Tag Archives: Décor

Easy DIY Antique Looking Napkin Rings with Crochet Trim Craft Tutorial + Free Turkey & China Thanksgiving Printables (for Place-cards, Hostess Gift Tags, Thank You Notes, Doggie Bag Tags, Food Tent Cards, etc.)

November 14, 2015 Leigh

Easily DIY your own antique looking napkin rings crafted with crochet trim to coordinate beautifully with any china pattern for your Thanksgiving. Then make place-cards using my free turkey and china printables that will double a doggie bag tags when the evening closes. Also, print some to use as food tents cards to identify pies or even as thank you notes or tags for hostess gifts.

To make each napkin ring, you will need to cut 6 inch sections of wide ribbon in a solid color that coordinates with your dishware or linens. (For a 6 place setting that equates to 36 inches, or 3 feet, which is the size of many standard ribbon rolls.) You will need to cut the same size lengths of crochet trim, which may be found in the sewing section of craft stores. (Ivory matches beautifully with most china patterns.)

Next, lay a line of hot glue (or liquid fabric glue) onto all edges of the base ribbon. Lay the crochet trim over it in a way that showcases the pretty edges. (If using liquid glue, let this dry completely before forming the ring.) Then just form a ring and connect the edges with a single line of glue on one side. (Clothes pins will need to be used as clamps when using liquid glue.)

These really look like they could have been inherited, but took mere minutes to make.

The napkin rings serve as a beautiful bridge coordinating my antique china with my modern linens, and they can do the same for you too!

My Thanksgiving printables (free for personal use only) feature vintage dishware and a wild tom turkey in a fresh hued theme that honors the true blue loved ones we’re thankful for this holiday. (See more of my true blue thanksgiving dinner party by clicking here!)

To make your own, right click on the image above and select print. Choose color and photo settings, and print them on sturdy cardstock paper. Cut along the image edges and dotted lines (or coax a relative into helping) then fold in half. Voila!

Use these as place-cards during the meal (to strategically place guests for mealtime peace), and then attach them as labels for individual pie boxes or doggie bags (to ensure the holiday pounds are well distributed).

These also make great hostess gift tags, thank you notes, or even food tent cards (to properly identify the mysterious pie everyone keeps asking about… in my family that would be Chess Pie).

Happy Turkey Day Y’all!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Recipes

Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Edible Folk Art & Egg-Free Vegan Candy Recipe for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) or Halloween

October 17, 2015 Leigh

Calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls) are a folk art originating from southern Mexico for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The sugar (azucar in Español) is said to balance the bitterness of death (muerte), and the small calaveras (skulls) are traditionally offered on All Saint’s Day (November 1) to beloved departed children (angelitos / inocentes) as one would leave flowers graveside. Because this recipe is an egg-free edible version that doesn’t use meringue powder or royal icing, it makes the perfect allergy-friendly, vegan, and low-calorie candy for a themed Halloween celebration!

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated white sugar
4 teaspoons water
Wilton ready-to-use icing multi-pack of 4 primary colors (not gel)
Wilton 3D skulls candy mold

Instructions:

Wash and dry the plastic mold. Measure a perfect cup of glistening white sugar (azucar in Español).

Use a small silicone spatula to mix 4 teaspoons of water (agua) into a bowl filled with the white sugar. (The key to sugar skull success is patient and thorough mixing to yield slightly damp sugar the consistency of sand.) Use the spatula to scoop globs of damp sugar into the mold, and also to pat it down compactly into each cavity. Smooth the top of each to flatten the sugar to sit evenly with the mold. (This helps later when combining the pieces to make 3D skull shapes.)

