Antiques Make Special Gifts

Thank GOD Gina is back. As you can tell from the last few posts I haven't had her helping in the photo department. I hope you love her work as much as I do as she is truly gifted in photography. I simply tell her what I want photographed and in only a few minutes the photos are snapped and on my computer. I am diligently working on finishing the website and I can't wait to share some of my favorite photos she has taken of our merchandise with y'all.

Can you believe there is only 10 days left before Christmas? If you still can't decide what to get for those hard to shop for on your list, have you considered giving antiques ? Below are just a tiny sampling of our One of-a-kind Finds for special gift giving.

An Antique Bath Tub

Choose from our stacks of Vintage Platters, Trays and Serving Pieces

Our Customers never get tired of these and neither do we ... another new shipment of Vintage Euro Shams

Dogs a Plenty

Vintage Maps and Globes

We have a gathering of these vintage music playing powder boxes

How bout a Vintage Hat? We have new arrivals almost every day-

Wouldn't these vintage Bottle Toppers bee adorable sticking out of a stocking?

Tiny Tiny Tiny Antique Sewing Machine

Antique Bar Ware

We have Piles of of Silver Plate around the shop left PERFECTLY UN-POLISHED

Just in - Numerous old Store Signage

Just Enough to Spell Almost Any Word You Want

I leave you with a shot of Shop Girl Amy J. Modeling our New Scarves and Fingerless Mittens. I know, not old - (Yes Bev), but another adorable gift none the less. Remember if you see something you like, give us a call to see about us shipping something to you if you can't make it down in person. Our Knowledgeable Staff WILL HELP you by spending the necessary time with you finding that perfect gift just like the customer service from the bygone era.

Bee Seeing YOU!

Holidays on 5th Street

This past weekend Bloom & Bee Swanky Participated in the first Holiday on the Avenues in Downtown Waco. Fun was held by all during our late night shopping event.

While our customers shopped, we were blessed with the sounds of Steve Gereghty with his bluesy, jazzy versions of holiday favorites. I hope to have him play again one day. If you didn't come, you really missed it as he made the shop so alive and awesome in Christian Spirit.

Our Artist in Residence, Pam Gray, had Paintings displayed all over the shop. I love this collection of them showing on an old bed spring.

The Swanky girls finished off the weekend on Sunday with delicious coffee and deserts at one of my favorite Downtown Waco Spots, Se Cocina, located just around the corner from our shop. Here are Beverly and Becky best of friends for more than 25 years and never found without smiles on their faces. They are truly as close as two peas in a pod as you can get. Becky gave me the cutest 1950's Nun Doll to display in my home with my old family bibles.

Shop Girls Rebekah and Amy J. with our Staff Merchandiser Debi in the middle. That's Me behind the camera - HA!

Don't Forget

We are Open Late Tonight Until 8PM
For Late Night Shopping with Live Music

See Next Post

Christmas on the Avenues

Please click on the above flyer to read detail ...

This Saturday, Dec. 12th, Downtown Waco will bee celebrating Christmas on the Avenues. We will bee open until 8 pm for late night shopping. Please come view the Artistic Expressions of our Artist Resident Pam Gray. Enjoy "Sips and Nibbles" while you shop with live music from Steve Gereghty from 6-8 pm.

All the above locations will bee open late so please come see all the Great things Downtown Waco has to offer. You can even ride a horse drawn carriage from location to location provided by Storybook Carriages.

Snow is a very rare EVENT here in Central Texas. I can count on one hand how many times I have seen it in my lifetime. I couldn't believe my eyes when fat fluffy snowflakes fell from the heavens this week. It lasted less than 30 minutes and didn't stick, but I did manage to sneak this photo.

This past Thursday, Bev and I headed WAY WAY down the road for a junking trip. We are still putting out all of our great finds. I finally made it to Winnie and Tulula's in Athens and scored this fab - YES buzzard wings from my dear Friend Theresa. If you are in the area, you must make it a point to go by and see this shop. Her window display will bee up the rest of the month and it is breathtaking.

I found these wonderful wreaths made from old springs great for holding cards and old photos as well as this perfectly shabby old mirror.

We just put out our new arrival of scarves and nearly sold out by end of day Saturday. It had already been picked over before I had the chance to snap this photo. Thank-you Waco. Never fear - more are on the way.

These Zipper Floral Headbands too ...

