Is This The Death Of Runway?

High-End Fashion is in the tank. If you're rich maybe inconspicuous consumption is more becoming. The bottom has fallen out for the grand productions. No celebrity wants to be seen in the general public's eyes as being rich -even if they are. Maybe charities will make a come back but even that sector is suffering now. The uber rich want to protect their image; the merely rich are spooked & reckless spending is unseemly. I think we're all in a " Deer in the Headlights" mode.

The Secret to a Happy Marriage: Get a Bigger Bed

Just Taking a Look at the Furniture Today site, checking out a friends blog and saw this. I didn't really examine all of the links in this article but the upshot is that we want and need intimacy in our life. It's a good thing for humans. The article explores the values of separate beds (and even the new trend of separate master bedrooms) versus sharing the same bed. If your partner is keeping you up at night due to thrashing about or snoring, try to find a sleeping accommodation that will allow for both of you to continue sleeping together comfortably.
http://www.theinsomniablog.com/the_insomnia_blog/2009/09/the-secret-to-a-happy-marriage-and-healthy-self-separate-beds-i-doubt-it.html
Of course you do know that I do sell nice sheets. That can help too: www.arrelle.com

How Important is Thread Count with Regard to Sheeting?

Thread count (TC) is defined as the number of threads per inch in a fabric. For example, if a vendor claims they are selling you a 600 TC sheet, you should be able to count 600 threads in every inch of fabric.

It is a way for you to determine if the sheet is coarse or soft to the touch. Lower thread count means that the sheet is coarser. Higher thread count usually means the sheet is softer (and lighter).The fabric will have its own unique feel which is referred to as "the hand" of the fabric.

Is thread count all you need to know when buying sheets?
Not necessarily; it’s just one of several factors that contribute to the overall quality.

Good quality cotton percale sheets usually start in the 200TC range. Excellent quality sateen sheets may be found in the 300TC range or higher and are usually made of Egyptian cotton. However, a higher thread count is not always an indicator of better quality. In fact Egyptian cotton sheets in the 300 thread count range are frequently superior to the 1000TC bed linens that are now appearing in the market. Many of the best luxury linen companies refuse to state their thread count except to say that they are high.

The truth is that thread count calculations can be misleading. There are a few other things to consider.

The starting quality of the cotton actually has greater impact on the final fabric. The best cottons have long fibers (or staple) which are needed in the creation of soft, durable yarns. Better quality sheeting is made of Egyptian cotton because of these properties. The raw materials must be cleaned and processed in the making of the yarn which also contributes to the hand. Better cottons also wear longer and feel more comfortable.

A high thread count sheet woven from and inferior cotton lacks physical integrity and can literally fall apart. A long-staple fiber is the best starting material because it can be spun into a thinner, stronger thread. (Note that as thread count increases, the individual threads must get skinnier in order to fit into an inch, and therefore need to be stronger.) Thread count calculations increase if the yarn is double twisted or a multi-ply construction is used. The type of weave (percale, sateen, jacquard, twill, etc.) will also influence the texture and the feel of the sheeting.

Finally, the sewing and finishes should be examined. As with quality apparel, the sewing should be top notch with tight stitching.

Here is an example of some different types of good quality sheeting:
https://www.arrelle.com/results.cfm?Category=6&Secondary=8


So don’t look at thread count alone when you purchase sheeting. The vendor's reputation and history in the marketplace is worth knowing before you buy. Go to a store with expertise in fine linens, purchase the best quality you can afford and work with experienced salespeople who will guide your selection. They will be able to give you the additional insight you need.

Contact me. I'd be happy to be your guide.
Lisa Rosenberg at lisa@arrelle.com
Owner and Buyer for Arrelle Fine Linens.
For more information sign up for my newsletters at www.arrelle.com

Delicious Eggplant Appetizer Recipe

Enjoy the flavor of pure eggplant with this, easy delicious appetizer. This recipe requires minimal preparation and adapts easy to individual taste with the addition spices. Spoon on crackers, veggies or crusty bread.
Take a large eggplant put on a plate and bake for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. It will collapse easily. Let stand until cool enough to open and scoop out pulp. The juices of the Eggplant will get caramelized, imparting a sweet flavor to the mash. Mix and Chop pulp in bowl together with vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add a large pinch of grated carrot, 2 leaves of fresh chopped basil (or parsley) and a sprinkle of dill weed. Optional: a small amount of crushed garlic and /or finely chopped onion. Place in large plate and pour more olive oil on top if desired. For color sprinkle a bit of the grated carrot and parsley, basil or dill weed.

WASHING INSTRUCTIONS AND STAIN GUIDE FOR FINE HOUSEHOLD LINENS

How to Enjoy & Keep Your Fine Table Linens

Instructions
suitable for
100% cotton,
damasks, linen
& linen/cotton
embroideries
& cutwork fabrics.

Tablecloths
& Bedlinens.




