How-To Guides about Table Preparation

Whether you're going for a Mad Men theme this holiday season, or just like the retro mod look, this tutorial is for you. Create a tablescape that looks like it came straight out of the Sixties using these tips and hints.

Napkins can either be dull sheets of fabric or paper that you wipe your extraneous pot roast red sauce on or fantastical works of art that put the finishing touch on your table decor.

It doesn't have to be the middle of summer for you to craft a seaside-inspired centerpiece. Whether you live on the coast or closer to the Grand Canyon and lots of cactii than anything else, you can bring a piece of the sea home by making this craft.

The holidays are upon us, guys and gals, which means it's time to start thinking about how you'll set your table to look inviting and beautiful for the festive season. While you can always go out and purchase a wilting pre-made floral centerpiece at your nearest supermarket, you yourself can often make a much better looking centerpiece at home.

Love entertaining but don't want to shell out a fortune to throw a good party? Then you're in luck. Check out this video to learn how to make a variety of cheap and chic table settings, from colorful wine glasses to monogrammed napkins, quickly and easily.

The holiday season is now in full swing, which means you should be prepared for serving large crowds and dressing your house to the nines for the occasion. While you may think this would cost you a lot of money, it actually doesn't take much to throw a fun party.

In this tutorial, we learn how to fold cloth napkins into silverware holders. First, grab a dinner napkin and take the end to fold it in half. Now, fold it in half again so you have a small square. Now, fold the corner down half way and fold it down again. Then, flip it over and repeat this. Then, fold the top over and flip it over again. After this, place your silverware inside of the napkin and you will be ready to set your table! This takes just a few minutes and makes the look of any...

In this tutorial, we learn how to set a table for a dinner party. On the left side of the plate should be your forks. First will be the tiny fork, then salad fork, then dinner fork. On the right side will be spoons. The soup spoon, dinner spoon, and knife. At the top should be a coffee spoon and a dessert fork. There should be three glasses, a water glass, a wine glass, and a red wine glass. For the plate, you will have a round dinner plate, salad plate, then votive candle on top. Underneath it...

Are you a caterer? Maybe you're a new caterer recently employed as a waiter to help serve a huge dinner party… a dinner party requiring French service. Sounds simple, right? You go around and serve people food. But there's more to it than that. There's a whole technique to French serving, and this video will show how to French serve the right way, from proper foot placement, to bending your back correctly, to serving the food off the plate.

Don't know much about the dinner table? You know the basics: you eat from a plate, you use silverware to shovel it in and you drink from glassware. But what about if you're at a fancy dinner? Would you be able to distinguish a juice cup from a champagne glass? A white wine glass from a martini glass? If not, these two videos will show you which ones are which.

Boxing a table doesn't mean getting into the ring, but it does require a certain degree of skill to successfully complete. Boxing the tablecloth is a great technique for any occasion or party, and every caterer should know these moves.

A great dinner party is great because of presentation, and you know that everything has its place on the table, but where exactly does everything go? Learn about the placement of everything, from silverware to glassware.

In this Hosting & Entertaining video tutorial you will learn how to fold a cloth napkin into a flower. First fold the napkin in half. Then lift one corner and fold it back up to the center fold line and do the same for the other corner also. Now fold the center point back up to the center fold line. Flip the napkin over and repeat these steps. Then open up the center fold and fold the protruding triangles back up to the center point of the napkin. You now have a square folded napkin. . Now fold...

In this clip, the Napkin Lady shows you how to take an ordinary cloth dinner napkin and fold it into the shape of a brassiere. This clip is quick and easy and you will have everyone at the table laughing in just a few simple steps. This bra napkin design is also great for bachelorette parties, showers and anywhere else where you need a little lighthearted napkin folding!

If you're in need of a fancy napkin setting then try this pleated standing fan design. It only takes seconds to make. Start by folding on inch folds back and forth. Then fold the pleating in half, flip the mess over and let it spread out naturally. You'll need cloth napkins and it often helps to have starched napkins when doing decorative folds. This will really dress up that dinner table.

Paper napkins add an element of class to any restaurant or dinner party. In this video, learn how to fold your party napkins into a cool candle shape in less than 60 seconds. Your napkins will be so nice that no one will want to unfold them! So, follow this tutorial and set your next dinner table like a fine dining restaurant and class up the joint!

This video describes how to make a "no calorie" birthday cake centerpiece with carnations in soft and sweet hues of pink, yellow, white and cantaloupe. first a flower foam was taken. Then the toothpicks were used to join the flower foam together. Then trace out a circle from the foam using a kitchen knife. Add some water to the base of the cake. With equal size flowers decorate the base of the cake. Then the cake is beautifully covered with different types of flowers. decorate with as many...

