This is an idea that my foodie friend Alexa Clark’s did for her birthday party. It is easy to do, it repurposes something that we do not use anymore and it is affordable. Alexa decorated used wine bottles by etching H20 on each bottle.

As you can see, she even recycled her cut stencils and the cut letters which produced two patterns. I am not sure if it is due to the color of the glass but the green wine bottles are prettier. You could also try it on a clear glass bottle.

Many Purposes

You could do your own glass etching projects to write the table numbers on bottles or votive holders. Or you can create your own etched glass storage jars, like those on Martha Stewart.

March 16th, 2010 Update: A fun idea that @jennifersquires shared with me on Twitter is to etch drink glasses with your kid name and day of the week. Then you can drink out of the same glass all day.

Glass Etching Tips

A few things to know if you are new to glass etching:

• Make sure to clean very well the surface.
• You may want to put painter tapes (they are easily to get off than the regular tapes) on close-by areas to make sure no etching cream touched them.
• Remove all the bubbles from your vinyl stencil and that the edges are stuck tight to the glass before applying an even thick coat of etching cream.
• Wear rubber gloves and uses a brush or a popsicle stick to apply the cream. Make sure to cover completely the area that you want to etch.
• Work in a well ventilated area.

MORE:
+ photos: Etched glass storage jars on Martha Stewart

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Think soft green, yellow pink and even orange for your Easter tabletop. Set the tone with an exquisite tablecloth. The Easter Bunny Jacquard Tablecloth can be used all spring and summer since it references to Easter is subtle. I would simply marry it with elegant white dinnerware.

Then, create a vignette with treats instead or as a component of your centerpieces. The Fudge Brownie Farm Animals illustrate the look I suggest. Kids will love it!

Easter Menu

For a breakfast-style element, the Broiled grapefruits look divine and are simple to make for a crowd. I love how Jamie Oliver platted his Easter lamb. It looks so fresh and tasty. Finish the meal with the chocolate easter egg cups by Donna Hay. The egg cups make all the difference in her design.

SOURCING:
+ Easter Bunny Jacquard Tablecloth $120-$160 USD at Williams-Sonoma
+  Fudge Brownie Farm Animals $29.50 USD
+ Broiled Grapefruit recipe
+ Easter lamb recipe by Jamie Oliver
+ Chocolate easter egg cups by Donna Hay
+ Set of 2 White Porcelain Egg Cups $4.99 USD at Kitchen Kapers

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I love these pictures of a Sunday brunch that was featured on Canadian House and Home. You will not have to wake up at 5 in the morning to set up this stylish tabletop. Whether you have a brunch with friends or family and kids, everyone will feel welcome with a navy and white tabletop.

The egg recipe is perfect since it enables the host to cook them in one shot. I typically make eggs in ramekins but the baked eggs florentine are as easy to make. Plus who can resist a sunny and tasty citrus fruit salad.

+ photos by Michael Graydon for Canadian House and Home – January 2010 edition

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Chelsea Fuss of {frolic!} is making a series of holiday tables. Her latest is a tartan holiday tabletop that would be fashionable for a holiday brunch in the countryside.

+ photo: Altura Studio for {frolic!}

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If you have a little time on your hands, consider crafting a gingerbread cottage place cards for each of your guests. The gingerbread house stands on its own.

With the right cut on the card, you can simply deposit the place card on the roof. Whatever technique you used, make sure to not cut the gingerbread cottage. This way, next year you could use them for a village vignette. You could make a few extra cottages and spread them along the table as centerpieces.

Learn how to make a basic gingerbread cottage on Kate’s Paperie. If you feel like it, you can cut and glue holiday decorations to fill the inside of the house.

+ photos: Kate’s Paperie

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When I went to cash, Lucie, the owner of Kokoon, told me Wow! you made a kit. This is what I like to do whether it is for me or for a gift. I like to match things from different brands. Since they are not from the same designers, it creates a unique look.

This is the basic rules of good design whether you are decorating your home, setting a tabletop or planning a party. You start with a piece that inspires you. The Ritzenhoff bone china teacups were my starting point. I wanted those for a while. Seeing them on the shelf convinced me to get one teacup for my husband and another for me. The orange Asian girl was to adorable to pass on. Plus, we are going to Japan next Spring. Then, I selected a coordinating teacup for my husband.

