Time sure flies when you are busy! And Texas Showtime is right around the corner again.

We will be arriving in Texas with no less than:

• 500 yards of vintage homespun linen on the bolt
• 100+ homespun feedsacks, with and without text, with and without stripes
• 300+ antique French linens sheets, from finest to coarses, monogrammed or not, small to large
• 250+ nightdresses and shifts, all thicknesses and sizes
• Amazing lamps, made with vintage linens, antique texts and sheet music
• Hundreds of great pieces made from recycled vintage linens, sachets, pillows, body pillows, bags and more

And so much more.

Our booth space is larger than ever, almost 1000 square feet of European market feel. So don’t miss us!

To find us at La Bahia, See directions here

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Touch of Europe

829 Pickens Industrial Drive

Suite 13

Marietta, GA 30062

770-794-4933

info@touchofeurope.net

Web-based retailer Touch of Europe announces 1^st Annual Open House

Marietta, GA- November 12, 2008

Save the date! Touch of Europe, a web-based retail operation with a large fan base announces its 1^st annual open house on November 28 and 29 from 9:00-6:00 in our fully stocked warehouse located at 829 Pickens Industrial Drive, Suite 13 Marietta, GA 30062, off of Allgood Road. Avoid the malls with their long lines and traffic delays, and instead  peruse our clearance room, our “good deals” room and our 5000 square foot warehouse packed to the gills with fine imported European antique linens, gourmet food items, office, paper and craft products, beautiful melamine dinnerware, unique table and kitchen linens, kitchen accessories…the list goes on and on!  Our items are unique and rarely seen in stores.

We will have a “close-out” area featuring beautiful French pajama sets and robes, adorable athletic type shorts, flannel boxers and pajama bottoms. We have great ideas for all of the children on your shopping lists including some of the cutest stuffed animals around! Our office items from Vera Bradley are in some of the best patterns of the season. Additionally, we have some handbags that are to die for! You will find items for everyone on your shopping list, including those hard to buy for people! We feature products from Baekgaard, Cavallini, Punch Studios, Reisenthel, Laguiole Cutlery and many, many more great names.

We encourage you to leave the kids at home (remember, we are in a warehouse…maybe not the safest place for your little ones!) and bring your friends for a fun-filled shopping experience. We will offer many incentives and door prizes to add to your enjoyment. You will not be disappointed with our selection and products! For additional information, and to see a preview of what is in store for you please see our website: www.touchofeurope.net. You may also call 770-794-4933 locally or 866-764-2975 toll free between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We look forward to seeing you at what may become your best shopping experience of the year!

Sign up for our newsletter at www.touchofeurope.net to get the latest news as fast as it comes out and get all the details for this unique holiday event.

The all important Trousseau was a measure of the bride’s wealth and included in some cases, years and years worth of embroidery and painstaking stitchery.   The household would be further augmented by inherited linens passed down from mothers to daughters, creating a real history in the linen press.

The trousseau or dowry also provided a measure of material security for a young couple starting out.  It gave them a base to build on, and showcased the talents and skills of the new wife.

European linens usually have 2 initials, the wife’s initial and her husband’s.  When one finds a piece with a single monogram it indicates a wedding that did not take place, for whatever the reason.  Double (and sometimes triple) monograms are the norm.  Single monograms are a particularity of the United States and generally not seen in Europe.

However, there is no hard and fast rule for which monograms were used.  Personal items would often have the first and last name initials, the more generic family linens, intended for passing down along the line would perhaps have both last names.
The contents of the trousseau depended on the wealth and importance of the family.  Twelve sheets was common in wealthier families, sometimes more.  Dozens of dish towels, towels, napkins, lapkins, tablecloths, ‘chemises’ (night and day shirts), bloomers, nightdresses, handkerchiefs and more were meticulously prepared, embroidered and monogrammed.  Girls began sewing when they were very young, 6 or 7 generally.  Every girl was taught the basic skills and produced one or several ABC samplers.  Other samplers would show a girls mastery of mending, darning and patching skills,  and other embroidery stitches.