Place a cookie sheet on top of the mold. Flip them over while holding them together. The mold will now sit inverted on the cookie sheet. Carefully lift the plastic mold off to leave the sugar shapes on the sheet. (If some of them stick, gently flex two opposite corners of the mold in different directions. The remaining sugar shapes should pop out without breaking if you hover right over the sheet.) Make a second set of sugar shapes the same way. Let these dry at least 5 hours. (I left mine overnight, and decorated them the next day.) Another option is to bake these 5 to 10 minutes in a 200ᵒ oven. (Make sure to observe them closely in case your oven’s temperature is off.)

“Glue” a set of front and back skull (calavera) pieces together using Wilton ready to use icing. (This is an easy allergy-friendly egg-free alternative to a royal icing of meringue that hardens for the same traditional look, but note that they do contain corn. I found a 4 pack of primary colors in-store at Michaels that are the same size of a gel icing… but don’t use a gel because it doesn’t harden in the same way so that it may be handled when dry.) Press each shape together firmly and set aside.

You may leave these as Halloween skull candies or decorate them as a Mexican folk art. Add traditional decorative icing (glaseado) details like smile lines, hearts, flowers, swirls, dots, and marks that look like apostrophes. (The small icing tubes have a small tip built in that’s perfect adding small details to the skulls.) Let these sit overnight to harden thoroughly.

Wilton’s helpful hotline declared that the icing never really goes bad and may be used years later if capped tightly after use… good to know, but I doubt the small tubes will last long! Once dry, the sugar skulls (calaveras de azucar) may be handled without damaging them.

They may even be eaten as candy, which is wonderful considering most sugar skulls are inedible. (And so are the most popular recipes for them.) Since sugar is only 15 calories per teaspoon… I’m guessing that these are only about 35 calories each!

Set these sugar skulls out in a traditional Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) offrenda, Halloween candy buffet, in the center of a October dinner table as edible decoration in lieu of after dinner mints!

Be sure to check out my article on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Themed Halloween Dinner Party Décor and the 2 on DIY sugar skull crafts… costume mask, banner, vase, napkin rings, and wine glass charms!

Ahora, comer con gusto!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Parties & Tablescapes

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Themed Halloween Dinner Party Décor + DIY Décor & Recipe Links

October 17, 2015 Leigh 4 Comments

Celebrate Halloween with a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed dinner party filled with decorative sugar skulls (calaveras de azucar in Español) that embrace the lighthearted American holiday while still honoring Mexican traditions. Sugar (azucar) is said to balance the bitterness of death (muerte), and calaveras are traditionally offered on All Saint’s Day (November 1) to departed loved ones as one would leave flowers graveside. As Halloween serves to poke fun at all things scary, Dia de los Muertos is intended as a way to accept death as inevitable… and also to honor dearly departed loved ones. Representational calacas (colloquial term for skeletons) symbolize the idea of life being inextricably linked with death, and have migrated north from Mexico into American Halloween celebrations as themed décor. By using one celebration as a theme for the other, the two concepts combine to poke a little fun at death as not being so scary!

The vivacious tablecloth was made from fabric printed with customary Dia de los Muertos imagery in vibrant illustrations over a black background. (Purchase the cloth, glass candles, & large decorative skulls from Le fidèLe Designs affiliate Joann Fabric & Crafts whose clickable ad appears in the sidebar.)

Exotically painted salad plates sit atop solid purple dishes to evoking the brightly embroidered dresses of Mexico. (Purchase the salad plates from Le fidèLe Designs affiliate Cost Plus World Market whose clickable ad appears in the sidebar.) Lustrously glittered napkin rings of sugar skulls hold death black napkins in their icy grip. (Learn how to craft the napkin rings here: DIY Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Napkin Rings, Wine Glass Charms, & Vase Craft Tutorial.)

Crafted sugar skull wine glass charms embellish virgin sangria (fruity wine beverage known by the Spanish name for blood) filled vessels. (Learn how to easily make the charms here: DIY Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Napkin Rings, Wine Glass Charms, & Vase Craft Tutorial.)

