The Day After Christmas!

Yes -- if you live in the midwest, you get weather. Four true seasons a year and usually, a little bit of the best and the worst that each season brings. But this year, we are really getting hit! We started with rain on Tuesday, changing to sleet overnight and then the snow started Christmas Eve! Just as they predicted, it came fast and furious -- almost all the churches canceled both Christmas Eve and Day services -- and family and friends stayed snuggled inside. And then more snow and winds! Drifts everywhere -- those without four wheel drive we're just flat out stuck. Not that there was anywhere to go -- most everything is closed. It's still snowing today (Saturday) and we may get another inch or so. The city is trying to hall away the snow, but there's no where left to dump it.


My yard is covered-- just about two feet deep in the backyard as the patio furniture continues to disappear. My juniper bushes (10 feet high all along the back of my yard) have drifts up and over them. Special thanks to my lawn guy, who dug out my driveway yesterday with a big snow plow -- I never would have been able to get back in my garage without you! PS -- Don't forget to come do the sidewalk and steps in front, which are drifted four foot high!

Merry White Christmas!

Microwave Peanut Brittle

For years when I was growing up, we would take out the candy thermometer at Christmas time and begin the laborious process of making peanut brittle over the stove. Half the time it would turn out perfectly -- the other half -- not so good! As an adult, I just couldn't bring myself to make it any more -- that is, until my mother gave me a recipe for the microwave.

Now I make it every year and it has become such a Holiday classic, that my vendors just expct a box from me every year! Here's the recipe and a couple tips for making it just right!

Mix one cup sugar and 1/2 cup light corn syrup together in a large Pyrex measuring cup with handle. Microwave for 4 minutes on high.

Add 1 cup raw spanish peanuts -- microwave on high for 4 more minues.

Grease cookie sheet w/ unsalted butter.

Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure) and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes on high.

Carefully take out of microwave. Stir in one teaspoon baking soda -- let rise and spoon onto pan.
Let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Hints: Sometimes my microwave seems hotter than others. To make sure the mixture doesn't "burn", I watch the last 2 1/2 minutes carefully to make sure my peanuts aren't turning to brown. Sometimes I only need to do the last cycle for 2 minutes 15-20 seconds.

If you like a lot of air in your peanut brittle, add more baking soda. I always use a generous teaspoon.

Although I like to put my pan outside to cool, don't do it if its snowing or there's a lot of moisture in the air -- it maks the top of the peanut brittle sticky.

Let me know how it turns out! Happy Holidays!

We're Going to Have a White Christmas!

Yes -- we had a blizzard -- they can't decide whether its worse or better than 2007 -- but it definitely pales in comparison to 1996, when we lost power for anywhere from a day to 10 days. A great snowfall is always beautiful and I thought I'd share these pics with all of you who only get to experience warmer climates. We're back at work -- even made it in the day of. After all, it is the Holiday season and we have to keep helping Santa deliver all his presents!

Kathy's Picks For the Holiday!

Kathy picked her 3 favorites the fastest! Maybe they are on her list?!
Pick #1 is: A charming santa plate! It's a bright shiny piece that kids will love and would make a great Christmas keepsake!

Pick #2: Nest candles....not just Kathy's favorite, but a favorite of many of our customers too. They are so fragrant and wonderful. There has to be someone on your list that would love a beautiful and sweet smelling candle, so check it twice!

Pick #3: 4 piece metallic travel set. The set includes: key chain, passport cover, credit card holder and a luggage tag. Each are priced separately, but together they make a stylish, practical gift for the traveler on your list!

My Friend Amy!!!

My good friend Amy Moglia is the designer and owner of a nationally (and now internationally) distributed line of stationary and related gifts known as Bear Hug Designs! She is extremely creative -- especially her children's line of cards and invitations. We stock all of her items at our store and feature some on our website and her newest lucite memo pads are the best girlfriend gift! I've featured the dog memo pad -- which is shown with a cute pink ribbon imprinted with dog paws and says "At least my dog listens to me" at the bottom.

