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Crafts: Easter Table Settings

Eggs for spring centerpiece and place settings

by Beth Wickwire

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Credit: webb Chappell

Spring at last! And in the spirit of the season, I love decorating my dining room table for Easter with fresh and unusual designs. Several great ideas came to me as I was poking around my favorite gem of a home-decor store, Nesting on Main, in Concord, Massachusetts (978-369-4133; nestingonmain.com). All were inspired by that universal and cherished symbol of renewal--eggs.

Here's how to create simple yet elegant place settings and centerpieces, for an unforgettable holiday tabletop.

CENTERPIECE

You'll need:
large bell jar with base
towel
blown eggs
glue & glue gun (optional)

1. Hold a clean, oversized bell jar upside down. For safety, rest it on a towel laid over your table, with the opening facing up.
2. Fill the bell jar carefully with a variety of blown eggs (for tips on preparing empty eggshells for craft projects, go to: wikihow.com/Blow-Out-Eggs). Direct the eggs' holes toward the center of the jar as much as possible. Arrange eggs randomly to mix shapes and colors (such as the pale blue and cream shades shown here).
3. Place the bell jar's base on top of the opening and flip it carefully into its upright position.
4. Your centerpiece can sit alone or on a cake stand or other pedestal. Try out a variety of tabletop items.
5. If you love the centerpiece and want to keep it for a while, hot-glue the base to the bell jar to secure it for long term.

PLACE SETTINGS

You'll need:
teacups, one per place setting
doilies, coasters, or fabric napkins, one per place setting
paper grass or curly raffia
blown eggs, one per place setting
placecards or picture cards, one per place setting
hole punch and ribbon (optional)

1. Place a teacup in the center of a plate. Add a layer of fabric--a doily, coaster, or napkin--beneath it if you like.
2. Fill the teacup with paper Easter grass or curly "Spanish moss" raffia to create a little bird's nest.
3. Place a single blown egg in the nest (for tips on preparing empty eggshells for craft projects, go to: wikihow.com/Blow-Out-Eggs). Or for variety, use quail eggs, foil-wrapped chocolate eggs, or even egg-shaped soaps.
4. Label a placecard with your guest's name, or choose a sweet picture card instead and leave it unlabeled. Here I used vintage bird cards; each guest's spot was designated by a different species. (This strategy makes for fun conversation as guests try to guess why someone is a bluebird, say, instead of a robin.)
5. Rest the card inside the cup, or for a larger card, punch a hole in the corner and tie the card to the cup's handle with a pretty ribbon.

MORE: Place Settings