Hi all, the article below is written by a guest author & I hope you all enjoy it :)
Lily
DIY Christmas
Napkin Holders
It doesn’t take a whole lot of
money to create a beautifully set table for the holidays, just a small amount
of time, a little creativity, and some common household items. There are not
very many of us who can afford to buy a special set of Christmas china and
linens that will only be used one day out of the year, but there are ways to
dress up your ordinary table cloth and everyday dishes in order to make an
elegant and festive presentation for your dinner guests. The easiest way is
with Christmas Napkin holders you make yourself from common items that are
already lying around, like Christmas cards and decorations. Put
these around a plain cloth napkin to set on top of each plate, and you instantly
have a festive table. The best part is that children can help with this project
so that you are creating memories at the same time.
To begin making a Christmas napkin holder you will first need something to use as the ring itself. Plastic napkin rings can be found in the discount stores at a fair price, but you really don’t need to invest even that much into this project. Using the plain card stock from the back of a Christmas card, you can cut it into one inch strips that can be rolled and glued into a circle. Want to make it even easier? Cut empty wrapping paper rolls, paper towel rolls, or toilet paper rolls into one-inch pieces. These can be painted in a holiday color such as red, green, or even gold and silver.
Now that you have an actual napkin ring to work with, it is time for the fun part, decorating it. Here is where you can let your imagination be your guide. Decide on the type of look you want to achieve. Depending on the decorations you use, you can make them whimsical or elegant. An ideal place to start is with old Christmas cards or any extras you still have after sending them to friends and family. This is a great way to recycle the special Christmas cards you get. Cut out the main pictures from the front of the Christmas cards and glue them to the ring. Keep your theme in mind so that they look nicely coordinated on the table. If you start by cutting out religious scenes, continue to do so with each napkin holder. Same holds true if you begin with a cartoonish Santa picture. Make one for each place setting at the holiday table.
The final touch is to embellish the napkin holders. This can be done by outlining the edge of the pictures from the Christmas cards with glitter. You could also add ribbons. Curly ribbon, such as used on wrapped gifts, can add to a whimsical look. Small red velvet ribbons tied in bows are perfect for a more elegant feel. Glue on items from around the home. This could be small jingle bells, little pinecones, and sprigs of evergreen. Experiment with the first napkin holder until you achieve the exact look you are after. Continue to make the rest look similar. Keep in mind that the slight differences in anything handmade will simply add to the charm. Most of all…have fun!
To begin making a Christmas napkin holder you will first need something to use as the ring itself. Plastic napkin rings can be found in the discount stores at a fair price, but you really don’t need to invest even that much into this project. Using the plain card stock from the back of a Christmas card, you can cut it into one inch strips that can be rolled and glued into a circle. Want to make it even easier? Cut empty wrapping paper rolls, paper towel rolls, or toilet paper rolls into one-inch pieces. These can be painted in a holiday color such as red, green, or even gold and silver.
Now that you have an actual napkin ring to work with, it is time for the fun part, decorating it. Here is where you can let your imagination be your guide. Decide on the type of look you want to achieve. Depending on the decorations you use, you can make them whimsical or elegant. An ideal place to start is with old Christmas cards or any extras you still have after sending them to friends and family. This is a great way to recycle the special Christmas cards you get. Cut out the main pictures from the front of the Christmas cards and glue them to the ring. Keep your theme in mind so that they look nicely coordinated on the table. If you start by cutting out religious scenes, continue to do so with each napkin holder. Same holds true if you begin with a cartoonish Santa picture. Make one for each place setting at the holiday table.
The final touch is to embellish the napkin holders. This can be done by outlining the edge of the pictures from the Christmas cards with glitter. You could also add ribbons. Curly ribbon, such as used on wrapped gifts, can add to a whimsical look. Small red velvet ribbons tied in bows are perfect for a more elegant feel. Glue on items from around the home. This could be small jingle bells, little pinecones, and sprigs of evergreen. Experiment with the first napkin holder until you achieve the exact look you are after. Continue to make the rest look similar. Keep in mind that the slight differences in anything handmade will simply add to the charm. Most of all…have fun!