And of course, if you're a Peggy Karr fan like half of America, she has designed several plates exclusively for her distribution -- check them out on her website. (Click the link on the right side of my website to go to Amy's where you can purchase any of these items).

And if that wasn't enough, Amy has "Amy's Favorites" on her website -- which include items she's found while at market in New York and Atlanta that she buys and sells to her customers on her website. My favorite are her cute slippers -- I bought my mother a pair of pink pigs because she collects anything and everything "Pig" -- they are only $21. We love you Amy!

Kieran's Picks!

I love sparkle, so my first pick was easy! I love the sequined box and frame. I could imagine the box under a Christmas tree, with a surprise trinket inside! So if you want a really special ring box, this is perfect!

Pick #2 is: The crown tea light holder. It's a lot of fanciness for not a lot of money! So cute all year, not just for the holiday.

Pick #3: Needlepoint pillow with birds. I appreciate the work, love the colors and treasure the timelessness of needlepoint.....

Mary Jo's Favorite Holiday Picks.....

Mary Jo took little longer to decide on her favorite picks. Too many "darling" things to limit it to just three! In the end, she decided on items that she has either purchased for gifts, or kept for herself.

Pick #1 is: Silver heart ornaments. They shimmer and twinkle on the Christmas tree, and are simply beautiful. They make a lovely decorative addition to a wrapped package as well!

Pick #2 is: Cotton huck wine towels. Those are a favorite of Mary Jo's to give as a hostess gift or stocking stuffer. They have witty little sayings or Italian proverbs along with various screen printed designs.

Pick #3 is: Silver or gold mesh Christmas trees. A stunning centerpiece for a holiday table. Don't think that one alone is enough, oh no, they looked better in multiples!

Happy Holidays!!

We are all so excited for the holiday season here at The Linen Gallery. With so many new holiday items, it's hard to choose a favorite! We've all managed to find a few and we're eager to share those choices with everyone. Joan has a wonderful eye and great taste, so finding three favorites was a cinch for her! Here are Joan's three favorite gifts to give a friend or loved one this holiday season...
Pick #1 is: A classic, ornate picture frame-truly a lovely gift. Who wouldn't love a beautiful picture frame to hold a treasured picture?

Pick #2 is: Sitting and standing reindeer-another lovely gift or beautiful center piece for a family dinner gathering. The reindeer are beautiful, stylized, silver leaf sculptures.

Pick #3 is: A very practical, but zippy little item that would make a perfect stocking stuffer for anyone one on your list that loves organization! It's a Lucite Mini Memo from Bear Hug Designs. They are bright little memos that would bring a lot of cheer to any list-maker, secretary, or college student. We have many fab items that would bring cheer to list of people this season! Be sure to stop in to see our many holiday things!

Cleaning Your Table Linens -- Quick Tips

The day is almost gone and now its time to clean up! Don't forget those table linens. I always take all of my napkins and the tablecloth and make sure I've started the cleaning process before I go to bed. I fill my tub with cold water and a little Joy dishwashing liquid (any dishwashing liquid without bleach will do). After I have several inches of water in the tub, I add the tablecloth and napkins and leave them to soak overnight. This process seems to lift out grease stains from the linens and acts as a pre-soak. Let the water out and either let the linens dry in the tub or take them to the washing machine. (I let mine dry first because its easier to spot "stains"). Then, I pretreat any remaining stains with a product called Linen Wash, let stand for an hour or two and then wash the linens in the washing machine on gentle with more Linen Wash. Linen wash is a product that is specifically formulated for both table and bedding stains and is colorfast and can be bought at The Linen Gallery. Using Grandma's fragile and beautiful tablecloth???? If you're afraid to wash it yourself, bring it to The Linen Gallery by 2:00 on Friday and we will send it to Blanc Plume in Kansas City for professional laundering and pressing -- all they do is table and bed linens so they do them right!

