Continuing Education

Hey y'all! So I'm sitting in a classroom for the first time in five years! I enrolled in a couple of continuing education classes at Gainesville State College - just up the road from our new house. The campus is beautiful - the class size is tiny (only 4 or 5 students enrolled) and the professor seems really nice. He's already cracking Baptist jokes so it'll be interesting to see where the day goes from here. I've got six hours to learn how to design a webpage, because my next big online adventure is going to involve completely rennovating our http://www.fkconsign.com/ website - which needs a little bit of a facelift. I'll let you know how it goes...

*peace*love*fashion

Casey

Inspiration - Marie McGrath and The Joy of Fashion

Here at Finders Keepers Boutique, we love and live for inspiration. We spend countless hours searching other bloggers to see what they're up to, revel in some stroke of fashion genius, be moved by someone's words, or to feel connected to that universal sisterhood of style. So, once a week, we're going to repost bloggers who made us say wow - who kept us on their blogs for hours and hours as we scrolled through their pictures and thoughts.

This week: Marie McGrath with The Joy of Fashion @ http://www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com/

Marie takes pictures of her daily ensembles and she has grown quite a following. Her creative use of colors in combination with classic lines makes for a sophisticated, inviting style that I know our customers would love. She's Kate Spade's take on Audrey Hepburn, sweet through and through with a glint of sass that she'd be remiss not to satisfy. In one of my favorite recent posts, Marie adorned a side ponytail with vibrant little butterfly clips. Brilliant! Infact, I'm infatuated with so many of her looks that I kept changing my mind about which one to use. As soon as I settled on an outfit she'd post something else that caught my eye. So, I'll post a couple of looks (I couldn't choose!) featuring a favorite theme of mine (mixing black and white accessories) and leave the rest for you to discover!

Visit Marie McGrath at http://www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com/

Lavender Love

I stopped by Finders Keepers Fashions to check out their inventory of sundresses. It's that time during Georgia's summer when the only things that merrily survive the daily burn are dandilions and whatever bugs those are that make that creepy, screaming buzzing noise from their perches in pine trees. When I rounded the corner of the building, already sweating from the fifteen feet I'd walked from my car, another lovely creature waved at me from the break bench by the employee entrance. Christie's purple sundress peeked out from the bushes and tall grass as she enjoyed a moment to herself, which I immediately interrupted and asked if I could take her picture. She just looked so happy in that dress, like she had a really great secret. Luckily she was a fantastic sport, and happily replied that she'd gotten her whole outfit at Finders Keepers. Well wasn't that just perfect? Even more perfect: all of the displays inside the store were hues of purple, and so a theme was born. Purple is a powerful color. It both soothes and inspires, calms and demands. I have a purple candle on my desk that I light and stare at whenever I've hit a creative wall. I think lulling myself into thinking about nothing in particular helps me get out of my own way.

Christie: a favorite muse of mine and always a good sport!

Layer shades of the same color for a chic, slimming look

Make a splash in a sea of black with a little purple dress

Purple shoes: every closet needs a pair!

Guys: we like you in lavender. It gives you an in-touch sensitivity that we're drawn to like moths to light

Great minds think alike! Christie and Jackie were riding the same brainwave this morning!

p.s. Store wide sale this Saturday only! All full-priced merchandise is 25% off! I'll be there to score some summer dresses.

Lazy Days of Summer

Summer days *are* lazy, at least easier to convince myself to be lazy. I think that's because it's so incredibly, unbelievably hot. When I take my dogs outside sometimes I just sit in the grass and watch them loll around. They don't last long either. One will stretch out in the tall grass and the other will seek refuge in the shade of the young pine trees that grow along the short hill side. What might this have to do with furniture? Well, when I was in the furniture store this week my eye was drawn over and over to all these supremely comfy-looking pieces of furniture. I tried each of them out, rating which one inspired the most long-lasting laziness. While there were several nice candidates to choose from, there was definitely a clear winner. Here are a few of my favorites, and I've saved the best (in my opinion) for last!

This lovely Armani couch matches the Armani chair in a previous post.

This deliciously chocolate-brown recliner was a close second. My husband probably would've chosen this as the winner because he's a huge fan of structure and straight lines.

And then, there's me, a proprietor of all things unstructured! This chair feels like sitting on a cloud. I had to resist the urge to curl up like a cat and take a nap. Oh if only we didn't have to buy a new washing machine, you would be coming home with me!

It's a High-End Handbag Reunion

Now that I am only in the store a couple of days a week I realize how fast the turnover of inventory is. The Boutique feels like a whole new store every time I walk in. One shop tendency that continues to hold true is the waves and patterns of inventory that comes in. One day we might have every consignor bring in at least one piece of "Free People," or Anthropologie labels, or maybe it's a day of boots. The long and the short of it: Birds of a feather tend to flock together, even in things unfeathered.

I decided to come into town yesterday to take pictures at all three of our stores. Stephanie had called me the day before about a F*A*N*T*A*S*T*I*C Chanel quilted handbag that arrived on Tuesday, and I just had to see it for myself. It was all I hoped and dreamed, by the way. But I digress. Next to the most-perfect-Chanel-bag-ever was a candy apple red ankle-wristlet... also from the fine people at Chanel. I managed to close my mouth and tear my eyes away from the quilted sisters to stumble upon not one... not two... but three Louis Vuitton handbags. A couple of classics for the tradition LV fans (a speedy, in particular) and an oh-so-cute slouchy-denim number that puts the polish on any ensemble.

