What do you get when you cross some leftover zig-zag fabric, with a bunch of darling doilies and hankies? A sweet little table runner, of course!
We used it on our Valentines Day tablescape, but I wanted to photograph it without all the V-Day “stuff” on it for this post so you could really see what it looked like…
I got the hankies on Etsy (10 for $12)…
…and the doilies came from a local flea market for $1-$2 each.
I started by cutting the base of my runner out of a piece of leftover zig-zag fabric I had. The front side of the fabric was a little too dark…
…so I just flipped it over and used the muted side for my runner. After that, I played around with my hankies and doilies until I got an arrangement I liked, and then I used a teeny-tiny bit of hot glue on the edges of everything to secure it all to the zig-zag fabric.
I ran out of time before our V-Day shoot, but eventually, I’d like to sew everything together and back it with another piece of fabric, too.
It was a really fun project to play around with, and I’m sort of obsessed with putting doilies and hankies on everything now- ha!
And speaking of fun projects, while I was out doily shopping at one of our local flea markets (J&G), I also picked up some mismatched vintage dishes for our shoot…
I only paid a dollar or two for each piece, and I wanted to show that by just mixing in some whimsical/colorful pieces like these with your plain white dishes, you can create a really fun tablescape.
This $2 plate was my absolute favorite find of the day…
I used it underneath one of our plain white salad plates…
…and then to really mix things up, I used one more patterned vintage dinner plate/white salad plate combo across from that one- and then I used two plain white dinner plates, topped with two vintage/patterned salad plates, on the other two ends of the table. It made for a really fun, eclectic look!
EGC and I wanted to come up with craft projects/decorating ideas that were easy, inexpensive, and that could easily be altered to fit any other holiday, or any ol’ day of the year. We’ve got one more post to share before we wrap up our “EGC meets TLC” series, and I look forward to sharing it with you tomorrow!
You are the creative one! what a wonderful vision – and follow through. Good job!!! Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful Sunday
Oh my gracious! I’m in LOVE with vintage linens and your table knocks the ball out of the park! Completely swoony, my friend! 🙂 xo
I have several old suitcases absolutely full of all kinds of doilies, hankies, runners, mantel scarves, you name it…. I just love vintage linens and feel it’s my mission to save them from the landfill… 🙂
Very super cute project Layla! It looks really pretty all pieced together. None of my plates ,match at all. I think it’s so pretty to have them mixed and matched and it’s so much easier when the kids chip one 🙂
I just love the colors together. You have such the eye! Oh wait, that’s why you are a professional. I really love feminine handkerchiefs. Do you remember the Etsy shop you got them at?
lovely. Makes me wanna go handkerchief crazy in Ava’s room. Love it!
🙂
shaunna
Love the table runner! I just adore vintage dishes and fabric and linens!! Everything looks great!!
I love combining lace with all sorts of things. I embellished a bed spread/comforter with all things of lace and ribbon. The hankies I USE! I love them and keep a freshly laundered and ironed one in my purse at all times.
love it! the soft colors are adorable together and such a reminder that spring is on its way! you could keep this out thru easter too. very cute!
It’s beautiful, Layla. I love the mix of subtle modern with all of the vintage lovelies! 🙂
Roeshel
Thank you, Roeshel! I love a good flashy/flea mix, too! 😀
Very pretty and I love that it’s thrifty too. Bright and spring-like, makes me smile 🙂
This is lovely and looks so simple! My only problem is figuring out where to store the adorable tableware I find at such great prices!
Hi Layla,
Just wanted to let you know that I linked to your post in my blog today. I am loving all of your Valentine ideas!
Have a happy Super Sunday, Pam
Love love love the chevron pattern combined with the lace & flowers! So gorgeous and super creative! Well done! 🙂
Beautiful tablescape! Love the mixed vintage goodness!
Hi Layla! Love your blog…it’s my 5:00 am with cup of coffee guilty pleasure. Do you have any specific details regarding the 1963 plate? It’s the year I was born!
Lisa
Would love for you to email me the flea and where it’s located…thanks for your beautiful inspiration!
Very whimsical. So cute.
Love love LOVE it all! (and the hot gluing made me laugh – I’ve been known to do that when I’m in a hurry!!) 🙂
What a beautiful shabby chic idea! It’s gorgeous!
Layla- I too love Vintagey things- is that a real word 🙂 ? Love the runner- it is really sweet. I too have made many a runner in my day. I especially like how you embellished yours- GREAT JOB!
And what do you get when you mix a brilliant, creative girl named Layla with a small flea market budget? Magic that always makes me smile. I don’t know how you can take a bunch of old stuff & make it look so fresh, but this is a classic example of why I’m such a loyal reader/follower. You’re so brilliant!
Warmly, Michelle
Jenny, you’re so creative! I have the fabric and the doilies.. and now I know what I can do with them! Thanks!!
How stunning! I love old hankies like that; they’re so delicate and make you want to act like a lady (which is kind of a rarity for me! HA!) I can’t wait to see all of your V-day posts!
I love everything about this!! So beautiful and feminine. And those dishes!!! *Swoooooooon* Your blog is the cutest <3
oh my gosh my mom would LOVE that plate, she was born in 1963! and i love how you mixed the vintage hankies with the super trendy and modern zigzag! Soooo cute!
I love it! Did you get a new dining table?
I die for the handkerchief with the “L” on it!
Love the tablescape! Great for most any occasion not just Valentine’s Day ! Beautiful job. Thanks for sharing.
Love this, Layla! I’m hoping to give it a whirl tomorrow.
Love the dishes. As I was unloading the dishwasher the other week, I was noticing that our stack of plates is diminishing. I think it’s time for some new-to-me and oh-so-lovely vintage plates. Thanks for reminding me!
Does 1963 have any special significance for you? (Obviously not the year you were born – you’re too young!) Just curious.
Love all the material mixing and I actually was headed to local antique mall this week to find some mix and match flowered china to use for Valentines!
I absolutely love your blog! I can’t wait until I open my feed reader every morning to see if you have added a post 🙂 I am drooling over the place setting you did for this shoot (and cannot get over how creatively you used that gold edged plate). I am super jealous of the stack of cute dinnerware you got for this shoot, but where do you store it all? You get such beautiful items for your shoots, but do you really keep it all? I imagine a storage locker filled to the brim with cute plates and vases 🙂
I just read through all your inspiring Valentine’s craft posts and have to say I’m impressed. I love your crafts, but I especially love how you styled and photographed them. I wish I had a smidge of your photography know-how. Is the wood you can see under the place setting your tabletop? It is so rustic and lovely. I’m on the look-out for some wood with character like that to photograph food on.
I love it! The colors are perfect and how lucky to find the “L”. Everything is beautiful and affordable!
Debbie
That is so sweet! I love the 1963 plate – what a lovely vintage dish 🙂