Cotton Prices Set to Increase!

We received an email the other day from a very venerable vendor that is disconcerting and will affect everyone! Due to the economy, production of cotton this year was down -- as need was predicted to be down. However, the cotton crops saw unusual weather that wreaked havoc with production -- causing yields to be much lower than expectations. This is especially true in China -- who is having to pay higher prices to import cotton to meet their production demands. Prices are starting to rise and it is predicted we will see increases from 10-20% in raw materials in the near term -- affecting everything made with cotton! That can only mean retail prices will start to increase sometime in 2010. Keep this in mind -- delaying a purchase may cause it to be much more in te long run!

Candle & Diffuser Sale -- Save 15-20%

This week our Black Friday special of the week is a sale on all our candles and diffusers -- just in time for the Holidays! Save 15% on our favorite Holiday candle from NEST -- pictures to the right. The candle comes in three sizes and is undoubtedly our most popular candle year in - year out. It is a blend of Pomegranate, Mandarin Orange, Pine, Cloves and Cinnamon with a hint of Vanilla and Amber. We also have all the other NEST candles on sale, as well as our Anthousa diffusers and candles and our La Lozerie en Provence fragrances.

Our Favorite Napkin Rings

We fell in love with these napkin rings and think they are the perfect table accessory for the Holidays! Little baubles in shades of red, apple green, gold and turquoise blue, each napkin ring in the set comes with a hanging tag saying either "Blessings", "Joy", "Hope" or "Faith". What makes them even more special are the messages on the back. Blessings reads "The infinite array of God-given favors that, when recognized and appreciated by the recipient, hold the key to creating joy for the moment and sustaining joy for a lifetime". Joy reads " A contagious exuberance that originates in the soul, penetrates the heart, and radiates from the countenance; recognizable by all who encounter its glow...achievable by all whose faith speaks louder than facts and whose lives are grounded in grace and gratitude." Faith stands for "Find Answers In The Heavens". And finally Hope, which reads " Whether a glorious revelation or a gradual glimmer, the inner belief that meaning and purpose are to be found in life's tribulations; that peace and fulfillment are possibilities, and that something positive awaits as the result of one's prayers and perseverance".
$43 for a set of four, mention this "blog" and receive two sets for the price of one. This was one of our favorite girlfriend gifts last year -- everyone loved receiving them!

Winter's Chill is Upon Us!

Today is gray and that damp winter like chill is in the air!!!! And its probably a lot more places than just Nebraska. These are the days when I start to pull out all my special things that keep me warm all winter long. When I'm just sitting around and I can feel the chill in the air, I love my Scandia Down "Puff" -- which is my personal lap comforter that rolls up into its own pillow. In less than a minute, I am toasty and warm all over. I recommend you put this on your Christmas Wish List!

When it comes to winter sheets, I am all over my 13 year old set of SDH Purists' damask weave sheets and duvet cover. They are soft and warm to the touch and cozy like a flannel, but thinner and more sensuous. Although they seemed extravagant at the time, they definitely come out near the top on a cost-per-use basis. And I have to take them off, wash them and put them right back on once a week becaue I can't get through the winter without them.

And my regular weight Scandia Down Versaille comforter comes out of storage and the summer weight goes in!

My pajamas are Legna from SDH and I switch out from a light summer sheeting weight robe to a nice thirsty thick terry robe (mine is a rather ancient Anichini) that keeps me warm.
Right now the tip of my nose is cold and I'm hunkering down for the night. What sounds good to me is some good, old fashioned comfort food and a glass of wine!

Black Fridays!!!!!!

