RE-tail Therapy: Austin Junior League's Christmas Affair

Santa's Elves were working overtime at the Junior League of Austin's Christmas Affair yesterday. The Christmas Affair is one of the organization's biggest fundraising events and is held at Palmer Auditorium. My friends and I go every year. This year was great yet again.  Above a sweet ice blue & white Christmas display.  Plenty of merchants sell Christmas decorations at this event.

Bright blue, green, pink and cobalt blue with white designs in this shop are currently very "in."  I was tempted to buy some cups but I refrained because I have no idea what I would do with them.  Still I was tempted because the colors and design were just so pretty.

Same store with picture frames in similar bright designs.  The poncho is also really in this season.

My friends, Kathleen & Linda, modeling a blue coat with white embroidery that we thought our friend, Martha, would like.  The coat was very different because the tint increased from the top to the hem, so it was ice blue on the top and a dark grey on the bottom.

Plenty of rustic Christmas decorations were for sale.  The Santas here were beautifully crafted.

Artwork from P. Carter Carpin's Serious Whimsey in Richmond, Virginia.  All I could think when I saw this display was that I wanted it all.  I LOVED the colors and the designs.  The small pieces were $70, some of the larger pieces were about $150.  The prints were I think $30.

I loved the turquoise birds on the brown backgrounds. Some of the pieces had small print designs within the shapes to add even more visually.  

My friend, Kathleen, modeling a child's knitted cap shaped like an owl for us.  We were choosing between the 3 equally precious color combinations  (turquoise and pink, pink and black and pink and green.)  Kathleen bought one for her daughter and I bought one for my niece.  Later we saw the same hats were for sale at another booth for slightly less (don't you hate it when that happens?), but the color combinations there were not as vibrant, so I think we both felt our purchases were better and worth the price difference.

I loved this Christmas display.  The silver and green was very appealing, but then there were more aged looking pieces mixed in that really pulled me in.

These "aged" models must have been all the rage at Market, because they were at 3 different stores.  Here they were $18.99 each which was the least expensive I saw them.  I was tempted to buy one, but then I remembered how I was trying to unclutter my house and I reconsidered.  I am toying with the idea of going back for one of these today.  I still want one even though I need another knick knack like a hole in the head.

Very different dresses for little girls from Ga Ga in Austin.  These dresses have vintage scarves as part of their skirt design with tulle underlay. Very precious.  They run around $98 and no two are alike. Since this store is in Austin, if I decide one of these dresses is a must-have, I will visit their store in South Austin.

A pretty white and silver Christmas display.  White and silver displays were popular.  Feathers were very popular this year, too. Feather pins, feather Christmas ornaments, feather headbands etc. 

Your Heart Giftique in San Antonio, Texas.  A close up of some of the jewelry and hair accessories they were selling in front of the booth.

A pair of turquoise and brown cowboy boots from the same booth.  Aren't they beautiful?

A new santo for sale at the booth for Southwestern Elegance in Kerrville, Texas.