A message from Cynthia

Hello-

I love to host parties. I love the mental prep; choosing the food, how the party will be organized, who to invite. I love the physical details: rearranging furniture and picking out the perfect drinks and treats. I love the socialization: the greeting and the chatting and the introductions.

A really good party can go on for a while - sometimes a very long while - filled with conversation and noshing and laughter. Usually, a good party is a bit unpredictable. I love this, too. Some guests come late, some leave early and some spill their drinks. The music might be too loud. A guest might be too loud. However, there is always a stretch of time when the party is humming perfectly and I wish the moment could last forever. I want to freeze everything. 

At some point, though, my feet will start to hurt and my mind will wander to my bed, or the dishes, or the book I am reading. Suddenly, it is time for the party to end. The night turns to hugs and good-night wishes. I like this part, too. I say sweet good-byes and then, while I am cleaning up and dancing around the kitchen with my husband, we rehash the party and plan the next one. 

Ornamentea is like a big, long party. We’ve had almost seventeen years of fun and laughter and creativity. But now, today, my feet hurt and my mind is wandering. It’s time for this party to end.

Please join me in a hug-filled good-bye to Ornamentea. I am planning on going out in style and making sure your bead bins and craft rooms are fully stocked before I do. Our store will close at 6 pm on February 20th to prepare for a crazy, most-fun-ever closeout sale. Our closeout sale will start on Wednesday, February 24th at 10 am and continue until everything is gone. We’ll be selling all our beads, tools, supplies, furniture and decor. We’ll have special trunk shows and new merchandise from our favorite vendors. We’ll continue to run all the classes we currently have scheduled (through March) and we’ll take custom orders through February 1st. I’ve got some more details down below about our beadfreak cards, and classes, and custom work if you are interested. 

What will I do after the party? Well, I’ll plan the next one, of course!

xxoo-

Cynthia

Wait, what?!?!

can I use my gift certificate? Yes, but hurry. Please use your gift certificate BEFORE we close on February 20th. If you have a gift certificate, and we have your phone number or email, we’ll be contacting you with a reminder. We will not be able to honor gift certificates after February 20th, 2016. No exceptions.

my beadfreak card is almost full! what do I do? Come in and fill it up! We have lots of wonderful items that you can use to fill that card up, then you can spend that $50. Don’t let those punches go to waste! We will not be able to punch cards or redeem cards after February 20th, 2016. No exceptions. 

will my class still run? yes, any scheduled classes will still run. We won’t be adding many new classes, though, so this is a great time to get in one last class at the Big O before the party ends. Now is the time to finally take that class. Through February 20th you may register for classes with gift certificates or beadfreak cards in the store. After that date, you will only be able to register on-line using our registration links (available on the site) and by paying with a credit card.

I love this one piece of furniture from the shop, can I buy it? yes, it’s ALL for sale. The furniture, the mirrors, the parasols, the signs, the decor, the lighting, everything. Items are (mostly) priced and can be purchased and (mostly) picked up immediately. Major furniture may require a few days wait. Ask the next time you come in. I’m sure you understand that we cannot hold any furnishings or decor items without full payment. Major furniture, tools and items from our classrooms will be available in March, after we conclude classes.

what about those sales? we will have some sales and markdowns on items currently in stock. The closeout sale will start at 20% off on February 24th. Discounts will increase as the sale goes on. We will also add new merchandise, as the sale goes on, from favorite vendors. Please note: much of what we sell is limited, or will not be reordered. If you see something you like NOW we strongly suggest purchasing it NOW as it may not be here later. Beadfreak cards will not be punched or redeemed after the 20th of February. 

what will the closeout hours be?
We will begin the closeout sale on Wednesday, Feb 24th. Our closeout hours will be different from our store hours, so please watch our newsletter and facebook for details. 

I’m so sad! I will really miss this store!
I will too! I honestly love my customers, and my staff right now is incredible, BUT it’s time to move on. 

but I wanted to take a private class!
you still have time. Call us as soon as possible to schedule a private class with any of our instructors.

how can I keep in touch with an instructor or staff member I love?
I will be keeping you updated as my staff move on to their next things. If you’ve relied on someone for instruction or custom orders, you may be able to keep in touch with them. 

but Raleigh needs a bead store!
yes, I agree. I’d love to chat with you about opening your own. 

can you tell me where you get this specific thing I love?
probably not. Our website, Ornamentea.com, will continue to be operated by some fabulous folks and they will be selling many of your favorites. 

can I special order some of this item before you close?
Yes, we’d love to get you all stocked up on that special thing you need. Just as before, all special orders will need to be pre-paid. Please place any special orders as soon as possible. 

but I’ll miss your Tuesday newsletter!
Thank you, that is so sweet. I will keep writing to you on Tuesdays. For me, the newsletter has always been about my connections with the community and my customers. I love to write. I have a lot of coffee! I’ll write and talk about many things, maybe even my next venture. Look for me in your inbox every week! 

what about Pop-Up Sunday?

 Don’t worry, Raleigh’s original pop-up vintage market will continue. We have a new location that you’ll love, where we can have more vendors and there is better parking. Like the Pop-Up Sunday Facebook page and sign-up for our Pop-Up email in that link on the side of this blog>>>>

what are you really going to do? 

I’m going to start by taking a good long time off. I’ll daydream, be creative, take long walks and relax. After that gets old, I’ll start the next party. If you want to make sure you don’t miss a thing, please follow me on social media and subscribe to my newsletter. On facebook, instagram and other platforms I’ll be Cynthia Deis or @cynthiadeis.