linenandlavender.blogspot.com: Linen Love

Loving these Provence Natural Black Striped Linen Towels. Although they are marketed as a guest towel, I like the look for a kitchen towel, to line a bread basket or for use as a generous-sized placemat. Image by LeAnn for linenandlavender.net - http://www.linenandlavender.net/2012/11/linen-love.html

I just recently ordered several towels to include in our holiday gift baskets from a new line of linens in the emporium. My order wasn't due to arrive until next week, so it was a fun surprise to receive them today.

http://www.linenandlavender.net/2012/11/linen-love.html

I bought the Provence Black Striped Towels (possibly my favorite of the bunch) and the Lara Natural Linen Tea Towels (dark, unrefined linen is always a favorite of mine.) Also lovely are the Lucas Natural Striped Linen Hand Towels. By the way, they all come with a nice strong loop for hanging -perfect!

I was so excited when I opened the package, I immediately had to see how they would look, so I grabbed a wire basket and gathered a few things to fill it, just to get an idea.

Then I had to see how it would look with a few holiday embellishments, so I ran upstairs and pulled a few things from our gift wrap supplies. I tied a pretty heart-shaped mercury glass ornament around the neck of the bottle and stuck in a cinnamon bark scented pine cone and a starfish-topped papier mâché box we made for gifting home-made cookies and other treats.

This year, for some of our friends, I thought it would be fun to gift the ingredients for a favorite cocktail and a few gourmet goodies. For other friends it will be spiced hot chocolate ingredients and home-made cookies, while still others will get ingredients for a favorite truffle bruschetta recipe.

As I shared in a previous post {Paris is mad!} I stock up on postcards I like and save them to use for gift tags and note cards. This one is from the Prada Museum and features the still life painting of Luis Meléndez...it would make a beautiful recipe card. (I use spray adhesive and attach a separate piece of paper to the back. This allows for errors without wasting a postcard. A handwritten recipe makes a nice keepsake, but for lengthy recipes, I find it best to type.)

I also have vintage postcards I've picked up at flea markets and antique stores. The charming card above with "A Happy Christmas" wish is the original, but if I were to use it as the "to/from" for this gift basket, I would simply make a copy on card stock and write my message on the back. To attach to a gift, I use a paper punch in the upper left corner and attach with twine, raffia or ribbon.

So I guess I should get on with my day...I was just so excited to get my order, I had to take a moment to share with all of you. The only problem is, I think I'm going to have to order some more because I've become quite attached to these!

Did I mention I love linen??