Derived from the Arabic word, damask is a type of fabric which is typically composed of silk, cotton, linen, wool, or some combination of those fabrics. It almost always has a pattern, which is achieved through weaving. In the original sense, damask was used to describe ornamental silk fabric. While it has become increasingly common, damask fabric used to be considered quite luxurious, and as such, it would often incorporate gold or metallic threads.
The countries where this fabric first gained popularity were Syria, Persia, India, and China. By the 12th century, the city of Damascus was so well known for its textile work, and it so far outperformed every other city in this arena, that the cloth became synonymous with the city itself and was thus named for that city. In modern usage, damask can frequently be seen in bedding such as with a damask comforter. It is also common to see the fabric in the form of table linens.
Modern babies can be wrapped in tradition with the flair of vintage-inspired toile patchwork baby quilts. Available in pink or blue, delicate small floral prints, stripes and polka dots are combined with beautiful toile. The blend makes a lovely statement for baby, whether on the go or settled in at home.
In addition, these beautiful cotton quilts by Stephan Baby can be combined in a wonderful gift set with matching soft fabric Moses baskets and diaper bags. What was old is new again and Moses baskets and quilts are becoming desirable additions to the modern layette and nursery. And all can be personalized with name or monogram. What a lovely look!
For many years, people relied on unstable skinny wire-framed carts to haul their stuff around. Although it did the job, these contraptions were flimsy and unpleasant to look at. Lightweight but sturdy, the VersaCart folding cart can handle your stuff and trumps the other folding carts in capacity, maneuverability, stability, convenience and style. There are two styles of Versa Carts – the Handycart and the Transit that is a little larger. This good looking and conveniently folding cart holds up to 100 pounds and is sure to be a product that everyone will love.
Use this versatile handy folding cart for shopping, groceries or laundry. Take it to picnics, camping or even tail-gate parties. Load it up at flea markets, roll around the college campus, lug stuff around the office. A great help for the gardener, too. Excellent for dorms, apartments and even boats! The patented original VersaCart folding carts feature sturdy steel frame construction and maneuverable dual front wheels. The included detachable heavy-duty denier nylon canvas bag is water-resistant and comes with handles for toting and built-in cover for privacy and protection from the elements.
Originally barnstars were meant to represent the mark of the barn builder, but became more frequently used for aesthetic purposes and were added to the building after construction was complete. Enthusiasts have traced a number of wooden barnstars to individual builders in the Pennsylvania area, where numerous examples can still be seen.
Barnstars were used in the United States during the 1700s and as late as 1870 in Pennsylvania, where their popularity increased greatly following the Civil War. Their regular use preceded that time, however, and stars were commonplace on large buildings, particularly factories, in pre-war Richmond, Virginia. Barnstars remain a very popular form of decoration and modern houses are sometimes decorated with simple, metal, five-pointed stars which the makers describe as ‘barn-stars’. They are often deliberately distressed or rusted, alluding to the traditional decoration. More recently, decorating with the classic tin barn stars has moved inside of homes where they can be seen hanging prominently on interior walls.
The Amish Barn Stars featured at acountrycupboard.com are actually made by an Amish family here in the USA, using recycled tin from outbuildings and barns in the area. These stars are hand made using simple tools and crafting methods used by the Amish for generations. The tin is naturally distressed from years of use, although contemporary paint colors are often applied to fit well with modern color schemes and decor. If you mean to buy an Amish Barn star, be sure you’re getting the real thing and not buying imported “cookie-cutter” stars that are actually made in Taiwan or China.
Give up that rusting, flimsy sheet metal hibachi on your condo or apartment balcony or back porch and explore the incredible world of a Yakatori ceramic grill. Now with the new technologies in firing and glazing ceramics, you can enjoy an ancient art of cooking in clay pots with the same ease and control as a full size grill.
Here’s a quick and delicious Japanese street vendor dish you can try: Yakatori chicken. It’s a simple recipe that doesn’t require a lot of preparation and only about ten minutes on the grill (yes, even that old hibachi you bought in college).
Before you begin preparing the chicken, soak some bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. This will help keep them from burning on the grill.
Procedure:
Cut chicken into bite-sized chunks. Wash the leeks, cut off the roots and cut into the stems into 3/4″ lengths. Then push the chicken and leeks onto the bamboo skewers. To make the sauce, mix the sugar and soy sauce together in a bowl. Spoon a little of this mixture over the chicken skewers. Grill for 5 minutes, then turn the skewers over, brush or spoon on some more sauce and cook for 5 more minutes.
Serve the yakatori hot and eat it with your fingers.
