they haven't taken any Sneak Peek Pixs for their Book of Faces Page, just a Time and Date it will be open thru Sunday. I couldn't go the other Three Days so will have to catch it the last day of it. Social Media usually has a lot of Imagery they Post, so it was very unusual to Post nothing Visually to promote it. But, I'll take Pixs while there of coarse, it's the only reason I'm going, for Photo Ops. *LOL* 'Til we get Paid it's finding Free things to do that are enjoyable. And due to Monday being a Holiday I don't expect our Late Payments to hit that day either, making them even later at being received.
*******
Hanging in there... Dawn... The Bohemian
No comments:
Post a Comment