November 26 ~ Passion for Picnics
| We couldn’t resist a little picnic-centered fun today. Any combination of these ideas would make a great gift for families…
Related tutorials you might just love: Insulated Picnic Tote, Picnic Blanket with Rock Pockets, Fit For a Princess Picnic Quilt, Game Time Picnic Quilt, 1-2-3 Sew Insulated Lunch Sack, Passion for Exploration + Adventure |
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Make It
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Patchwork Picnic Blanket Kate from Centsational Girl shows you how to make an easy Patchwork Picnic Blanket. This version has a vinyl tablecloth sewn to one side to make it water resistant. |
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Alfresco Bowl Covers Kristin designed these Alfresco Bowl Covers, and shows you how to make your own here at Sew,Mama,Sew! (She’s the one showing us all of the “Wow!” Perfect Zip Bags this week for our big Perfect Zip Bags giveaway.) |
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Basket Liner Lorajean’s photos in this Basket Liner post have us dreaming of picnics! She shows you how to make a picnic basket liner at Lorajean’s Magazine. |
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Picnic Caddy Anj from Snowy Bliss made these cute Picnic Caddies, and now you can too! |
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Sprocket Pillows The pretty Sprocket Pillows from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew would be great for patio picnics. |
Bag a Day
There are so many beautiful bags to love out there… We’re sharing one bag tutorial every day this month for you to sew and give.
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Pleated Tote Beach Bag Laural’s Pleated Tote Beach Bag at Thimble is roomy enough “…To hold books, magazines, sunscreen, hats, and all that other good stuff”! |
Buy It
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Letterpress Printed Picnic Cards This set of six Letterpress Printed Cards from Paisley Tree Press is printed by hand on recycled cotton paper. To celebrate Small Business Saturday, today only, you can get 10% off any purchase with the code at Paisley Tree Press. (We also really like their Personalized Recipe Cards!) |
Here are just a few fabrics perfect for some of today’s projects. Click on the fabric images to visit the Sew,Mama,Sew! shop:
| Beth’s choice | Gabrien’s choice | Irene’s choice | ||
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Mix It
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Graham Cracker S’mores Cookies These Graham Cracker S’mores Cookies from Always With Butter would be a super addition to a picnic! |
Print It
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Believe Banner Kalleen shows you how to print out and display this Believe Banner on her At Second Street blog. |
Win It
Tweet #handmadeholidays or tag us on Facebook this week for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate to Sew,Mama,Sew!
Comment on today’s post for a chance to win one of these prizes!
Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life
Author: Julia Rothman
Publisher: Storey Publishing
What’s the difference between a weanling and a yearling, or a farrow and a barrow? Country and city mice alike will delight in Julia Rothman’s charming illustrated guide to the curious parts and pieces of rural living.
Dissecting everything from tractors and pigs to fences, hay bales, crop rotation patterns, and farm tools, Rothman gives a richly entertaining tour of the quirky details of country life. From the shapes of squash varieties to the parts of a goat; from how a barn is constructed to what makes up a beehive, every corner of the barnyard is uncovered.
A perfect gift for gardeners, locavores, homesteaders, and country-living enthusiasts alike.
Mister & Mouse bags are made with designer-quality fabrics and lots of love. Fabrics are carefully selected to give every individual bag its own character, so fabric pairings are almost always one-of-a-kind. In salute to history and pop culture trivia, each bag is named after an event that took place on the day the bag was completed.
This week you can win a Mister & Mouse bag of your choice! (Prize Value: $48)
Civil War Sewing Circle, The Quilts and Sewing Accessories Inspired by the Era
Author: Kathleen Tracy
Publisher: Martingale & Co.
Kathleen Tracy, popular author of Prairie Children and Their Quilts and Remembering Adelia, has outdone herself with this combination of lovely projects and fascinating historical tidbits. Patterned after quilts made during the Civil War era, this collection is ideal for nineteenth-century reproduction fabrics.
* Choose from 16 easy projects, including large and small quilts, plus a pincushion, sewing box, and needle case.
* Learn how women’s efforts during the Civil War era led to increased civil and political involvement among women.
* See historical photos and read eloquent excerpts from letters written to and from soldiers during the Civil War.
