A Table Setting

It's simple to put all your food out on a table and call it done. It's not so easy to arrange everything and present the table in an interesting manner. I just don't have an eye for that sort of thing. Thankfully, my friend Eric came to my rescue. This table arrangement is quite possibly the easiest thing to set up. And in the end, the results are amazing.



First things first, clear the table.

Then, take bowls (I used mixing bowls and a stray pot or two) and turn them upside down.

Next, take a fitted bed sheet (yes, you heard me right--a fitted bed sheet) and cover all the bowls and most of the table top. Make sure the elastic is tucked gently under. (You don't want to give away your secret.)

Then take the flat sheet and rope it through your bowls. This is where your artistic eye gets a jump start. It really doesn't have to be anything grand. You're just adding volume.

If you happen to have other pieces of material (I had some black squares from an earlier party), scatter those around the table. Again, it's really only volume and a splash of color, not the focus.

Then, take your serving platters and perch them on top of the upside-down bowls. The varying heights of the bowls add the dimension to your platter arrangements. I gathered all the crystal serving pieces from family members. I also served on crystal salad plates to keep the theme going.

I found a few candles at the dollar store and positioned them here and there. The white roses were added for a bit of freshness, and to help party guests identify the foods, I made labels from left over invitation paper.

And that's it!

It really was one of the easiest things I've done. So thanks to Eric, I am no longer intimidated by table settings. I received quite a few compliments on the table. (And they had no idea it was my queen-sized bed sheets!)