Pioneer Day!!!

Pioneer Day is almost here and there are many choices for a late summer, 24th Of July party!! You can go with the traditional red, white, and blue, or go with a pioneer or chuckwagon theme. The napkins in the pictures below show cowboys and horses in an Old West design. Don't forget the Old West scene setters to make your party complete.

Red, white, and blue is the old standby when it comes to the 24th of July. Use a festive pattern with an American flag or red or blue gingham is always a good choice.

Tableware That's Perfect For The Summertime!

The sun is out and it is time for bbq's and picnics!!! Red Gingham tableware is a great choice to complete any outdoor or indoor summer event including Father's Day. Blue Gingham tableware is also a festive choice for summer. OR choose any bright solid colored tableware to make your event fun and fabulous. Tiki torches, lanterns, and candles, are fantastic accessories for your outdoor event.

Creative Tablesetting Ideas

Welcome Baby Girl!!! A+ for presentation at this baby shower. Not only was the table decked out with layered plastic tablecovers, they even placed boxes underneath to create height and different levels to display amazing cheesecakes. These girls really know how to treat their guests! Who doesn't love Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake?!

Blumeboxes, ribbon and other darling decorations were displayed to tie in the New Pink, Bright Pink, and Kiwi decor. What a happy, festive welcome for their new baby niece.

Spring Tablesetting

Spring is almost here!!! Time to start thinking about Easter decorations and tablesettings for any get-together! I love this tulip tableware.


Just layer your tablecovers to create this look. I chose a New Purple round tablecover and scalloped the edges with scissors. SO EASY!! To simplify it even more I cut the edges while the tablecover was still folded.

Don't forget to add Blumeboxes!!!

Get Into The Football Season

It's football season! Time to show some school or team spirit with solid color wearables, decorations, and noisemakers. Decorate your car or locker with colored window writers and pom poms. Wear a pom pom wig in your school or team colors. Don't forget the face paint and football hat!

Decorating a table? Use football themed tablecovers, plates, cups, napkins, and centerpieces. Remember to mix solid color tableware to personalize it with your own team colors.

Use a colored megaphone and pom poms at the game to cheer your team to victory!!!

How To Brighten A Black And White Party

Spice your party up by adding accents of bright colors to a black and white pattern tableware. So you have your heart set on a black and white pattern but are worried it will be too boring?! You can still use that pattern by adding some solid color tableware.

Color choices... Just about anything bright and cheery...

Apple Red
Orange Peel
Sunshine Yellow
Bright Pink
Lime Green
Carribean Blue
Royal Blue
New Purple

All of these colors look great with black and white by themselves or mix it up by using a combination of color such as Sunshine Yellow, Orange Peel, and Apple Red to make it extra colorful.

Ideas For Using Tableskirts

Tableskirts are a fantastic way to finish off your tablecovering. Most tablecovers don't reach the floor so a tableskirt is necessary to add length or to add more detail to your table. Tableskirts can be used many different ways. Here are some ideas...

The most common way is to first lay the tablecover down evenly. Then apply the tableskirt around the table over the top of the tablecover. Most disposeable tableskirts have adhesive so they will easily stick to your tablecover. If there is no adhesive you can use staples or tableclips.

Another idea is to apply the tableskirt around the table first. Then lay the tablecover over the top so the tablecover overlaps the tableskirt. This is the best idea to use when you are using different colors or styles of tablecover and tableskirt. For example a printed tablecover with a solid colored tableskirt.

Picnic Tableware & Decoration Ideas

Time for a Picnic!

With summer almost here it's time for a picnic. Have it in your backyard, at the park, the pool, the beach, or in the mountains. Here are some ideas for picnic tableware and decorations.

There are a lot of bright and cheery summer time patterns to choose from so choose your theme and go from there.

• Watermelon
• Red and white or blue and white gingham
• Patriotic
• Beach theme
• Pool party
• Luau

Once you've picked your theme choose matching solid color tableware to mix and match napkins and plates.

For the table...

• Use tableclips to hold the tablecover down in case of wind.
• Use a fun centerpiece to match your theme like balloons.
• Line your picnic basket with matching napkins.
• Sprinkle little plastic ants around the table.
• Use matching hard plastic bowls to serve the food

Fun outdoor activities...

• water balloon toss
• treasure hunt
• limbo

Outdoor decorations...

• Lanterns
• Electric lights
• Yard signs and banners

Baby Shower Tableware Ideas

Baby Shower Tableware

When setting a table for a baby shower I like to first decide the way the meal or appetizers will be served. Sometimes I like my guests to sit down together around the table to eat. But sometimes it's easier to do it buffet style so guests are free to walk around and socialize..

BUFFET STYLE

Here are some tips for a buffet style baby shower setting...

