Announcing the G.O. Month Schedule of Workshops for 2012

GO MONTH 2012 – FINDERS KEEPERS SATURDAY ORGANIZING WORKSHOPS

Date:  Saturday, January 14

Time:  9:30am – 10:30am

Workshop Title:  Tips for Organizing, Saving, & Digitizing Your Photos

Description:  Professional organizer Jiffy Page and business partner Wally Buckner will discuss and take questions regarding how to organize and preserve the "tangible" photos you have, how to organize the "digital" photos you have and Mac and PC options for identifying and storing information about those pictures. Also, they'll talk about the scanning and restoration of photos (prints, negatives and slides) so you can both preserve and share your family's photographic memories. This workshop is held at Finders Keepers Furnishings and will begin at 9:30am sharp on Saturday, January 14th. Seating is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis so arrive early! Last week's workshop drew a full house, and was standing-room only by the time it started

About Jiffy Page:  Jiffy started Pixorium in the fall of 2006. Her photostorytelling business has helped hundreds of Atlanta-area clients preserve, save and share their photos (prints, slides, negatives, videos, film) and stories by digitizing the images and telling the stories in videos, books and other fun ways. Learn more by visiting www.pixorium.com.

Date:  Saturday, January 21

Time:  9:30am – 10:30am

Workshop Title:  When Collectors Become Hoarders

Description:  Humans are sentimental. It’s a characteristic that distinguishes us from other species. But sometimes our positive affection for objects can backfire. We’ll explore the reasons people collect, how to saving objects undermines the joy of collecting, the signs of hoarding, and how to keep your collecting habits healthy and positive. The presentation will be 45 minutes with a robust 15 minutes question and answer period, free handouts, and discounted books.

About Judith Kolberg:  Judith pioneered FileHeads Professional Organizers in 1989. She founded the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, the precursor to the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD) and is credited with launching a field of professional organizing specifically dedicated to addressing the needs of individuals challenged by chronic disorganized. Respected by her peers for her innovative organizing ideas, she is the recipient of the industry’s highest honors. Select books authored by Judith are recommended reading by the Board of Certification for Professional Organizers and the ICD certificate program. Her books have sold a quarter of million copies in the US, England, Korea, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. She is a popular speaker on a wide range of organization/ disorganization topics and is a virtual instructor for Pearson Education, a global education company. Kolberg was a featured organizer on the “Buried Alive: Hoarders ” TV series. She currently directs the Atlanta Hoarding Task Force. A native of Levittown, NY, Kolberg lives in Atlanta, GA where she takes care of her Mom, continues to see clients, writes, publishes, and blogs.

Date:  Saturday, January 28

Time:  9:30am- 10:30am

Workshop Title:  Kitchen Organization Made Simple

Description:  During this workshop, you will learn how to plan your space, choose the right organizing products, and address problem areas such Tupperware clutter/pantry overload/junk drawers.  Each participant will receive a workshop handout outlining Gigi’s 5 steps for getting organized in the kitchen and helpful tips for maintaining your space.  And….there will be a special give-away for one lucky member!

About Gigi K. Miller:  Gigi serves as the Marketing Director for The National Association of Professional Organizers- Georgia (NAPO-GA) and is the owner of Vision Organizing, an Atlanta based company that works with individuals and businesses.  As a Professional Organizer, Gigi utilizes her highly honed organizational skills towards helping others realize the benefits of living an organized life. Vision Organizing's mission is to create customized solutions for home, work, and life that are simple, practical, and easy to maintain. For additional information, please visit www.VisionOrganizing.com.

Holiday Open House and Trunk Show at Finders Keepers Boutique + Menswear!

We love our new space, and we want to show it off! So we're celebrating the holiday season and our super cute rennovation with a little open house, which will feature a trunk show by local artist Jan Cash. Jan designs beautiful one-of-a-kind hand knotted jewelry pieces. Learn more about Jan and see pictures of her inventory on her Etsy page: http://www.jancashdesigns1.etsy.com/

A little bit about Jan:

Jan is an Atlanta artist who designs and hand-makes jewelry featuring vintage and new glass, pearls, semi-precious stones, and custom hand-made hang tags. Her hand-knotting technique, using sterling silver and 14K gold-filled findings, gives each unique piece a delicate and airy look, making the design elements appear to be suspended in air. Each necklace and bracelet has a sterling silver tag with the artist’s signature. Jan is a self-taught artist who works out of her Druid Hills studio. In her spare time she paints in the pointillist style. Like her jewelry, her paintings are colorful and detailed. She has a husband; two children, a dog and two cats.

