a taste of dinner partease top tips

some of the simple little things you can do at home to transform your own dinner party and impress your guests:

pretty petal ice cubes

half fill an ice cube tray with filtered water and place in the freezer. take a flower of your choice to compliment the theme of your dinner, wash and separate the petals. when the water is partially frozen, take the ice cube tray from the freezer and place a washed flower petal in each compartment. fill the ice cube tray with water and return to the freezer. once frozen pop the ice-cubes from the tray and add these to your guests drinks.

tall quick napkins

take a linen napkin, lay out the napkin on a flat surface. pinch
the middle of the napkin and pick it up allowing the side to
drop. place the pinched area of the napkin in a tall wine glass,
scrunching slightly if required. allow the napkin to settle
naturally – in places it will stand starch and others the corners
may flop over the glass. for added decoration insert some tall
bear grass or a flower stem to the centre of each napkin rising from the glass.

simple floral decoration

take a large round gold fish bowl, clean and polish this so that there are no marks or prints on the surface or inside. you will need approximately 20 strands of bear grass, separate the strands into 4 or 5 bundles. place a bundle of the bear grass into the bowl twisting it around the inside of the bowls, repeat in different directions and levels within the bowl until all the grass is used. to finish this funky table decoration fill the bottom level of the bowl with a few flower heads, sprayed with a touch of water, a wonderful suggestion from the garden is fragranced hydrangea.

pebble place names

if you're arrangeing a seating plan for your dinner or special ocassion, pebbles as place names look fantastic. select one pebble per guest from the garden (available to purchase from a garden centre) large enough to write your guests name on (approximate size 2 inch x 1 inch) simply wash the pebbles thoroughly and write in pemanant market pen your guest names on each before placing on the table. for more effect paint the pebble in a bright colour first if you have time.