Raymond Waites and Lenox Tablescape

I don't know how many times I have been taught the lesson, but I do think it is sinking in.  What's the lesson?  Well, it is that patience pays off!

  I truly believe this is a life lesson that God really wants me to learn for some reason.  I won't bore you with the details of why I believe this, but trust me it is definitely one I am being taught!

Do you remember a few weeks ago I showed you these kitchen towels I found that I was going to make into place mats?  Sure you do! Well, here they are!

Pretty good job, huh?  LOL!  Sike!!!

Well, I just couldn't believe that those gorgeous Raymond Waites kitchen towels did not also come in place mats and I was right!  Woohoo!

I am so glad I waited before cutting up that kitchen towel.  I finally went to another Tuesday Morning across town this week and look what I found.  Place mats and napkins in this beautiful pattern.  It is part of the  Chelsea Home Collection by Raymond Waites.  I just knew they had to have made them! There is also an oven mitt set and apron that coordinates with this as well.

I was so thrilled to have found this I just had to set a table scape, wouldn't you?

I decided to use the Butlers Pantry Gourmet dinner dishes...

...combined with the Butlers Pantry Buffet salad plates.

Just look how cute these napkins are against the Lenox china.  Love it!

There has never been a minute I have ever regretted painting these metal napkin rings white.  I got them for .50cents at a yard sale last year.  This is a great tip for old napkins rings, always think about repainting them and how that would look.  It really can change your whole perspective on them.

I like how my Oneida stainless has just enough floral pattern to coordinate well with these place mats also.

I liked the crystal for this setting because it doesn't compete so much. 

For my centerpiece, I put together a spring floral arrangement.

The shutter board base I used came from Old Time Pottery purchased last summer.  I have the flowers in another vase that is sitting inside of this as I didn't want to make it a permanent arrangement.

The flowers are nothing special.  I am always amazed at what you can put together with just a few bucks from the DT.  They even seem to look much better after getting them home, try it, I highly recommend it. 

I also have a few more goodies to share with you.

Like my Butlers Pantry salt and pepper shakers. 

And this cute white iron birds nest candle holder.  Isn't that a sweet little birdie perched on the side?

But surprise, surprise!  Look what else I can do with these place mats.

I can reverse them to use a different pattern on the back, or mix and match as I have done here.

Fresh and Springy right?  I just love mixing all sorts of textiles and textures.

And here's the best news.  If you love Raymond Waites fabrics Tuesday Morning has lots of other colors and patterns in stock right now to choose from.  I was told not all stores get the same things in, so if you live near more than one you may want to check them both.

Thanks for stopping by today for

Tablescape Thursday

and I hope you will let me know if you did.

Have a wonderful afternoon!
Mary

"New" Initial Outfitters Catalog Preview

Woohoo!  I am soooo excited!  Our new catalog has come out and I have a bundle on the way.  I am so anxious to see it!  Yesterday, we had an online webinar to preview the new items.  That was the first time I have ever done one of those and it was very cool..I love the technology we have now days, don't you?

Here's a few preview pages I've put together for you from our new catalog.  I'm focusing on our jewelry lines today because I thought you might want to take a look too! 

   

First up is our newest turquoise pieces.  I am especially excited about this page, I just love turquoise!

Beautiful new key and locket necklace.

Lots of beautiful vintage looking chains for layering.

I love the multi colored glass pieces!

Isn't this floral enameled cross adorable?

We've added new charm starter sets.  What a great deal for $24.00.  There are several different sets to choose from that include the chain and 3 charms.

Look at this fun necklace on the top left and the multi bracelet too.

 I really want this midnight beaded necklace shown on the bottom here.  Gorgeous!

Just look at these two new rhinestone bracelets!  I love bling and am very excited about these!

The owl is a new favorite among our consultants this year.

This is a new and really cool multi-purpose set.  It can be worn as a short necklace, long necklace, bracelets, or belt.  It is available for purchase in two different options; 3 or 5 strands.  Each strand has it's own clasps for multi-purpose options.  Talk about versatility!

This is our best value hands down.  The shell pendant, beaded necklace and earrings are being sold as a set for only $26.00.  Additional $5.00 for engraving.  What a beautiful deal!

And let's not forget those sweet little girls when shopping for presents.  Though, I really love these chains shown above myself and would wear them too.  In fact, I have the dainty little one the bottom right corner of this photo and absolutely adore it!

