How to make table decorations
Woven placements
Natural jute webbing is usually at home in the garden, but when woven with bright pink strips of hessian it makes an attractive set of placemats to put to use on your tabletop.
Makes 1 placemat
Gather your supplies
5 x 30cm strips jute webbing (8); 5 x 40cm strips pink hessian (6); hot glue gun and glue sticks
Note: The finished size of this placemat is 40 x 30cm.
Here’s how
Step 1
Jute webbing is used vertically and pink hessian used horizontally. To start weaving, hot glue 1 end of 1 length of pink hessian to reverse side
of 1 length of webbing.
Step 2
Hot glue 1 length of jute webbing to reverse side of pink hessian.
Step 3
Continue gluing 1 horizontal then 1 vertical, keeping lengths butted together and weaving the lengths over and under each other, until you have completed the rectangle shape.
Step 4
When complete, hot glue all ends to outside lengths on other 2 sides of placemat. Repeat to make as many placemats as desired.
Wonton bonbons
Don’t settle for store-bought bonbons – craft these wonton crackers using gift wrap (try the free wrap with this issue!) and the same folding technique as the edible kind.
Gather your supplies
Gift wrap; bonbon kit (see Going Crackers!, right); craft glue; scissors; pencil
Here’s how
Step 1
On reverse side of gift wrap, trace around a 16cm-dia. (or thereabouts) bowl or plate using pencil.
Step 2
Carefully cut out circle using scissors.
Step 3
Lay a bonbon snap (from kit) inside circle, running through the centre point and using small dabs of craft glue to secure it in position on outer edges of circle. Trim tails of snap so only about 1cm hangs out each end.
Step 4
Place a folded up party hat, joke and trinket in centre of circle, then gently fold circle in half. Do not crease.
Step 5
With 1 hand pinching the open sides of circle together, use your other hand to pinch the folded ends together, buckling the wonton along the back edge.
Step 6
Secure folded ends together using a small dab of craft glue and hold together using a clothes peg until dry. Repeat to make as many bonbons as desired.
Dip-dyed cutlery
When your everyday cutlery set won’t quite stretch to accommodate the crowds, use food colouring to customise disposable wooden cutlery. Available from discount and certain homewares stores, or you could keep your collection of wooden cutlery from any takeaway meals you’ve had.
Gather your supplies
Wooden cutlery; 50ml food colouring in red; tall glasses (2)
Here’s how
Step 1
Pour food colouring into 1 tall glass and dilute with 50ml water. Half-fill a second glass with fresh water.
Step 2
Working 1 piece at a time, first dip ends of cutlery into fresh water to dampen the ends.
Step 3
Dip ends of cutlery into coloured mixture, to desired depth, and hold still for a few moments.
Step 4
Remove cutlery from colouring and set aside to dry.
