How to have a great celebration this July 4th

Have you ever gone to a great barbecue and wish you could host one yourself?

Now you can!!

It's not difficult to have a great party.  There are a few things that will help you do this:

Everything needs a theme!  If you are having people over to celebrate the Fourth of July...you have a theme!  You don't need to have a flag theme but you do need to have a theme to take through the party. 

Entertainment is a MUST.  Do not expect your guests to "entertain" themselves.  Have games; horseshoes, ladder golf (personally one of my favorites), volleyball, etc.  Every party, as with every family, has the "crazy" guest...if you don't have entertainment they will be happy to provide it for you!

Know your guests.  If you invite vegans...have something for them to eat.  (I have only one friend who is vegan so when I invite her I ask her to bring what she would like to grill.  She has never been offended by this request as I am sure she would rather bring something than leave it up to me, someone who has no idea, to supply her food).

Variety is essential.  Don't just have burgers and dogs.  Chicken, seafood, shish kabobs with your burgers and dogs are a nice variety.  I like to give guests the theme and ask them to bring a dish; side or dessert.  (Okay if you are inviting a single man....chips are a good choice for them). 

Are children allowed.  It is VERY important that you let your guests know if they can bring their children.  There is nothing worse for a guest to bring their children only to find out, after they are there, that children were not invited.  It makes everyone uncomfortable.

Will there be alcohol?  If so are you providing the alcohol or is it BYOB?  Always have other non-alcohol refreshing drinks available.  Ice tea, water, fruit drinks are always a hit.

Start preparations 24 hours in advance.  Marinate all meat the day before, prepare any sides and/or desserts the day before and plan your theme decoration.  If you can decorate the day before great! but if you can't at least have your plan of attack ready.

Small take home gifts.  Keeping with your theme have something everyone can take home with them.  For example if you are throwing a Fourth of July theme barbeque maybe have small flags for everyone.  It is always great when I look at something I took home from a great party and remember it months later.

If you need items for your theme party contact Cari at Freedom Consignment & Antiques.  They have a large variety of items.  They also do gift baskets that you can use as decorations during the celebration and give as a gift at the end.

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Do you love to read BOOKS?

I know, I know it's the age of the Nook.  I own one, I have downloaded books on it, I've even read books off it....BUT there is nothing better than reading a BOOK.  Call me old-fashioned, call me out of touch but I still love the feel of a book.  Besides you can't take my Nook into a bathtub with you. :)

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Buying NEW books does get expensive.  I can read a book in 24 hours but if I check it out of the Library it will take me months to read.

I am a HUGE James Patterson fan....love his series and I want to read the newest one the minute it hits the shelves.  I am not going to be able to do this at a consignment store, I know this.

What I have learned at shopping at Freedom Consignment & Antiques....I have expanded my Authors.  I have discovered other Authors that I would not have discovered paying $25.00 for the book.  WOW a whole world I was missing.

I went into Freedom Consignment & Antiques and "browsed" the books that are there.  As tunnel vision as I am about books I recognized very few Authors but found a series by an Author that I thought "what have I got to loose?"  Each book was $1.00-$2.00 so I walked up to check out with a total of $8.00.  WOW was I shocked.....the books were 50% off! 

I took these four books with me on vacation.  They were finished withing five days!  Loved these books.  I called Freedom Consignment & Antiques and asked if there were any more by this Author.  They pulled the books by this Author and I went in to "check em out."  I bought them and a few other Authors...what have I got to loose right?  Another new Author!!  I called again and had them pull more books from this newest Author...picked them up today....two books cost me $2.00!!

If you love to read I want to encourage you to go to Freedom Consignment & Antiques and try new Authors!!  What a new experience this was for me.  Yes, I will still go to Barnes & Noble for the newest James Patterson THE MINUTE THEY HIT THE SHELVES but for everything else it's Freedom Consignment & Antiques. 

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Do you know how to shop....at Consignment Shops?

We all know how to shop, right?  Shopping at a consignment shop is a bit different and if you don't know how you can and will miss some great deals!

• You cannot just go one time.  The selection changes regularly so you have to shop regularly.  
• When you clean out your closet for a new season so do most people.  It's important to shop 3-4 weeks after the season changes.  Also, keep in mind when trends change you can get some excellent deals that are "out of the trend" but still works for you.
• Examine all the items you are interested in buying.  Shop where the owner cares as much for the item as you will.
• ALWAYS try on clothes, don't trust the tag.  If they are a bit big but it is a great deal consider purchasing the item and having it altered.  (Don't open a box of chocolates every day to alter yourself to the purchase).
• Walk through the entire store!  What looks disorganized to you is the owner's way of getting you to see everything.  Your hidden treasure may not be where you think it is as it may be hidden.
• Always ask if the price is negotiable and remember the owner of the store doesn't often set the price.  The consignor may have given instructions of what they are willing to accept.

Remember there are advantages for shopping at consignment stores.  There are people in the world who get tired of their things frequently.  When they get new they have to take their old somewhere.  This is why you have to continue to go back to the store as we do not have a holiday two times a year that is "Clean up and go buy new" so inventory changes constantly.  If you go today and it's not there, it may be there tomorrow.

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What a deal!

FREE BEER!!!


Free beer at Jimmy's if you purchase $25.00 between Wednesday, June 6 through Friday June 8th!!




Summer is here!! Time to clean out your house and make some money!! Freedom Consignment & Antiques is just the place to do this. Don't want high commission splits? At Freedom Consignment & Antiques has some of the lowest splits in Pueblo County. Want them even lower? Rent space in the store! Never before has it been easier to sell you belongings.

Purchase this and get a FREE pitcher of Beer at Jimmy's Tavern right nest door!!

Want something and just can't find it? Freedom Consignment and Antiques is just the place to go for all those things.

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