I have been wanting to play catch up with you all for awhile now . Rather than one extra long post I will leave you with bits of where the heck I have been and what I am up to. I want this blog to not only bee about the shop and my love for Downtown Waco but to also leave a personal note now and then that hopefully you might find interesting.

Matt and I had the wonderful opportunity to Volunteer on a Habitat for Humanity House with our small group from Journey Christan Community. If you ever have the chance to do this, I highly recommend it. We are already talking about doing it again soon.

It was fun and really educational and easy. Don't worry, no skills are necessary just a heart and a desire to work. Here are Becky and Dod installing insulation in a bathroom.

I hope you all had a Blessed Thanksgiving. Matt and I were so blessed and we spent the day volunteering at the Salvation Army. I wanted to do something - anything that would bring a blessing to someone else. I made these flower arrangements to take to decorate the tables. I have NEVER arranged flowers before and did it quite inexpensively.

Kim at Blooming Gals generously donated a bucket full of dozens of beautiful yellow roses. She also provides us with all the gorgeous flowers you see here at the shop each week. I initially was just going to hand them out but decided to take it to the next level. For less than $25 I was able to make 19 arrangements. I purchased a few Gerbera daises and cups from our local grocery and everything else I cut from our yard and we don't even have a garden. It is amazing what you can do with a little greenery, grasses and imagination. The reason I am telling you this is because at one point I ended up sitting next to a precious child whose name happened to bee Daisy. She was shy and apprehensive due to uncontrollable circumstances. Those Daisies were the ice breaker to a new friendship with not only her but her entire family. Do you have any Daisy Stories to Share?

HUGE AFTER THANKSGIVING SALE

JOIN US THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FOR HUGE SAVINGS

20% Off ALL In Stock Bedding
20% Off All Archipelago, Tokyo Milk & All Apothecary Items
10 % Off everything in our Linen Drawers and Enormous Selection of Vintage Hankies
Buy 2 Mercury Silver Glass Ornaments get one half Price
25% Off In Stock Bubble Trees
25% Off Vintage Belgium Draperies
20% Off All Candles and Diffusers
30% Off All Fenton and Glassware in Marked Cabinet
Ask about other markdowns on Antiques and our One of-a-kind Finds

If you would like to have a coupon for an additional 10% off your purchase, Please leave me a comment or e-mail me Amy@Beeswanky.com with your name and e-mail address and I will bee sure you get one.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving

Bee Seeing You!

A few things new this week...

Brooches by a la parisienne

This girl truly has one of the most lovely blogs I have seen - check it out here

At only $15.00 each you will want to get one for everyone on your list

Heart necklaces made from the ends of Vintage Flatware

Rings Too (modeled by Shop Girl Rebekah)

If you love the Archipelago MILK products - you will love it even more as a Fragrance

Two Newly Upholstered Vintage Chairs

The one on the right already SOLD

Piles of Pillows

These made from Vintage French Grain Sacks

Objects of Joy - by our own Beverly

True Antique Treasures in Old Pocket Watch Cases

Bee Merry

Finally... some random photos taken during our holiday open house preview party

Beautiful French Armoire shown here with our new Beehive scented diffusers

Our Free Gift of the Night - Large Glass Snowflakes

Wonderful upholstered Bed with our New Oatmeal Nubby Ruffled Bedding

We have several new "OLD" busts and statues

Our Religious Department has all but sold out. We can't keep these wonderful old iconographic prints and Santos figures.

Lots of florals dripping in silver glitter mixed with a new arrival of white peacock feathers

All our Mannequins are dressed for the season with ornaments and authentic wearable vintage accessories

We carry the entire line of the Savannah Bee Company

These glass chandeliers are my favorite ornament

Hurry in and get your long sleeve Swanky Tees while they last

Many More Vintage Dresses...

Stacks of vintage white ironstone and dinnerware

A Christmas Tree Dress

More of what's New this week NEXT

Just of Few of the Swanky Faces...

As usual, I am late getting out all the details of the last few weeks. Check back often as the next several entries I will bee playing catch up including all the photos from our Shows and our Holiday Open House Preview Party.

I wanted to Thank each and every one of you who came out Thursday Night and all weekend long. Words cannot describe how in awe I was of your attendance. I had free gifts for the first 100 customers through the door. That is Beverly handing out tickets to redeem as the line out front before we opened was piling up. I thought surely that would bee enough. At last count we had 240+ ~ WOW!

