Place setting
1. Throw a length of star fabric over a white table cloth.

2. Make a placemat from a piece of A3 photocopy paper with the edges punched with a paper puncher.

3. Take a recycled jar (around the size of a Vegemite jar) and fill it with glass beads. Tie a double layer of sheer ribbon around it. Put a tea-light candle inside. Using a glitter glue pen, and a set of silver and gold pens, decorate the top edge.

4. Decorate a topiary tree, arrange craft gem stones, confetti and crystal shred, and glue with a hot-glue gun. Pop the topiary into a container and fill the gaps with sugar almonds and egg-shaped lollies.

5. Add some confetti and gold coins to the table top.

6. Place the cutlery in a pocket made from a serviette, and secure it with two different coloured sheer ribbons (we used gold and silver), tied as one. You could also tie ribbons to any glassware on the table.

And something extra...


We made a name-tag holder with garden wire and a plastic bottle lid. Wrap garden wire around a kitchen utensil to make the round end that takes the tag. Poke the other end through a plastic bottle lid, wrape it around a kitchen utensil to make a ring, then bend it to act as an anchor. Pour some plaster into the lid to make a weight - otherwise your name-tag holder will fall over! When the plaster is dry, wrap the lid in kitchen foil. The tag is cut from gold card with fancy-edged scissors (available at craft stores) and the message or name is written in silver pen.

Remember the four Fs
Function: Deal with the practicalities of the meal first: the crockery, glassware and cutlery plus serving dishes. See what colours are already on your tabletop and base any decorating scheme on these. If it's all white, select one or two colours plus gold or silver.

Foliage: Use leaves and flowers in one large centrepiece, or use small sprays with single blooms next to the place settings. Choose ones in colours that suit with your scheme.

Frivolity: Now add the fun stuff like glitter, Star Confetti and Gold Coins. Tie pretty ribbon around glassware, cutlery and any other containers on the tabletop.

Food: This bit is all up to you!

Make an angel from a paper plate

You'll need:
230mm diameter paper plate
Gold paper doily
Hole punch
Scissors
Glue stick

Here's how:
1. Print off our template (see below) and copy it at 200% on a photocopier. Take this copy and enlarge it a further 150%. It should now fit a 230mm diameter plate. Cut out the template.

2. Position the template on the plate and trace around the edges. Lay the gold doily on the underside and glue around the centre. Now cut through the two layers. Push the straight-cut edges to form the angel and wings. Use a hole punch to finish the bottom edge and the curved edge of the wing.

Tips

• Curved nail scissors can be used on the details around the head (keep the curve facing outwards). This is how fine decoupage images are cut.
  
• Instead of a doily, use glue, glitter or any festive trim you like to decorate your angel

Enlarge pattern by 200% then by 150% on a photocopier to fit a 230mm plate.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Editor