DIY Table Layout! Handmade Place Settings

So my latest project was a simple, no sewing involved, project for my sisters new house! All you need for this project is the fabrics of your choice, a glue gun, a ruler, and scissors.

    She loves natural yet delicate combinations for her decorations and really favors burlap and lace detailing. She just refinished her kitchen table with white paint and wood accents so this was a perfect gift for her.

      Below you can see I just purchased my burlap and cut in length and width I desired. Be sure and place your utensils set or one of similar size into the pockets prior to cutting them and gluing to ensure the place settings are oversized by a little. This allows utensils to fit without hassle and gives a little flexibility if another set is purchased. I would always make sure they are made a little larger rather than smaller just to be safe. As a side note, I purchased a large section of burlap rather then pre cut rolls of burlap because it was much less expensive and it gave me flexibility to really choose the width I wanted without limitation. I made a set of eight for her. 

      I ran a small strip of hot glue on the inside edge I was folding up and over to create my pocket as shown below and then ran a thin strip of glue around entire parameter of the back of the place setting to stop any edges from shredding and shedding those little strings on the burlap. If you don't do this they really will shred quickly. I was having a difficult time just avoiding losing more fabric than I wanted to while I was cutting and placing everything like I wanted it. 

   After my pockets where glued I cut my lace in strips and just used hot glue sparingly and carefully to secure the pieces of lace down into the pocket so the ends were hidden. I also used a touch of hot glue around the back of the place setting so that the edges were all secure and concealed from the front view of the place setting when in use as well. 

   The finished product is below!!! I hope this inspired you to create your own special touch at your kitchen table with burlap place settings or any fabric that fits to your style and preference! This was a fun, no hassle project and I plan to make a set for myself as well!!! Thanks for reading and give me your thoughts on this project! Also, please feel free to share your special kitchen table project ideas with us!! 

~~Momma Mia~~ 

:D 

Healthy & Homemade !! Recipes for Natural Cleaning Products, SkinHealth, Kitchen Cupboard Staple Item Recipes, Eliminating Preservatives

   I have found some very good sites and lists with excellent alternatives to the store bought staple items for around the house. Homemade versions of some basic necessities in the kitchen, laundry room, and more....

   All of these sites offer healthy, money saving, preservative limiting options for the health of your family and home!! I hope you enjoy these finds and they are helpful to your family as well!!

   At the top of my list is a site that shows homemade recipes for a variety of things including: ketchup, mayo, yogurt, salad dressings, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, and the list goes on! This site offers some excellent choices for the family that are a healthy and frugal way to approach daily living. You can control what your family ingests and not be left questioning how many preservatives and "unknown ingredients" they may be consuming on a daily basis or what their eventual effects may be. These types of recipes are excellent as well for individuals with allergies to better monitor and control what everyone it taking in to avoid unknown negative reactions. 

   To read the article and get the full list visit: http://www.naturallivingideas.com/50-things-to-stop-buying/2/

   A homemade recipe for Febreze taking the average cost of around $5.00 a bottle to $.15 cents is another must have for your day to day home DIY lists! Money saver and very useful. 

View the recipe at: http://starneslifefamilylove.blogspot.com/2012/06/homemade-febreze.html?m=1

   The next site has 10 DIY cleaning recipes for everything from carpet stain removers to dishwasher cleaning solutions. 

Visit the site and view all recipes at: 

http://www.picklee.com/2012/04/13/10-remarkable-diy-cleaning-solutions/#.T4isz9WlfNI

   The following find offers lots of informative uses and purposes for items around the home with dozens of recipes for DIY cleaning products you need to try! 

Visit the site at: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/10/clean-up-your-act-all-natural-homemade-cleaners/

   Here is a homemade balm recipe useful for a variety of things such as eczema, chapped lips, dry hands, and more. 

Visit for the recipe: http://www.livingunrefined.com/2013/05/homemade-balm.html?m=1

Thanks so much for reading this and I hope your family finds it as useful as mine does!! Feel free to please read and share. :)