FIRST THINGS FIRST: Soaking, and rinsing with copious water, is usually necessary for good washing. Washing by machine with a large capacity home washer is fine for most damask and solid woven fabrics once you have removed the bad stains yourself. Fragile items should not be subjected to vigorous agitation and rubbing. Machine drying is safe on sturdier table linens. Again, use only a large capacity machine on a delicate cycle and with a low heat setting. Immediately remove fabric from machine upon drying or while linens are even still slightly damp. If your washer or drier is not designed for big loads you will be better off hand washing your fine linens and line drying. Gently shake out the major wrinkles and fold prior to ironing.

DO NOT USE CHLORINE BLEACH. DO NOT SOAK COLORED EMBROIDERIES BEFORE TESTING.


IF IN DOUBT HAVE YOUR LINENS CLEANED PROFESSIONALLY BY A REPUTABLE CLEANER.


PRILIMINARY STAIN REMOVAL FOR HANDWASHING
and MACHINE WASHING:
https://www.arrelle.com/Details.cfm?prodID=167
1) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER ENTERTAINING, remove linens from the table. Isolate and washout the most obvious spots and problem areas before soaking. Gently rub these areas with a little Ivory soap then rinse the area under running water. If you can not attend to your linens immediately just allow everything to soak. ADD a little (1-5teaspoons) of mild washing detergent such as Ivory or the Lablanc Linen wash. Things can soak overnight or for up to 24 hours. Even just soaking your linens in plain lukewarm water will help make stains come out more easily.

New colored linens should be soaked separately for about twelve hours in slightly soapy cold water. If color appears to be lifting, wash these items alone. Other items can be permanently stained if they are washed with together.

CAUTION: DO NOT SOAK COLORED EMBROIDERIES
unless you are certain that the thread is colorfast. Embroidered threads will bleed onto fabric unless sewn with a colorfast thread. If in doubt have your linens professionally cleaned.

FOR MORE STUBBORN CASES, treat as recommended under “Difficult Cases” or continue to let the linens soak with an enzyme reactive such as Axion or Biz (these work especially well with protien stains, such as egg or gravy). White and pastel linens can soak safely in this manner for days without damage to the fibers, however you may have a slight lifting of colors with longer soaking. White linens can also safely soak in Clorox II used according to box instructions.

Periodically examine the problem spots. Rub gently with a little LeBlanc linen wash or mild dishwashing detergent applied directly to the spots. Rinse out while the basin fills with water. Repeat soaking and add a little more soap to water and mildly agitate linens by hand to create some slight sudsiness. Peroiodically reamine tough spots repeating the above cleaning procedure followed by rinsing .Replace the water and soap mixture liquid water at least twice or until stains are gone. When handwashing, begin with luke warm water and gradually heat it up to 45C or 112F. Cotton can be boiled, but for no longer than 15 minutes. Naturally, you will have some shrinkage, but most high quality sheets and tablecloths should shrink only 2% to 3%.


2) GENTLY WRING OUT TABLECLOTH AND MACHINE WASH OR HANDWASH ENTIRE FABRIC ONE MORE TIME, following with thorough rinsing.

3) THOROUGHLY RINSE OUT SOAP WITH COPIOUS WATER (Four to five times the volume of the linen). Gently wring out excess water and hang to dry.

4) HANG WET LINENS IMMEDIATELY. Do not leave wet linens in a pile.

CAUTION: Care should be given to laces and fragile fabrics being lifted wet. If possible try to squeeze out the excess water prior to transporting. When the fabric is heavy from being saturated with water, try to support the cloth from underneath rather than subjecting a small portion of the fabric to the entire weight.

5) SMOOTH OUT ANY CREASES BY HAND AND ALLOW TO LINE DRY. Fabrics will iron more easily if the creases have already been removed while drying. Fabrics that shrink, such as 100% linen or cutwork laces, need extra attention and should be periodically blocked while drying to retain their shape and for more successful ironing.

Do not leave freshly dried items in a wrinkled pile; they will be much harder to iron later. Fold your linens when they are died prior to ironing.

Machine drying is safe on sturdier table linens such as solid weaves and damask. Again, use only a large capacity machine on a delicate cycle and with a low heat setting. Immediately remove fabric from machine upon drying or while even linens are still slightly damp. Gently shake out the major wrinkles smoothing out creases with your hand and fold items for easier ironing.

IRONING
Iron at the appropriate fabric setting or slightly below temperature. A steam setting on your iron is helpful for wrinkles. If the deep wrinkling has occurred and linens are completely dried, sprinkle the fabric with some water until slightly damp and press with the steam setting on. Linen and linen blend items should be pressed while damp or slightly wet.

CAUTION: Never iron or machine dry a badly washed cloth. The heat will "bake in" most stains, setting them permanently into the fabric.


MACHINE WASHING INSTRUCTIONS:
After removong the worse stains machine wash your tablelinens using a large capacity home washer, using the delicate cycle or the synthetic setting for studier fabrics. Use La Blanc Linen wash, a mild detergent or one that contains a non-chlorine bleach. Lace or antique tablecloths should not be agitated by machine unless protected in a large lingerie bag while washing. Do not machine wash fragile items.