I think people universally know "Black Friday" as the day after Thanksgiving when holiday shopping season kicks off with a big bang -- as all the major retailers try to outdo each other with discounts to entice us all in their doors. With the economy being what it is, discounting is becoming a way of life and an expectation on the consumer's part. This season, many retailers have jumped off the band wagon and started "Black Friday" early -- one even started on October 30th! This is because last year's reaction to the stock market crash sent retailers scurrying to dump merchandise at huge discounts and now consumers are waiting on the side lines for last year to happen again. But, it won't. Retailers have been able to pare down their inventory levels and do not have to "get rid" of stuff this year like last. But the smart ones are starting Holiday discounting early in hopes of getting more of the consumers' dollar. So how does a small retailer like us compete? We decided to think outside the box ourselves and are having a weekly Black Friday special just for our customers! Keep you posted!

Napkin Rings -- To Do or Not To Do

The use of napkin rings goes back a couple hundred years, where they were generally monogrammed and used to identify one's napkin - which was used several times before laundering. Nowadays, we use napkin rings as a decorative accessory for our table! Napkin rings are a natural extension of the formality of your event -- you can dress the table up with a very formal napkin ring or you can dress down an otherwise formal table by introducing something whimsical and fun ! If you don't have napkin rings and can spring for them right now, you can use a beautiful ribbon to tie up your napkins and add something seasonal -- a small branch of bittersweet, leaves or flowers for a Martha Stewart look.
But if you really want to impress your guests, there is nothing like a beautiful folded napkin. Here we've displayed one of the many folds from Yves DeLorme's napkin folding brochure (available online at YvesDelorme.com or get one free at our store). Almost any type of napkin can be used to do a folded napkin that lies down on a plate. But those that stand up are best created with a heavier jacquard weave type napkin of cotton or linen, which has the body required to hold the form. Happy Folding!

The Holidays are coming -- time to prepare!

Each year the holidays seem to descend on us before we know it -- it seems the key to enjoying them is to start early and prepare! If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year (or Christmas for that matter) now is the time to start thinking about your Holiday table, If you need a new tablecloth or placemats and napkins, you should be ordering them now.
I'm frequently asked how to determine the correct size tablecloth. As a general rule of thumb, take the table's measurements, including the leaves you will use(length and width) and add 10" to each side. For example, a table that measures 40 x 80 needs a tablecloth that measures 60 x 100. You can get by with a 6 or 8 inch drop if the table is rectangular or oval. But, a round table needs at least a 10" drop to not look skimpy. Etiquette guidelines say a formal tablecloth is anywhere between a 12 and 20 inch drop -- but most of our clients don't want the tablecloth in their guests' lap. Measure from your seat height to the top of the table to determine what is the right length for you. And remember that cotton tablecloths can shrink -- so allow for that in your measuring.
What about napkins? We like 20-22 inch napkins for a formal dinner, although 18 inch will work. Anything less than 18 inches is considered a luncheon size napkin. Buffet napkins are generally bigger -- at least24 inches, allowing for your guest to adequately cover their lap.
If you want an easy care tablecloth that looks and feels like cotton, but is polyester and comes out of the dryer wrinkle free, we recommend Sferra's Orchard pattern. Remember though, polyester is harder to get stains out of then linen or cotton. All our tablecloths, placemats and napkins are on sale Friday, Nov. 6th for one week!
In my next several blogs, I'll address napkins and napkin rings as well as cleaning your table linens. Let me know if you have any questions!

More Street of Dreams Photos!

2009 Street of Dreams

The 2009 Street of Dreams is in full swing! The Royal home in the Silverleaf developement, is featuring the interior design work of Trish Barmettler and linens from the Linen Gallery! The soft, easy, soothing color palette Trish put together is a perfect setting to feature our beautiful bed ensembles, and our gorgeous towels. The overall feels is pleasant and easy, although still very interesting, inventive, attractive and most of all creative.....
Stop in to see the linens by Sferra being auctioned off on Ebay! They are turly beautiful!

