Free Workshop this Saturday! Survive the Holidaze...

Holidays are often a time of joy, family, and laughter... and chaos, panic, and pandemonium. And that's when holidays turn into holidaze - and makes you feel like you deserve a congratulatory t-shirt commemorating the fact that you made it through with your sanity intact. Is there a way to make the race to the end of the year go more smoothly? Well, this Saturday, you get a chance to learn how to tie a proverbial bow on your practically painless holiday planning. Finders Keepers Furnishings' free workshop series brings you:Surviving the Holidaze with Jonda Beattie: professional organizer, author, presenter, and owner/operator of Time Space Organization. This workshop will begin at 9:30 am this Saturday, October 8th. Learn more about Jonda on her website: http://www.timespaceorg.com/.

A personal note from Saturday's presenter, Jonda Beattie: Is it possible anymore for your holidays to feel peaceful and stress free. To capture that Norman Rockwell feeling? The vision of the perfect holiday fades and becomes dimmer as we get caught up in the turmoil of overlapping preparations. The holidays become a time of long "to do" lists, over commitment, overbuying, overeating, and sleep deprivation. Let's look at how to make your vision of a wonderful holiday come true by prioritizing, using your calendar, and organizing holiday zones in your home.

Recycle your tree

Rejoice, re-gift, recycle... your tree! If you have a live tree for your Christmas decorations consider recycling it once you're ready to de-holioday your home. There are a lot of choices.

"Bring One for the Chipper" event on Saturday, Jan. 8. Residents can drop off live Christmas trees at the Christmas Tree Recycling Center in the Agnes Scott parking lot. The entrance is between 184 and 206 S. Candler St. The recycling center will be open Thursday, Dec. 30, through Saturday, Jan. 8. (Please do not leave trees anywhere else on the Agnes Scott campus.)

Home Depot
Not only is the Atlanta-based home improvement retailer participating in the "Bring One to the Chipper" event, they are holding a Christmas tree recycling program of their own. Most locations will accept live Christmas trees for recycling between January 1st and January 10th, 2010.


Local Fire Stations
Some fire stations in the 9 Metro Atlanta Counties will also accept Christmas trees for recycling as early as December 26th, 2009. Contact your closest fire station before hauling your tree off, as recycle dates are subject to change each year.


Information provided by: Decatur Freecycle Moderators
http://www.decaturga.com/cgs_citysvcs_sfm_recycling.aspx
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2464074/where_to_recycle_your_christmas_tree.html

It's beginning to look a lot like...

I'm not much for the annual holiday-music domination of radio stations, or for the fact that Macy's usually has its halls decked while it's still hot enough to don a swimsuit. But there's something about decorating our stores that dusts off my Christmas spirit each November. The ornaments, presents, wrapping paper, ribbon, tinsel, and lights create a hustle and bustle in the air: a new kind of anticipation even if the store is quiet at the time. Something about the festivity also brings the staff together like a second family as we string up lights and decorate a tree with mardi gras masks and beads. Simply: it's a lot of fun and we're a group of grown ups that really digs being silly.

Black Friday Sale Event at Finders Keepers Stores!

Save Three Ways when you Shop Finders Keepers Consignment Stores this Black Friday! I'll let you in on a secret: we love sales just as much as you do! So this Friday we're bringing you three ways to save as each of our stores hosts its own sale all day long. All you have to do: celebrate Black Friday by wearing black when you come in to shop. So here's the scoop:

Finders Keepers Fashions: 20% OFF all full-priced coats, jackets, and blazers if you wear black. Also enjoy shopping new markdowns. Many items have been reduced to half price!

Finders Keepers Furnishings: 20% OFF all holiday decor if you wear black! Also, shop the bargain room at half-off the lowest marked price!

Finders Keepers Boutique: 20% OFF all handbags, scarves, jewelry, and shoes if you wear black. Accessories are necessities!

You save money whenever you shop at Finders Keepers, and this Black Friday is no exception. Remember, you have to wear black to get the sale price!

7 Simple Ways to Dress Up your Holiday Table

One year during my childhood, my mother asked me to be in charge of the centerpiece for Christmas Eve dinner. Nearly 20 people were coming - including my grumpy uncle - and my mother's centerpieces always wowed them (well, except for the aforementioned grumpy uncle - but nothing really "wows" him) so the pressure was intense. I decided to go a bit of a... non-traditional route and created a geometric 3d sculpture with candles, vases with different color marbles, and my multitude of beta-fish pets that I'd accumulated during our many trips to Walmart. Do I recommend the flaming, fishy centerpiece... well, only if your family has a sense of humor (and doesn't bang the table when they eat or argue.) But I do recommend taking a tour down the path of non-tradition. I wouldn't say my grumpy uncle was "wowed," but he stared at the fish so much that it was the quietest I think he'd ever been. Thankfully, I'm not the main source of creativity around Finders Keepers Furnishings. Here are seven of Betsy's ideas to help you make spectacular centerpieces a snap:
* Fill a basket with fruits and nuts. Scatter some of the nuts around the basket on the table.
* Make an arrangement of different sized pumpkins, gourds and squash. Scatter a few leaves around the centerpiece and add orange, brown or dark green candles.
* Cut the tops off small pumpkins and scoop out the centers. Place votive candles inside and make a grouping.
* Make a bed of pine needles in the center of the table. Fill a basket with pine cones and tie a brown plaid taffeta ribbon on the handle.
* Make floating walnut candles: scoop out the meat from walnuts and set aside the shells. Melt the stubs of old candles in a coffee can set in a pan of water on the stove. If you place the shells in a pan of sand it will be easy to fill each one without dripping wax on your hand. Use a short wick and hold upright in the center of each shell as you fill it with the melted wax. Float the candles in a pretty bowl filled with water.
* Fill a bowl with water and float the tops of flowers such as chrysanthemums or marigolds. Surround with fall colored candles.
* Instead of a centerpiece, create a tiny arrangement of fall flowers in little vases, cups or glasses at each person’s place. Use fall colored napkins & tie each one with ribbon. Tuck a flower under each ribbon or bow.

New Arrivals!

Fall cleaning is obviously in full swing here in Atlanta - made very evident by the new arrivals marching in through our front door like ants to a picnic! Check out pictures of some of the beautiful pieces.

p.s. We are now accepting holiday decor! We'll accept better holiday decorations until November 30th.