As we look at the cute Salt and Peeper by Fred, we spot on another shelf the eiPott from Koziol. These are two of my all time favorite housewares brands. I put two and two together. The best finds happen when you do not start with a preset idea. Creativity emerges by freeing your mind. It just flows. I cannot wait to make breakfast this weekend.

The square screen section of the eiPott can be used to deposit the egg shelf. This design has an advantage over the classic egg cups.

How Salt and Peeper works?

Thosaphol Suppamtheekulwat designed an all-in-one salt and pepper. It is also practical for when you go on picnic. Their is 3 positions. When it is closed the bird has blue eyes. Turn his head to the right and when his eyes change from blue to white, you are ready to dispense salt.  Turn it left to see his black eyes and of course his beak pours the pepper. I do not plan to use it everyday but I think it would be a hit when I host a brunch.

A little Gift Store in Montreal

I bought those items at Kokoon, a small gift store located at 1061 Bernard avenue in Outremont. There is more to come about this retailer with fun gift ideas. I am pleased to report that I paid less for my Ritzenhoff My Lian teacups at Kokoon than the ones I found on Amazon. It is so rare than we pay less in Canada than in the United States for something. Sadly for my out-of-town readers, Kokoon does not have a Web site.

SOURCING:
+ Salt and Peeper by Fred $9.95 USD at Amazon.com, $12.95 CAD at Kokoon
+ Designer Dieter Braun’s 2007 My Lian Tea Bowl, Asian Girl Orange $34 USD at Amazon, $29.95 CAD at Kokoon

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It has a sumptuous and dreamy Thanksgiving all written over. These were taken at a photo shoot that Sweet Paul styled earlier this week for Colin Cowie. I love the tableware, the color, the food and the tabletop that I let you discover on his blog.

+ photos: Sweet Paul

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My goal was to create a Thanksgiving mood board that will not include gourds, pumpkins or a roasted turkey. I wanted a theme that mixed the old with the new. When I saw this adorable farmyard animal trays by Simrin, I found my starting point. Life after the harvest at the farm influenced my theme.

Think about the elements of a modern rustic home. You can introduce the old through your home accessories in the room, not simply the tableware. Show off items made with reclaimed wood and finds from the flea market. Plus, it should not be too hard to find the right tableware since many reedited old style tableware are available in stores this season.

Do not be afraid to make it your own. For example, you can coordinate modern white tableware with vintage French country flatware and a contemporary fall foliage tablecloth. For the colors, take clues from the harvest season, the fall foliage, and life at the farm. Go for orange and natural linen table linens.

Click here if you need the step by step instructions to fold your napkins into a diagonal pocket.

SOURCING:
+ Rattan Handled Pitcher $49 USD at Wisteria
+ Feed Sack with blue Table Runner $399 USD at Wisteria
+ side wood table by Roost
+ Black Laguiole flatware at Williams-Sonoma on the Web 20-piece $289, in store $79 per 5-piece setting
+ Farmyard Medium Rectangular Pig Tray by Simrin $76 USD
+ photo by Jodi Pudge for Style at Home
+ Etienne Rust Table Runner $46.95 USD
+ Lustre Rust Napkin $4.95 USD
+ Kava Saucer $12 USD
+ Wood-handle horn flatware $15 CAD per three-piece set At Design Group

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The diagonal pocket fold is not harder to make than the (square) pocket napkin fold. I prefer the diagonal pocket fold for its elegance. It is a twist on the basic silverware pouch. The difference is that you create a band instead of simply diagonally folding the top layer (step 1). I think that the band creates a more sophisticated look.

Before we go over the step by step instructions, let’s review a few basic rules. Any sit down dinner, even the most casual one, requires that you use cloth napkins. Ideally, you should keep around several solid and pattern cloth napkins that go well with your tablecloths. The bigger the napkins, the easiest it is to fold it. I recommend that you use 20 to 22-inch pressed napkins.

How to Fold a Napkin into a Diagonal Pocket for the Silverware

Step 0: Fold a square napkin in half, then into quarters. Orient the napkin so that the open corner is facing the top left side.

Step 1: Gradually roll up diagonally the top-most layer of napkin and press it down to form a band. I usually start rolling a band that is 3/4 of an inch and adjust as needed to get the look I want.

Step 2: I stop rolling when I reach about 1 inch from the lower corner. It is easier to secure the wrapped sides if you stop before reaching the corner.