Buy this Bedding on Ebay

We are auctioning off the master bedroom linens from the 2009 Street of Dreams project to benefit the Omaha Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. A $2752 retail value, these linens will go for the best offer made over $680. (Could be a steal!). 100% of the proceeds will go to this charity. The items included are all new and on display at the Royals Home in Silverleaf Estates until Sunday, Sept 27th. The auction is on Ebay -- item number 150372117424. Headboard, decorator pillows and down can be purchased separately. This is the first time we have ever done this -- support us in our efforts!

Street of Dreams 2009

What happened to August -- it just flew by! We spent a good deal of it getting ready for the 2009 Street of Dreams where we did all the linens in the entire house! Featured in Royal Homes exquisite house, we di three bedrooms, five bathrooms and two of the tables. To top it off, we worked with Sferra to create a master bedroom that anyone would love and it is being auctioned off to benefit the Omaha Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Check out our article specifically on this on our blog.

Mary Jo's Favorite picks..........

Mary Jo, our favorite store employee, has picked her favorite store item! The decorative, and beautiful accessories by Abigail are Mary Jo's faves! As well as being a favorite choice for Mary Jo, all her friends and family love the Abigail collection. The very, very delicate perfume bottles would be a lovely and functional piece, perfect for a beautiful vanity or dresser. The vases would a beautiful centerpiece for a dinner party. Can't you see those beautiful whites vases filled with bright, colorful gerber daisies???

Group Staff Pick.........

...........Our favorite, hard working UPS guy Al! Thanks Al for all your hard work!

Angie's Pick.......

Angie, our part-time employee and mom-to-be picked Serena and Lily as her staff favorite! Angie is expecting a little baby girl. Her baby's name? Lily of course......
Serena and Lily has a wonderful selection of fabrics to choose from. So, whether you have a boy or girl, I promise you will find something special from Serena and Lily........

Local Talent!

MaryAnne Vaccaro is one of our local designers we are fortunate to have supply us with her lovely things. Her fabulous Invisible Aprons are a huge hit with us, and our customers. The embellishments and color vary, cleaning is a cinch, and all are beautifully made.

Staff Picks!

A colorful assortment of Le Jacquard Francais napkins and a variety of napkin rings make a great, summery setting....

The Importance of Egyptian Cotton

All sheets are made of egyptian cotton -- so why is it that they all feel different and some get softer than others? Well, like everything else out there, there is only a limited amount of egyptian cotton grown each year and it varies in grade and quality. The higher the quality and grade, the more expensive the cotton. And the European manufacturers (primarily in France and Italy) create the most luxurious linens in the world and not surprisingly, spring for the best egyptian cotton to go into their products. What makes egyptian cotton better than other types of cotton is its long staples. These long staples are woven together and result in fewer nubs in the fabric that are eventually seared off to make the fabric smooth. I visited the Yves Delorme parent company factories in France -- the Fremaux Corporation -- in 2000 and was able to tour the entire production process --from the raw cotton in bales, through the weaving and printing process through the eventual production of the sheets and duvets. A fascinating process and labor intensive. When you buy European linens made in France or Italy, you are buying a superior product which is essentially hand made and worth the investment!

Getting Started

We've been talking about it for a long time and now we are finally creating our blog to talk and share information about what we do -- create luxurious bedrooms for wonderful people! We've been doing it for a long time now -- 15 years! And we think we sell only the best!

It's hard for me to believe that people actually sleep in beds with old fashioned bedspreads and poly filled comforters! Europe has been doing it the right way for what seems like forever. Until all Americans sleep under light weight, breathable down comforters and blankets and in all cotton sheets, on top of soft down beds, we still have a lot of people to educate and convert.

I have a wonderfully educated staff that works with us -- Mary Jo, Joan, Angie and Kieren -- all with years of customer service experience. And of course, they love and use all our products!

We have a long list of topics to cover in the future -- products we like, how to take care of them, how to plan your bedroom, what is thread count, what to look for in a down comforter, European versus non-European goods, et al. And we hope to have guest bloggers join us and provide their unique pieces of information.

If you are passionate about your linens -- or just want to become so -- we hope you'll enjoy our blog!