The tablescape is illuminated with Catholic religious candles (as a nod to All Saint’s Day) not decorated with santos (saints) but with Dia de los Muertos imagery. Small homemade luminarias (lanterns) filled with tea-light candles are tied with the same multi-colored yarn of the banners, charms, and vase. (Learn how to inexpensively make these here: Easy DIY Upcycled Can Tea-light Luminarias + Free Printable Template & Tissue Paper Flowers Crafts.)

A clear square vase, decorated with crystals depicting Day of the Dead imagery, is filled with black glass marbles holding a tightly packed arrangement of cempasuchil (wild marigolds) which are typically left for the departed as ofrendas (offerings at altars or graves). (Learn how to quickly make the vase here: DIY Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Napkin Rings, Wine Glass Charms, & Vase Craft Tutorial.)

Small edible sugar skulls serve as both customary folk art décor and sweet after dinner treat. (Get the easy recipe here: Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Edible Folk Art & Egg-Free Candy Recipe.)

A polychromatic Mexican serape (wool shawl) covers lifts which elevate central elements of the centerpiece unseen. Ornamental calavera (skull) novios (brides and grooms) ceremoniously occupy the centerpiece. (Calacas, skeletons, dressed in wedding attire are a common theme describing the circle of life.)

Awaiting a guest of honor, is a handcrafted Mexican parade mask portraying la calavera catrina (which is an iconic image of a wealthy Euro-Mexican lady from the 1800’s). When worn, ½ of the face is covered with a skull representation it symbolizes the idea of life being inextricably linked with death. Banners of traditional papel picado (pierced paper) and painted sugar skulls of novios adorn the background of the festive tablescape. (Learn how to easily craft the mask and banner here: DIY La Calavera Catrina Costume Mask & Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Banner for a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Themed Halloween.)

Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

DIY La Calavera Catrina Costume Mask & Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Banner for a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Themed Halloween

October 17, 2015 Leigh

This tutorial will help you to inexpensively craft your own one-of-a-kind la calavera catrina costume mask in the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) style, and then easily DIY a Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) banner to decorate your Halloween party. Sugar (azucar in Español) is said to balance the bitterness of death (muerte), and calaveras (skulls) are traditionally offered on All Saint’s Day (November 1) to departed loved ones as one would leave flowers graveside. These calacas (colloquial term for skeletons) have migrated north from Mexico into American Halloween celebrations as themed décor. In this same way, traditional parade skull masks have become party costumes. As Halloween serves to poke fun at all things scary, Dia de los Muertos is intended as a way to accept death as inevitable… and also to honor dearly departed loved ones. The Mexican ½ face parade masks symbolize this idea of life being inextricably linked with death. So when you don this half skull mask for Halloween, be sure to make up the lower half of your face as a beautiful representation of life… and poke a little fun at death as not being so scary!

To craft the calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls) banner, begin with either a package of glittered skulls or cut your own shapes from glittered paper. Another option is upgrade a readymade skull banner. (All of these items are available at Le fidèLe Designs craft supply affiliates Michaels and/or Joann whose clickable ads may be found in the sidebar.)

Attack black floral mesh squares to half of the skulls. Glue one end to the top of the front and the rest to the underside so that it looks like a lacy veil.

Next, glue paper rosettes to cover the front edge of the veils.

To decorate these with the traditional sugar skull designs of flowers, hearts, swirls, and apostrophe type marks, I utilized Tulip brand Crystals (= glittery like sugar) T-shirt paint. It works really well on many materials besides cotton. The small tips allow the paint to come out just like icing does on real sugar skulls. If you prefer the control of a paintbrush, just squeeze some out onto a paper plate to use as a palette. Let these dry overnight to cure.

Next cut lengths of colorful yarn or ribbon to string the banner on. If your skulls don’t have the right holes to string them through, just use a hole punch… or even poke some with an ice pick!

Hang them in the background of a themed party or over a candy buffet.

To make your own catrina mask, purchase a plain plastic one to embellish. (This Mardi Gras type can be found at Michaels for about $2, and Joann has some as well.)

