I love to create beautiful plate settings for the holidays. Now, in our family, we are very big into -- for buffet and things. But then, because usually around the holidays, we have a lot of people around and I just find that's pretty no greater way to setup. I put everything on a my countertop, let people serve themselves. But I would love to create very pretty plate settings too. So, this is just a beautiful idea, a few good tips to take away and some little fun things that you could do for the holidays.
Creating a magical plate setting, for me is about combining a few different elements. I try to go around the house and pick out things that I feel like are going to allow the plate settings to really feel interesting and layered. So, I'll start with for instance a charger. These are very inexpensive, I bought them at mass retailer and I think it always creates a great starting point.
These are Artisan plates that we designed and I loved the vibrant red mixed with the bamboo, the little ethnic twist, I think it's very pretty. I have these napkins that I actually use in the summer usually but, don't ever be afraid of course, to mix things all year on. Just because it is Christmas, it doesn't mean that everything has to have Holy and Snowman and Santas on it. Use something that you think is pretty, that has vibrant color. I love the mix of this pretty red plate and the charger along with this gorgeous napkin. It's just very luxurious and pretty. And when I lay a napkin down, I don't get too fussy and tidy with it. I literally will open it up, I'll grab a hold of it and just sort of do something loose like this and lay it down very easy going. So, the whole plate setting does feel too tight.
I collect various different little salad plates and things. This is an antique flow blue plate, that John and I were actually given from John's mother. And it's so pretty again, I love the combination of the blue plate on the red, mixed with the charger, next to this green, yum! I love all the flavors and everything, it's so pretty.
For a little special touch, I have created very simply with the forks and knife and everything, a pretty little ornament tied on with some ribbon. I'll show you and you can set it right here or even it's pretty if you want to set it right on the center of the plate, it's beautiful. And all this is, this is actually yarn from the crafts store and it's so pretty, isn't it? If you were a knitter, God bless you.
And then all I did was one of these pretty little ornaments, you gather up all your goods, you just tie it around very simply, I already get my scissors. And this is so -- this is this simple little stuff that allows the holidays to feel very magical. And that's just simple as that, and if you want to tie another little ribbon onto it, just to -- this is some vintage ribbon. But you know it's just green, it could be whatever I am always buying that kind of stuff at flea market and that sort of thing. And just tie it on loosely and it just gives one more special magical touch on the plate. So, I put that down.
Then when you are thinking about pulling together a pretty plate setting, certainly consider the mix up things that you have got. So, I have an antique fork, I have one that's wooden, one that's new that we have designed, art glassware which is so pretty and elegant mixed with these pretty smaller Moroccan glasses. I love the look of this all mixed up.
And then someone is coming to sit down at your table, and give them a little wonderful gift, tiny, you don't even have to spend a lot of money on it. It could be some little object you have found when you are traveling. For me, it's our bud vases which we designed and they are so magical and beautiful and the colors are so pretty and people just love them, they use them year round.
So, all I am doing is, I have this thing with boxwood, so I am always out there snipping pieces of it. A little bit of boxwood in the vase and I keep special tags, and again tied a little bit of, this good stuff on it, whatever you call this stuff, it's angel hair as far as I am concerned. This just can go right in here, and look how pretty that is, and then they have a little wonderful thing to take away and you have got another beautiful, magical element that you have added to your plate settings. And then, light some candle.
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