Modern Log Cabin Quilting: 25 Simple Quilts and Patchwork Projects (US Winners Only)
Author: Susan Beal
Publisher: Potter Craft
If you think quilting is too difficult or too complicated, you’re not alone. Cutting hundreds of pieces and joining angled seams can be tough work! But log cabin quilting, an artful and simple way to piece strips of fabric around a central square, is different. From the intuitive construction through the straight-line stitching, this style of quilting is simple as can be.
In Modern Log Cabin Quilting, Susan Beal outlines the entire process from start to finish, including basic quilting how-to as well as extensive design, fabric, and embellishment information. Since all log cabin designs follow the same formula, once you master straight lines and right angles, any of the 25 projects in this book are possible. From stash-friendly designs like the Charming Camera Case to more ambitious undertakings like the Vintage Linens Quilt, there’s sure to be a project that will get you into (or bring you back to) quilting!
Don’t miss our Handmade Holidays photo pool, and check out our 2010 Handmade Holidays list for more fabulous ideas.
25 ~ Passion for Parties
24 ~ Passion for Coffee + Tea
23 ~ Passion for Writing
22 ~ Passion for Food
21 ~ Passion for Sleep
20 ~ Passion for Nature
19 ~ Passion for Technology
18 ~ Passion for Photography
17 ~ Passion for Color
16 ~ Passion for Reading
15 ~ Passion for Imagination
14 ~ Passion for Growing
13 ~ Passion for Decorating
12 ~ Passion for Jewelry
11 ~ Passion for Art
10 ~ Passion for Travel
9 ~ Passion for Cooking + Baking
8 ~ Passion for Exploration + Adventure
7 ~ Passion for Teaching + Learning
6 ~ Passion for Sewing
5 ~ Passion for Organization
4 ~ Passion for Relaxation
3 ~ Passion for Clothes
2 ~ Passion for Play
1 ~ Passion for Accessories
We respect the copyright of all crafters. All photos are used with permission from the artist.
You can receive a free copy of the Perfect Zip Bags Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman (a $10 value) with your order of $30 or more. Check out this post for all the details.
312 Responses to “November 26 ~ Passion for Picnics”
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Love the ideas! Thanks!
Love the bowl covers!
I love the theme for today! Not of this season but thinking that way really opens up the gift ideas!
The picnic caddy is such a great idea!
The beach bag looks like a great bag to make for my mum. I make her a bag each year and this one looks perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Awwww, picnics are a distant memory at this time of the year. We’ve already had a taste of minus 30 here in central Canada. Dreaming of warmer summer days.
Bowl covers are such a good idea. We almost never eat outside because of all the bugs, and it sounds like these would totally solve the problem!
Love the sprocket pillows!
Those cookies look delicious!
Can’t wait to get the pillow made
Love the beach tote!
Love those sprocket pillows!
The sprocket pillows are great, perfect for our playroom that I am making over.
With the weather outside so dismal, nice to see something summery.
Love the bowl covers, and sprocket pillows.
Ooh, I love the Mister & Mouse bags.
I’ve been following Cluck Cluck Sew for a while and I remember when she put up the Sprocket Pillow tutorial! I actually made one that did nooooot turn out as cute! I want to make some more though!
A just love everything!!!
LOVE the Sprocket Pillows!
Cute sprocket pillows.
Those letterpress cards are adorable, my mother would love them
Oh boy, those smores cookies look goooooood! Love the sprocket pillows, too!
Some day I will have to make a cheery picnic blanket:). I really like the Mister&Mouse bags!
Wonderful ideas today. Thanks for all your hard work!
Can’t wait to make the bowl covers. Those sprocket pillows look pretty cush too!
Great ideas for picnics! Like the idea of using a vinyl tablecloth for the quilt backing!
Great ideas for day 26 Thanks
Been eying that log cabin book for a long time! Thanks for another giveaway!
Great ideas!
Those are some fabulous tutorials!!
Those sprocket pillows are AWESOME! I just got some new Christmas fabric and need to find the time to make some.
Those cookies look amazing!
So many of the “bag a day”s have made it to my to do list! I think this is another one!
Love the picnic blanket!
Missing picnic days already! Love the great ideas – thanks for this wonderful blog.