• Choose the colors and theme of your baby shower.
• Choose the space like a counter top or table top to decorate and serve your food from.
• Decide which color or colors you would like as your base or tablecover. You could use placemats, doiles, a tablecover or all three.
• Now decide the order you would like things layed out for guests to gather their plates, cutlery, cups, napkins and food.
• Then place your centerpiece in a place that doesn't interfere with the food and tableware. I like to use balloons tied to a balloon weight as a centerpiece that way the centerpiece won't take up too much room on the table and you'll have more room for the yummy food!
• When laying out the food and tableware it looks great to put things at different heights. For example... Put the stack of napkins on a plastic pedestal tray then the plates on a taller pedestal etc.
• Sprinkle baby shower confetti all over the table (do this before you put the food out so it doesn't get on the food).

TABLE SETTING FOR GUESTS TO DINE TOGETHER

I like to do things basically the same as the buffet style table but it will be a little different because your place settings will need to be put exactly where you want people to sit. Here are some tips and ideas...

• Use paper placemats in your color theme.
• Use cute baby shower place card holders.
• Place a baby shower favor at each place setting. Clear plastic booties or bottles make great candy holders for favors. Tulle favor bags are also perfect.
• Layer the plates at each table. Place a larger, solid colored plate underneath a 7" or 9" patterned plate.
• Put napkins inside of the cups with the napkin showing at the top.
• Don't forget a matching tableskirt!

Soccer Banquet

Soccer season winding down and its time for a banquet? Here are some ideas for decorating to make your banquet special and full of team spirit!

Most of my "soccer decorating" has been done for the high school, end of season soccer banquet, so I'll share some ideas of things that I've done.

A centerpiece idea that I have used is to start with a paper place mat in one of the school colors, use a pair of soccer cleats (de-mudded and free of grass is best! and actually little boy or girl cleats look good too), some of Zurchers pom poms in the school colors, balloons, and there you go! Just arrange the cleats in the center of the place mat (maybe with the heel of one propped up on the center of the other), stick the pom poms in underneath or arranged so that one kind of flows over part of the cleat), attach a bouquet of 3-5 balloons to the place mat under the cleats, or use a matching balloon weight. ( when adjusting the height of the balloons, keep them high enough to be out of peoples line of vision when sitting at the table, but not so high that they don't seem apart of the centerpiece).

I find it easier to rent a helium tank and fill the balloons on site, rather than transporting lots of balloons. Just have your ribbons all cut and ready to attach to the balloons as you fill them. (someone at Zurchers will be happy to show you how to do the "special balloon slip knot"!)

You can add to the decor of the tables by sprinkling metallic confetti in dots or stars around the centerpiece. Foil wrapped chocolate soccer balls can be placed in a plastic "soccer ball" bowl and put on each table, or scatter them with the confetti.

Balloon bouquets in the team colors are great for the awards table and anchored to the floor near the podium.

Hanging foil stars from the ceiling is also a great way to celebrate your "star" soccer team! Use the team colors in varing sizes.

Use solid color tableware and tablecovers in team colors or mix and match with Zurchers "soccer" themed tableware.

I bet with these ideas to get you started and you adding your own personal touch, your soccer banquet decorations will look so good, you'll be asked to do the decorations year after year! (I guess that's a good thing?!?)

These decorating ideas are also great for a soccer player's birthday party. Zurchers has soccer-themed invitations and birthday banners, stickers and favors (including buttermints in wrappers with soccerballs on them), and stickers for loot bags.

Don't forget noisemakers for the playoff games!! Zurchers has cowbells, airhorns, hand clappers and noisemakers sticks. Use them to show your team spirit!

Mexican Fiesta Party Ideas

FIESTA FIESTA!!! A great way to learn about the Mexican culture and party like the best is to throw a Mexican Fiesta! Fiestas are known as the most colorful and exciting parties around so DO IT UP BIG! Here are some ideas...

FLAGS

• 3x5' flags
• 4x6" flags
• Decorate using the colors of the Mexican flag. Red, Green, and White.

CREPE PAPER STREAMERS

• Hang bright and colorful crepe paper streamers from banisters, doorways, chandeleirs, and the ceiling.
• Use red, white, and green crepe paper streamers if you're sticking with the flag colors.

PINATAS

• donkey
• bull
• chili pepper
• star
• sombrero
• cactus
• don't forget a pinata bat and eye mask

BALLOONS

• Use bright colors.
• Use Mexican flag colors... red, green, white.

PATTERNED TABLEWARE

• Serape
• Fiesta Fun
• Fiesta Stripe
• Fiesta Chili Peppers

SOLID COLORED TABLEWARE

• Use solid colored tableware to match the patterned tableware.
• Choose your favorite bright colored tableware to make your own color scheme.
• Use red, white and green solid colored tableware to match the Mexican flag.

ACCESSORIES FOR DECORATING

• chili pepper indoor\outdoor electric lights
• garlands
• centerpieces
• banners
• scene setters

GAMES

• Pinatas
• Pin the Tail on the Donkey

FAVORS

• maracas
• chili pepper shaped votive candles
• sombreros
• fiesta shot glasses

WEARABLES

• sombreros
• grass skirts
• chili pepper necklaces
• mustaches
• wigs
• hair flowers

Ideas To Add Detail To Your Tablesetting

So, you've picked out your party theme and color scheme. How bout some finishing touches for your tablesetting?! Here are some ideas ...