Acceptable monogram colors were white and red.  Generally red is less formal, and would be more for luncheons and casual events.Red was commonly found along with white for monograms and ornamentation.  Red was a strong dye and would resist launderings and the rough treatment linens received in the days prior to the advent of the washing machine.  Every day pieces were embroidered more simply in red,often just cross stitched.  This was done as much for indentification within the linen cupboard and to keep items organized and paired, as for indicating ownership.   This system of accounting as it were enabled linens to be rotated so they would wear evenly, and also helped keep track of all the pieces in the trousseau ~ a valuable investment for the family.

The more formal and fancy linens were done in white on white. These would be used very little (and in many cases never at all) and laundered sparingly.  They were passed down from generation to generation.

All the women in the family were involved in the creation of the linens for the household, present and future.  The ‘gentle’ arts were always in the hands of the women.   This means not just the embroidery but the weaving, the sewing and the actual monogramming.

View the photo album from the previous Texas show

Texas departure minus 7-days

I am at home researching art prices and getting all the paperwork together. More work than I thought but interesting and quite fun. Wondering how we’ll get everything organized once there but I realize there is not going to be enough time to be thorough, and even if we were, it won’t make a huge difference to the bottom line.

Checklists are being compiled both by Peter and myself. Linens are sorted and packed, folded, labeled, priced and organized. Of course we’ll forget some things but we’re trying to cover all bases.

Texas departure minus 1 day

Truck is picked up at 8 AM and Sam and Peter load it up. It’s 26-feet so bigger than usual. No problem with space. Meanwhile I finish getting pricing stuff done, clear up my desk, pay bills etc. We know the office is in good hands, so no worries there.

Texas Departure – March 25

We had decided to leave around 7.30 AM. We actually leave around 7.38, good enough for me. Find out the seats in the truck are designed to slope forward for some weird reason (the passenger bench, not the driver’s seat). So I have to figure a way to brace myself. Medicate dog so she will sleep and not be car (truck-sick). She conks out. Wish I could. But it’s only for about 13 hours spread over 2 days. I won’t be a baby about it.

We make it to Baton Rouge around 6 PM, not too bad. About 400 miles to go. The worst of the drive is over (550 miles).

Almost in Texas, March 26

Leave early and get to Houston around noon. Pick up rental car. Peter goes on with the truck to Round Top. Along with the usual Wal Mart list of all the things we’ve forgotten or decided we need. It’s getting to be a habit. He’ll do that and then check into the hotel and unload our stuff.

I go spend the afternoon with a supplier and we work on Fall plans and orders. After we enjoy a nice lunch of course. Rental is a cute PT cruiser, bright turquoise, nobody can miss us.

Pick up Deeda and AM around 7, their flight is early. We get out of Houston, stop for dinner and then drive on. They are worried they don’t know enough to be useful to us, and won’t make a big contribution. I’m not worried at all about that. But then I kind of know what is coming, they don’t. Insert evil grin here….

Get to the hotel at 10. All is well. I painted such a bleak picture of the horrible hotel, they are actually pleasantly surprised that it’s not quite as bad as the fleabag Bates Motel I had pictured for them.

Set up day minus 1 – March 27

LA BAHIA, OUR VENUE

The quiet before the storm. The Ryder truck is ours.

Nobody else is here yet.

The container is supposed to arrive from Houston between 9 and 10 AM. For some reason, instead of calling me when they get lost (they did not follow the directions I sent them, big surprise), the crew in the truck (53 foot truck) calls the organizer. She ends up having to chase them about 20 miles away. Instead of staying put, they drive around, so it’s kind of a merry go-round. Truck finally pulls up and we realize we were right to get them to allow us to unload early.

it’s BIG

Here’s the truck. Nobody has yet noticed it’s 52 feet and not the expected 40

Let’s get this show on the road. We have only 2 hours.

everything is VERY WELL packed…

This tent is plenty big enough…

yes, it’s big enough

it will all fit (I hope)

Truck is HUGE. Tent is not… Oh well.

What did they put in this piano? Lead?

A very full tent. Note: tent is 40 by 20 foot, not small!

Everything is well packed, which of course means a huge mountain of trash. But very little damage. We try to price things as we go along but it’s kind of a lost cause.

A big jobto unpack. AM looks a bit discouraged…

We get the racks, lights and framework of the linen booth set up also, instead of doing it in the evening. That is very nice. We’re done by 2.

I’m meant to look cute, not to work…

Off to do some research down the road and check out some other vendors. Not much luck. But it’s fun.