Great ideas and books.
cute ideas today!
oh good gravy i HAVE to get a picnic blanket made for 2012
who doesnt love a picinic!? looking at farm anatomy and thinking I need to see more. Thanks for the giveaway!
Love those sprocket pillows!
Oooh. Lots of good stuff today.
Farm anatomy would be awesome!
The sprocket pillows would be great for use in the living-room as well – thanks for the tutorial!
Yay! Farm Anatomy!!! Picnics were a great choice… for me to look at today! It’s snowed over 6 inches since Turkey Day & I’m sitting in my living room, legs under the kotatsu, looking at pretty picnic perfect pictures
thanks!
oh those cookies look awesome!
those sprocket pillows are adorable!
I am in love with those sprocket pillows. So cute!
Mmmm, those cookies look yummy!
OOOHHHHH today’s post is ANOTHER awesome treat! I’m loving the beach bag, the blanket, the pillows, all of it!
Thanks so much! I can’t WAIT to get started. I’m going to have to make that beach bag for all the ladies in our family by the time we head off for our annual beach trip this year!
What fabulous ideas! Thanks.
Wow! Lots of things to try! Thanks:)
The picnic caddies and bowl covers are great ideas!
This makes me want to get ready for spring all over again. Thanks for brightening up my day!
Wonderful ideas! I like the picnic caddy and pillows!
would love to have the modern log cabin quilt book!
Love the books!
Brilliant!!
You guys rock my socks! Thanks for such awesome ideas and potential prizes.
I love those bowl covers. What a neat idea. Better than those plastic bags I’ve been using.
As cold as it is today, these picnic ideas look so inviting! A girl can dream!!
Love the “Believe” Banner!
The bowl covers are a great idea!
I know someone who would LOVE the Farm Anatomy book!
I have a passin for picnics, lovely!
love the sprocket pillows.
I love everything here!
I like the Beach Bag.
wow, those s’more cookies look amazing! I’m loving these “passion for…” posts. Thanks!
The picnic caddies are a great idea!
Mmm… with highs in the 70s in Nashville, I could put these to work immediately!
These would be perfect to have for road trips!
I have had the sprocket pillow bookmarked for awhile now. I should get to work on that. Lots of fun things to make.
The pillows are great! Thanks for the tutorials!
Ooh those cookies look amazing! I can’t wait to try them!
Picnics are an inexpensive luxury. Lets have more.
Everything looks great today!
Fun ideas today!
Perfect for dreaming of sunny days to come!
Some fun ideas today. I especially love the beach bag and picnic caddy.
Great ideas. They take my mind off winter.
The smores squares would be perfect to eat while perched on one of those sprocket pillows! Yes, indeed.
So many great ideas. I wonder how I’m ever going to have time to get even a few projects done. Thanks for sharing.
I love the picnic caddy and the sprocket pillows! I might have to make some!
That Farm Anatomy Book looks so interesting!
I wonder how many places in my house I can find to make a sprocket pillow for!
Yummy S’more cookies!
More great ideas for my Christmas list!!
This has made me want summer to come back. I guess I can make some of these so that its ready to go!
Sweet picnic caddy and pillows!
I need a new picnic blanket! Love that pattern!
The sprocket pillow is beautiful!
Genevieve
Love the bowl covers!
Love the basket liner! Would be a great gift!
It’s summer in my part of the world so a great time to be making and using these items
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Cheers,
Robyn
I’m drooling over those s’mores cookies. Yum!
What great ideas.
Pleated Tote Beach Bag is sweet!!!
those smore cookies look delicious
I love the picnic caddy and the tote!
Thanks!
The picnic caddy is really cute! I would love to have these available for our outings.
Can I please have the picnic blanket! Perfect for our family.. in XXL
The Civil War sewing book would be fascinating.
Those sprocket pillows have my name on them!
These smore bars look too good to be true!
Love the log cabin book. Thanks.
I love the picnic caddy! They’d be such an easy thing to make, and I would use them any time we ate outside on the patio — everyone can carry their own utensils and placemat to the table. Thank you for always showing such neat things.
I’m going to use the picnic caddy to take with us on field trips! That is just perfect and too cute. I have metal straws and extra silverware (including chopsticks) to include to make it even more “green”. Thank you so much for including that today!
