This is the 3rd year for The Parade of Tables and it has become a popular fundraiser as well as a fun social event for the school. Parents get together to host a luncheon table as if they are having someone over to their home, and the tables are all arranged in the school assembly hall. The hosts provide decorations, linens, and tableware from their homes and invite people they know to sit at their table. Each of the hosts must sell the 10 seats at their table for $25 each (the hosts also have to pay for their own seat as part of the fundraising effort). We also invite vendors to sell clothing, jewelry, purses, and other accessories, and they agree to give a percentage of their sales to the school. We had 10 tables this year and raised $2500 just from ticket sales. The luncheon included 5 types of finger sandwiches, 3 different salads, 2 types of scones, small petit fours for dessert, coffee, hot tea, lemonade and water. The food was purchased from the store and portions were provided to each table in the serving platters/bowls the hosts all brought from home. The 7th and 8th grade students of the school earned their Christian service hours by being our servers.
Most of the décor I have is either Thanksgiving or Christmas related, so I decided to go with a Christmas theme. I named my table "The Feast of St. Nicholas." Here are pictures of the décor items I made for the event:
Invitation
I used Close to My Heart stamp set #D1384 "Snow Flurries" for the stamped image on the bottom of the invitation. I put some Aleene's Jewel-It glue on an empty stamp pad and "inked up" the stamp with glue the same way you would with a regular ink pad, then stamped it onto the invite. I quickly covered the image with Glitter Ritz Micro Fine Dark Gold glitter, let it set for a minute, then shook off the excess. I punched snowflakes out, ran them face down through my Xyron 1.5" mini to put adhesive on the tops, then poured Glitter Ritz over the sticky punchies. I attached one snowflake to the invite and one to a seal I made from the same red and ivory card stock I used for the invite.
Table Description
Each host had to write a description of their table theme. I covered a piece of chipboard with red cardstock on the front and back. Since it was a little heavier than the usual folding table card, I created a stand from the same chipboard and also covered the front and back with red cardstock, then attached a ribbon underneath the cardstock of both pieces so the table card wouldn't flop open from the weight.
Box of 8 Christmas Tags as Favors
I was lucky enough to have 10 of these little boxes on hand. I had originally bought them from Michael's about a year ago for something else, but never used them for that project. They come in a craft brown and can be decorated any way you want. I painted the edges and interiors with red craft paint and used a Spellbinders circle die to cut the ivory paper on top. I then embossed the circles with 4 different embossing folders (2 of each design): Cuttlebug Forest Branches, Cuttlebug Argyle, Cuttlebug Brickyard, and Stampin' Up Square Lattice. The die cuts are Sizzlits Holly w Berries #4, Sizzlits Christmas Tree #4, Sizzlits Wreath, and Cuttlebug Snowflake #2. I glittered the the tops of the die cuts the same way as with the snowflakes on the invitation. I used CTMH #D1284 With Love for the stamped image on the side of the box, and used the same glue stamp technique that I used on the invitation.
VOTIVE HOLDERS
I made 6 of these votive holders from the Sizzix Sleigh 3-D. I cut 12 of the sleighs from heavy chipboard, then cut 24 red sleighs, and 24 gold tracks. I painted the edges of the chipboard sleighs with red craft paint and the edges of the tracks with Smooch Gold Lame. I ran all red & gold die cuts through my Xyron 5" Creative Station and attached them to the fronts and backs of all 12 chipboard pieces. The interior part that holds the votive was made from the same heavy chipboard and covered in red paper. The poinsettia was made from a Heartfelt Creations exclusive Spellbinder die called Cross & Lillies Die HCD 719. I cut 3 of the smaller sized lilies for each flower and used a small round gold brad in the center.
Name Cards
The name cards were cut from Spellbinders Labels 14 die. I cut one piece from thin chipboard and 2 pieces from the red cardstock. I ran the red pieces thru the Xyron and covered the front and back of the thin chipboard. There is a small piece of red cardstock glued to the back to prop the name tag up on the table. I typed the names on a piece of ivory cardstock and punched them out with an oval punch.
My Finished Table
I've had the Santa for many years, so he made a perfect centerpiece. The red stones came from a bag of autumn colored stones I purchased 2 years ago--I used only the red ones to make the table "pop" a bit more with the red color. All the tableware you see is my actual everyday dishes and flat wear. The gold fabric in the center is a Christmas table runner my mom gave me last year. The napkin rings are repurposed votive wreaths that were full enough and long enough that I could cut them down to make 10 napkin rings.
Although we were allowed to choose any theme and buy anything we needed for our tables with our own funds, we were all encouraged to use what we already have at home so it wouldn't cost us a small fortune. I was determined not to spend any extra money, so anything I didn't have at home I had to make using only the supplies I already have in my craft room. I'm happy to say I succeeded, and only spent $25 on my ticket to the event. Whoo hoo!
Pictures of Other Tables
I hope you liked it. I have lots of creative things going on this year, and want to tell you all about them, so please hit the reply button and feed my muse!
Many Happy Scrappenings!
-Anna