Since I was determined to pop into all 3 stores I didn't have time to style the bags, only to let them shine in all their glory - which they did and did well. BUT I couldn't help but take a picture of this adorable Marc Jacobs yellow floral handbag against Stephanie's yellow floral Maxi dress and also of a classic Burberry handbag against Carter's striped cardigan.


Oh Chanel! No such thing as too big... or too small

I had to do a close-up!

"I don't get it... ohh!!" So. Freakin'. Cute.

I did a double take when I saw them in the case!

Louis Vuitton: for the more classic fans

Another classic Louis Vuitton model

A more daring rendition!

Marc Jacobs: just perfect for summer!

Burberry Bliss: couldn't have styled for it any better!

Bohemian Rhapsody

I am a hippie. Total, can't-deny-it lover of cotton, linen, flowy stuff, messiness, easy-breezies, and sunshine. It turns out Barbara, retired school teacher, military wife, and marriage-counselor extraordinaire (who VOLUNTEERS at Boutique... works her hiney off for free with us 'cause she likes it so much) is too. It made me think that perhaps we all have an inner flower-child that we secretly (or not-so-secretly) like to get in touch with every now and then. Another bit of proof: we can't keep skirts in the Boutique. Not for five seconds. They come and go as fast as the Georgia temperatures rise in the morning (and for you northerners, it's quick... really, freakishly fast.) For those of you who aren't making bracelets out of clovers just yet, skirts are an absolute staple in any Bohemian's wardrobe. The good -- scratch that -- GREAT news, is that skirts are coming in just as fast! New consignments tend to taper off in July, but that has not been the case at the Boutique this summer. We opened ten NEW accounts on Saturday alone. So, it's safe to say that if you come in searching for that perfect summer skirt, we've got you covered! But back to Barbara: she makes the perfect summer hippie in this fabulous, free-flowing ensemble. Barbara, I'm jealous. Just so you know...

We wanna win Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta 2010 Survey

Yeah, we want it!

Winning a "Best of Atlanta" consumer vote is like the ultimate shopper's high. It means you like what we do. It means a nifty newspaper article that we'll frame and hang proudly in our stores. It means we're doing right by our customers and our mission -- and that's what we work to do every single day.
And right now, we need you! Creative Loafing is holding its Annual Best of Atlanta Survey now through July 31st. This year they've made it oh-so-simple! Go to their website: www.atlanta.creativeloafing.com and click "vote now." You only have to vote for five categories for your votes to count. We want to win like a six year old at a kickball game.... really (really) bad! And we can't win without you!
 

We Wanna Win Best Consignment Stores in Atlanta for Creative Loafing's Annual Survey!

Yeah, we want it!

Winning a "Best of Atlanta" consumer vote is like the ultimate shopper's high. It means you like what we do. It means a nifty newspaper article that we'll frame and hang proudly in our stores. It means we're doing right by our customers and our mission -- and that's what we work to do every single day.
And right now, we need you! Creative Loafing is holding its Annual Best of Atlanta Survey now through July 31st. This year they've made it oh-so-simple! Go to their website: www.atlanta.creativeloafing.com and click "vote now." You only have to vote for five categories for your votes to count. We want to win like a six year old at a kickball game.... really (really) bad! And we can't win without you!

Vote for Finders Keepers in CL's Best of Atlanta Survey!

Yeah, we want it!

Winning a "Best of Atlanta" consumer vote is like the ultimate shopper's high. It means you like what we do. It means a nifty newspaper article that we'll frame and hang proudly in our stores. It means we're doing right by our customers and our mission -- and that's what we work to do every single day.

And right now, we need you! Creative Loafing is holding its Annual Best of Atlanta Survey now through July 31st. This year they've made it oh-so-simple! Go to their website: www.atlanta.creativeloafing.com, and click "vote now." You only have to vote for five categories for your votes to count. We want to win like a six year old at a kickball game.... really (really) bad! And we can't win without you!

Saturday Sale Sneak Peak!

Well we had to make it a little fun! Three words: STORE. WIDE. SALE. Yep! The whole store will be on sale next Saturday, July 24th! I'd write more... but I have a feeling you found what you came for! See you soon...

New items blew in... and blew Betsy's skirt up!

For those of you who haven't read any previous posts, the title may have seemed a bit odd. So I'll recap: a LOT of stuff comes and goes through our door here at Finders Keepers Furnishings. So it takes a lot to "blow her skirt up" as Betsy says. The good news: it's been really windy this week! AKA: the new arrivals this week are *AMAZING*. You really (really) don't want to miss taking a gander at these Category-5 skirt blowers.

What goes around comes (back) around: Fantabulous Retro Sectional and Ottoman

Moleskin Sofa (I love green and gray together - it's one of my favorite combinations!)

Super chic Armani chair (there's a matching sofa!)

  

No living room is complete without a cozy man-chair!

  

Beautiful, decorative chairs from Pier 1

Do I Dare? Oh yes I do

Do I care? Nope. Fashion, above all else, is suppose to be fun. It's not suppose to be a source of stress or anxiety. It's practically its own sport... at minimum a wardrobe should be a recreational outlet. Have you ever watched children make up their own games or imaginary worlds? They become so entrenched that reality slips away and this fantastical world that they all really see becomes utterly, absolutely real.

On Meghann:

Romper: Miss Me $36

Heels: Qupid $33

Handbag: Coach $118