Here's Shop Girl Amy J. with her sweet mother Janette who drove several hours to celebrate with us.

Here I am with Dolly...

Just for Fun - Here I am with Dolly the day of our Grand Opening at my First Location many years ago. My, how we have changed.

Me with Matt - My Rock!

YOU'RE INVITED

click on the flyer for larger image

Our Holiday Open House Preview Party is THIS Thursday Night.

Our store will bee closed Tuesday - Thursday until 5:00 Pm for our Christmas Reveal.

We will bee working day and night to completely rearrange the store. You won't want to miss the surprises we have in store for you. Please join us 5:00 - 9:00 pm for a time for us to say thank-you to all of you customers. We will have food, spirits and the first 100 customers will get a beautiful free gift I shopped all year for. We look forward to seeing you!

Photo compliments of Sugarmoonandtheawake.blogspot

At some point next week, I will play catch up and fill you all in on the details of the last couple of weeks. I have done three big events back to back with a few other exciting Waco events to share and whew... In the meantime a couple of my dear customers Jessica and Theresa posted some photos of our booth at the Jr. League on their blogs. Please check them out if you can't wait. Thanks girls. I had another customer inform me they saw me on sugarmoonantheawake as I never even saw her get out a camera. I had the pleasure of visiting with them both over the weekend. I scored some great items from Theresa's junking trip which will all bee available for sale at the Open House and finally got to visit Jessica's home. It was breath taking and even better than I had dreamed. She will be moving soon and I will post photos of it before she leaves of how she had used all the unexpected finds she has purchased from Bloom & Bee Swanky in the most imaginable way. The best thing about this business is that my customers soon all become friends whom I can't imagine life without!!! Waco won't bee the same without you Jessica. Click to read

Sugar Moon and the Awake

Garden Antqs Vintage

I only just discovered that our talented vendor Pam Gray has a blog Clustres where she features decorating ideas and items she is bringing to sell at Bloom & Bee Swanky. Shame on you Pam for keeping this a secret. Please stop by and visit it and leave her a comment telling her we sent ya!

Come See us this week at Deck the Halls in Waco!

Deck the Halls is an annual Holiday Gift Market Event benefiting the causes of the Jr. League of Waco. There are tons of vendors showing an assortment of wares in every category imaginable for hours of shopping fun! We will bee set up at a booth near the entrance. Look for our new Vintage Pendant Banners hanging above. Please stop by and say Hi! We will bee bringing tons of vintage inspired items for your gift giving needs.

In the Waco Convention Center

November 4 - 7

Click here for more info

Our store will bee closed Tuesday Nov 10 thru Thursday Nov 12 as we prepare for our Holiday Open House! Our Preview Party begins Thursday at 5:00 PM. We have tons of surprises in store you won't want to miss. Check back next week for more info on this event along with photo updates from our Jr. League Booth!

What's New this week & Homestead Antique Show Photos from Hico!

I was not on my game with photo taking. By the time I even remembered to get my camera out the booth had already been picked over. I am not a photographer and when ever Gina is not by my side you won't get quality photos. However, as promised here are a few shots of our booth. To see more photos, please Click here to read Theresa's blog.

Wonderful old galvanized bathtub with oak trim and Pig hoofed feet

At the entrance, we placed a branch in the center of an old patio table (where the umbrella would go) and simply hung "glittery" snowflakes and ferns all over it. It sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight.

Furniture made from vintage wine barrels and a wonderful matching set of old luggage

I didn't get to photograph all of our new bedding. Please stop by the store to see what we have gotten in NEW! It never displays properly as our bedding is queen on Antique Full Size Beds.

Tons of Vintage Ribbon piled up all $5.00 or less

Our Antique French Daybed has SOLD but we still have a few of these wonderful pillows made from Old French Grain Sacks complete with down inserts. Excuse the shadows and tent strap - I am not a photographer

Did you know that we custom make tables and other furniture out of reclaimed wood? We made both of these shown stacked here.

We piled up a gathering of old ironstone, pattern flowers, silver plate, old ledger books, sheet music, etc. in these over-sized large vintage chicken feeders on legs and sold every one of them. Who Knew?

