Something exquisitely fun and free

Today is a beautiful day to mosey in and enter to win our Juliska Graham Trumpet Vase (retail value $165). There's no purchase necessary to win -- it's just something exquisitely fun and free that we get to do as part of our month-long Juliska event. A stunning piece of art, this mouth blown glass vase needs at least 3 artisans to create this graceful beauty. But like all Juliska glass items, it's dishwasher safe and the glass will stay crystal clear (no etching or frosting!). Spring flowers are popping with plenty of opportunities to use this beauty.

Don't want to arrive empty handed, but still respect the unwritten/unspoken  agreement of not doing birthday gifts with certain people?  

Want to bring a little something to someone who already has so many things?  

Need a little something to brighten your own kitchen/office/day?  

Check out our assortment of potted plants in these sweet jute plant covers -- waterproof plastic linings mean the plants are easy to care for, the cute jute elevates these lovelies to something special (and all ready for gift presentation!).

Teriyaki Marinade

It's Family Dinner night for Meme and I (each Wednesday, my brother and I and our families convene at Chuck & Meme's house for a home cooked meal and a low key evening together).  In honor of my husband's birthday this week, Chuck and Meme are making one of his favorite things -- flank steak.  The marinade is super simple, tastes divine, and is super versatile.  Enjoy!

Nora Fleming Has Arrived!

So many of you  have asked us to let you know when Nora Fleming actually arrives on the premises, that we thought an email would be helpful.  We are excited to announce that the Nora Fleming line of customizable serving pieces are here and available to interchange and play!

If you've never encountered Nora Fleming's fun line of platters and minis, watch the video above to get a great taste for how it all works and why they say you only need one platter to serve for every occasion.

To celebrate the arrival of this new line of cost effective, microwave and dishwasher safe, adorable tableware, we're offering you two spectacular deals:

Purchase any regularly priced

Nora Fleming platter and mini,

and receive an additional mini of your choice

for free.

Or, purchase

nine regularly priced minis,

we'll give you a Keepsake box to store them all

(retail value $30)

for free.

You can even use one regularly priced mini to participate in both deals!

Offers are unlimited and end 3/16/14.

Gotta Have It Giveaway - The Gathering of Friends

Looking for a little mealtime inspiration?  Then this Gotta Have It Giveaway is just for you!  Enter the giveaway by posting the recipe for one of your favorite Winter Weeknight dinners and you'll be entered to win an (in-stock) The Gathering of Friends Cookbook of your choice.  These cookbooks are full of simple recipes with sophisticated twists and beautiful photos.

The giveaway ends 3/1/14, so don't delay!  Post your recipe (including ingredients and how-to -- we want to make these recipes ourselves!) here to enter.  

Looking for something new to bake for Valentine's Day this year? Check out this recipe from The Gathering of Friends. I'm thinking about making these (in a heart shape, of course!), but switching out the fruit and subbing in red/pink sprinkles. Not up your alley? Stop in and peruse our Gathering of Friends cookbook collection -- the pictures alone are worth the peek!

(Click the image to enlarge)

Be(e) Mine

A stunningly beautiful and unexpectedly different way to say Be(e) Mine this Valentine's Day.

Plus, free gift wrapping with any regularly priced jewelry purchase through Friday. 

Thank You

Dear Friends,

We shared something very personal with you this week about one of our goals here at Initial Attraction, and, just like the wonderful people that you are, you came out in terrible weather, on a weekday, when you had plenty of other things to do, in an effort to help us reach our goal. 

While we would have loved to have reached our goal, we learned (the hard way!) that there actually may have been a bit more value in not attaining it.  Our goal was a tool to help us grow and stretch, learn and try new things, and allow ourselves to be open to possibilities.  While we didn't make our goal, we came very close, thanks to each and every one of you and your kind support of our business over this past year.  I'm not sure who said it, but the quote "shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you'll land among the stars" definitely applies here. 

Meme and I would like to thank you, from the bottom of our hearts for your patronage during 2013.  We have felt the love from this community, of which we are so lucky to be a part, and for which we are deeply, deeply grateful.  Words cannot convey how fortunate we feel for the friendships we have made and the celebrations and milestones we've been able to be a part of, thanks to all of you. 

We would also like to extend a huge thank you to Gail Kristin, Mary Outinen, Marcia Woltjer, and Maureen Willoughby for working like crazy to help us meet our goal, as well as the many other things they do to keep Initial Attraction thriving.  We are insanely lucky that we get to work with such an amazing group of women who feel like family, keep things running smoothly, make things look good, and greet our goals with exclamations like "this is going to be fun!"  We could not be in business without these ladies.

Meme and I continue to marvel at the fact that we get to look forward to what we do each day (together!), meet so many interesting, supportive, and lovely people, all while learning so many new things about ourselves, our business, and even our customers each day.  Thank you so much for being a part of our venture, and making all of this possible.

Happy New Year,

--Meme & Bree

Holiday Cut-Off Dates

Cut-off dates to keep in mind:

Waxing Poetic:     12/7

Printswell:             12/9 (iPhone cases)

                                   12/10 (with a proof)

                                   12/11 (no proof)

Engraved Silver: 12/14

Mariposa:              12/14 (sorry, no engraving)

Juliska:                   12/14

Embroidery:        12/17

Vera Bradley:      12/18

Glassware:             TBD

New Traditions

Meme started a tradition in September of gifting Alice a Juliska place setting every year on her birthday.  This isn't our own tradition, but one borrowed from friends (who have been doing this for multiple generations).  We fell in love the idea of setting Alice up for adulthood with ease and grace (user friendly pieces that are meant to be used, but are equally beautiful) and without breaking the bank (rather than buying her a dozen place settings all at once, an investment of one place setting each year is made).

When I asked my husband what pattern Meme should start for Alice, he immediately hoped she would chose Country Estate (which surprised me as I didn't think it would appeal to him).  It turns out that we both love the whimsical and charming narrative where each piece reflects a different location on the estate, allowing eaters to dine their way around the estate with each serving piece.

It also gives my husband and I the opportunity to supplement her collection with Ruby Country Estate for the holidays.  So, every September, she receives a place setting from Meme in the Flint color, and each December she'll receive pieces from her parents in the Ruby.

The hardest part?  Not using her place settings!