Set up day – D-Day March 28

Well, chaos is one way to describe it! The linen booth is running smoothly and without any major mishaps. A few unpriced items but otherwise all is well. For anyone who has not done this type of show, it’s hard to get used to the fact that customers are allowed entry, so it can be chaotic and confusing. We’re used to it, Deeda and AM are not. I think they are in shock….

We had an ad in the ‘Show Daily’ and it’s drawing some customers. The promised article was never written, but oh well. They’ll do it next time, they promise.

OUR AD

Outside is a slightly different story. Word has gone out (bless the bush telegram!) that the content of 2 PALACES are being unpacked in a big tent and that there are treasures to be found. People can be seen running out. Soon we have an army of ‘helpers’ opening boxes and digging. AM and Peter cope as best they can but it’s hard, they have no clue how to price anything. But then neither do I, so I can’t really help.

I saw it first…..

Still, we feel we’re doing pretty well, even though Deeda and AM politely look like they’d like to a. slap us, b.vehemently disagree or, c. burst into tears. We try to explain that a well organized, polished and slick booth would actually be a deterrent. People love the feel of the hunt. And there is no time anyway so it has to be done this way. We’re fairly relaxed about it all which makes us pretty obnoxious I guess.

Can we go home yet?

We do not get many pictures of the chaos of the first few days. We must spare the sensibilities of those such a sight would upset. Besides, who has time to take pictures?

We collapse around 7 and go for some much needed protein at the Texas Roadhouse, near the hotel. Early to bed. We had a good day in sales in both booths.

Texas show, official start, Day 1 – March 29 ~ Saturday

The linen booth is humming along nicely. I can’t really spend time outside, too many regular customers are visiting and I need to spend time there. Besides, despite what everyone seems to think, I don’t KNOW any more than Peter or AM do. I will help pricing the art pieces as soon as I can, but other than that I’m in the dark too!

Peter explaining to Deeda “It was THAT big, I swear!”

We end up with a great day in sales for both booths. Actually a record day for the linen booth too!

The colorful section of the linen booth, homespuns…

And the outside tents are more organized now that we have a small second tent to spread out to.

stuff everywhere

it’s nice stuff too!

The weather is really weird. We had a few worries with rain and wind, but hopefully we won’t have to worry about tornadoes or damages.

Texas show, day 2, March 30 ~ Sunday

Today is generally a slow day. But oh no, not this year. We are hopping! Everyone is super busy. I do spend time getting the art labeled and organized, hopefully it will be enough.

Inside, a routine is settling and things are running well. We seem to have brought the right mix of merchandise along, even though the weak dollar is hurting us a lot and we’re trying to keep costs down. But the booth looks beautiful. We end up with a great day.

Texas Day 3 – Monday March 31

Haven’t spoken with the office for a while but they seem to be managing just fine. One thing we don’t need to worry about, and that’s a huge relief.

Busy day, fun evening, dinner with friends, it’s all good.

Texas Days 4-5 – April 1-2

The only April Fools’ joke we seem to have been on the receiving end of, is the weather. Really weird. Windy, rainy and cold. Then sunny and hot. Hard to know how to dress, so we all wear layers.

The tents outside are looking really empty. Most of the furniture is gone. A lot of smalls are also gone. Some art is selling but we aren’t worried about that part, it will mostly go to auction later on. We realize, to our huge relief, that the 26-foot truck will be sufficient for both the linen booth and what is left of the tent booth. No need to rent storage space.

there’s actually room to walk now

I’m still busy you know!

We have met dealers and customers from all over the world; the best part of this show. Japan, Australia, France, England, Germany and more. It seems weird sometimes to be selling European items to people taking it back to Europe but with the weak dollar and our great prices, I guess not so weird.

We’re hearing mixed reviews from the different shows and venues. It seems if you have the right product and pricing, you’re fine, otherwise things are slower. But there are certainly plenty of visitors.

Texas Days 6-7 – April 3-4

We’re in the last part of the show, when routine sets in. Outside is far quieter now that the tent is so much emptier. No more chaos but sometimes the quiet is a bit boring. But the sun makes up for lots. The linen booth is still hopping. We’ve unloaded everything out of the truck by now. Made lots of new contacts and seen lots of old friends and customers. By far the best part of being here.

