Dollar Days

You do not have to spend a lot of money to set a pretty holiday table. Shop the supermarket, the dollar store, and go forage in your back yard.

I did a TV segment about doing this. To prepare for a segment I lay everything out on my dining room table a couple of days before, a kind of sketch and dress rehearsal of what I want to present.

Domino also did a nice little tutorial on easy pretty table settings.

Domino

Domino

Domino

I take photos of my styling jobs for my records, which I now share with you. The settings are not complete, but you will get my thought bubbles.

Use a non Christmas color - This placemat was 97 cents, the ribbon was $2. for a roll, the notecards (which I fold in half) were $5. for a box that will last forever, tea lights in a jar, and all the china and glassware are things I have

This is the nature inspired setting - I use all my white dishes - Bird and nest from the dollar store - Napkin and runner made from a hardware store canvas drop cloth, ditto for twine used as a napkin ring that I tucked a sprig of rosemary into - Place card is a gift tag- Note the frayed edge on the napkin that enhances the natural vibe of the setting - Just cut and rip the drop cloth - It rips in a nice straight line

I foraged in my yard for "flowers", in this case white berries from a night blooming jasmine

Sure you can use paper napkins - These came from the dollar store - I rolled it like a diploma and put a ribbon band around it - Ribbon was a dollar too - And I added little gold stickers (also $1.)  to coordinate with a vintage glass that has a gold medallion design on it - The placemat is paper, and who doesn't have a glass bowl and ornaments to use on the table

Classic red and green  - I used a red melamine plate  and red napkin I had, with a green charger I found on clearance for 50 cents - Cranberries as vase filler, an apple as place card holder -  Plaid ribbon from the dollar store _ I also added a plaid dish towel as a placemat that you can see in the TV segment

Cranberries as vase filler for candles or flowers

The premise is simple:

• Stick to one or two main colors
• Use all of the things you have and mix and match, and layer
• Break up that supermarket bouquet into small posies, and forage in your yard
• Use fruit as vase filler, place card holder,  or in a tablescape
• Use jars for tea lights, use lots of candlelight
• Use ribbons and twine for napkin "rings"
• Get a canvas drop cloth and cut it into a table runner and napkins
• Use a dish towel from the dollar store as place mat
• Use place cards - You can cut a note card in half
• Don't be afraid to use paper napkins or paper placemats 

Enjoy yourself - a pretty table makes even tuna sandwiches look and taste better (so said my TV host Sally Ann Roberts).

Sally Ann Robert and Valorie Hart talk about cheap and chic table settings on WWL-TV

See you at the dollar store!

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