Use the same T-shirt paint leftover from the sugar skull banner to cover the mask with. (I just used my finger to smear it around.) Let this layer dry well.

Begin using other colors to add designs to the mask. Dots are the easiest to make with these paints, but make an upside down heart for a nose decoration. (I made a girlier version than can be typically found at the Halloween stores by using softer colors than red and black and by making the eye sockets flowers instead of black rings.) Let this layer dry well too.

Cut a length of lace at about 10 inches across and at a length that will cover most of the hair of the recipient.

Glue the 10 inch edge to the top of the mask, pressing the fabric into the glue. Make small gathers to take up the width. This veil will expand over the head to better cover the hair.

Now pull off faux rose heads from their stems. Glue these on top of the lace, and hold them down until they don’t feel like they will slip off.

Further definition may be added to the edges of the paint lines with a fine tip sharpie permanent marker. (I think a little black helps to tie in the veil’s color.)

Try wearing this with a traditionally embroidered Mexican dress and a black lace shawl.

It may also be used as décor for a themed Halloween celebration.

Viva la celebration!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

DIY Calaveras de Azucar (Sugar Skulls) Napkin Rings, Wine Glass Charms, & Vase Craft Tutorial for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Themed Halloween Dinner Party Décor

October 17, 2015 Leigh

This tutorial will help you to inexpensively craft your own jeweled vase in the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) style to fill with traditional wild marigolds (cempasuchil), and then easily DIY calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls) napkin rings and wine glass charms to decorate your Halloween dinner party table with. Sugar (azucar in Español) is said to balance the bitterness of death (muerte), and calaveras (skulls) are traditionally offered on All Saint’s Day (November 1) to departed loved ones as one would leave flowers graveside. As Halloween serves to poke fun at all things scary, Dia de los Muertos is intended as a way to accept death as inevitable… and also to honor dearly departed loved ones. Representational calacas (colloquial term for skeletons) symbolize the idea of life being inextricably linked with death, and have migrated north from Mexico into American Halloween celebrations as themed décor. By using one celebration as a theme for the other, the two concepts combine to poke a little fun at death as not being so scary!

To craft the calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls) napkin rings, begin with either a package of glittered skulls or cut your own shapes from glittered paper. Another option is upgrade a readymade skull banner. (All of these items are available at Le fidèLe Designs craft supply affiliates Michaels and/or Joann whose clickable ads may be found in the sidebar.)

Cut 6 inch lengths of grosgrain ribbon to serve as the ring. (I found this skull printed roll on clearance, and didn’t find out until much later that it’s a “Monster High” motif. Oh well, it worked!)

Hot glue each end of a ribbon length onto the center underside of a skull.

Ring a ding ding, look who made a napkin ring!

To create wine glass charms, begin with Jolee’s Boutique dimensional scrapbooking stickers. Pull the plastic fronts away from the flat backings.

Use the same T-shirt paint in white to add a layer of sugary glitter to them. These will dry clear. (To make this easier, I made a finger loop of masking tape to hold them while I dotted on the paint, and then just slipped them off onto the table to dry overnight.)

Tie these onto jumbo jump rings with a strand of colorful yarn or ribbon. (I used the same yarn on all my Dia de los Muertos crafts for continuity.)

Since the skulls come in colored sets of 2, why not color-code the drinks by kissing couples!?

Quickly create a calavera vase by upcycling an old vase with crystal stickers or by gluing crystals on. You can use a complete picture, lay on crystals individually, or both. (If you need to use a pattern, just tape a coloring page to the inside of the vase and adhere crystals to the outside of it over the lines.)

Tie on a length of ribbon to coordinate with the other crafts, and fill the vase with black marbles.

Fill it with traditional wild marigolds to use as a centerpiece surrounded by more calaveras.