I can’t believe how much Deeda and AM have done. They have to be exhausted. It’s a really fast paced type of environment and very long days. They seem to be enjoying it more. Thank goodness. I have no idea what we would have done without their help.

And now Deeda has been modeling nightshirts for the past day and everyone wants to buy one, it looks cute!

Texas – last show day and break down – April 5

Last day is today. We are starting to plan how to pack up and load. We have allowed enough time to continue tomorrow if needed. But we think we can get it all done by tonight.

In reality, we’re all done by 7 PM a miracle. Back to the hotel and Subway again, no energy to go anywhere else. We’ll leave around 9 tomorrow, back toward Houston.

Departure day, April 6

Everything goes smoothly and we’re relaxed. Apart from my trying to return a Dollar Rent-a-Car to Budget (where the people are too polite to tell me to my face I’m an idiot but gently point out they don’t have those same cars!), everything goes well. We make it to Lafayette, Louisiana. Early night.

Return to Georgia – April 7-8

We spend one more night on the road, in Birmingham and then arrive at the warehouse around noon on the 8^th. Unloading goes well and we get all the art and leftover furniture into an air-conditioned space (it’s going to auction very soon, we hope). It’s good to be home and this was quite an experience! Not sure we’d do quite as much in one time the next time but we did end up having fun!

Don’t forget, the next show! We have BIG plans for this one, don’t miss visiting us!

Fall 2008
Saturday, September 27th
Through
Saturday, October 4th

The 26-27 inch pillows are available in stores like Linens ‘N Things; and Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Online they have them at www.spiegel.com

The 30-inch pillows can occasionally be found in stores but we do not believe most are great quality. We do offer those in both down and fabulous soft poly, on the site (in the bedroom linens section).

Find them here:Touch of Europe European pillow inserts

Duvets:

Duvets are available in stores like Linens ‘N Things; and Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Online they have them at www.spiegel.com

A customer was kind enough to share that she found a source for duvets that works well. Belk-Tylers or Belk have a mattress topper (it’s $30 when it’s on sale) that fits most duvet covers like it was made for them. They are soft and fluffy and replicate the feel of European duvets very nicely.

Supplies to have on hand:

· Soap flakes or a very gentle detergent, Q-tips, large soft towels, a large container, clothespins
· Biz (use sparingly and only where applicable to your particular situation)
· Lingerie bag(s) – especially useful for fringed items, silks, delicate laces and embroidery
· Ribbon (to help avoid tangling fringes, make sure it’s white or cream)
· Gloves (to protect your hands)
· Specialty products and stain removers as needed.

General stains and yellowing:

· Start by soaking the item in a mixture of Biz (if desired) and a gentle detergent (Dreft, Orvus Quilt Soap, laundry flakes). Soaking is important and should not be skipped. Dry and brittle fibers benefit from water and from immersion.

· Soak up to 2-3 days if you can and as needed. Use the washer, and replace the water regularly. Just drain the water, spin a few seconds to get rid of excess, and put more in. Do not spin or use the machine for very old and delicate pieces.

· For delicate items, use a container and wash gently, stirring with a spoon. Rinse, rinse, rinse. Better too much than not enough.

· Remove items from water. Be gentle since at this stage the linens are very fragile. If the piece is heavy, support it with both hands, or get help. Do not let large pieces just hang down. Place linens on a towel and start patting dry. Do not squeeze. Roll gently into a towel.

· Place item flat, on a towel or white sheet. Especially if you are using the outdoors, a white sheet will help reflect the sunshine available. If will also protect your linen from grass stains and worse. Grass fields in Europe were known in the old days as the ‘bleaching fields’.

· Dry items in sunshine if available. Even in winter, with a weak sun, outside drying is great. We do not recommend the dryer since it makes linens grayish and dulls them. Never use the clothesline for anything large and/or heavy. Sheets (especially linen), quilts, bedspreads and the like have to dry flat. Putting them on a line will damage them by stretching them out of shape and result in major damage.