What an awesome week!

Hey y’all! Bonnie here. This is an exciting week and I just want to fill you in:

Wednesday at the Small Business Development Center Holiday Brunch in Decatur, Finders Keepers is doing a fashion show using Julie, Ivana and Stephanie. It is a segment on "Fashioncents" and will show these entrepreneurs how to dress for less and look great.

Thursday at noon I will be live on WRFG Community Radio (89.3 FM) to talk with the show host (one of our good customers Meletia) about consignment shopping and ACS. Tune in if you can.

Month of Merry discount for this week is 15% off all handbags and anything leather from 5pm to 9pm this Thursday only at Finders Keepers Fashions.

All for now! I’m off to go get the outfits organized for tomorrow’s fashion show!

Workshop with Rusty and Pine Street Market - and bacon!

The workshop last Saturday with Pine Street Market was terrific! We had 28 people. Rusty cooked beer braised Brats with peppers, tomato & garlic. Yummy. He told us that he will be featured in the holiday a=edition of "Bon Apetite" magazine and is also currently a finalist in a National Culinary Recognition. He will be coming back the first of the year. So say all of the attendees!!

Love bacon?

This Saturday, Finders Keepers Furnishings concludes its fall workshop series with a complimentary sampling of Pine Street Market's delicious meats and treats. Rusty, owner of Pine Street Market, will be cooking fresh samples of his shop's most popular products. He'll demonstrate his delicious recipe for beer-braised bratwursts, and is going to raffle off a pound of the best bacon ever (as declared by Betsy and Bonnie!) Rusty will also dish all about his Cider-brined, peachtree smoked holiday hams, which are natural, boneless, and humanely raised! Ladies - what a good way to get the menfolk to come shopping with you! We'll kick off this tasty workshop at 9:30 am this Saturday. Learn more about Rusty and the Pine Street Market on their website: http://www.pinestreetmarket.com/.

Dr. Portia Shields at Finders Keepers Stores

Dr. Portia Shields, President of Tennessee State University in Nashville, arrived Saturday in her limo with an entourage of 7 ladies to shop all of the Finders Keepers stores. The limo driver even got in on the shopping fun. Dr. Shields was so sweet and posed for a photo at Finders Keepers Furnishings. Then they were off to shop at Boutique!

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

Decorating our stores for the holidays is one of our very favorite things to do. Boutique and Fashions love to come up with WOW windows, and our Furnishings location takes the cake for creativity each year - upside down christmas trees anyone? It's a good thing we have a brave gal like Linda to dangle off of laters and rafters! Check out a few pictures from our decorating party at Finders Keepers Furnishings!

Weekend Wine Tasting at Finders Keepers Furnishings

Our weekend workshops at Finders Keepers Furnishings have been focused on organization all year - so we decided to have a little fun! Last Saturday we held a free wine and pairings tasting compliments of The Little Wine Shop in Avondale Estates. Saturday morning might seem a little early for wine, but the samples were delicious with danishes and doughnuts!

Let's hear it for the boys!

We had our first menswear markdown event last Saturday and had a great time! Our Boutique girls switched out the traditional pear champagne twists for beer and fresh fruit for chicken wings - and the menfolk seemed very appreciative of the snacks.

Upcycle anyone?

I learned a very cool new term today: upcycle! If it's new for you too, here's the gist: recycling an item in such a way that improves the value of the item. I didn't know that I'd "upcycled" before, but I totally have! On the way to the store one day I saw a beat up vintage-style dresser on the curb. Somehow - sundress and all - I loaded it all by my lonesome into the back of my car. Then I forgot about it for a while and waited for inspiration to strike...

