Rustic Weddings, and what the heck is a Rag Garland?

My daughter got engaged a couple of months ago.  In the meantime, I opened an Etsy shop.  DarlenesKitchen at Etsy  

You may wonder what the two have going on together, well it's complicated.  The soon-to-be-bride has been filling me in with a bunch of details over the phone.  She lives out of state, so I'm getting calls, texts, photos, finally a venue in the North Georgia mountains.  I was introduced to the phrase 'Rustic Wedding' and a few specifics that go along with the idea.

Fast forward two months.  I open my Etsy shop, and the first items are sugar scrubs.  As you can see, I didn't understand about the 'white background' that the Etsy Pros use...

In the mean time, I'm doing all kind of research on how to make my shop a success.  Apparently you need more than one item.  Preferably a page full of them...  I list a couple of vintage items not only to fill it up a bit more, but to get rid of them.  Can you say pack-rat?  I make ONE sell, to a friend.

So, next up, lets see what kind of shops do well on Etsy.  I find that weddings, and my particular interest was rustic ones and ALL that goes with them, do quite a good business.  As I'm perusing the different things (this is all new to me) I see what's called a Rag Garland.  

I can make that!!!  Not only can I make that, I have all my Grandmothers old linens and lace.  It will be a family heirloom!  Of course, adding my daughters official colors of tan and "Tiffany Blue."  I've seen ONE Tiffany's box in my entire lifetime...

So off to the store I go for ribbons, burlap, and rope.  Next up it's shredding yards and yards of what is now a rag strip of my precious Grandmother's treasures. (I only used the ones that had a bit of damage)  What I thought I could do in a couple of hours, ended up taking six, and my arms were almost permanently stuck in the "I'm hanging out clothes on the clothesline" position.  It got dark and cold before I finished.  I took two Alieve's and went to bed. 

The next day it was cloudy and raining on and off, but light enough I could take pictures.  

I posted it to my shop, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and now a blog, Geez!  I didn't even know how to 'pin' or 'tweet'...

The BEST thing is:

MY DAUGHTER FLIPPED, she loved it!


So today I came up with the bright idea of making a matching rustic rag chandelier.  Of course I was out of the ribbon and burlap, but I could add that later.

On a cold and windy day, it would be perfect to make in the house, this is what I came up with:

     

Suffice it to say, I am now in the "Rustic, Barn, Beach, Gypsy, Shabby Chic, BOHO wedding" business.

When I walked down the isle, the decorations were mighty different.  I like this though, it's got my created juices flowing for the first time in a very long time.

I guess next I'll be borrowing Dad's chainsaw and making log candle holders, or a cake stand.
Do you know how much folks pay for a slab of wood for a cake stand?!?!

It's a good thing I have all that sugar scrub to soften my hands ;)

Anyway, thanks for reading my ramblings, and if you want me to shred up Grandma's linens for you, or just make something out of all new material, let me know.  It will be my pleasure.  
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DarlenesKitchen