· If you really must use a dryer because of where you live or because it’s -20F outside, try using some of the special dryer sachets available. Also try to remember to remove the linens before they are completely dry t make ironing easier. Do not use the dryer if there are still stains and spots left on the piece. If at all possible, only use the dryer as a last resort and when you are absolutely sure an item is 100% clean and well rinsed. Use the lowest heat setting and take items out as soon as the excess water is removed. Try to never use the dryer for anything that has to lie flat since it will distort them.

· Ironing. Not everyone’s favorite job but it truly can be therapeutic and a pleasure. Make sure you have a good quality iron and that it is perfectly clean. Try to get to your ironing when the linens are still damp (even a bit wetter than damp). This makes the job easier and the results will be better. Hand ironing can be relaxing at a leisurely pace, in front of television for example.

· Iron on a clean, smooth surface. Use a large white soft towel if you are ironing embroidery, and place the piece face down, so the embroidery does not get flattened. Use the correct setting, and work slowly from one end to the next. Fold or place item on a hanger, and let it sit until bone-dry (it’s not quite dry even after ironing). Ironing an item that has been out in the sun can be a true pleasure. It smells so nice! You can enhance the experience by using scented linen water. Only use starch if you will be using the linens, not storing them (see below). Roll tablecloths and large items (e.g. sheets) if storing them, to avoid stress on the creases.

What to do if washing is not enough?

If there are stubborn stains left, here are the things we recommend. Be especially cautious when working with any colored linens, and do spot testing where appropriate to make sure the attempted cure is not worse than the problem. Here is an overview of the most common problems and what to do:

· Rust. Sometimes rust is not actually rust. There are real rust sport of course, caused by metal and water coming in contact with fibers. Humid environments are very damaging to linens. The other ‘rust’ is simply a storage problem. Not rust at all. Usually a gentle soak, maybe followed by a treatment with one of the products below, will be enough, unless your item has already been so damaged by these spots that they degrade even further. You do not have anything to lose at this point by trying to get the spots out anyway.

· Yellowing, brown smudges, and stains. Caused by storage, wood, age, humidity and more. Can be especially noticeable in folds. A good soak followed by one of the products below for more stubborn stains, will usually do the trick.

· Ink. Special ink removers are available if a simple soak and spot treatment does not work. Vinegar can be useful as can hairspray. Spot test first.

· Pieces where the dye has run are not necessarily ruined. It requires patience and some elbow grease but they can be saved. If the run is recent, Ritt makes an Excess Dye Remover. However it is not appropriate for all pieces, nor will it always work. If the piece is going to be trashed anyway, you can try bleach with a very weak solution of bleach and water and a Q-Tip. Do not do this unless the item would be thrown away otherwise. Rinse thoroughly and use vinegar n the rinse to help neutralize the bleach. Last resort only!

Stain removal products and tips/tricks

· A mixture of lemon juice and water and let the item dry in the sun. Don’t ever do this for long and always rinse thoroughly afterwards since lemon juice is acidic. Don’t do this on very old and delicate pieces. Same with vinegar. Both work well but require caution. These 2 tricks work well with ‘rust’ so try these before anything more drastic.

· One of the best products available for linens is Restoration made by Engleside Products and available through our website. We cannot recommend this product enough; it is truly great. Follow the directions carefully, and never use it on silk (most of our tips do not apply to silk, the only product for that is LeBlanc’s Silk and Lingerie wash or a good dry cleaner).

· Another very good line of products is Linen Wash. The LeBlanc series smells good and works even better.

· An old family recipe for many Europeans is as follows: to whiten yellowed linens, soak them for 48 hours in a solution of ½ cup sea salt per 1 gallon of water. Rinse carefully and then dry in the sun if possible, on a flat surface.

A few words of caution

· Avoid bleach and products with bleach and optical whiteners. They will damage your items more than they will help them. Bleach destroys fibers by weakening them and generally the damage is not worth the results.

· Do not starch items that will be stored away. Only starch if you are going to use them soon. Starch attracts little bugs known as silverfish. They will feast on it and eat the fabric too!

· Fold items carefully if storing them, and refold often if storing them so that the fold lines don’t weaken the fibers. Store in a dark dry closet (remember the sun bleaches). Never allow linens to come into direct contact with wood and make sure they are stored in a dry place. If you can, store them in acid-free materials, rolled up in the paper and in a cardboard box (acid-free). Also, do not store your linens in plastic bins or in anything plastic. Linens and textile in generals need to breathe.