I love the sprocket pillows. They look great.
I love picnics! My favorite idea today is the sprocket pillows, but all the others are great too!
i love picnics…can’t wait to make my own picnic quilt.
A picnic caddy and a lunch bag would make a nice gift for someone wanting to eat healthier lunches or someone on a budget.
Amazing ideas! Can’t wait until spring for picnic time.
love the beach bag!
Such wonderful picnic ideas! Can’t wait till it’s picnic weather again
Now I have to make a sprocket pillow!
Okay, those sprocket pillows were crazy cute!
I’m dreaming of making a mini picnic set! Thank you!
Brrr…the thought of a picnic makes me cold. I’ll put the idea on hold until the snow disappears
I love the picnic caddies! Such great projects – again! Thanks so much.
funny, the last few days it has been warm enough for picnics in va! love these books….
The al fresco bowl covers are a great idea. I think I might make a batch for my SoCal sister-in-law. Thank you!
Good ideas for this summer
I love the picnic blanket tutorial!
So many darling ideas. Reminds me of summer as it fades fast in the distance.
The picnic caddy is very cute!
I love the cheerful picnic ideas – even tho the weather here is still decent, it’s never to early to think about next summer!
I adore the sproket pillows – really a cute pattern.
Those pillows are fantastic! Love them!
Love the smore cookies and the picnic blanket? Picnic in front of the fire anyone?
Picnics!! Sweet!
Much as I love all the sewing projects, I have to confess that this time out I absolutely must, must, must try the recipe you’re featuring! Those S’mores cookies look amazing.
Love the sprocket pillow! I already have it bookmarked:) I also like the farm book, I always wondered how they rotate crops and how hey know what should be planted next.
my favorite is the sprocket pillows. thanks.
mmm, those Graham Cracker S’mores Cookies are making me drool!
I like the bowl covers. In fact, it would be fun to enjoy a picnic on a picnic quilt while eating graham cracker smores cookies and reading a book like Modern Log Cabin Quilting or the Civil War Sewing Circle.
Wow, so many beautiful things to make. I especially love the Sprocket Pillows!
I love the beach bag!
love the Alfresco Bowl Covers!
Now I miss summer.
great ideas, thank you!
Sprocket pillows would be so adorable in a kids room!
beautiful pillows and bag!
So much cute stuff today that I can’t decide what to comment on today!!
I’ve admired the Sprocket Pillows since a friend of mine made them a few months ago. Just another item to add to my project list!
All these great ideas make me wish for warmer days. Summer is always too short!
What cute ideas–I can’t wait till summer and picnic time!
Love the beach bag!
Thinking picnics in November is a perfect way to brighten up the Christmas gift list. These are some great ideas.
I love all of these, thanks!
I do love picnics! What neat ideas for new years projects!
I love a picnic. I would love to make myself some fun picnic things.
The picnic roll up thing is fantastic~
The beach bag makes me long for summer.
I just had a picnic today with my family. Cute ideas! Love the silverware napkin!
I like the bag today. I think I have some of that fabric.
So intrigued by the farm anatomy book!
The pillows and the bag…ah, so pretty! Thanks!
I plan to make a picnic blanket for all my favorite families next year!
Bowl covers – genius!
I like the patchwork picnic blanket.
I’m drawn to the sprocket pillows but the bowl covers are practical and cute too.
The picnic caddy is adorable!
The Graham Cracker S’mores Cookies look so good! Thanks for the giveaway!
The picnic caddy is so clever. How much longer until summer?
I’m going to make the s’mores cookies with my daughter when my mom comes to visit for the holidays!
The Sprocket Pillows make me happy to look at! I think my girls would love them!
I LOVE the sprocket pillows! I definitely need to make some of these! And the beach tote looks great, too.
Really cute ideas. Love the pretty picnic caddy.
Dreaming of picnics too! Love the believe banner too!
cool ideas !
Wow! Love everything you put together for picnics. What fun!
I love the cushions! Thanks!
Love those pillows! Thanks for the chance to win!
I love picnics. This is all super fun.
The sprocket pillows are great!
