Glitz Up Your Holidays

How can you create a simple but sparkling centerpiece? Looking to personalize place cards at this year's family gathering? owner Pat Smith compiled this list of easy fixes for effective decorating, as well as two alternativies to the traditional gift 'basket.' Smith said they prefer to use "unusual containers" for gift sets created at the store.

Enjoy!

Decorating

1. Create instant centerpieces:

• Use a decorated wreath and place a candle in the middle.
• Take a glass vase fill half way with red hots and put a candle on top. 
• Elevate any centerpiece by placing it on a small box covered with a decorative runner.

2. Layering always looks beautiful on a table. Layer 1: your tablecloth. Layer 2: use a runner, but skunch it so most of it lies in the middle. Use two runners kind of twisted together for more impact. Throw a little animal print in with your holiday fabrics, just for fun.  

3. Use a picture holder as a place card holder. Think about your guests and write adjectives to describe them rather than their name on a place card. Then have each guest find their place. Can be interesting.  

4. Use baby pictures as place cards. It's always fun to see your college age childrens' reaction to this.  

5. If you have one of your husband's old suit jackets hanging about here's a fun idea. Take the buttons off and replace with jingle bells. Using gold craft paint, create dots by using the end of a paint brush or marker. This keeps your dots consistent. Place them randomly over the jacket. Use Christmas ribbon to embellish the cuffs. I used a three-inch wide ribbon and just glued it on.  On the vent pleat (on the back of the jacket), put a glittery bow. Best if flat. I found an ornament bow and this worked perfectly. Finish with a great Christmas pin on the lapel.

Gift sets

1. Take a sleigh. Attach artificial evergreens on the side. Add to greens some berries, an artificial poinsettia stem, and drape ribbon. Inside the sleigh place a piece of cardboard, put some artificial snow, add your gifts and what a presenattion!  

2. Using a pasta plate or bowl as the base, add decorative napkins and a cookbook. Wrap in cellophane and add a beautiful bow.