Black friday sale
18 Nov
Fun 'N' Facts

Black Friday: The history behind this significant day in the retail industry

Black Friday! This is arguably the most favorite day for consumers when it comes to retail shopping because sales are everywhere. Even we retailers love this day because we enjoy interacting with new consumers.

There is a lot of heartfelt and despondent history behind black Friday but today, let us focus on the history behind Black Friday when it comes to the retail industry. So, where did this Christmas shopping craze get its name? Well, believe it or not, the term “Black Friday” was actually first associated with a financial crisis, not sales shopping. Crazy, right? Two Wall Street financiers by the name Jim Fisk and Jay Gould, together bought a significant amount of US gold in the hope of the overall price soaring and in turn being able to sell it for huge profits. On Friday 24 September 1869, in what became referred to as “Black Friday”, the US gold market crashed and Fisk and Gould’s actions left Wall Street barons bankrupt. In the Wall Street crash of 1929, when the New York Stock Exchange lost 6.3 percent of its value in a single day, followed by 12.8 percent and 11.8 percent on subsequent days, and because of this, it became known as Black Friday, Black Monday and Black Tuesday. It was not until later years that the post-Thanksgiving period became associated with the name.

Black Friday

The earliest evidence of the phrase Black Friday dated back to 1961, where it was used by police to describe the heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving in Philadephia, U.S.A. Large crowds of tourists and shoppers would come to the city the day after Thanksgiving for the Army-Navy football game, creating chaos, traffic jams, and shoplifting opportunities. Police officers weren’t able to take the day off and instead had to work long shifts, and started using the term “Black Friday” mockingly. The use of the phrase spread slowly, first appearing in The New York Times on November 29, 1975, in which it still refers specifically to “the busiest shopping and traffic day of the year” in Philadelphia. By the late 1980s, the term was commonly known across the nation, and retailers soon linked it to their post-Thanksgiving sales. In more recent decades global retailers have adopted the term and date to market their own holiday sales.

We hope this little piece of information has enlightened you. We have our own Black November sale offering up to 80% off. Grab something from us today.

jewelry tarnish
10 Nov
Tips and Tricks

Are you taking care of your jewelry? Here are six reasons why your jewelry tarnish

We all love some cute jewelry. It is very okay to be a little obsessed with your jewelry. At the end of the day, beauty is who you are and jewelry is simply the icing on the cake.

One, two, many times, we’ve bought jewelry from some of our favorite vendors and before we know it, it’s already tarnishing in the blink of an eye. We then quickly pass the blame to the manufacturer and tell ourselves that we will never purchase from them. But do you know that 95% of the time why jewelry tarnishes is because of how we take care of them? Don’t believe us? Let us give you six reasons.

(1.)You sleep with your jewelry

A night of good sleep is what we need for beauty but your jewelry doesn’t need some beauty sleep hunnay. Rolling over in your sleep will for sure make your jewelry get into contact with fabric that will wear out your jewelry. Ooh! And don’t forget our bodies perspire as we sleep. The sweat will end up on your jewelry and this will cause some tarnishing. To prevent this, make sure you remove your jewelry before hitting the bed.

(2.) You hit the gym with your jewerly

Okay, we have to get those bod goals as we chase some money too but please, spare some time to remove your jewelry before you hop onto that treadmill or lift that barbell. Why? This revolves around the same issue of sweating. You really don’t need to soak your jewelry in sweat because it will tarnish for sure. Plus, oh my! It is very uncomfortable working ou with jewelry. Trust me, we’ve tried that.

(3.) Your jewerly is always in direct contact with your perfume and cosmetics

That face beat, the shimmering body oil, body splash, perfume, and all those things that are meant to make us look well put together may be doing more harm than good to your precious jewelry. You might not realize it, but there are most likely quite a few chemicals in your beauty drawer. When left on for too long, the chemicals will start eating away at the metal and softer gems of your jewelry. Weak metals will compromise your jewelry increasing the chances of loss. Make sure to put on your jewelry after you have finished everything else. This avoids them getting snagged on clothing as well as being sprayed with chemicals.

(4.)You are always swimming and bathing with your jewelry

Personally, in the past, I have been a repeat offender of this and I am not ashamed to say it. I believe we are many sailing on the same boat. Salt found in water can be quite damaging to your gold or diamond jewelry, and the main reason for this is the fact that salt causes the erosion of the jewelry’s metallic layer. Platinum, silver, and gold are eroded by salt, and the exposure to salt over a long period weakens the precious metals, and the jewelry could break. Diamonds are affected by saltwater, too, with the biggest concern being blemishing on the stone. Exposure of a diamond piece to salt stains the facets, making the previously sparkly diamond dull. It might be a good idea to leave the jewelry out of the beach, ocean, bathtub, and swimming pool.

