Your Table is Ready


Recently I dug into my storage closet and rescued some natural cotton painter’s canvas that I had stacked on the shelves. This left over canvas was from my days of painting floor cloths and pillows and was just begging to be used in some functional and creative way again.

Last autumn when I “needed” some millinery flowers for a frame I was working on {we all need millinery flowers} I used some of the canvas to create my new “signature” flower.




That project, which was featured in the Spring 2010 issue of Somerset Life, has now evolved into a lovely line of “Natural Home Goods” I have designed and sell in my Etsy shop and wholesale to fine design boutiques.


This collection of table top linens, includes my “MANGIA” placemats, coordinating napkins, and to complete the look of your table setting, miniature grapevine wreath napkin rings with my flowers and satin ribbons and bows.

I could not wait to create these ideas that I had in my head for this collection, so the anxious me got busy and instead of cutting the fabric for the mats and napkins, each piece is hand ripped for a soft edge of fringe. Then I pre-washed the mats and napkins by hand and air dried them on a clothes line outdoors to give a gently used look.


When the canvas was dry, I lightly steam pressed and sprayed each piece with lavender scented clear starch for a crisp finish.


With my brass thimble on my finger and needle threaded with a contrasting coffee coloured thread, I hand stitched my canvas millinery flowers sewing a delicate mother of pearl button in the center of each one.  When my canvas flower garden was complete I fastened a single flower onto the corner of each mat and napkin.








A gold quilting pin tied with a bow holds a canvas tag hand stamped in black ink with a typewriter font says, “MANGIA” on the placemats. {Which as many of you may know, means “EAT” in Italian.}







It’s also fun to add monogrammed stamps on a canvas tag ~ for a personal touch.



The napkin rings I made to coordinate with this are also available in my Etsy shop and wholesale. My flowers crown each miniature grapevine wreath napkin ring and a coordinating satin bow finishes each ring with a special touch.





For casually elegant and chic dining, these are fabulous with my collection of placemats and napkins for a total look, but they also look great with pretty lacey white or natural vintage linens.


It’s a terrific contrast in textures and a lovely monochromatic look.  I personally think its such a fun look for a beach house, country cottage, or Tuscan kitchen ~ the collection is so versatile ~ it looks great with fine china or hand painted rustic dinnerware.




The collection also includes millinery boudoir pillows, my “eco-friendly” wine bags, and gift totes.



 
There are many more decadent and necessary luxuries I designed for this collection.  It is  also available in white cotton twill, some which you can see in my Etsy shop now.  {I'll show you more here later.}
 
Thanks so much for taking a look. 
 
As always, ciao amici,
Suzanne

PS
I almost forgot ~ a week or so ago I received a charming ATC from a new friend I met during the One World One Heart event.  It had gotten lost in the mail and finally arrived in perfect condition!  Antonella so kindly hand crafted this one-of-a-kind exotic ATC embellished with ribbon, crystals and quilling. 


You can visit her lovely blog at www.quilling.blogspot.com.  Thank you Antonella!

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