Hope you've enjoyed taking a peek at some of our newest items.  If you are interested in any of these products be sure and visit me at

www.initialoutfitters.net/marykeels

to order any of all the above.  Feel free to email me any questions you may have too.  If you are interested in hosting a party for your friends or becoming a rep yourself please drop me an email too.  I may not live in your area but we can be on the same team.   I'd be happy to find you another rep in your area if you want to host a show.  It's a great way to earn your own jewelry for free.  But trust me, you might want to just be a rep yourself because this jewelry sells itself!   There are ladies all over the country taking advantage of our wonderful hostess specials and incentives, and becoming reps too.  We added 65 new reps in February and are breaking records again already for March.  It's a great time to sign up.  Let me help you get started too, you won't regret it!  

Remember...Easter, Mothers Day and Graduation is just around the corner!

Be among the first in your area to host a show and see our new products.

Thanks for stopping by today for

Take a Look Tuesday.

I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Mary 

HOW do you save money?

Hi Ladies!  Here I go again off on a rant of sort..but..this is a good one and quite appropiate for

Mary's Meditating Mind.

I hope you will stick around and read this one.  I think it's great food for thought!

If you've followed me as far back as when I blogged under Sailing Simply you know I have a history in retail.  More specifically I have a history in retail that was in a small Mom & Pop family owned business.  I am putting this post out there to give a voice for all small business owners, retail employees and women in general.

People please, please, please think about where you are spending your hard earned money!  Every time you make a purchase you are supporting someones business as much as you are supporting those that work there.  Way too often, especially in these economic times we get so caught up in saving a buck that we think nothing of whom we are actually supporting down the line when we spend our money.   Hey, I am as guilty as everyone else, but because I am also trying to run my own business I do think about it a little more.

Too often we are spending our money in those big box retail stores that are NOT as wonderful as you would like to believe they are.  Just this morning, in the news today is another lawsuit against Walmart again for not promoting women within the work place. You may be thinking you've heard this before and you certainly cannot afford to elimate Walmart from your shopping adventures but I am not asking you to do that.  I am asking you to THINK and consider what you are supporting each time you make a purchase from Walmart.  Walmart is notorious for cashing in on the success of other vendors products by making them more affordable for the masses.  They can do this easily because they have tons of researchers (or spies) who watch market trends and growth in several areas.  They also use this concept when considering opening new stores in any area.  Yes, they are watching!  But they do not appear to be overly concerned with how that store will affect an area any more then they are about destroying a market for entrepreneurs who may have a similar more costly product.   And, if this lawsuit is any indication they may not be overly concerned with equal employment opportunities for women. 

 Big box stores can offer discounted prices because they are supported by an industry that gets discounted rates on products for the massive quanties they purchase.  What small business owner can possibly compete with that?  I used to always cringe whenever we had a unique gift item that was very popular that eventually hit the big box market.  When that happened I knew it was time to discontinue carrying that product because we could no longer compete with pricing on those items and our market had just flatlined.  In short, we could not even buy the items at wholesale for what some of the big box stores can sell them to customers for.  The margins can be that huge!  Unfortunately most customer don't know that and can get very upset that they have paid more for your item then it is being offered by a big box store.

  Contrary to what you may believe most small business owners are not making big bucks and sitting in luxury homes and driving luxury cars on their days off.  They are not vacationing all over the world and living it up like some of the corporate heads of big box stores are.  These Mom and Pop stores are usually in it for the love of retail, the customers and to support the welfare of their own families.  These independent business owners are attempting to live the American dream and we need to continue to support them!

I am proud to also be a part of a business that supports its employees as well as it's customers.  As an independent consultant in direct sales I can offer you money towards your purchases for also encouraging your friends to shop with you.  I don't know of any retail store out there that will give you money back for bringing several of your friends shopping with you.  Even though, let's face it ladies we usually do bring our friends shopping with us, often.  Just try walking into a store asking for a discount because you brought in customers.  They will most likely enjoy a great big giggle or will look at you like your confusing them.  LOL!

  Being able to offer these advantages to my customers is what drew me to this business in addition to the fabulous custom products.  I can do this because I do not have the overhead that brick and mortor business owners have.  I am not asking you to support me over a small business owner you may know and support.  However, I am constantly shocked by the amount of ladies I know who would prefer to walk into a store and purchase something from someone they don't know or support a big box store to save an immediate buck, without giving one thought as to what and who they are really supporting.

  Don't you remember the time when if you couldn't afford Joe Blows prices you saved up until you could or did without.  I am not suggesting we should all do without but I am suggesting we should be thinking about how the business's we support are in fact supporting themselves and others.  I am not just picking on Walmart here today let me assure you there are many big box stores out there that have some of the most rediculous employee conditions you can imagine.  Conditions that not only do not pay their employees for what they are expected to do, but force employees to push and sell you items that you do not need or really want  like credit cards.

