Black Friday deals with Initial Outfitters

Hey Friends!  

I just wanted to send out a quick post for you about some excellent deals with Initial Outfitters.  I am still an independent sales consultant for Initial Outfitters though I have not been very actively selling lately due to working full time again.  One of the things I've said that I love the most about this company is that you are in control of your own business and sales.  This was very important for me from the beginning as I knew this would be a part time position for me.   Many of our consultants have successfully made this a full time career which has paid off well.  It's totally up to you!   But, I digress, here's what I really wanted to tell you...

There is a lot going on with Initial Outfitters and sales are doing great for the company!  They have just released several black Friday deals I wanted to pass along to any of you who may be interested.

With a $30.00 order you can now take advantage of as many of the above deals as you want.  They have now removed the limits as shown on this page.  So yes, that means you can now order unlimited amounts with your original purchase.  

Please note that prices do not include engraving or embroidery.  Engraving is only an additional $5.00 and embroidery is only $7.00 for either names or 3 initials.  Shipping is only $10.00 per order too.  So that means your entire order can be sent to you for only $10.00 no matter how many items you have!

You can place all orders online with me at

www.initialoutfitters.net/marykeels 

 or feel free to email me if you have any further questions.

(my email is listed on my "about me" page under my tabs)

Thanks so much!

Happy Shopping!

In Search of Holiday Ribbon

Hi Friends!  Guess what?  It's that time of year again, when we embark upon that all important quest to find just the right holiday ribbon.  Do you feel the same?

Every year I decide if I am going to reuse the same holiday ribbon from last year or search for a new look.  I'm not sure what it is about ribbons, but one things for sure.   We women take our ribbon shopping very seriously!   Several shopping trips with friends who were also looking for a new ribbon are some of my favorite seasonal shopping memories.  The buddy system is a great way to shop for ribbon.  It never fails even if I am shopping alone for ribbon that I will enjoy a conversation with someone in the ribbon isle.  It's that sharing of thoughts, opinions and ideas that makes buying ribbon such a joy for me.  It may also be why I like trying out new ribbons too.

These were my new ribbon selections from last year.  

I ended up only using these spools.  They were actually tulle, and so wonderful to work with!  I still have plenty of this left and will be using it again on a few of my trees but not on the large tree in my den this year.  I am going with a totally different look in the den this year.  

The only problem is I haven't yet found quite the right ribbon yet.  Yikes!  It's getting too close for comfort too, because I like to start my tree decorating right after Thanksgiving.  Also since I am so limited on time this year even being able to search the different stores for just the right ribbon has been a challenge.  So this morning, I pulled a few photos from Pinterest to share with you on searching for holiday ribbon.  Here's a few that I found that I absolutely love!

countryliving.com

Isn't this the cutest thing!  I love all these plaid ribbons in the jar.  That's almost a decorating statement in itself isn't it?

pinterest.com

I thought this was adorable.  I really love the small checked ribbon and the muslim ribbon too.

thehappymomblog.blogspot.com

Here is a great example of checked ribbon on a tree.  It's just gorgeous!

etsy.com

Speaking of gorgeous, how do you like this plaid ribbon?  I love the white and red with just a touch of green.  I think the big beautiful bow and ribbon totally makes this door swag, don't you?

tatteredandtimeless.com

I would love to make one of these ribbon trees one day.  I adore the colors used in this one!  I have to put this idea on the back burner though, thank goodness for pinterest.  I must stay focused on searching for ribbon for my Christmas tree and my mantle right now.

 potterybarn.com

 I saw this used quite a bit last year in blogland and absolutely fell in love with it.  I even came across some very inexpensive jute webbing at a thrift store last year and passed it by.  It am kicking myself about that now!

save-on-crafts.com

This is very interesting!  It almost looks like gauze to me.  LOL!  I like how natural it looks though.

I also like this look quite a bit too.  I've yet to see anything that even comes close to this in the stores this year though.  Have you?  

bhg.com

And last but not least, I also am really liking this look as well.  The only thing is, I'm not so sure I want to make my own burlap ribbons this year.  That could be very time consuming!

By the way, any idea exactly how many yards I need for a very full 8ft tree?  I don't think I've ever measured exactly.  I usually just look for the largest quantities I can get.

So, it's off to the stores I go!

Still searching and enjoying meeting all the other ribbon enthusiasts along the way.  I guess you have a little idea of the direction I'm headed this year.  I still haven't found quite the right one yet.  You know the one that says; YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!

What about you?  Are you in search of  a new ribbon this year?  What are you looking for?

I would love to hear from you. 

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a very blessed Sunday! 

In the Dining Room

Hey Friends!  Nothing new here really.  Enjoying some time off and I just thought I 'd share a few photos of my dining room with you for a linky party I've been enjoying over at Cottage and Vine.

