SPLENDID AND SPARK A HAPPY STORE

While vacationing in Gruene Texas I came across a brand new store called Splendid and Spark.

Gruene Lake Village shopping center:
2339 Gruene Lake Drive, Suite B
New Braunfels, TX 78132
830-625-2114

splendidandspark.com

I  immediately loved the kitchy cards and trinkets and was seduced by the vibrant beauty of the Guatemalan embroidered table linens by Fresco Fabrics.

Megan Geist is the owner of Splendid and Spark. She definitely puts the spark in it. She is just adorable, perky, fun and knowledgeable. When you meet her you wish she was your Best Friend. She is crafty and talented and just a pleasure to chat with.

My husband and step son were rushing me as they wanted to go float the river. So we left but I could not get those beautiful linens out of my mind.

I plied my husband with lots of sugar and sweetness and we went back first thing the next morning and he got me the place mats and the runner.

The photos above are of my dining room with my beautiful new linens.

I didn't know anything about Guatemalan textiles so I will share these notes from Fresco Fabric's website:

When Guatemalan artisans weave their richly colored textiles, they bring to life designs their Mayan ancestors adapted from Spanish Conquistadores in the 16th century.

Infused with regional color schemes and motifs, they are like no other textiles in the world and are still worn daily by the people of Guatemala. We have long collected Guatemalan textiles. Their beauty and originality inspired us to launch a line of home-enhancing products while providing a new market for Guatemalan textile artists.



Slight slubs and variations result from the hand weaving process and are considered part of its beauty and appeal and should not be considered defects.

PROCEDURES TO HAND-MAKE THE TEXTILES

This is an elaborate process done by one weaver using a foot pedal treadle loom without electricity. The cotton is from Guatamala. To make 120 yards of the textile it involves the following process:

• Week to dye the thread colors
• Two weeks to prepare the pattern designs
• One week for the preparation of all the threads
• One week to combine the threads according to the width of the textile in the loom
• Two weeks to make the textile