Happy Day of the Dead!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Parties & Tablescapes

Bavarian Oktoberfest Party Décor Ideas for a Fall Tablescape

September 12, 2015 Leigh 24 Comments

Willkommen to an Oktoberfest party where the tablescape décor will transport you to a fanciful Bavarian hunting lodge straight out of Grimm’s fairy tales. So don your dirndls or lederhosen, fill your bier steins, and raise prost to a chorus of “Ein Prosit” for a wunderbar family folk fest!

Dark brown tablecloths reminiscent of solid Alpine earth ground the tablescape. Nail-head trimmed pewter chargers topped with true blue dishes echo the pewter hinged lids and stoneware glazing of the steinkrugs. A feather motif dances around the edges of ivory salad plates.

Feathers encircle “leather” rings containing lederhosen protecting cloth. (Find the napkin ring craft tutorial here.)

Carved wooden acorns tied with feathers and nametags direct polka dancers to their seats. (Find the place-card craft tutorial here.)

Tiny acorns scatter across the table acting as yesteryear confetti.

An Alpine “horned” tray befits the base of a centerpiece glowing with candles, scattered feathers, and a large vintage steinkrug of gathered fall branches and long feathers. (Find the centerpiece tutorial here.)

Green foliaged trees and a one-of-a-kind European armoire, refit with a placid oil painting, set the background scenery.

A vintage wooden sign carved with a German message of welcome stands in greeting. A carven hare guards an antique pewter pitcher festooned with colorful plumes. A tiny bierkrug sits feather-filled alongside it.

A toast is proposed… may our hearts forever be filled with merriment just as the kartoffelpuffers, knackwurst, sauerkraut, and apfel sauce fill our bellies this very evening! Gemütlichkeit!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

P.S. Wondering how to prepare such a hearty meal for your own wunderbar gathering? Try my Gluten-Free & Egg-Free Potato Pancake (aka- Kartoffelpuffer, Latke, hash brown cups, etc.) Recipe with Baked & Fried Versions for Oktoberfest!

Arts & Crafts

Feather & Vegan Leather Napkin Ring Craft Tutorial + Easy DIY Centerpiece & Fall Place-card Holders for Oktoberfest

September 12, 2015 Leigh

Making your own feather and vegan leather napkin rings is an inexpensive way to bring an element of elegance to any gathering, but especially an Oktoberfest celebration of German heritage. Use a stein as a vase for feathers and fall foliage along with feathered wooden acorns to transport your guests to a fanciful fairytale version of a Bavarian hunting lodge. Then reuse the rings and acorns with a different centerpiece for Thanksgiving!

Start with finding a remnant of realistic appearing vegan leather and feather ribbon trim (these are available from Le fidèLe Design’s fabric affiliates whose links appear in the sidebar). Use a pen to mark the underside of the fabric into 6 inch long strips that are about 2¾ inches wide (vary according to the width of your feather ribbon). Cut them carefully to make a smooth self-sealing edge.

Cut the feather ribbon into 6 inch strips as well. (If you’re feeling super-crafty… you make this from scratch by gluing individual feathers onto a strip of ribbon, overlapping them as you go.)

Use fabric hot glue to adhere one end of the vegan leather to the other end, forming a ring.

Lastly, glue a feather ribbon strip around the middle section of the ring you just made. (How easy was that?!)

This would’ve cost so much more if purchased from a department store or boutique!

Next, make place-card holders using simple decorative acorns. (I found these carved wooden types in a 6 pack at 40% off this summer.) I’ve seen various types from burlap and fabric to glittered and beaded… just pick those which suit your linens and dishware best.

Use a punch cutter to make small gift tags from a parchment-like cardstock, and punch a hole in them (or just buy readymade tags). Use a brown calligraphy pen to scroll on the names of your guests.

Use a few inches of jute cord (I get mine super-cheap at the hardware store) to tie the name tag and a small handful of feathers onto the stem of the acorn. (Think about adding brighter feathers to the typical fall colors… so that your ensemble doesn’t resemble mulch. I included some teal feathers to tie in with my other décor.)

