REPOURPOSE A CANDLE STICK & MAKE A SIMPLE NAPKIN

Unfortunately I did not like the look of any of my napkins for my summer dinner tablescape.  Napkins are very easy to make and you have several options.  Obviously if you have a serger sewing machine you can make short order of turning out napkins. A couple of options for a regular machine would be the one I chose which is to just cut out the napkins (using 1.5 yards of 45" fabric I was able to get 6, 20" napkins) and then turn the edge under and then again to make a nice clean seam, go all around the fabric, clip your threads and you are finished. You could take the time to clip your corners to have a more finished look, you could cut out two squares for each napkin and then with right sides together sew all but one little area leaving room to turn out, press, sew the opening and then top stitch all around.  A simple thing to do with many options.  I used 100% cotton fabric and purposely did not wash them before I did my sewing because there is enough sizing in the fabric that I was able to make my seam turns by just rubbing my finger along the edge and then sewing that way I did not have to pin anything.  I washed and ironed them before use.

 I next thought about candles for the table and was not happy with how any of my candle sticks/holders looked on the summer table so I turned back to the duct and narrow tape again.  I know I am gushing, but this stuff is so great....my fall looking, ceramic candle holder was the right scale and shape but NOT color.  All I did was cover with the duct tape (it will come off very easy and not harm the ceramic candle holder) and then so that the top had a finished appearance I cut small strips of the narrow tape and pressed along the top and then took some sharp scissors and made small cuts and then pressed down the tape and it went neatly into place.

Now all that is left to do is to plan the dinner menu and set the table.....and oh yes, go shopping for the food, clean the house, make sure the patio, etc. looks spiffy, plan my outfit, other than that I think I am close to ready for this little dinner party.

Monday's post will be the tablescape, menu and the recipes.

Resource

Cotton fabric, Hobby Lobby, on sale total cost for (6) napkins $6.28
Rooster Napkin Rings, Antique Farm House
Duct tape, Big Lots
Narrow tape, Dollar Tree
Candlesticks, Coldwater Creek

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TERRACOTTA POT PLACE CARD HOLDERS

Hopefully you read the last post to this blog as these little pots are place card holders that coordinate with the centerpiece shown on the previous post. 

 The small pots are perfect to use for a place card.

Using the leftovers from the centerpiece project, some glue and card stock, these little place card holders come together very fast.

Materials

Pots - I found them in a set of (6), they are approx. 3.5"

Narrow decorative tape

Florist foam (oasis)

Red raffia

Bamboo skewers

Glue gun and glue

Card stock

Leftover leaves and flowers from the centerpiece project

Simply run a strip of the narrow tape around the pot then hot glue a square of the florist foam to the bottom of each of the pots.  Make (6) little bows out of the raffia and glue one to each pot.

Create the place card itself - I did mine in Corel Draw, cut each of them out, cut off a length of the bamboo skewer and hot glue it inside the place card, insert the skewer into the florist foam (if it is wiggly add some hot glue) then glue in the leaves and the flower and you are done, fini!!! If you don't have a draw program you can do this in MS Word or just cut out the cards and using a Sharpie or wide pen write on the cards.

Resource

Size of the place card, 3.117 x 3.45, will be able to get (6) to a sheet of cardstock

Font, *Diamond Dust, Link to free download of font, Diamond 

Color used, c:0, m:100, y:100, k:0, or if this does not make sense to you just use a red that is not an orange red.

Pots, Hobby Lobby

Red raffia, craft store

Narrow tape, Dollar Tree $1

Bamboo skewers, Walmart

Glass watermelon lazy Susan, Hobby Lobby

*If you use the Diamond Dust font it is designed to look a little rustic and will not print out solid, there will be places with no ink, nothing wrong with your printer! :)

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SUNFLOWER CENTERPIECE

Just feeling the beautiful summer here in Idaho.  Having a small dinner party, just three couples and I wanted to have a summer centerpiece to inspire me to make a nice tablescape. A while ago I picked up some checkered duct tape and then a small roll of checkered tape - not knowing what I would do with them but thought they might come in handy.

 I decided to see if I could cover a terracotta or clay pot, with the duct tape and narrow tape and then use the smaller pots for place cards holders.

 This went VERY easy as the tape is forgiving - put it on crooked, no problem, pull it off an reapply.  I used the narrow tape and went around the tops of the large and the small pots and then used vertical strips for the covering on the larger pot.

I next gathered my materials:

Pot (s)
Red & cream gingham ribbon 1.5 inches - make 2 bows with wire to attach (or use long pipe cleaners instead of wire)
Wire
Sticks
Red raffia
Glue gun & glue sticks
Florist foam (oasis)
Bunch of sunflowers (about 3" blooms)
Bunch of other sunflowers with other types of flowers
Decorative ceramic number
Bamboo skewers
2 Fresh Apples or faux if that is your preference

Cover the hole in the bottom of the big pot with a piece of the duct tape, cut a square of the florist foam and glue to the bottom of the pot. Next wrap the raffia around the pot - using the glue put a dab on the back and attach the raffia and continue doing that attaching the raffia on the sides and the front.  Add some hot glue to the ceramic number (or whatever  you would like to add to the front or leave plain).

Cut the flowers off of the stem and organize by size.  Starting with the sticks in the center (to give height and balance to the arrangement) add the sticks, then the flowers (if anything feels wobbly just add some hot glue), the bows and finally cut the bamboo skewers to size, insert into the apples and then push into the foam and you are done.

 Front of the centerpiece.

The back, the centerpiece is good on all sides. If you prefer, please use fresh flowers.  I just thought if I used the artificial ones that I might get more than one nights' use out of this centerpiece - especially since we are just getting started with summer.

Place card holders, next post.

Resource

Narrow tape, Dollar Tree, $1
Wide Duct tape, Big Lots ($3 for 10 yards)
Red Raffia, craft store
Red & cream ribbon, Michael's
Terracotta pot(s), Hobby Lobby
Artificial flowers, Hobby Lobby
Sticks, Homegoods
Florist Foam, Walmart
Bamboo skewers, Walmart
Ceramic number, Sorry I try and not use anything that I cannot tell you where to find the item but I just went to the website where I purchased an assortment of numbers, ceramic, metal, etc. and they no longer carry.  Try your local hobby store.
Glass watermelon lazy Susan, Hobby Lobby

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