Create a Quick Centerpiece

Stacked Teacup Centerpiece
Make a unique centerpiece using stacked teacups and saucers. I like to use about three sets. A great place to find teacups (or mugs) is at thrift stores or yard sales. Elegant centerpieces can be made using fancy china teacups or more whimsical centerpieces can be made using a variety of casual teacups or mugs (spraying them using bright colored spray paint or whatever color desired). If saucers and cups are different sizes always use the largest on the bottom and smallest on the top. I like to glue them together using hot glue. It will usually pull apart easily later or if you want it permanent – use a glue that bonds glass. Fill the top with a cluster of flowers or fill/layer with candy.

Blooming Citrus Centerpiece
This is a darling centerpiece that screams summer. Simply cut a small slice off the bottom of oranges, lemons and/or limes. Place on a tiered cake plate or platter cut side down so they don’t roll. Puncture the top of each piece of fruit with a round wood skewer or chopstick to make a hole. Place a cut piece of a decorative paper straw into the fruit and place and single flower stem in the straw. Flowers such as daisies or mums work well when paired with the citrus. Idea adapted from: http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/entertaining/decorations/make-fruit-centerpiece-00000000012713/index.html

Whimsical Candy Centerpiece
This is a great centerpiece that is a great option for a long rectangular table. Simply cut and sand a 6″ wide (or desired width) pine board that is approximately 2″ thick. Randomly drill holes down the board the width of candy/lollipop sticks. Cover the board with wrapping paper if desired. Stick lollipops and candy sticks of varying heights into the drilled holes so they stand vertical. Sprinkle loose wrapped candy over the board. Note: this is really cute if you color coordinate the candy for an event. There are many options to order candy by color online and one source I really like is: www.candywarehouse.com Vary the styles of candy using round flat twisted lollipops, swirled pops on a stick, rock suckers, old fashioned candy sticks etc. You could also insert flags or small banners in the holes as well. Lots of great possibilities!

Bright Bottles Centerpiece
This is a great centerpiece that functions not only as a centerpiece but as the drinks for your party. Start with several (as many as needed) painted blocks to add a variety of heights. (I like to have an assortment of white and black painted wood blocks and boards of varying sizes on hand to stack and to use as a base for centerpieces or displays when needed.) Use glass “milk” bottles (or prefilled glass soda bottles). Cut the tops off large balloons (balloons are available in lots of great colors including tie-dye, polka dot, frosted, etc.) and pull up over bottles and tie with a matching ribbon. Fill bottles with beverages and add a paper straw (or place items or flowers in the bottles). Bottles can also be painted, glittered, etc.

Quick Brick Centerpiece
Bricks make great centerpieces because they have holes. You can buy individual bricks at home improvement stores. A stack of six painted bricks makes a darling flag centerpiece for the summer. See this link for inspiration: http://ext.homedepot.com/community/blog/diy-decor-american-flag-centerpiece/ Bricks also can be painted and stacked using fun bright colors and filled with flowers. Also bricks painted using metallic paint look beautiful for wedding centerpieces and used as candle holders.

Bonus Idea:
Blooming Cans Centerpiece
Save and wash tin cans. Wrap cans with burlap and tack down with glue. Wrap several times with tie-wire and twist together – curling ends into big whimsical loops. Fill with bunches of baby’s breath flowers or plant pansies or colorful flowers in them. Place down a table and use as favors. (Cans also look cute wrapped with random fabrics or patterned scrapbook type paper.)