TABLE TALK

     The excitement of holiday entertaining is building as I see store displays of linens, tableware and accessories. This month I’ll share a few favorite ideas for your dinner table to become a delight for your guests.

NAPKIN FOLDS (directions and images borrowed from bhg.com)

Dinnertime Surprise: what a fun treat for family and friends at your Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas tables!  (Please excuse the off-season palette of the photo.)

1. Fold a napkin in half from top to bottom, forming a rectangle.

2. With folded edge at top, secure napkin with your finger in the center of the top fold.
3. Fold the left and right corners down to meet at thee middle of the open bottom edge.
4. Flip this large triangle over, and turn so that the long side is on top.
5. Securing napkin with your finger at the center of the top edge, fold the right and left corners down to meet at the bottom edge.
6. Turn napkin over and, if desired, tuck a gift inside the opening.
[Hint: for a crisper look, press folds with an iron after each step. Sturdy fabrics, such as linen or cotton, work better than do shiny or satiny fabrics.]

     Flowering Flourish: this fold offers an array of decorating possibilities. A variety of plain colored napkins, a collection of patterned napkins, or a blend of both will create a very pretty and interesting design. You also have endless options for the decorative accent on the napkin.

     For the accent, think of using natural elements such as acorns or nuts hot glued to a piece of 1" grosgrain or satin ribbon. If you like sparkle or glimmer, use metallic spray paint on natural elements or used accents purchased at your local craft store. Your children might enjoy making decorative accents from holiday stickers adhered to pretty paper or colored cardboard fashioned into a napkin ring.

1. Fold a napkin of plain or patterned fabric from left to right, then from top to bottom to form a square.

2. Turn the square so open corners are at the bottom.

3. Beginning at the open corners, roll the napkin at a diagonal to the opposite corner.

4. Wrap with a ring, or tie with twine or ribbon, two-thirds up from the narrow bottom.

5. For a center piece, place individual napkins into several medium-size crystal or glass vases. For individual table settings, place in a tall drinking glass. For your buffet table, create a bouquet by placing all the napkins in a large bowl.

PLACE SETTINGS

     Consider buying new patterned salad plates or scouring thrift shops, antique stores and yard sales to collect a melange of designs. Each person gets an individual place setting and your table is a lot more interesting. You can tell the story of finding each plate. Keep to a cohesive palette when designing an eclectic look for your table decor.

     I love the look of colored stemware or serving ware on a table. A stimulating visual presentation is created by using a combination of clear and colored glass, smooth and etched surfaces.

    The layered look offers such a plethora of decorating possibilities. With your plain or patterned tablecloth as the base, begin building up your design theme with a charger plate, dinner plate, salad plate and then your soup bowl or napkin on top. Or, a contemporary look can be created by using a long flat rectangular napkin fold and then placing the napkin between the salad and dinner plates – either vertically or horizontally.

     Your flatware placement offers a variety of options. One new option is to place the knife and fork vertically atop your salad plate or shallow soup bowl and then adding the spoon horizontally. If you use a soup spoon, then place the dessert spoon at the top of the place setting beside your stemware.

     Salt!! My newest fun addition to the dining table is sea salts. Visit thejacksonvillemercantile.com and get introduced to the amazing array of healthful, mineral rich salts. Flavored pepper blends are great also. I place them in cute little bowls for guests to try new taste treats.

     If you have small framed photographs of family and friends, these can be added at each place setting or scattered among your centerpiece in the middle of the table. Your guests will feel extra special being included in the beauty of your table.

     Wishing each of my readers an extraordinarily enjoyable and beautiful holiday season, Cheryl