Past & Present with Amy Azzarito + An April Pinterest Partnership

Big news fans of Design*Sponge! We have not one, but two projects in the works this month with our D*S friends. The first, a partnered Pinterest board we can't wait for you to see. Inspired by their April gardening theme and our own observations and excitement around returning outdoors for the early days of spring, we'll be pinning all this week right here. Hope you'll stay tuned! 

And what's more? In a little less than two weeks, Design*Sponge managing editor Amy Azzarito is stopping through terrain at Styer's to share a craft from her new  book of decorative arts history and modern DIY projects: Past & Present. Fans of her D*S column of the same name and new readers alike will no doubt be charmed by Amy's smart, insightful writing style and eye for design, along with the dozens of crafts she shares from some of our favorite contemporary designers. Today, she joins us here for a preview of her visit and a quick DIY.

*To register for Amy's 4/14 workshop at Styer's, visit our events page here.

"Although I love this time of year when we're finally getting some warmer weather, I also love chilly days of sitting around the fires at terrain with Hudson Bay and other Native American trade blankets. I love how this project celebrates those beautiful blankets. On a practical level, if you're like me and gravitate toward neutrals, when it comes to tabletop, I love how easily and affordably this project allows you to bring a little pop of color to your table." - Amy

Native American Napkin Rings
designed by Caitlin Mociun

For this simple napkin ring project, Caitlin Mocium was inspired by the strong colors and geometric designs of Native American trade blankets. To create the napkin rings, she cut out shapes from brightly colored electrical masking tape and arranged them in artful designs on PVC coupling.

MATERIALS
4 pieces of PVC or copper coupling, approximately 1 1/2 to 2" (4 to 5 cm) long, and 1 1/2 to 2" (4 to 5 cm) diameter
Brightly colored electrical and masking tapes in various widths
Clear acrylic spray coating (found at art stores)

TOOLS
Dish soap
Scissors
Newspaper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Clean your couplings in the sink with warm soapy water to remove any dirt, stickers, or residue.
2. Make patterns with tape on the coupling. You can do this freehand by wrapping bands of tape around the coupling and adding smaller triangular and square pieces over the top. You can also measure your coupling and plot your design on paper first. The easiest shapes to cut with the tape are long strips, squares, rectangles, and triangles. If you don't like your design, it's easy to remove the tape from the coupling and start over.
3. When you finish creating the design on the coupling, firmly press down on all of the tape edges. In a well-ventilated area, place the napkin rings on newspaper and evenly spray a thin coat of clear acrylic. Let dry for 1 or 2 hours, and then repeat two more times.

Past & Present by Amy Azzarito. Photography by Ellen Silverman. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $27.50