We’re all talking about recycling, reusing and going green! This doesn’t have to mean giving up anything, especially softness and comfort for the younger members of our family. New bamboo products in the form of soft organic bamboo baby blankets, throws or afghans are a great example. These naturally soft, naturally organic blankets are made from 100% bamboo fibers, which are easily renewable! Bamboo can grow three feet a day. Bamboo fibers are 100% biodegradable and are the wave of the future!
There are many other advantages of thIs wonderful fiber. Bamboo makes a luxurious soft blanket that contains a natural anti-bacterial and deodorizing agent called Bamboo Kun! It will not irritate even the most sensitive skin types! Because of the way the fabric is woven, the blanket has tons of micro-holes that allow the blanket to breathe and ventilate much better than cottons can!
While diaper bags used to be dowdy and it was very obvious they were diaper bags, they have received a major overhaul in the recent past. Nowadays, women have made a concerted effort to keep their fashion sense even after having children, and that effort is reflected in the stylish and beautiful diaper bags that are being produced now. Perhaps it’s a product of watching the stylish women of “Sex and the City” continue to strut their stuff even after motherhood. But whatever the reason, women aren’t settling anymore for drab diaper bags.
Wearing one of these bags, it’s difficult to discern it from any other tote, because the fabrics and cuts are totally stylish and sleek. But they haven’t crossed over into the realm of impractical. Rather, the new generation of diaper bags still has easy and convenient straps for comfortable carrying. They also contain all kinds of pockets, and this means there’s somewhere to put your keys as well as the diaper rash cream.
Reusable shopping bags are the perfect companion when shopping and they make terrific gifts. One bag holds about the same as two grocery store plastic bags. But taking the best advantage of them may take a little self-training and planning at first. You need to remember to take them to the store with you! I have to admit I’ve left mine at home a few times. I now leave them in my car. I’m sure you can easily develop the habit of keeping them handy if you use a few simple techniques.
Set up one bag, maybe a folding canvas market basket, to hold all of your reusable bags so that you only have one thing to keep track of and to take with you. Put that bag near the door you go out or better yet, leave it in your car. After you use the bags, immediately put them back where they belong. When you’ve done this a few times, the habit should be well established. Going green by supplying your own shopping bags can be an established routine for you. You may not save the planet on your own, but you’ll save a tremendous number of those throw-away plastic bags. Reuse~Recycle
Walking around the Atlanta Gift Market in July, we honestly were struck with the abundance of two things – Rolling Carts and Damask fabric - both were EVERYWHERE. It wasn’t hard to make the connection that if the buyers for gift shops and businesses were using Damask rolling carts, market totes, bags and purses, then most shoppers are going to love them!
At least eight items in classic Black and White Damask fabric are available at acountrycupboard.com including reuseable shopping bags, folding market totes, rolling duffle bags and airline pet carriers. And that just skims the surface of what’s available and in stock. If brown is the new black, then Damask is the new Toile.
And the rolling carts? They hold anything and everything – groceries, flea market finds, laundry, library books, beach paraphanelia and smaller shopping bags. If you find yourself complaining about your aching back when carrying heavy items – keep in mind that you can roll it instead.
You’ll end up seeing many photos of Fitz, our three year old miniature-size Aussiedoodle on our blog. He’s one of the family, of course. I’d never heard of the breed until shortly before I got one – I fell in love that fast! To be sure he arrived safely home, I flew to Paducah, KY to pick him up from the breeder, Double R Aussiedoodles from southern Illinois, packed him up into a very fancy black and white Toile pet carrier and brought him home. He weighed about 3 lbs. at the time.
We’re such fans of the breed now that I’m sharing a few interesting facts about them. We never go out with Fitz when we aren’t asked what kind of dog he is and where did we get him.
The reason behind crossing the Aussies (Miniature Australian Shepherds) and the Poodles was exactly this - most puppy buyers absolutely love their beautiful herding dogs, but many of them detest the shedding that goes along with the long hair.
Shedding can be a problem for many people, especially those with allergies. The goal in crossing these two breeds was to get a dog that looks like the Aussie, with that wonderful intelligence, mixed with the Poodle that is also very smart and has great features – including a non-shedding hair coat. Most Aussiedoodles are hypo-allergenic. The best of both worlds!
Double R has developed a hybrid dog with the beautiful colors of the Australian Shepherds and Parti Poodles, a very keen intelligence, gorgeous looks, and a dog that comes in all sizes from toy to miniature to standard. While the average Aussiedoodles range from 12 lbs to 40 lbs, Fitz tops out at a whopping 6 lbs. at 3 years old.