Step3: Turn the napkin over so that the open corner is now facing your body. Fold that 1/3 of the bottom side.

Step 4: Fold 1/3 of the top side and tuck it in the bottom corner to secure in place. Press well. You can iron the napkins for a crisper look. I did not took the time to do it for the pictures.

Step 5: Use the pocket to place the silverware, a flower (with a florist vial) or a menu card.

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I will talk about how you can integrate Holiday decorations within your home decor. It is about created a sophisticated room. I like how the stylists on the above photo marry rustic elements to a traditional French style room. The mood is soothing but definitely festive. Except for the Christmas baubles, you could keep most of the items all winter.

Winter and Cottage Feel

The idea is to add a layer of festive decorations to your rooms. Adding vignettes here and there, achieve that goal. Since you do not wish to recreate the same look every Christmas, explore how you can rearrange the elements by removing and adding some pieces. Look at how you can display them differently.

With smaller urban homes and unit condos, many people do not have the space to keep tons of decorations that they use one month a year. Look at items that you can reuse instead. Simply replace the white and red candle on the twig lantern and enjoy it all summer at the cottage. The silver twig vase, I saw similar ones at William Ashley by the way, could be used any time you entertain to add sparkle to your dining room. I might keep one or two white deer statutes on a shelf after Christmas.

Build your Tabletop on What You Have

Take cues from the little black dress when designing your tabletop. The accessories you put on give personality to the little black dress. You can do the same with your tableware. Look at how you can use what you already have, add a plate or a bowl, make sure you get a little sparkle, use ornaments as your centerpieces and voilà, you create a festive tabletop!

Again, I am surprised that you can find those at Home Sense. I should shop there more often.

+ photos: Home Sense

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I have a love affair with orange. Since it is not everyone’s favorite color, I enjoy the fact that I can pitch more orange tablescapes during autumn.  The tabletop developed for a mid-class cozy café shows that you can create an impact by keeping things simple.

The casual elegance of tabletop is something that you can duplicate for your Thanskgiving dinner party. Finding a beige dinnerware is easy. Look no further than the IKEA 365+ or the Dinera line for beige modern dinnerware. Even the Cream Studio dinnerware that is currently in sale at Pottery Barn would fit the design.

You should not regret investing in a pure linen tablecloth since you will get many years of usage out of it. If you are on a budget, fashion your tablecloth with burlap. Lastly, I like the old-fashioned salt and pepper set. You could try to find something similar at flea markets or vintage stores.

+ via Design Work Life and Behance
+ project in Russia from Transformer Studio

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The easier road for stress-free entertaining is to equip yourself with versatile tableware. Casual chic tabletop is what most people are aiming for these days. After all, you celebrate amongst close friends and family. As I shopped at IKEA yesterday, I took pictures of tableware that delivers that spirit. I spotted affordable tableware that you will be able to use over and over.

The first thing that caught my eyes was this tabletop set for a fondue meal. Blue is popular at IKEA this season. I would serve water in turquoise patterned SNÄLL narrow tall glasses for a change. And you do not have to invest in RIEDEL wine glasses with the SKIR glasses. It definitely not the same quality but you get the look.

Then, I pay attention to the Dinera collection. Guys will love the blue-grey and the brown colors. I like the fact that plates come in many formats. You could mix colors or mix all solids with the ones with a white interior. I am partial to tableware with a white interior because typically food looks more appetizing against a white backdrop.

For entertaining, I keep a stack of tiny bowls for individual serving or to serve sauces. Believe me, they can transform a table. I bought a pack of small POKAL glasses for serving affogato. The POKAL  glasses are suitable for hot and cold liquids. You could get two sets: one to drink espresso and the other ones to serve your dessert. Keep in mind that the grey Dinera espresso cups and saucers (second picture) will look better, if you are willing to spend more.

If you are curious, I bought the small and the tall POKAL glasses, the big VÄNLIG glasses plus a few Christmas decorations and napkins.

SOURCING:
+ SNÄLL glasses $6.99 CAD for 6
+ SKIR glasses $6.99 CAD for 2
+ DINERA 18-piece dinnerware set $29.99 CAD
+ CHARMÖR small bowls $3.99 CAD for 2
+ POKAL glasses $4.99 CAD for 4
+ photo of affogato via Food Network Canada

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