Lina and Vi: September 2015

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Burlap Flatware Holders

Burlap Silverware Holders - Lina and Vi

Today is my "hump" day. Nope, it's not Wednesday yet, but it feels like it's my mid-week intermission as I reset after a streak of custom orders these past two weeks.  There was a large sigh of relief as I sent out the last of my final custom orders this afternoon, and today feels like a bit of downtime as I'm officially caught up and ready for the next project.  That being said, I'm not sure anyone can be officially caught up when they own their own business - there is always that lingering feeling that there is more that can be done, and there is! It's all part of the fun and certainly keeps my wheels constantly spinning.

I'm sharing a few photos of one of the custom orders I worked on recently, sixteen burlap flatware holders. The burlap holders themselves are not custom, as I sewed two sets as part of the Holiday 2014 collection. However, you'll notice that there's nothing that screams red and green Christmas on these guys as they were sewn using custom, striped interior decorating fabric chosen specific for my customer to match her table design.  The fabric is an excellent quality, and the color scheme with the green, nudes, and brown stripes paired with the burlap and gold trim turned out beautifully.

Burlap Silverware Holders - Lina and Vi

These are simple to make, and I encourage anyone with beginner sewing skills to give it a try, with or without burlap. They measure 4.5 inches by 10 inches with a 5 inch pocket for the flatware. The instructions are simple: cut a rectangle that is 4.5 inches by 15 inches, fold over a short tend by 5 inches and sew all four edges of the rectangle to form a small pocket. If you want a lining fabric, just make sure to layer two pieces of fabric, wrong sides together, and sew. They are a great way to add a personal, handmade touch to any table setting.

I happen to know that my customer will be using these for Thanksgiving, and there is nothing that I love more than to hear that these will used on a special occasion. That's the part I love about sewing and selling, knowing that my pieces will be used to brighten someone's day. As much as I love learning about other handmade business' background stories, I equally love hearing how someone will use or has used one of Lina and Vi's items to decorate their home, send a surprise gift, or even thank their wedding party. I put a lot of care and consideration in everything that I make, and when I find others who truly appreciate the work that goes into it, it reminds me why I started doing this in the first place.

I hope you're enjoying your week! If you are interested in a custom order or in custom burlap flatware holders, please email linaandvi@gmail.com or message Lina and Vi via our Etsy shop.

Erica


Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Michigan is Home Burlap Pillow


Michigan Home burlap pillow - linaandvi.blogspot.com

Hello! This is small update to share a few photos of a recent custom order I completed for a customer, this fun Home Michigan burlap pillow. The request was for a rectangular burlap pillow with the word "HOME" painted on it using Michigan's lower peninsula as the silhouette for the "O". I used navy blue fabric paint for this specific design. It turned out amazing, and I am so happy with it that I created a second to sell in my Etsy shop. You can find it here for purchase.

Michigan Home burlap pillow - linaandvi.blogspot.com

Michigan Home burlap pillow - linaandvi.blogspot.com

I am working through a few custom orders right now, so I am heads down getting material sourced, cut, sewn, and shipped around the country. I love working with customers on custom designs and given that primary communication is online, it can sometimes be a lot of back and forth to nail all of the details so that I can get a clear understanding of the request. I'm planning an upcoming post for share a few of my personal lessons learned and tips for working with Etsy sellers to create a custom design.  More to come, but first I must sew!

Erica

Friday, September 11, 2015

The Autumn Collection: The Great Lakes Burlap Pillow

Great Lakes burlap pillow - linaandvi.blogspot.com


We're wrapping up the Autumn Collection series today with the Great Lakes burlap pillow, which is my favorite of the collection. This burlap pillow is symbolic of what makes Michigan famous. Those five Great Lakes that hug our state are stunning and celebrated by those who live here and those who travel here to see them.

This pillow was time consuming to make, mostly attributed to creating and cutting the stencil.  There are many intricacies with the silhouette of the Great Lakes. I think the amount of detail that turned out is perfect - the silhouette of the Great Lakes form the inverted silhouette of the upper and lower peninsulas.

I added a special design element to the Great Lakes pillow that isn't found with the other designs in this collection. The woven burlap that outlines the square shape was originally cut from the seam on the burlap coffee bean sack and used as a trim. This pillow is smaller, measuring 13 inches tall and wide. All focus is on the hand-stenciled designed, making this a truly one-of-a-kind, repurposed item.

Great Lakes burlap pillow - linaandvi.blogspot.com

Great Lakes burlap pillow - linaandvi.blogspot.com


There is only one pillow available, and I know I'll be somewhat sad to see it go when the time comes, but knowing that it will be in the hands of someone who enjoys the landscape of this state and values it being handmade with repurposed materials is enough satisfaction.

Well folks, that wraps up our Autumn Collection.  Thank you for your continued support with this journey! It was exciting to see these through from concept to creation, and I hope you will love them as much as I do. Visit the Burlap Autumn Pillow section in our Etsy shop for pricing and purchasing information.

