Napkin Tricks

With the holidays coming up, I am sure a lot of you are getting ready to entertain at home. One of my simple tricks to brighten a table is to dress up the napkin. It can be as simple as a single flower, but having something at each place setting really ties the whole table together. I love the attention to detail, and making sure each of my guests gets a little treat when they sit down. You can simply clip a bloom at the stem and arrange it in the fold of your napkin! If you are running low on flowers, you can use your extra petals and artfully arrange them on the napkin and around each plate. Here, we tucked two poppy pods into the hemstitch napkin to create a more organic look. The pods echo the color of the centerpiece and florals, but create a bit of fun on each plate!

Instead of fresh flowers, we have also decorated with dried leaves. I especially love this look for Thanksgiving, because it echos the weather and brings a touch of nature inside. We used dessicated leaves that you find in a paper or craft store, but you could just as easily use ones you find in your backyard or the park. Pick ones that still have a bit of color, or an interesting shape.

A monogrammed napkin is another wonderful way to set the mood. It really elevates the look of your table and indicates that it is, in fact, a special occasion! Don't scrimp here- you can use a set of monogrammed napkins for years! Or you can be a bit more playful and do a paper cutout. For this event- celebrating the 60's as an era- we adorned each napkin with a paper daisy. For the holidays, you can do something seasonal or something that has sentimental value for your family. You could even create your own monogram stencil and personalize each napkin that way!