Linens Archives - Hopeful Homemaker

Ready

August 19, 2013 jennifer Musings on Life and Beauty

It has begun. I sat in my kitchen this morning as the first rays of light began creeping through the blinds.

Last month I found this indigo dyed table runner for $3. I like how it looks on top of the French linen mangle cloth I use on my table (which I obviously don’t bother to iron!) As we swing into school I find myself wanting to simplify everything in the house to a clean blue and white color scheme. I’m not sure why; perhaps the simplicity of it speaks to what I’m trying to feel inside. Perhaps I like the contrast it provides for the family room full of school supplies ready for use. Maybe it reminds me what a fresh start the school year is for all of us.

My 7th grader started today. Tomorrow six of them will go. One starts kindergarten in a week. It will take a couple of weeks for things to shake out and for a real schedule to come together, probably after Labor Day. It’s the time of year when we have feet in two different worlds and I hope the transition is a good one. I want to be the calm in the storm for all of them as they find their bearings.

Calm and ready. And simple. Waiting for what lies ahead.

Vintage Tablecloth: Red with White Fruit

September 30, 2010 jennifer Linens

This tablecloth was one of the first pieces I bought when I discovered vintage linens. I love the rich, deep red in this cloth. It hasn’t faded at all and the white remains crisp and bright. The simple color scheme makes this a cloth that looks lovely year round.

Printed with white fruit shaded by small brown hash marks and black outlines, I love its simplicity. It features grapes, pears, peaches, cherries and apples. Measuring 44 inches by 49 inches, it is a perfect size for the center of my table.

As you can see, perfection is not my main objective where these linens are concerned. I simply pull them out of my cupboard and spread them on the table without ironing. There’s no point in having them if we don’t use them, and if I make using them a complicated process then I’ll never get them out. So we enjoy them with a few wrinkles, and their beauty is undiminished by it. Spreading a tablecloth on my table is like a breath of fresh air in my day, reminding me to pause and enjoy simple beauties. Gracious living doesn’t have to be complicated. Little things make all the difference.

What little thing can you do today, to offer gracious living to your family?

Hopeful Homemaker

One comment Linens, vintage

Vintage Tablecloth: Hydrangea Bouquets

September 23, 2010 jennifer Linens

This tablecloth is another with a center field made up of aqua flowers. Peppered throughout the center and around the edges are little bundles of pink hydrangeas.

Printed on linen, this cloth has a nice weight. It measures 51 by 66 inches.

Yellow ribbons wind around the outer edge of the center field, and also twist their way around the edges of the cloth. My photos don’t do justice to the beauty of this cloth; the yellow is a lovely sunny yellow, and the entire piece is actually very colorful.

There is a small amount of fading in a few places, but it’s hard to notice unless you’re looking for it. The cheerfulness of this quilt makes it fun to use.