(5.) You don’t know how to store your jewelry

It is as simple and complicated as this. You need to store your jewelry in a cool, humid-free place. Preferably, store it in a jewelry box or a simple jewelry bag.

(6.) You don’t clean your jewelry

Your jewelry needs some TLC for it to serve you well. Just like how our bodies pick up dirt during the day, our jewelry equally picks up the same “gunk”. This in turn causes your jewelry to fade. After removing your jewelry, make sure you clean it up with a jewelry polish cloth or a soft cloth.

Do you have more reasons and tips you’d love to share? We’d love to hear from you. We also hope that you have learned a thing or two from this article. Thank you for taking your time.

26 Jul
Tips and Tricks

Saving money as you shop online

We all love a good shopping spree. And one, two, many times, we’ve found ourselves in this scenario. Are you guilty as charged for this not so little offense? Well, this article is for you. If you are innocent, congratulations! Seriously, we need to emulate you.

This article is so personal to me because I have spent heedlessly splashed some coins online on some unnecessary items that I thought were so essential at that particular time… like one time I bought some bright pink framed sunglasses(the frames were humongous) because they were trendy by then and also because, I have a special affinity for sunglasses. Now, I cannot for the love of sunglasses , imagine myself wearing them in 2021 or anywhere in the future. There is also a time I bought… No. Let me save myself some internet discomfiture. But you get it. I have been there, learnt a few tips on how to avoid this and that is why I am here today.

Have an agenda people

Okay, this is not a meeting you are attending but I just wanted to use that title just to sound a bit formal. By agenda, I mean that you need to have a well curated shopping list. Yes, I know that shopping lists can be quite boring, traditional and restrictive but do you want to “spruce up” your life with unnecessary debts afterwards because you went off your budget? I bet you are smart enough to know the answer to this. Shopping lists are for both offline and online by the way. STAY ON BUDGET AND ON-LIST at all costs!

Take advantage of sales

Who doesn’t love a sale? I know I love a good sale. And I always find myself literally crawling through any e-commerce site to see if they have a sale before I go to their normal priced items. Sales are a life saver especially if you find something you’ve been eyeing on for too long on the sale tab. It’s a euphoria type of feeling; bliss at the highest level possible.

Sign up for the loyalty and reward program

Do you know what they say about loyalty? Loyalty is rare and if you find it, keep it. Plus, it pays off literally in the context of the matter that brought us all here and that is, saving money as you shop online. I am sure you have come across a loyalty and reward from your favorite retailers and have an idea of how this works. Some retailers do not allow their consumers to redeem their points until they attain a certain number of points, while some do allow one to redeem their points from the onset of the registering for the program. This is something you need to consider.

Now that you are here, are you aware that Adorn ‘N’ More has a loyalty and reward program? If you are in the dark, click [here] to learn how our program works. Trust us. It’s a different experience from what you are used to and I know you will love it.

Take advantage of local pick up points

Shipping costs is non- avoidant when shopping online. If the store you are shopping from offers a local pick up point near your shipping address, take this as your shipping option instead of having a door to door delivery. Local pick up points are always a free option in most instances, and this saves you some coins.

Use coupons to your advantage

We live in an era where we are blessed with coupons left, right and center. Bag these coupons and see yourself saving up to 80%.

Sign up for the mailing list

How many times do we find ourselves ignoring that pop up that displays itself once we access a website? You are missing out on a lot if you find yourself doing this. If your retailer offers a mailing list, kindly take advantage of it. Subscribers often get tantalizing deals sent to their e-mails. I have personally experienced this and I got a small gift, which was in terms of a discount code, from an e-commerce store on my birthday.

These are some few tips I have learnt. Do you have an amazing money saving tip to use as one shops online? Share on the comment section below. Be kind and share this post to someone who you know may benefit.

01 Jul
How to

How to clean a wicker picnic basket

Hi. So you got that beautiful, wicker, picnic basket from us but you have no clue on how to clean it after messing it up on your picnic dates.

Cleaning a wicker picnic basket requires some TLC and a heedful person because you do not want to ruin the shelf life of your basket. The word wicker refers to pliable twigs, typically of willow, plaited, or woven to make items such as furniture and baskets. Wicker is light, but brawny and long-lasting which is why it is a popular choice for objects like furniture and baskets that are moved around regularly.

Today, we share three ways of cleaning your basket.

HOW TO CLEAN A WICKER PICNIC BASKET WITH A MICROFIBER CLOTH

To clean your picnic basket with a microfiber cloth, you need, a microfiber cloth, dish washing soap, and room temperature water. This method is recommended for cleaning the outer part of your basket.

INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. Completely empty the picnic basket.
  2. Start by dusting your wicker picnic basket with a dry or slightly damp microfiber cloth.
  3. Mix a few drops of your dish washing soap in a liter of room temperature water.
  4. Moisten your microfiber cloth in the soapy water and continue to gently wipe down the wicker. A firm hand may rub away some of the coloring of the wicker so make sure you do not use a firm grip.
  5. Let it air dry under the sun before using it again.
HOW TO CLEAN THE WICKER PICNIC BASKET WITH A VACUUM

For this, you need obviously a vacuum, microfiber cloth and room temperature water.

INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. Completely empty the picnic basket.
  2. Use you vacuum inside the wicker picnic basket until clean.
  3. Do a wipe and dust with a lightly and slightly damp microfiber cloth.
  4. Let it dry under the sun before using it again.
HOW TO CLEAN TOUGH STAINS INSIDE A WICKER PICNIC BASKET

If food or drinks have spilled, take the follwing steps to clean it up.

INSTRUCTIONS:
  1. Dampen a micfrofiber cloth with equal parts of  white vinegar or water.
  2. Blot the soiled area until the stain is gone.
  3. Let it air dry to avoid the picnic basket from dampening.

We know vinegar doesn’t have the most pleasing scent and if the vingear scent is still there after air drying the basket, set an open container or box of bi-carbonate of soda inside the basket and leave it overnight. Make sure the basket is tighly sealed while doing this. Not only will it musk and absorb the vinegar scent, it will also absorb any remaining odor.

We hope this little piece of information helps you keep your basket in good condition.

Thank you for taking your time and reading this.

Photos Source: Photo stock editor

19 May
Tips and Tricks

Board-y bond

Hi you. We hope you are fantastic and facing life with positivity. Let us talk about bonds today, shall we? We know it has been so hard with quarantine and all but we are glad things are going back to normal. It’s going to be a while of course but we will get there…sooner or later hopefully. But as for now, let us enjoy the bonds we have been able to maintain during this crazy time; with close family members and friends.

Nothing beats a good time than spending time with the people you love. And to make it even more memorable and engrossing, sharing a meal together is where it’s at. At Adorn ‘N’ More, we individually enjoy hosting brunch sessions at home or a beautiful outdoor garden space. And you will never miss an alluring yet tasty, laid out charcuterie in our brunch sessions. So, in case you are wondering what a charcuterie board, allow us to share some knowledge with you. Pronounced as “shahr-ku-tuh-ree“, a charcuterie board is an assortment of cured meats, cheeses, artisan breads, fruits, nuts and crackers all craftily arranged on a board. But, there is no written rule for making a charcuterie. Play along and make it scream you and the people you are hosting! This is what makes charcuteries fun. The more amusing the charcuterie board is, the tighter the bond.

Good news friends! At Adorn ‘N’ More, we have charcuterie boards for sale. Our boards are food safe and made from 100% organic bamboo. It also comes with 2 dipping bowls for your dips, jams or mustards. Included here too is slicing, spreading and serving tools for your charcuterie. You can buy the board HERE.

How to Build a simple Charcuterie

Step one: Let’s get in formation

Lucky for you, our first collection of charcuterie boards comes with hole spaces for your dipping bowls leaving you with little work. All you have to do now is spruce up those mean dips, jams or mustards for your charcuterie and put them in the dipping bowls.

Step two: Say cheese (take a picture)… and meat

I don’t know about you, but I, as the author of this article, shamelessly just sang out that song by KiDi the moment I finished typing the heading of step two. Please forgive me. Anyway, let us get back to the agenda. Start by arranging the cheeses. Arrange them evenly around the board and allow space for slicing and scooping. Some cheeses can be cubed, sliced or some can be added on the board as a wedge. It is your choice. Any cured meat will work on a charcuterie board but a fave of ours definitely has to be some beef pastrami, garlic salami, honey glazed ham and cured turkey from farmers choice. The better the variety, the greater the charcuterie will be.

Step 3: Add some crackers, artisan bread or both

The arrangement of this is very dependent on what you prefer. Some love a messy board while some love to see a neat board. Our Mianzi board collection allows you to be both. Put a stack or two of crackers on the edges and place your artisan bread in the middle of the board.

Step 4: Fruit, nut it up and garnish

Fill up the gaps on your board with fruits and dried nuts. There is no rule here. Garnish it up with some fresh herbs and once your board is finished, set it out so that your guests can enjoy the work you have done.

We hope the next bonding session you host, you get a chance to implement all this. Have a board-y bond and enjoy bringing people together with great food.

Until next time. Bye!