...fast forward ove a year (yes, a year) and I now have a baby and she has a lot of stuff, and I mean a lot of stuff. It's taking over every inch of my house. And if we leave to run even the shortest of errands, the dogs like to drag all of her stuff to different parts of the house. I needed a place to put all of it. Eureka! And since it's for her I got to have a lot of fun with  it.... buttons on the knob and funky flowers along the door. I love it! And I take great satisfaction every time I reclaim the floors in my house by sticking all of her toys inside of that awesome cabinet that I made for her.

So how did I learn this new term: upcycling? Take a peek at one of our own staff member's blogs to find out how she upcycled a coffee table that she bought at Finders Keepers Furnishings: http://www.facebook.com/l/dAQCG3OsAAQD13qye1aekgWIgrx165JY_FIaFSeYyNN_7Dg/levetansetzerhomeownership.blogspot.com/2011/10/coffee-table-project.html

In fact, you should check out her blog in general - it's pretty awesome.

Sweet words we want to share!

A customer wrote us about her experience at our free workshop "Double Trouble," hosted by Finders Keepers Furnishings:


Betsy, I just wanted to let you and Linda know how much I enjoyed the workshop. High time the two of you did one!!! So many great ideas and all very budget minded; you couldn't have done it better unless you did it longer. I called a friend and read her my list; she was just floored and I think will use some of your ideas. I know I will! Please know that ALL the workshops are well done and greatly appreciated in these times when money is tight. Imagination and trial & error are our best weapons. Maybe you and Linda will do a yearly workshop along with your other people that help with our gardens, organization, decorating and keeping our sanity. Decatur is truly lucky to have a wonderful resource in all the Finders Keepers shops. Thanks so much!
~ L. Huffman
 
Thank YOU Ms. Huffman! You made our day :)

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.

Free Workshop! Make your decor work double duty!

Decorating in a consignment store can take a heap of creativity, which adds even more sparkle to the wow factor of Finders Keepers Furnishings. Items in the store often serve double decorative duty. Betsy and Linda - our own Dynamic Duo - has spent the past six years honing their "wow factor" skills How can a wine rack can extend the space in a small bathroom? How do wine glasses make a spectacular centerpiece? There are so many ways to use many items in your house! Learn more at this Saturday's workshop! This workshop will begin at 9:30am Saturday, October 1st. Seating is based on first come, first serve.

Double Trouble! Come pick the very creative and inventive minds of Betsy and Linda this Saturday. Call for details: 404-377-1944

We're having a party and you're invited!

We've got two great reasons to celebrate: Finders Keepers Boutique turns 4...and the official launch of our brand new Menswear location. So here's your invitation to come eat, drink, be merry, and shop of course, this Friday, September 30th at Finders Keepers Boutique and Menswear. We're taking 10% off your total purchase (our gift to you) at these two locations this Friday only. We'll be open from 11am - 8pm for your shopping convenience.


Who: Our favorite customers
When: Friday Sept. 30 from 11 to 8
Where: Boutique 2134 N. Decatur and Menswear 2130 N. Decatur Rd
What: Food, Drink and Discount
Why: We love to celebrate!

Questions: 404-634-6995

Workshop: Color Splash with Carrie Fowler!

Saturday, September 17th @ Finders Keepers Furnishings: Free Workshop - Color Splash! Want to know the fastest and cheapest way to add life to your room? PAINT! Registered Interior Designer Carrie Fowler, of Carrie Fowler Interior Design will be offering a color workshop to help you add life to your rooms. Carrie will discuss paint color trends, textured wall treatments, wall coverings and how to punctuate you room with colorful accessories. Please bring pictures and fabrics swatches, Carrie will have pint decks on hand to help you individually pick a color! This is great opportunity to have an Interior Designer pick the right color for your home!

We will never forget - 10 years later

Our manager, Stephanie, is in NYC for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our country. Here are a few pictures from the day.

We'll be open for business TOMORROW!!

Our amazing staff busted their tushies all day today to get our new location ready for consignment magic! Check out pictures of our fast and furious move. We're so excited!!

oh. my. handbags.... and a hole in the wall!

Check out three of our favorite new handbags that came in last week... and pictures we took this morning of the hole in the wall between our old space (which will soon become Finders Keepers Menswear) and our new space, which will open for business Tuesday!

Jimmy Choo $239

Ralph Lauren as is $525 (retail price: $2400)

Valentino handbag... doesn't it make you want to take a bite? :)