Now that it’s spring, my attention turns to casual, easy entertaining. While searching for the tea towel that I framed for last week’s DIY/Décor post, I couldn’t help but be tempted to update my tired towels in my kitchen. The colors are so fresh and fun – why does it seem to be more pleasant to do kitchen tasks with good looking items? To get more than one use from these fun towels, I decided to use them as placemats and napkins for a Mother’s Day picnic. Note that I’m not talking about the meal on the actual holiday – I’m referring to something you host for your girlfriends on a separate day to give them something we all want and appreciate – some time together without the duties of motherhood underfoot (whether that’s laundry, toys or the children themselves). To make it special, yet casual, I put dish towels, fruit jars and fruit jar rings to work. Fold the dish towels in a pleated fan fashion (just like you did in grade school) and pull through a small fruit jar ring ,available at most grocery markets.  For a cute serving idea, pack a yummy chicken salad in wide mouth pint size fruit jars and cover each with a lid and ring to make ahead for easy serving. Use coordinating towels folded in half for place mats. Invite your friends to take the placemats home as a small gift. Serve with croissants and juicy red grapes. To play off a casual picnic theme, I used a galvanized tiered serving piece to house the croissants, napkins, and utensils (also in a fruit jar) with a few fresh flowers. It also served as a lovely centerpiece.

Cute dishtowels from Anthrpologie in packs of three here, here and here. .