IMPORTANT: Powder detergent must be completely dissolved in water before adding linens. Liquid detergent is highly recommended, but remember not to pour it directly on any fabrics, as this could ruin them.

CAUTION: Test highly colored items first for colorfastness in a non-noticeable area.

STAIN REMOVAL/ Difficult cases:

Grease: Wet the spot with a liquid detergent and/or spot remover (Zout). Let it sit for a while, then agitate linen in machine for a while. Turn machine off and let linen soak for a few hours. Then finish washing the linen in the machine or by hand.

Blood: Treat immediately. Blot with cold water and a little soap until stain is removed. Some people suggest blotting with water and ammonia or salt. If the spot has not been treated right away, you may have to soak the cloth in cool water with a non enzyme reactive stain remover(Biz or Axion). Soak until spot disappears.

Ballpoint pens: Place linen over a clean cloth and use acetone (nail polish remover with no scent or coloration). Saturate and pat the spot until the nail polish dissolves and goes through onto clean cloth. Then launder in cool water.

Singe burns: Pour hydrogen peroxide onto burn and let it sit until singe mark begins to lift. At that time, wash linen in the machine.

Wax spot: Benzene will soften and may completely dissolve wax, making it easier to lift off. Another alternative is to sandwich cloth between two brown paper bags and iron from back of cloth. The wax will melt and be absorbed by the bag.

Gravy: Follow grease spot instructions.

Red Wine: Blot stain with cool water. Then stretch cloth over a bowl and pour boiling water through the spot until water runs through clear.

Cranberry sauce: Follow instructions for wine stains.

Coffee: Soak linens immediately in lukewarm water and then transfer them to washing machine and launder in hot soapy water.(Expect slight shrinkage).

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of trying any of these procedures yourself, the best thing to do is to leave the stain alone Have them professionally cleaned as soon as possible so that stains don't set in.

What Makes a Sucessful Artist?

Being an artist is the act of producing creatively whether you are painting, playing and a instrument, writing prose, cooking, arranging flowers, or any number of different disciplines. I feel that I have an artist soul because when I’m not able to flex my creative muscle, I suffer in the same way that a flower thirsts for water or a fish gasps for air when it’s out of it’s natural environment.
I suppose being a successful artist in the traditional sense could be working in one or more of the arts “full-time” and being able to sustain a comfortable lifestyle for yourself and perhaps for others, such as supporting a family. But even this situation can become a compromise of values where one does not necessarily achieve the personal satisfaction in the field for which one yearns.

Being happy, I feel, is part also of being successful in life. And living a successful life is an art in itself.

On the other hand you might not be a particularly talented artist or even a good one. But that would not make you no less the artist, inside. And perhaps you would be compelled to create no matter what others think, or the financial or personal consequences. Some might call that being reckless, foolish or selfish.
Others may view someone as “a successful artist” even though they are just selling out, producing something of little value, or producing with no heart just to create a income stream. And if you made a good income, by some measure you might be considered successful. But whether your art will have the enduring value like the works of the great masters might be another story.

Therefore, the answer to the question being posed is dependent on ones definition of “being successful” and ones definition of "What is an artist?".

I exist in a world where I’ve needed to produce an income, but I do try to live my life creatively. I have been a student of ceramics and painting, a chemist working in a research laboratory and a retailer selling luxury linens. Today, I spend my time painting with pillows and trying to create comfort and beauty for others. Someday, perhaps, I will be able to create without the constraints of making money. At that point, maybe, I will consider myself a true success. I will continue to work towards this goal and living as creatively as I can, as many of us do.

Private Luxuries for Gracious Living

Whether ones decorating style is extravagant or minimal, fine linens have become one of the necessary essentials that soften hard edges to make a home inviting retreat.

Certainly, a good night’s sleep is part of living well; and, a hand-made mattress topped with a fluffy goosedown comforter enveloped in exquisitely soft sheeting will provide solace for the body, as well as the soul. Plush Egyptian cotton towels will transform your bathroom into a luxurious spa. And the tactile pleasures of an elegant damask table linen will enhance any dining experience, into a gourmet presentation.

It’s the details that set high fashion apart from the ordinary.

Current design is incorporating color and exotic texture inspired from nature, into common home accessories. Soap pumps and waste baskets are being fashioned from carved stone, cast bronze, onyx, floral crocodile and dyed shagreen. A table draped in a traditional jacquard is made more dramatic embellished with faux leather placemats, peacock feathers and jeweled encrusted napkin rings.

The details are important with better linens as well. Comfort is paramount and the best fabrics will be well-sewn and elegantly finished with hemstitched flanges or delicate lace trims. The same state-of-the art factories weaving since the Napoleonic era are the same mills producing the most sophisticated advancements in textile construction today.

Classic linens are meant to endure, providing quite pleasure season to season and through the years.

Discriminating shoppers appreciate the lasting beauty of heirloom quality linens and the comfort that they provide. Cashmere blankets and duvets are precious items to be enjoyed just like fine apparel. So invest wisely as you would with any important home acquisition. You'll sleep better for it.

By Lisa Rosenberg
Co-owner and Buyer for Arrelle Fine Linens