I still have not learned how to readjust my new camera settings so I hope you will forgive the quality of these photos.  I know it's a shame, but I will learn it soon.

I have quite a mix of furniture in my dining room.  It ranges from a few inherited pieces to resale store pieces and even a few Craigs list finds.  All of my pieces have been added over time.   Since it is a room we only use a few times a year it's never been a high priority for me as far as investing in furniture.  As a young mother I learned how to shift my spending quite a bit.    Even now as we are getting closer to being empty nesters I still enjoy the space I have created from mixing pieces together in this room.

I know some of you will remember me adding this china cabinet just last year.  I had to move a beautiful antique secretary out of the dining room in order to add this piece.  I think it was worth it!

I just recently moved this little cabinet in here to hold two of my silverware cabinets stacked on top of each other.

 I've kept my black sideboard (that I painted myself) in here.  I like how it is a nice size.  Not to big and not too small.

This is my most favorite piece of all.  It is a marble table that was my mother in laws.  It was made for her from her father who used to be the president of a bank downtown.  When the bank remodeled he bought all the old marble counters and had them made into tables for each of his five daughters.  

The mirror was inherited too.  I am thinking very seriously about replacing these lamps with a pair I've got my eye on at work.  They are gorgeous but a little pricey though so we will see.

I constantly say I'm going to replace these sheers but I've yet to do so.

I know they probably look a little dated but I love the whiteness of them and that they do not close in my room. I have no blinds on my dining room windows either.  We've always enjoyed being able to look out the windows during the few times we do use this room.  It's very enjoyable.

I have two of these lithograph prints I inherited from my grandmother.  They are prints from the Godey's catalog that used to come out for women to order their dresses.  I think they are pretty cool!

My chandelier is one of my most favorite pieces in this room too.  I just love it!  It came with the house and I am still trying to find a replacement glass for one that I cracked.  I've yet to find the right size bell shade with the bubble glass and so it sit's with cracked shade and all.  Please send me any info you have if you ever see these large bell shades with bubble glass!

And finally, since I'm showing you my dining room today I decided to throw out a little tablescape too.  You may remember I already had my centerpiece created as shown in previous post.

Well I couldn't very well show you a dining room without the table set now could I?

I just recently purchased these napkins.  They looks so fallish to me!

I liked how they looked with my bamboo flatware too.

 Here is my newest acquirement.  These amber colored goblets.  I've been wanting some for awhile now. I could not believe I found a set of four for only $6.00 at a resale store.  I don't know if they are worth much or what the pattern is but who cares, I love them!

Well that's my dining room as it looks today!  It's about to change up for the season very soon so I'm sure I'll be showing you this room again before too long. 

I am joining both

 Tablescape Thursday

and

Cottage and Vine

 today. 

Be sure and visit the two linky parties listed above for many more beautiful and inspirational dining rooms and settings.

Thanks for visiting with me!

Have a great day!

Handmade Fleece Throw

Whew!  I finally found a moment to share my latest project with you.  I'm pretty happy I finished it just in time to share it with your for

 Metamorphosis Monday.

Do you remember the hint I gave you about the project I was working on?  No?  Well, let me refresh your memory, here is what I said;

"Here's a hint!  It's very easy to do and you've seen them a thousand times already I'm sure!  It's warm and cozy but the combination that I am using is probably new to some of you."  

Did you guess what's warm and Cozy?

If you guessed a blanket you would be correct!  More accurately, if you guessed a fleece blanket,  you would have been dead on!

We all know how much we love our plaid here in blog land right?  So, I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was when I came across this beautiful brown plaid fleece fabric on my lunch hour at the fabric store. My head started swimming with ideas!

  I have been wanting to make one of those knotted throws for several years now.  So when, I came across this plaid fleece fabric that I absolutely loved and it was on sale for 50% off, I decided I was going to make a blanket for our den.

  To make a knotted throw you need two pieces of fabric.  I decided to make a reversible blanket instead of making it the same on both sides.  You will understand why perfectly when you see what I chose for the opposite side.

The next thing I did was to lay the two pieces on top of each other and pinned them together with the front sides of the fabric facing out.  Then after determining my size, I cut out the corners on each end of the blanket and then trimmed off my sides equally.

Then it was time to go around all the edges and cut my tassels.

The next step was to to knot both of the pieces of fabric together.  This is what finishes the blanket.

I made this blanket using the knotting method called the "half hitch" knot.  It's where you just take the two tassel pieces that are stacked on top of each other, wrap them around your finger, loop them both through the hole and slide the knot up towards the blanket.   I've made the knotted fleece scarves before using this method but with only one piece of fabric.

