Frugal Table Setting Upgrade

If you have been around my blog for a bit, you'll already know how much I love a bargain!  My Friend and I were checking out the new spring items at our local Pier 1 when I came across the clearance section...  New blue and white square plates for 5 bucks a piece?  Yes please!  I knew these would coordinate with the dishes we already had so I snapped them up...

I had napkins and other dishes to coordinate, but I had nothing to bring a little "pop" to the table setting.  Being as frugal (aka - cheap) as I am, I decided to make my own napkin rings out of an old dress from my project bin.  I knew this dress would come in handy some day!

All you need for this project is some thin cardboard cut into strips, like a cereal box destined for the recycling bin for instance.  My strips are 2 inches by 6 inches.  Break out your scissors and cut up that old dress to cover the cardboard strips with your trusty low temp glue gun...

The frayed edges on the backside are easily covered by some grosgrain ribbon that was just hanging out in my craft stash.  Just cut the ribbon to size, use a lighter to sear the ends to prevent fraying and glue it down...

Next, use a shot glass or, in my case, a sake cup to bend the strip around.  You should have enough of an overlap to glue the ends together...

And you have a nifty new napkin ring that coordinates with your new table setting for practically nothing!  Now, just do that 5 more times...  ;-)  Here is my new table setting all ready for a party of six!

I also stole a few items from other areas of the house to coordinate the centerpiece, lit some candles, and switched out the throw and pillow on the bench seat...  

The cool part about this project is that I already had everything I needed.  Next up, I need to gussy up a few old kitchen towels to match - I have plenty of that old dress left to hack up!  Just goes to show that if you love the pattern of a piece of clothing that doesn't fit properly, you can always use it for something else.  All you need to do is look at things in a different way.
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything,
they just make the best of everything."
-Anonymous
It's almost Friday!  Have a great weekend Everyone, make it the best!
Cheers!
M J