CasaSugar

Etsy Finds: Setting the Thanksgiving Table

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:30:30 -0800

Looking for a unique addition to your holiday table? I've found some beautiful ways to personalize your Thanksgiving day feast this year.

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Do You Use Placemats at Every Meal?

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:54 -0800

Since my husband and I inherited a gorgeous table from his mother, we always use placemats to keep hot foods or condensation-laden glasses away from its wood surface. With other tables, I haven't been as careful, and even think that a few water stains added to the charm of the older, imperfect tables. Still, for our current table, I like to take precaution. The thick felt used in these screenprinted felt placemats ($17.50 for 2) would definitely do the job.

Guess What These Placemats Are Made From?

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:00:22 -0800

I made these placemats from something which, despite my efforts to be eco-conscious, occasionally ends up under my kitchen sink. I plan to cover them in contact paper or laminate them to make them more durable. Can you guess what they're made from?

Do You Dress Your Table?

CasaSugar — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:30:13 -0800

Since I inherited a dining table from my mother-in-law that I could never afford otherwise (thank you Linda!), I try to be extra careful with it by using coasters, tablecloths, and place mats before anything gets set down on its burnished wood surface. Which doesn't prevent accidents entirely: Last week I put a pizza box down on the table for a moment, and its surface fogged up for 10 minutes! Luckily, there was no permanent damage, but I was worried!

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Deck the Haus: Martha Stewart For KMart Blue and Silver Christmas Tree Placemat

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:00:08 -0800

Queen Martha has stamped her name (figuratively) on some adorable, Scandinavian-like KMart Blue and Silver Christmas Tree Placemats ($2.39/each). They're definitely festive enough for your holiday table, but not so obnoxiously red and green that you'll be sick of them by Dec. 24. But if you did tire of them, no biggie - they do cost less than $3 each.

Steal of the Day: Ikat Napkins & Placemats

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:45:19 -0700

It kind of cracks me up that Ballard Designs refers to their discounted inventory as part of an "Estate Sale." I'm sure their "estate" is a steel-walled warehouse in Ohio somewhere. But, since they're selling steals like these Ikat Napkins ($25) and Placemats ($40), I couldn't care less where they've been storing their goods. I love the grosgrain ribbon details and the blue and raspberry color schemes. They're also are totally scratching my ikat itch.

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Steal of the Day: Lemon Placemats

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:30:15 -0700

I always keep my eye open for cute placemats to spice up my table with on occasion, because it's boring to always use the same ones. These cute jute Lemon Placemants ($12) had me planning a tea party at first sight. Aside from being super adorable, they're fair trade and from a Bangladeshi producer group where Christians, Muslims, and Hindus work harmoniously together. This way, I can promote greater equity in international trade from my very own tabletop!

Casa Craving Recap: Springy Placemats

CasaSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:00:35 -0700

Well, the gorgeous sunny days here in San Francisco have continued, and all of this Spring-like weather has me eager to welcome the season into my home. I wanted to start with my tabletop landscape, so, for this week's Casa Craving Challenge, I asked you to hunt down and bookmark your favorite springy placemats. They could be plain and colorful or utterly drenched in flowers, so long as they evoked Spring in your home. Take a look at the widget below for all of the great finds.

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Room Therapy: Neutral Placemats

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:00:17 -0800

Kinezz is in the process of redecorating her condo, and has run with a "neutral, gold, turquoise, and all things mahogany" color scheme that's modern, elegant, and pulled together. The next thing to check off her shopping list is a set of placemats for her dining table.
She says, "I'm looking for something neutral, beautiful, simple, and preferably cloth cotton or linen." She likes Dwell Studio's Flora ($48 for 4) and Sketch ($96 for 4) but admits that they're simply out of her price range. Her next thought was Dwell's collection for Target but regrets, "While it's pretty, it just feels disposable."

To hear my suggestion and to leave your own ideas for Kinezz, just read more:

My first suggestion is to check out Bluefly's Dwell selection. They currently sell both the Flora and Sketch designs for $34.99, which may (or may not) be within your budget. Crate & Barrel's online outlet also has a vast selection of affordable placemats, including the Savoy Placemat ($3.95), Grasscloth Placemat ($4.95), Liora Placemat ($4.95), Tropical Palm Placemat ($3.95), and Walden Placemat ($2.95- $3.95), which might match your décor.

Casa readers, what are your suggestions for Kinezz's tabletop hunt?

DIY: Oilcoth Placemats

CasaSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:00:52 -0700

Since the grass is green, the weather warm, and I recently broke out my bikini, Spring picnics in the park are constantly on my mind these days. PartySugar has me covered with a delicious Spring picnic menu to fill my belly between rounds of Frisbee and catch, and I came across a wonderful DIY for cheerful placemats to go along with her all-American apple pie bar and fried chicken recipes. The no-sew DIY is just too cute to resist, and easy as apple pie bars, so I had to share.

Supplies:

Oilcloth (15-x-12 inches per placemat)
Grosgrain ribbon (18 inches per placemat)
Scissors
Craft knife
Pinking shears

To learn the steps, read more.

Here's how, from Make Grow Gather:

Cut the oil cloth to 15-x-12-inch rectangles (or whatever size you'd like).
Cut the grosgrain to 18-inch lengths per rectangle.
Trim the edges of the placemats with the pinking shears.
Halfway down either the left or right edge of each placemat, make a small incision with the craft knife (about the width of your ribbon).
Thread the ribbon through the incision that you just made.
With the placemat pattern side down, lay down your napkin and silverware (or plasticware) on top of it, and roll them up.
Then, wrap the ribbon around the roll a few times and tie a bow. Toss them in a your picnic basket and you're good to go!

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