Set them into place, and you’re done! The best part is that they can be reused with a different theme because the feather decoration and tag slip right off… however, feel free to glue them into place for a permanent set.

Make a centerpiece by simply using a steinkrug in place of a vase. (I used my grandfather’s, but a new one would look great too!) Fill it with a few boughs of natural or faux fall foliage and some gathered branches. Tuck in long feathers from the local craft store.

I set this onto a faux horned tray and placed shorter candles around it. (I got the tray 90% off because it had some broken tips which were easily camouflaged with paint.) Any decorative tray can visually contain the elements into a cohesive appearing centerpiece.

I then distributed feathers around the outer edge of the tray to coordinate with the others. (Look in the children’s craft section of your local craft store to find a larger quantity of bagged feathers much cheaper than those in other aisles.)

Time to go download some “oom-pah” music… so kidding! (Click here to see more Bavarian Oktoberfest Party Décor Ideas for a Fall Tablescape)

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Arts & Crafts

Simple Origami Lotus / Waterlily Flower Arts & Crafts Tutorial (Perfect for Pan Asian Themed Décor, Place-cards, & Chopstick Rests)

September 6, 2015 Leigh 98 Comments

This arts and crafts tutorial for an origami lotus flower, also known as a waterlily, is really very simple. I first learned the method from a book in elementary school, and I’ve been making them ever since. I’ve been known to leave them as calling cards, get well messages, love tokens, etc. They also make elegant yet inexpensive table décor because they can be upcycled from any paper. Just write a name on a petal to use them as place-cards then allow them to double as disposable chopstick rests… but expect some to be taken home as mementos from the evening.

Use any paper you like from traditional origami paper from the craft store, to economical white printer paper like this. (Read my origami crane tutorial to read how to use wrapping paper.) Fold one corner over until it meets the opposite side, and press the crease down flat.

Cut off the uncovered portion of paper cleanly, using the folded paper’s edge as a guide. You have just made a perfect square without using a ruler.

Unfold the triangle you’ve cut free, and then refold it using the opposite corners. Now unfold it, you should see an X crease into the square of paper.

Next take each corner and fold it into the middle, using the X crease as a guide. You just made a smaller square shape.

Repeat this 4 corner folding again, making an even smaller square.

Repeat this again, making an even tinier square.

Now flip it over, and then repeat the 4 corner folding into the center one last time.

This is the tricky part… place your thumb into one corner of the square, and place the other fingers under the lipped point underneath it. Push in the corner with your thumb while gently pulling the underneath point out. It will flip up and over into a sort of petal. (The right petal in the picture is only halfway done. You can keep pulling gently until it looks like the left petal.) Stop pushing and pulling once the petal has a solid form with a rounded outside edge. Repeat this petal making on all corners.

Now pull out the four hidden points from beneath.

This is what it’s supposed to look like, but it may take a few blooms to get the hang of petal pulling.

This is what the underside should look like. (It’s the perfect place to write a little message.)

This is one of my origami waterlilies being used as a place-card holder/ chopstick rest. See it in action in my Pan Asian Inspired Indigo Shibori & Wooden Themed Tablescape (Perfect for Luncheons & Informal Dinners).

Bloom where you are planted!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Parties & Tablescapes

Pan Asian Inspired Indigo Shibori & Wooden Themed Tablescape (Perfect for Luncheons & Informal Dinners)

September 6, 2015 Leigh

This Pan Asian tablescape makes the perfect theme for the fall transition when hot outside air temps still feel like summer. It was inspired by thoughts of wooden fishing boats sailing upon cool serene indigo waters. Make my Pan Asian Rice Noodle dish as a centerpiece, or just use a small lamp as ambiance for takeout. With origami waterlilies serving as décor, place-cards, and chopstick rests… it’s easy and inexpensive to put together a last minute luncheon or informal dinner.