A wonderful Antique Door with Wavy Glass - Vintage Basket full of Ostrich Eggs adorned with vintage men's shirt collars displayed on this Antique Rolling Cart

I wanted to Thank our gracious hosts Mike and Brenda James of Homestead who made this event super spectacular. I also enjoyed each and every other vendor and made some great new friends. I look forward to seeing you all again next year! I also was shocked by the support of our loyal Waco Customers who made the drive out to see us. Thank-you!

A few things New this Week...

There won't bee many more photo updates until after our Open House. You will just have to come in and see for yourself. We are busy bees getting ready for the Waco Jr. League Show followed by our Holiday Preview Party Nov. 12. Check back for more details soon!

We just got in another beautiful table (if I say so myself made by my incredibly talented husband) with a matching bench that has antique ball and claw feet. We can custom make you any table to any dimensions and style you desire. Call or stop by for details.

Reupholstered, Tufted, Ticking -Vintage Chair, Fabulous Collection of Lafco's Newest Candles that come from World Travels and a wonderful old crusty Locker

Remember we put out new things in the store each and every day and only share a sampling of them here on the blog!

Homestead Antique Fair in HICO, Texas

You won't bee hearing much of me while we get ready for this exciting event. I will post photos after the show, so please check back then!

Come One, Come All to Homestead's Tent Sale and Antique Fair in Hico, Texas

This Weekend October 23-25 10:00 - 5:30

Look for us in the Giant Circus tent adjacent to the Homestead Store in the architectural yard.

Particpaing dealers include - Bloom & Bee Swanky - Waco Texas, Bountiful - Ft. Worth, The Screen Door - Bluff Dale, Willownest - Burton, K Roberts - Fredericksburg, The Shabby "Y" - Ft. Worth, Sweetpea Collections - Athens, Sisters Secrets - Ft. Worth, Enterpise - Ft. Worth, Christie Nelson - Plano, Ranch Works - Hico, Colleen Irvin - Hico and I know a few more have since been added to the list.

If you have never been to Hico this is the perfect time to visit. You can make a day of it strolling along quaint shops and eating great food including Wiseman House Chocolates.

Bee Seeing You!

Item of the Week

Wine-A-Ritas

Not a Margarita, but a Wine-A-Rita

20% off this week

All you need is Ice, Wine and a Blender to make a delicious frozen beverage. Available in Wine Glace, Peach Bellini and now Cosmorita. For a non-alcoholic drink, mix with fruit juice. One package makes multiple pitchers full, perfect for your next party. Makes a wonderful hostess gift when given with a bottle of wine.

Item of the Week

TATINE PURE BEESWAX CANDLES

Starting Now and changing each week we will debut by Monday or Tuesday the Item of the Week. We will try to tell you detailed information about the product and it will vary from every department we offer. There will also bee a SALE attached.

This week Tatine Pure Beeswax Candles are 20% OFF! 100% Green, 100% from Nature

Artisanal Cathedral Style Candles are Handcrafted using pure beeswax and only 100% pure essential oils. The wax is derived from a totally natural process using no chemicals, and supports the beekeepers in the U.S. The packaging was created from 95% recycled materials and was printed with vegetable basked inks. Burn Time is 60 hours. Available in Citron Vert, Lavender Barreme, Orange Sanguine, Falling Snow, and Pumpkin. Rustique 100% Pure Beeswax Bistro Cubes Unscented for the table, Also Available. NOW 20% OFF

What's New this Week!

A few new vintage chandeliers, this one being all original. Check out those swans. The larger of the two is a vintage TV light but would make a beautiful nightlight.

We got in a HUGE and I mean HUGE assortment of vintage ties and scarves for you to shuffle through. At only $1.50 each you can purchase one for everyday of the week. I love seeing how all the girls are wearing these NOW and these wonderful vintage 1940's wing tip, sling back pumps are just waiting for their Cinderella to walk in and fit them.

Found an assortment of old cosmetics that just make me smile

New old alter style mirror (not sure where it came from or original purpose ~ but so awesome) and this tin display stand (SOLD) great for petifores or small treats at your next party

Lots of pristinely white painted vintage frames and these great old round mirrors...

A Rare Opprotunity!

HELP WANTED

We are looking to hire someone immediately for part time customer service. Hours needed are Tuesday thru Friday Mornings and occasional Saturdays - approx. 20 hours per week. Please e-mail Resume for consideration. For More Information contact me amy@Beeswanky.com

The Position has now been filled, but we may bee looking for more help in the near future. Please continue to send resumes to bee saved for future considerations.