Handmade Entertaining

As a pair, a trio, or even alone, these topiaries are a simple, inexpensive way to add sparkle to your holiday table.

Materials for each:

floral foam cone (or sphere, or cube)
white craft glue
silver beaded garland
silver glitter
glue gun & hot glue sticks
metal pot for base (or painted terra cotta pot)
floral foam to fill pot base
ribbon or trim for accent bow
star or other beaded shape or ornament for top
wooden dowel or chopstick
silver foam paint
bobby pins, paper clips (cut in half) or U-shaped floral pins

Steps:

1. Prepare the cone to match the beaded garland. Do this by either painting it or coating it with craft glue and glitter. Glitter adds a bit more sparkle, but paint is most likely easier. Be sure to get the top and bottom too. Allow to dry.

2. Trim the foam for the pot to fit in the base and test until it fits snugly. Add some hot glue to the inside bottom and sides of the base before inserting the foam just to help secure it.

3. Cover the top of the base foam with white glue and sprinkle with glitter. Allow to dry.

4. Meanwhile, wrap the cone with the beaded garland, starting at the top. Use the pins every few rows (or more often if you wish) to hold the garland in place. You'll need to use several pins at the beginning to get started and several at the end of each piece of garland. It took several packs of the beaded garland to do the larger topiary and slightly more than two to do the smaller one, but it will vary depending on the size of your cone and your package of garland.

5. Paint the chopstick silver and let dry.

6. Insert the chopstick or wood dowel into the base of the pot until it reaches the bottom. Remove it, squeeze some glue into the hole, and replace it.

7. Center the bottom of the cone on the other end of the dowel/chopstick and squirt a little glue on the end before inserting the stick into the bottom of the cone. Allow to dry.

8. Add a star or other ornament to the top of the topiary. Attach with glue or wire, as necessary. Tie a bow around the base of the topiary.

These napkin rings are simple works of art. Each one is different and you can make several in an hour or two. Let the kids help! A set of four, six or eight makes a wonderful, one-of-a-kind handmade gift. All you need is wire cutters/pliers to turn basic wire and beads into the elegant holiday napkin rings.

1. Begin with 18-, 20- or 24-gauge florist's wire and beads.

2. Experiment! Make a loop on the end of one wire, add beads and twists, curls and spirals in between. Or, wrap several layers of wire around a small bottle (craft glue bottles are just the right size), slide it off and then secure by looping wire around the ring. Add beads to the loops if you desire. There's no right or wrong for these napkin rings--just have fun. If you bend the wire one way and don't like it, just bend it back.

3. Close the ends with another loop, or wrap wire around itself a few times to secure and tuck the end into an already-strung bead or other wires.

Give your cocktail table a decadent little upgrade from toothpicks this holiday season. Just think how special your guests will feel nibbling a bite of cheese off of these beauties! The tools needed are less than five dollars at a craft store, and these picks are even easier and quicker to make than the napkin rings above.

Steps:

1. Begin with a pack of florist wire stems, already cut to about 18 inches. Use silver, gold or even the typical green. Cut them in half (about 9 inches) or in thirds (about 6 inches) with wire cutters. Make them as tall or as short as you like; just consider the curlicues and allow more wire as necessary.

2. Make a tiny loop on what will be the top of the pick using small wire pliers.

3. Slide a bead or more onto the other end of the wire, and then twist or curl the wire a bit to hold the beads in place. That's it!

You can add more twists of the wire and less beads, or more beads, or even no beads--it's up to you. Make them in holiday colors or to match your décor--or make them in your favorite team's colors for a gift or game party.

No time to make the wire picks above? You can still give your picks a facelift with this project. Dip the end of a toothpick (colored ones are fun, but not necessary) into a tiny bit of glue and pop on a bead. That's it! Use all the same color or mix 'em up; use clear beads, metal, or both. Or, wrap a little wire onto the toothpick and then add the beads to the wire. Who doesn't have time for a project like that?