The traditional Japanese method of hand-dying cloth with indigo, known as Shibori, has produced a lovely piece to represent serene waters stacked with wooden dishware symbolizing hand hewn boats delivering the sea’s bounty. The vintage carved salad bowl was laden with Pan Asian rice noodles with veggies and creamy coconut milk sauce with cod fish (find my allergy-friendly recipe here). This was set into a blue and white ceramic bowl layered with folded white cloth placed upon an upturned wooden plate as pedestal. A large carved wooden vintage fork stood ready for serving.

White cloth napkins rested out-of-place inside vintage Philippines carved wooden dolphin napkin rings. The pristine cloth squares also functioned as placemats. Square wooden plates from the same region held lotus blossom and fish plates softened with dyed cloth coaster napkins signifying blue waters. Small vintage crystal glasses with sides that undulated like waves crackled with patterns that emulated the splash of tides.

Vintage wooden handled forks were presented as an alternative to the colorfully painted chopsticks that rested upon origami lotus / waterlily blooms (see the craft tutorial here) that were marked to double as place-cards.

Blue patterned and lidded tea cups were transformed into sauce containers when fitted with small wooden spoons and once infusion cups were removed. These were each placed upon small wooden plates as coasters. Oven-baked spring rolls were offered from a ceramic lotus bowl resting upon a batik box fit into a small wooden plate. Blue patterned serving chopsticks were placed horizontally (to avoid the suggestion of funerary incense). Crunchy wasabi peas were cradled by a carved Philippine fish bowl over more cloth coaster napkins layered upon an oblong wooden plate.

An alternative to a family style setting with the main dish at the center is one with a simple matching lamp sitting as centerpiece. The cord lies hidden by a wooden plate beneath a serving bowl, so that it stays hidden even when the bowl is passed around. For elevation, the small lamp is placed onto a cloth coaster over upturned wooden plates as pedestal. (This kind of arrangement is great to have waiting for an after-work gathering fueled by everyone’s favorite takeout.)

ありがとうございます。= “arigatou gozaimasu” (= thank you very much in Japanese)

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Parties & Tablescapes

Colorful Indoor Picnic Party Tablescape Perfect for Rainy Days or Texas Temps!

August 24, 2015 Leigh

This colorful indoor picnic tablescape makes a party perfect on rainy days or in soaring Texas temps. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what brought this vibrant alfresco celebration inside. No one really wanted to sit on dry itchy grass with hot dusty wind from triple digit heat laminating one’s face with excessive humidity. The risk of West Nile tainted mosquitos, fire ants, pesky flies, even thunderstorms rolling in led to the request of a placid gathering soothed with the luxuries of air conditioning and comfy chairs. Admittedly, the modification made for the loveliest of afternoons in cheerful celebration of summer.

Large prints of watercolor paintings brought the brilliant colors of sprightly blooms inside.

A handcrafted banner (click here for tutorial & template) set a playful mood aloft a side table topped with madras plaid napkins and a fruit crate that secured a vintage woven picnic basket filled with the surprises of sweet treats for dessert.

An indoor ficus tree was delightfully strung with lights of multi-colored string orbs just as one would trim a courtyard. Embroidered patchwork tuxedo cat pillows in Warhol tradition honored a beloved friend who passed on.

A brightly woven picnic blanket was employed as a tablecloth and set with yellow dinner plates that shined like midsummer suns. Appetite stimulating red salad plates and handmade napkin rings (see the tutorial here) filled with more madras plaid napkins were layered atop that. Coordinating crocheted hearts adorned glass drinking jars fitted with purposely mismatched lids and paper straws.

Delightfully oversized clothespins supported banner matching pinwheels (click here for tutorial & template) which contributed to the illusion of a cool circulating wind. A cast iron bluebird of happiness, wearing its heart on its sleeve, sang away the blues amidst glowing red votives filled with LED tea-lights. Completing the centerpiece was a coke bottle carrier repurposed with tiny vases to hold fresh red gerbera daisies.