MY Favorites from the week + Using Rit Dye on vintage napkins

Good morning, if in fact, you are looking at this while it’s still Sunday morning! I’m excited to share a project that I’ve been meaning to do for months…no I take that back, years. Rit Dye. So simple, really, but it sounds like it’s going to make a mess and I’ve been avoiding this project for years! I finally bought a bottle of black Rit Dye at the grocery store for around $6 and dyed eight napkins that I’ve had since the late 1980s. My sister and I each bought a stack at Williams Sonoma from the sale table for about $2 each. They are beautiful quality and hold their shape and size with very little coaxing. I wash, give them a snap, and hang to dry. They don’t even need ironing. But I never liked the color. It was on odd yellow-gold that went with nothing. So now they are sort of an earthy gray. I probably could have let them soak a little longer, but I’m very happy with them and most of all I love using what I have. There’s a good reason I never gave these napkins away! 

Garnet Hill Stoneware, vintage linens & garden clippings in bottles

My simple dining room with vintage napkins

re-purposed bottles with garden clippings

Rit Dye- A simple DIY project

You need only a few simple supplies to completely change the look of some vintage napkins. I filled an old lobster pot with hot tap water, about a cup of salt, and an entire bottle of black RIT dye. The directions on the bottle said to leave for 30-60 minutes. I left them for about 40 minutes. The results are a wonderful earthy gray that looks beautiful with the stoneware from Garnet Hill. 

Sintra Stoneware from Garnet Hill

Pignoli cookie pops

My friend Sheri Silver makes the most interesting and beautiful and delicious popsicles. Ever. Seriously, Sheri is one of the most creative people I know with so many talents. And making interesting popsicles is one of them! Sheri has made quite a few cookie popsicles. They start as a cookie and then you throw it all in a blender, whip it up and pour into popsicle molds. I love a pignoli cookie, so a pignoli cookie pop, yes, please! Check out all of her creative popsicles here.

Kerri Rosenthal

It was just a matter of time before artist Kerri Rosenthal came out with a line of surfboards. She may have started out as drippy hearts, but she has taken the design world to new levels of happiness with her colorful designs and art. Her shop is in Westport, Connecticut so I get to visit often. A visit to her shop is always fun and exciting. I wrote more about Kerri in this post. 

Peppermint Essential Oil

Peppermint Essential Oil is one that I always keep with me. If you’ve ever suffered from nausea while traveling, peppermint and a few others can help. Just smelling them can take aways those icky feelings. I keep one in my car and also use it for staying alert while driving long distances. I thought this article had some interesting ideas using five oils to help curb nausea. You can read more about the essential oils in this post.

Make sure to check out Mary Ann and Cindy’s favorites this week! They always find some treasures.