Debra Hardy provides detailed instructions on how to make darling decorative Santa soy votive candles in this video. She first cuts the red felt into 6 3/4 inch by 2 inch strips for the Santa suit, wraps it around and adheres it to the bottom of the glass votive. Next, she secures a smaller strip of the white faux fur on top of the red felt also towards the bottom of the candle to create the bottom of Santa's jacket. Debra then instructs the viewer to cut a 6 3/4 inch by 1/4 inch black felt...

Lifestyle expert Clinton Kelly shares tips for setting the table for a dinner party, either casual or more formal. For a casual dinner party he recommends using only a water glass and a non-specific wine glass. The plate goes in the center with a napkin in a ring placed on top of the plate. Two knives are placed to the right of the plate and two forks to the left.

Lifestyle expert Clinton Kelly takes the hassle out of centerpiece designing.

Head shrinking is not only a thing of legends. Make your own cute, shrunken apple heads to add to the spirit of the season. Gather the family and get creative, carving whatever kind of face you would like on a legion of little apple heads.

Lifestyle expert Hal Owen teaches us the correct way to set a table place setting. 1. Place the "charger" plate in the middle of the place setting. This is the plate on which you will place all of the other plates. 2. Place your "dinner plate" in the middle of the "charger". 3. Place your "soup plate" in the middle of the "dinner plate". 4. Place your fork on the left of the plate and your dinner knife and spoon on the right, with the soup spoon on the outside. 5. Place your dessert fork and...

This do it yourself centerpiece is brought to you by A-Bnc parties and more. This starts of by making the bow, shown by painting a dowel and letting it dry. Then glue the 'frogs' at the ends of the dowel and glue fishing line to both frogs and trim to fit. Next take a polystyrene cut out of a violin and seal it. This helps paint stick to the surface of the cut out. The violin is painted brown to replicate an actual violin. Using black paint you detail the 'f' holes and allow to dry before...

An interesting party decor idea is to place balloons inside other balloons. This can be accomplished easily by first inflating a large balloon. Using a small stick, push a second, smaller balloon inside the larger one and then inflate the smaller balloon while it is inside the larger one. You can then tie up the second balloon, leaving the smaller one inside the large balloon. This can be repeated with multiple small balloons, so your balloons will have a unique and interesting look. This...

Learn how to make a towel cake for a bridal shower with this video! To make a towel cake start by folding a towel into a flat square. Then take a second towel and fold it in half. Lay the half folded towel on the table. Lay the towel that is folded into a square on the middle of the towel folded in half. Fold one end of the half folded towel over the folded towel and tuck it under. Then take the other side of the towel and fold it over and tuck it under making a larger folded towel square. Take...

This video is a demonstration by A-BnC parties on the making DIY poker theme centerpiece. This is a rather simple do-it yourself video. The start of video lists a couple of materials needed to make the centerpiece like over sized playing cards, play paper money, power chips, card stock, shish kabob sticks, optional sun glasses and a just add sand centerpiece. The optional things required are glue and scissors to make changes to the materials and to stick them together. Following this video one...

This secret will show you how to fold a napkin into a roll. This step by step video will show you how it's done.

Use the following Gourmandia napkin folding secrets to impress and surprise your guests at private parties, restaurants, weddings and date dining. Learn how to fold a napkin like a peacock.

Don't let ants ruin your next outdoor outing. Picnics are a wonderful way to share yummy food in the great outdoors. Ants think so too! You can keep pesky ants away with just a few simple actions.

Learn how to create your own wedding table setting for your big day on Para ti Novia - the only Latina website dedicated to helping you plan the wedding of your dreams no matter what your budget.

Judy of A-BnC Parties and More, Inc. shows you how to make an economical do it yourself music note centerpiece. Three music notes are attached to wooden dowels which are added to a budget Just Add Sand centerpiece base. The centerpiece is accented with two pieces of onion grass. Add balloons, a table name and table place cards for an economical musical themed music note centerpiece for your Bat Mitzvah, Bar Mitzvah, wedding, special event or party!

Check out this DIY video tutorial from Curbly, the best place to share pictures of your home, find design ideas, and get expert home-improvement advice.

Turn your dining room table into the eighth wonder of the world by shaping your napkins into pyramids. Learn the art of napkin folding, perfect for entertaining guests!

Embrace your inner Martha Stewart - and impress friends with your stylish panache at your next dinner party - by folding your napkins into a silverware pouch. Not only is it an easy and beautiful way to present your silverware, but it is also a nice way to avoid having to place silverware all perfectly on the table.

Give your dining room table an elegant touch by folding napkins like fleur-de-lis. Learn the art of napkin folding, perfect for entertaining guests!

No time? No problem! Setting an impressive dinner table for guests can be faster and easier than you think! Entertaining expert Sebastien Centner shows you how. This is critical for hosting dinner parties in style.