  Has anyone else noticed the increasing rise of store credit cards?  Hello?  Who's idea was it that we need a credit card for every big box store we shop at?  Would you believe me if I told you every retail employee who works at these stores that offer credit cards are forced to offer them to you as part of their job.  Some retailers even go as far as deducting pay, hours or even employment for not meeting a quota of credit cards activated.  I'm not making this stuff up.  Do you really think you are saving money by owning their cards?  If you are smart enough to pay off your cards before those high interest rates kick in, you can bet they are still getting you into the store to buy more with those special sales.  Some are even tracking your purchases and offering you special discounts on products you are most likely to buy.

   I am not against knowing your customers preferences and offering deals on that, because that just makes good business sense.  But, I do not support limiting those specials only to customers who may also be at risk for greater debt should they not pay off those credit cards immediately.  I just don't see how this is really supporting your customers.  It's not! 

Okay, so I'm sure you've heard enough by now and if you've read this all the way through, thank you!  I hope you will stop and think next time you make that purchase.  I understand completely about needing to save money but sometimes we really need to thing about HOW we need to save money.

That's what I'm thinking!

Thanks for listening!

Mary  

“A new command” I give you; Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  – John 14:34

Studying this verse from Jesus, we are not only shown again the importance of Love, we are also instructed into action.  We are given a command, of what we are to do, and how we are to follow through.   

   When you study the life of Jesus you will find a Love that is quite different from the Love most of us understand.

  Many of us have no problem loving others who are easy to love.  Or, we have no problems loving those whom we feel are worthy of our Love.  Perhaps we may even feel like we are following his command because we have Love in our lives. 

But in this verse we are told we must Love others "as" we have been Loved by Jesus.  When I am honest with myself, I often find this type of Love hard to do.  Because I am commanded to obtain this level of Love, I keep trying even though I often fail and have to be reminded. 

 This means loving others even when I have been wronged, or ignored or are in disagreement.  Loving others even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable.  It means putting aside my own pride and self righteousness and sharing the Love of Jesus with others, even when I don't feel like it.  In this life, the opportunities to practice this type of Love are endless...to love others as Jesus loved us.

Thank you for spending 

Sharing Jesus Sunday 

with me!

Mary 

Have I got "THE BLUES" for you!

I'm late! I'm late, for a very important date!  No time to say hello, goodbye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!  Please forgive me for being so tardy to the party Mrs. Doo's but it has been one crazy week! 

Late Tuesday afternoon my youngest son had another car accident.  Thank God there were no injuries this time other then the car which will now have to be replaced as it is totalled, again.  Can we say...stressed out!!! 

In addition to dealing with  insurance adjustor's,

rental cars, an appointment with the oral surgeon, my new business and my daily chores, I have had very little time.  In fact, I just got home this afternoon from picking up an in law who needed a ride back to town after flying into an upstate Airport. No, I don't exactly live upstate, more in the middle...but I do love my family..so, such is life! 

I would have loved to have shown you a finished project this week because I actually worked on this last week and had intended to finish it up this week, but that just didn't happen, so here's what I got.

Here's my straggler, sitting here waiting on a paint job.

  That's the color I decided to go with on my outdoor table this year, Bahama Sea.  I was thinking about how I really needed to give my old iron table a new coat of black this year as I do every so often, then thought to myself, now why do I have to do black?

So as you can see, I did not do black this year!

It is actually a very pretty blue that you cannot see very well in these photos because it is too late in the afternoon to really get a good shot.

I really tried but it ain't gonna happen! 

Besides, I really am not too excited to let you see what this porch is really looking like right now.  We have been overloaded with pollen this past week too and everything is a complete mess!

My newly painted table will match the little stand I painted the same color last summer.  Do you remember that?  Of course you do!

In fact, I am really thinking of playing up the whole blue theme this year all over the porch. 

I already had these items on the porch so I'd say I'm well on my way after I get rid of all the yellow.

 I purchased this little sign not too long after Christmas.

It's the perfect reminder of what a porch is for !

I think the blue will also help to promote a feeling of relaxation and calmness.

Don't you?  I think you do!  Because, I couldn't help but take a peek at the party before I posted and I am seeing ALOT of blue out there this year!  Great minds think alike, right?

Either that or we are all waaayyyy to stressed out and all needing to RELAX!!!

Hope you all have a great weekend doing just that and have fun at Debbiedoo's Color Partay!

Thanks for dropping in!

Mary