• Layer plates by placing a small patterned 7" plate on top of a solid colored 9" or 10" plate. This adds color and really makes the top plate stand out.
• Unfold a napkin and bunch it up to put inside a cup. This is done by gathering up the once folded end so that the top fluffs out like a flower. Then place the bottom in the cup so fluffed part of the napkin is coming out of the top of the cup.
• Use paper placemats. Placemats also help to add color and make the place setting stand out.
• Did you remember a centerpiece? I love to use balloons as my centerpiece. Just make sure they are tied high enough so that guests can still see each other and chat across the table.

Types of Tableware

• Baby Shower Tableware
• Theme Party Tableware
• Solid Color Tableware
• Clear Tableware
  

Blush Dots and Stripes

I love this pattern! Not just because of the great colors, pink and brown, but because it sooo versatile! When my girlfriend happened to mention that she was having a luncheon for her son's fiance and family (girls only!), I offered to pick up some party stuff for her. (You could also use the pattern for baby shower tableware.)

I had Blush Dots and Stripes tableware in mind, because its perfect for anything "Girly". I chose the "Dots" luncheon napkin and the "Stripes" 7" dessert plate and mixed it with plastic 10" plates and 12oz. cups in our solid "New Pink". I like mixing the patterns with the solids because it shows off the pattern better and gives more impact. I added some balloon bouquets in pinks and brown, M&M's (in the "magic colors" of course), with some of our little 4" clear hard plastic decorative dessert bowls (for the M&Ms)to place strategically around the room (so everyone could get to the treats!).

A pink feather boa for the future bride and just for extra fun a tiara (because who is more special than the bride to be?!?).

This pattern would also be perfect for a baby shower, a bridal shower, girls Bunko night, Mother's Day luncheon, book club...see why I love it?!?

Fiesta Tablesetting!

With Cinco De Mayo right around the corner now's the time to FIESTA! I have so much fun decorating for Cinco De Mayo because the colors are so bright and cheerful. This year I used the Serape patterned tableware and added my favorite solid colors from that pattern.

Start by taking a metallic royal blue tableskirt and appy it around the table. Take a carribean blue tablecover and put it on the table over the tableskirt. A serape tablecover can be used as the tablerunner. Just leave it folded like a tablerunner and run it down the center of the table the long way.

Set the table with Yellow sunshine paper or plastic 10 inch plates.
And use serape patterned 7 " inch plates as your dessert or salad plates. Then use serape luncheon size napkins. For cups and cuttlery I used 16 oz. yellow sunshine cups and yellow sunshine forks and knives.

Remember you can change sizes of tableware to fit your party.


Pinatas are great for decorating too! Use them as a centerpiece.

Crepe paper is a great way to incorporate more color. Hang it from doorways or from a chandelier.

How to Create A Great Tablesetting at A LOW Price

First Choose Your Party's Theme

1. Baby Shower


2. Bridal Shower


3. Casino Night


4. Mardi Gras


5. Children's Birthday

....Just to name a few.

That is the first step! After you've chosen your party's theme you need to pick your favorite pattern within the theme. The next step is when you start to save money. Look at your pattern and choose the color you most want to stand out. Then use that color to choose solid color tableware. By mixing and matching solid color tableware with your pattern you will be able to emphasize certain colors and make your table look great... all while saving money!

Benefits of the mix-and-match

Solid colored tableware is less expensive then patterns and will prevent your table from looking too busy or chaotic.

Example:

Rather than using the your pattern for your tablecover, cups, plates, napkins, and centerpiece mix it up by using a solid colored tablecover and tableskirt with a solid colored placemat. Then bring the pattern in with your plates and napkins or the other way around.

This simple technique will look great and save you a lot of money.

Brighten Your Table with Tablecovers & Tableskirts

An easy way to brighten your party is by using solid colored tablecovers. When most people choose their tablecover they immediatley pick the color they want and call it good. A great way to set your table apart is to stick with your basic white tablecover and add a colored tableskirt. This looks best when you put the tablecover on the table after the tableskirt so it lays on top. peach tableware is a great color to choose for the Easter Season. Your table will really stand out when you match your napkins, plates, and cutlery with your tableskirt. Add an extra flare to your table by gathering the hanging part of your tablecover and pinning it up along the edge of your table.

Christmas Tableware

Hi, just want to remind you of our great assortment of solid colored tableware for Christmas. Gold and silver are great accents to the usual red and green holiday colors. Adding paper placemats is a great touch to add more color or to break up the monotony of a forest green paper plate on a forest green plastic tablecover for example add a gold placemat to create a richer more detailed look.

It's these small details that will impress your guests and make your occassion stand out from the others.