I love the spring colors in all the picnic themed pictures. It tempts me to add even more to my to-do/make list.
Love the beach bag!
I can’t believe November is almost over! These posts have all been great and inspiring.
I like that Picnic Caddy!
Beautiful projects!
Love the pillows!!!!
Love the alfresco bowl covers!
great ideas!
I love the beach bag!
I’m loving the patchwork picnic quilt and I have to try the Graham Cracker Smores Cookies. Sounds like Heaven on earth! Thanks for a chance to win.
missmoozie(at)gmail(dot)com
Too cute.. the Pinic Caddy. I love the basket liner with pockets . I can think of lots of uses for that.
Thanks for another great day of ideas. Thanks for the giveaways and a chance to win.
usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com
I’ve been meaning to make one of those sprocket pillows – too cute!
I love picnics! Thanks for the ideas. I think the farm anatomy book looks like fun.
those bowl covers are so pretty!
Mmmm, the smore cookies are making me hungry!
I love those pillows!
The picnic caddies also look like they would be great for taking everything needed for a packed lunch to work or school too. Especially since it will be a long while until picnic weather…
Making the pillow and bowl covers. Thanks for the ideas.
Love this post because I absolutely love picnics!
The sprocket pillows are so cute!
“Farm Anatomy” is on my Christmas wish list! I’m not sure my husband knows that though, so it would help if it just arrived in the mail.
i’m going to jump on the sprocket pillow band wagon, they look great!
wonderful creations! Loved the pillows
The rain stopped yesterday and the wind. At 51′, is it hot enough for a picnic? (Oregon reader).
Love that silveware/napkin caddy idea!
It’s coming into summer here in Oz, so this is perfect for me. Lots of great ideas for my friends for our handmade Christmas.
It’s coming into summer here in Oz, so this is perfect for me. Lots of great ideas for my friends for our handmade Christmas.
It’s coming into summer here in Oz, so this is perfect for me. Lots of great ideas for my friends for our handmade Christmas.
looks like a great beach tote to sew up. very cute.
I’m making the bowl covers for my mother’s Christmas gift, lodge theme with cabins, moose, bears, etc. machine embroidered and lodge themed charms for the end weights. So cute!
The Alfresco Bowl Covers are a GREAT idea!!
I really like the picnic caddy, may have to try that!
I love the pillows!
…and the books…and….
Kind regards from Germany.
Claudia
so many great ideas!
I love the pillows and beach bag today and EVERYTHING has such great colors!
i want, i want, i want!!!
Oh, my goodness! I love each of the tutorials today but especially those sprocket pillows!
The tote bag and pillow are cute!
Oh, so many lovely things. Those cushions and the picnic caddies are brilliant. And I love the bag too. Shame it’s too cold for a picnic at the beach today.
Those cookies are going right in my cookie queue.
I like picnics so much! And your ideas are wonderful!
You have such great giveaways. I would love to win the Modern Log Cabin Quilting
So much fun…love a good picnic. I need to do this more often.
What a nice beach bag !
Love the utensil caddy and the sprocket pillows!
The basket liners will be great for the baskets I make!
Such cute ideas! These would make great gifts, particularly for my friends w/ families!
I love the pleated beach tote! Thank you for sharing your cleaver ideas.
Always love a good tote! Thank you.
Sprocket pillows have been on my to-do list for a while… thanks for the reminder!
I’m trying very hard not to subscribe to Always with Butter – the Blog! I’d have to forget the diet for sure. Love the picnic ideas and I’m putting that Farm Anatomy book on my wish list right now!
Love all these ideas, particularly the picnic blanket. That would be so wonderful for our nature study outings.
I love Beth’s choice of fabric. My kids know that it will be a fun day when we pull out the red gingham tablecloth. I need to get more of that fabric. It is a classic.
Some great ideas, making me wish it was summer!
Love the picnic blanket
Fun stuff
I would just love to win that Mister and Mouse bag! And I love that quilt pattern.
lovely picnic ideas
What a great mix of projects, things to eat and books! All the best on one page!
The sprocket pillows are awesome! I’m adding them to my list of things to do in 2012
I love picnics. Everything is so lovely. I like the pillows for our indoor picnics.
LOVE the picnic blanket!