  Now you get a peek at the fabric I chose for the reverse side.

How do you like my choices?  Who doesn't love houndstooth and plaid?  

I know I sure do!  

And...OMG!!!  I think the two of them together is just so comforting and gorgeous!  

My family obviously feels the same way because both my husband and son have been enjoying using our new blanket already.  The best part of it is, I love how beautifully it looks in our den!

We're getting some cooler temperatures here now and it's prime snuggling time!

This is a very easy project for those of you who have never made one yet.  I highly recommend it!  The fleece fabric choices seem to get better every year too.

Thanks for visiting today!

I hope you enjoyed your visit!

Have a great week everyone!

Hoping you all stay warm and cozy!

Juggling work and Thanksgiving

Hi Friends!  Are you ready for Thanksgiving?  I am, well, sorta!  Since I am not hosting our Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year it's a bit easier.  Quite a bit actually! 

 Not hosting means I'll only be responsible for bringing a few dishes, which I have yet to officially decide upon what I plan to bring.  I'm not sweating it though because I have several that I know will be well appreciated.  One thing about my side of the family is that we always want the same old tried and true dishes on Thanksgiving day.  My mother has tried to introduce a few new things, but they rarely ever make the return list.  I guess we are all very traditional when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner in my family.  Now Christmas dinner, that's a different story!

Since I'm not hosting Turkey day I decided to create a Thanksgiving vignette on my dining table this year that can sit here untouched for a few weeks.

One of the advantages of working at Stein Mart in the gifts department is that I get to do lots of vignettes. 

 The large tables in the middle of each gift section is a conglomeration of several items from the shelves for display.  I've been enjoying creating vignettes on these and have to tweak them daily as products sell.  I have been learning to focus on bringing more height into vignettes.

I also get to do this on the shelves because we try to create attractive displays of products on the top shelves as well as arranging the products below.

  We receive shipments weekly so I am constantly resetting to allow for new merchandise.  I have to say so far, it's a fluffer's dream!  I really wish I could photograph my work for you but company policy will not allow it.  So you'll just have to see some of my things at home which are not nearly as interesting because I just don't have the stuff to work with here.  Oh well!  

The focus of this vignette is my newest piece.  I purchased this turkey dish several months ago from a local consignment/antique store.  It was quite a deal too!

Then I added my candlesticks and cloche for more height.  They also added quite a bit of weight or thickness if you will, to this vignette.

I then added a few floral's and pumpkins for just a touch of color and to fill in space around the bottom.  My goal was to keep this somewhat neutral looking with the whites. 

So what do you think?

Now on to my fireplace mantle, which leaves a bit more to be desired!

  Most of you may already know I do not like to add much to this mantle because of the location of it in my room.  When I decorate this mantle heavily is just overwhelms the room to me.  I have also been thinking that perhaps my sconces are not placed well on the wall.  I am considering lowering them and bringing them in closer to the mirror. This would allow for more space to put larger floral arrangements on the ends of the mantle, if I choose too.  So maybe that's what is throwing off the whole thing.  IDK!  Anyway, this is how I started out with my fall mantle.

I pulled out my Turkey platter that I inherited from my in laws to use as the centerpiece. Then I added the willow candle holders and the fall leaves.  I thought I was done, until....

..I unpacked my old crows.  I just adore these tacky little candle holders! 

 They really are very cutesy looking and just do not go with this setting at all to me.  I have to put them out though!  I just cannot find another spot I'd rather have them.  Heaven help me!

So here they rest for this year!

  I have so little to time fret for long over these things here at home now, which is a good thing. Working has had it's advantages for me for sure.  I really am getting much better with managing things during my time off now too.  Because I am on the go none stop at work, I am starting to be more "on the go" when I am off as well.

  For example, today I have to go in from 1:00pm to 9:30pm because I have to help with closing.  So this morning I am blogging and crafting.   Most of the time I work mornings and afternoons but it's always changing, that's retail.  My lunch hours are spent eating and shopping for crafts, groceries and now Christmas.  Days off are for family, cleaning and if time allows whatever else I want to do.  It's a juggling act for sure, but I have been so busy I am starting to drop some weight even though I am eating terribly.  My energy is returning too.  It's funny how when you don't have much time to do things you seem to be more inspired to do them.  Weird!

You will have to stop back by again soon to see something I am working on.   Here's a hint!  It's very easy to do and you've seen them a thousand times already I'm sure!  It's warm and cozy but the combination that I am using is probably new to some of you.  Can you guess what it is?  I think it's going to be one many of you will love!  I'll try to finish it up this week!

Anyway, that's what's up with me along with a few vignettes I thought I'd share with you!  I may add these to a few linky partys later on when I think of them.  LOL!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day!