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Under the Big Top

Our no-sew cabana canopy is so simple, making it work is all in the drape. We used Moroccan colorways -- mauve, mango and citrine -- for a romantic, yet casual elegant feel.

To create our cabana canopy, all you need is a regular garden umbrella and some fabric that's soft enough to drape and gather. We used about eight yards of Indian sari cotton (45 inches wide) and about 12 yards of dyed tulle, two fabrics that billow nicely in a breeze.

First, anchor your umbrella securely in a stand. Next, place a rubber band about 3 inches from one end of the fabric. Using another rubber band, secure the fabric, with the cinched end at the top, to the finial of the umbrella. Open the umbrella and let the fabric fall to the ground. Cut the end of the fabric near the ground. This is your pattern to cut the other panels. Cinch each panel about 3 inches from one end.

Once all the panels are cinched, gather them together and rubber band them to the umbrella finial. This creates the "flower" at the top of the umbrella.

Open the umbrella and spread your panels to cover each pie section of the umbrella material. The panels can hang freely, or group them in three sections and loosely tie the panels together with fabric strips.

To complete this fantasy look, wrap the umbrella pole with some of the tulle, securing it at various intervals with fabric ties.

A Natural, Exotic Centerpiece
Lay a strip of plastic wrap down the center of your table. Top it with a 5- to 8-foot square of sod. Hollow out circles in the sod to fit eight to 10 2-to-4-inch pots of African violets, gerbera daisies or any other ethnically inspired florals. Remove the flowers from their pots and place them into the holes in the sod. Between the groupings of the flowers, place votive candles. Flowers courtesy of Marshall's Farm Market in Eden Prairie, MN. They are located at 9100 Eden Prairie Road. (952-949-3495)


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