Oh man, I’ve been on such a farm/country kick lately…to the point where I’m trying to figure out if i can keep chickens in my yard
The tutes look wonderful, and I’d love the “Farm Anatomy” book!
I love the patchwork picnic blanket and the Modern Log Cabin Quilting book! Thanks for these fun giveaways.
Cute stuff!
Oh picnics – a summer treat
Thank you for these great tuts.
Marilize
(marilize.paulsen@gmail.com)
I love a good picnic! These Projects are great.
OK, wow. SO so very happy to have discovered the “Always with Butter” blog! Her recipes are amazing — some really great recent ones too. Very psyched!!!
what a fun bunch of tutes, makes me start longing for springtime weather already!
The Alfresco Bowl Covers are such a great idea! And I love the Letterpress cards. So pretty.
I love the picnic caddy!
Love them all!
I love the pillows.
Too cold here for picnics right now, but love them anyways.
Those cookies look yummy! Thanks for the chance to win.
Love all these picnic projects!!! They are great!
I am dreaming of warmer weather already!
Oh my, I think picnics are one of the best things in life.
Great ideas!
I was the cat in the hat
I have to do that picnic blanket!
Love the picnic blanket! Thanks for the ideas!
What wonderful ideas! The basket liner and picnic caddy are now at the top of my list. Those smores cookies are making my mouth water.
a picnic basket would make a great christmas present!
Those sprocket pillows are great, and I love the basket liner!
Perfect, it is almost Summer here in NZ so these ideas are great.
bowl covers?!?! What a great idea!
Those sprocket pillows are still on my to do list! So cute!
Gets me in a picnic-y mood for sure! Thanks for the chance to win!
The bowl covers are a fun idea….I could see larger ones for casseroles at picnics too!
All kinds of fun, these are great posts.
I love the pleated tote beach bags. I love all the bags I’ve been seeing!
Ah, so many great tutorials, so little time!
Oh, I love picnics, I want to make all of these!
Those bowl covers are awesome.
Sprocket pillows!?! Now is the time when we dance! These will be perfect in my daughters room, to go with the massive pillow chair and round rugs. Maybe 3 in graduated sizes to stack. Nice collection!
Great Ideas.
Beautiful letterpress cards!
super. this is very inspiring!
Love it all – thanks so much!
Thanks for reminding me of summer.
I must make a pleated tote bag!
Beautiful!!!
Oh my goodness, I would love to make one of those picnic baskets!
I like the picnic blanket!
I love picnics, and everything here makes me want to leave on one RIGHT NOW!
THe sprocket pillows are adorable! And what a great beach bag!
the sprocket pillows look wonderful !!!
Once again, more ideas than I have time to make!!
The picnic basket liner is making me wish (even more than before) that it was summer again!
The picnic caddy is the best.
those sprocket pillows look like so much fun.
That civil war quilt book looks pretty awesome!
I love the caddy.
Love the sprocket pillows.
those sprocket pillows are amazing.
That picnic blanket is awesome! It is hard to think of picnics this time of year in Montana…
I want to make that sprocket pillow!
Smore cookies, ftw!!
Aawwww….the sprocket pillows remind me of my great-grandmother. She had several of them that she sewed using polyester back in the 1970′s (sounds bad, I know) but seeing the pillows reminded me of her and I think I’m going to make some too. (Not using polyester! lol)
Love those sprocket pillows!!
Love the practical yet pretty sprocket pillows and picnic caddy
I love these ideas. We picnic all the time and especially love to go to the beach for a bonfire in a fire pit!
i like the picnic patchwork blanket sooo.. much. thanks.
This is such a good idea for a category!!
Picnic caddies are wonderful! Can’t wait to try them out! Thanks
those sprocket pillows are gorgeous!!
I love that picnic caddy, so cute!
Who doesn’t love a picnic?! Now, we just need the weather to cooperate.
This makes me want to do some indoor picnicing!
Love the pleated beach tote and those graham crackers look heavenly!
Yes, adorable is the word to describe the picnic setting, thanks for showing these wonderful ideas.
love it!
Love the picnic caddy!
The picnic blanket is a great idea!
The pleated tote looks perfect to hold everything!
I like that beach bag. And those cookies!!!