Erica

Thursday, September 10, 2015

The Autumn Collection: The Loon Pillow


Michigan loon burlap pillow - Linaandvi.blogspot.com

We're onto the third new burlap pillow featured in our new Autumn Collection, and I'm proud to share the new Michigan Loon burlap pillow with you today!

This pillow is a bit larger and rectangular, which makes it a perfect addition for a longer couch or as a centerpiece for a bench.  The hand-stenciled image is a loon with her babies, painted in a very dark gray velveteen fabric paint. The pillow backing is off-white canvas, similar to the Acorn and Pumpkin pillows.

I realize that loons are not necessarily an icon of the fall season, but rather they pepper our lakes throughout many of the seasons here in Michigan. When I travel "up north", as we like to say it in the mitten state (clearly open for interpretation), I go to a cottage with my family on a lake that is inhabited by at least two loons.  To be honest, I didn't know much about a loon or really what they were until I started spending time near the lake and my in-laws taught about their presence and habits on the lake they have become so familiar with over the last twenty plus years.

Michigan loon burlap pillow - Linaandvi.blogspot.com

Michigan loon burlap pillow - Linaandvi.blogspot.com

This pillow is another item handmade with love, meant as a reminder of the beautiful creatures that are around us each day. It's a great decor addition for any loon or lake lovers, or anyone looking to add a natural, organic feel to their space. The burlap is entirely repurposed from coffee bean sacks. Welcome fall in with this quirky yet calming Loon burlap pillow.

You can find it for purchase in our Etsy shop now. I'll be sharing one more pillow this week to complete the new Autumn Collection!

Enjoy,
Erica

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

The Autumn Collection: The Acorn Burlap Pillow

Acorn burlap pillow - Linaandvi

We're back today to share the second burlap pillow in our new Autumn Collection that launched this month! This collection is all about celebrating the fall season, and what's a better way to bring it indoors than with a silhouette of an Acorn. Acorns are nature's gems, peppering the ground around our large trees and signifying change in seasons.

The Acorn burlap pillow is a compliment to our Pumpkin burlap pillow, using the same square shape and dimensions at 15.5 inches by 15.5 inches. The burlap fabric used for the front of the pillow is completely repurposed from a coffee bean sack. The pillow is backed by an off-white canvas fabric and easily matched to any room color scheme this fall season. The painted silhouette was created by hand, using a homemade stencil and hand-painting with a chocolate brown fabric paint.

Acorn burlap pillow - Linaandvi

Acorns are simple elements in nature, often ones that we overlook as they lie at our feet and we go about our day. It's only during some down time a few weeks ago in a weekend trip to the northern part of the lower peninsula here in Michigan did I really stop to notice them. Their image is a perfect way to bring the natural outdoors inside as we prepare for the cooler temperatures and longer days this season.

You can find the Acorn pillow and more for purchase in our Etsy shop here. I'll be back to share more designs in the Autumn Collection this week!

Erica

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

The Autumn Collection: The Pumpkin Burlap Pillow

Pumpkin burlap pillow - Linaandvi

As I mentioned in my previous post, the Autumn Collection is a set of brand new burlap pillows that are being offered in our Etsy shop for the fall season. The collection is inspired by the nature and landscape of Michigan, and I'll be sharing details about each of the new designs all this week!

To kick us off, the first pillow that we have in the Autumn Collection is the Pumpkin silhouette. The Pumpkin burlap pillow features a large gourd silhouette that is painted using milk chocolate brown fabric paint. The front burlap is cut from a large burlap coffee bean sack, and the back of the pillow is an off-white canvas fabric. The Pumpkin burlap pillow is square, measuring 15.5 inches by 15.5 inches.

Pumpkin burlap pillow - Linaandvi

Pumpkin burlap pillow - Linaandvi

I love this design for the autumn season, especially paired on a couch or bench with the Acorn pillow, which I will be sharing this week. I had a lot of fun painting and sewing this pillow. It's amazing how a piece of fabric can take on a new life with just a bit of imagination, a few cuts, and a sewing machine.

You can find the Acorn pillow and more for purchase in our Etsy shop here. Stay tuned this week as we continue to unveil the new Autumn Collection pillows!


Thanks for stopping by!
Erica

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Introducing the Autumn Collection


Today, I'm launching a brand new burlap pillow collection to celebrate the upcoming autumn season! This is our first autumn-themed collection and the first collection of handmade pillows. The Autumn Collection is a selection of handmade burlap pillows in a variety of shapes and sizes, inspired by nature and the fall season in Michigan. Like the Michigan pillow, the burlap is reclaimed from coffee bean sack burlap sacks and hand-painted using homemade stencils. The pillows range in sizes from small (13 in. by 13. in) to large (20 in. by 13.5 in) and are individually designed by me. This is a small collection, only one of each pillow design is available, so they are truly one of kind handmade items.



You can find the collection for sale this weekend in our Etsy shop. I will be back next week to share information about each of the new pillows in this fun and rustic collection.

As always, thank you so much for your support. Designing a new collection for the changing season has been so much fun, and I can't wait to share these with you all.

Erica