Decorating the Table, Hamptons Style
Decorating the Table is as easy as visiting KMart!
Lands’ End Striped Tablecloths, Placemats, Table Runners, Linen Napkins, and Place Card holders are the perfect accessories for your Hamptons Celebrity Style Party. Lands’ End is sold at KMart and celebrities love the convenience that KMart in South Hampton offers!
Celebrity Spotting: Matt Lauer, Adam Sandler and Keith Hernandez love to visit KMart to gather items for their backyeard BBQ’s, toys for their children, and some last minute sunscreen before heading to the beach!
For more of Mark’s “Chic-rets” to Hamptons Celebrity Entertaining, click here!
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Candy Coated Place Settings
My Candy Coated Place Settings are an easy and fun way to sweeten up your next dinner party!
Start your place setting off with my candy mosaic plates. They are a lot of fun and very easy to make; plus, it’s a great opportunity go get creative with your design.
You’ll Need:
- Royal Icing
- Candies such as Reese’s Pieces, Jelly beans, etc.
- Plates
Method:
- Spread the royal icing onto your plate with about 1/4 inch thickness. This will act as the grout to hold the candies in place.
- Lay the candies onto the royal icing and press lightly to secure them.
- Let dry until royal icing is hard before using.
Tip:
Royal icing is the perfect adhesive because it is easily washed off and will not ruin your plates!
My Sweet Silverware is an easy way to sweeten up your eating utensils!
You’ll Need:
- Twizzlers Pull n Peel
- Silverware
- Royal Icing
Method:
- Dab the bottom of the silverware with a small amount of royal icing and apply a strand of the Pull n Peel. Allow the icing to dry, holding the Pull n Peel in place.
- Wrap the handle of the silverware with the Pull n Peel strand, all the way to the top and then apply another dab of royal icing to hold the Pull n Peel in place
My Sugared Stemware is the perfect way to sweeten up every sip of your drink!
You’ll Need:
- Sour Punch Sip-n-Chew straws
- Royal icing
- Stemware/Glassware
Method:
- Cut the Sour Punch Sip-n-Chew straw to the length of the stem of your stemware.
- Cut the Sip-n-Chew vertically and wrap it around the stem of your stemware
- Apply small dots of royal icing to the bowl of stemware and glassware
Tip:
Add a Sour Punch Sip-n-Chew to your glasses and your guests can sip their beverage while enjoying a sweet and sour treat!
My Candied Napkin Ring is a great way to sweeten up the napkin in your place setting!
You’ll Need:
- Sugar Sheet Paper
- Royal Icing
- Candies such as jelly beans or Reese’s Pieces
Method:
- Cut the sugar sheets into long strips. The strip should be long enough to fit around a folded napkin.
- Dab one end of the sugar sheet with royal icing and adhere it to the other end to form a circle.
- Decorate the circular sugar sheet with the candies, using the royal icing to adhere the candy to the sugar sheet.
My Candied Coasters will add a sweet touch to your place setting!
You’ll Need:
- Jolly Rancher candies
- Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Cutters
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit
- Smash a variety of flavors of Jolly Rancher candies into small pieces and arrange the pieces in fun and colorful designs on parchment paper.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until completely melted
- Immediately upon removing from oven, firmly place cookie cutters into the melted candy and let cool for 5-10 minutes
- Peel parchment paper away form the melted candy and remove excess
My Chocolate Bunny Place Cards will add some fun, edible shimmer to your place setting!
You’ll Need:
- Chocolate Bunnies
- Edible Sugar Glitter
- Wilton Edible Sugar Sheet Paper
- Wilton Edible Markers
- Royal Icing
Method:
- Roll the chocolate bunnies around in edible sugar glitter until they are nicely coated
- Cut small shapes out of the sugar sheet paper and write your guests’ name on them using edible markers.
- Attach the sugar sheet card using a dab of royal icing. You may need to secure the sugar sheet card in a few spots. Allow time to dry.
For more of my Candy Coated Easter tips and recipes, click here!
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The Royal Wedding
At your next celebration, bring the chic class of the Royal Wedding to your table with details only Buckingham Palace could inspire. With sustainable flower arrangements, monogrammed plates, and napkin rings that become fascinators, your guests will surely feel like royalty.
Inspired by the 20 ft. maples Kate and Will had brought into Westminster Abbey, these small topiaries bring to mind old English gardens and specifically the Palace Gardens, where much of the greenery for the wedding came from. PK and PW (their street names) wanted to be sustainably green and entirely British for their big day!
Let the flowers speak for you. Not only does a good centerpiece transform a table, but flowers have meaning, too. These arrangements were created in bowls from Ruth Fischl, in white and green, the same colors as the royal wedding florals. The flowers included white roses, which are a natural symbol for love, as well as England, pear blossoms for good fortune, and lilies of the valley, which symbolize sweetness and humility. In addition to being absolutely gorgeous, all of the flowers were regional and representative of either the qualities that the couple will strive to bring to their relationship, and to England.
For the first time in history, the monogram of a royal couple shows the lady’s name on top. To avoid any crass remarks about a Water Cabinet, the Queen did the sensible thing, and reversed tradition. You can create your own monogram by printing it out on vellum paper. Use copy fx paper (found at your local art store) in gold or silver and use your home printer to transfer the design you made onto vellum paper. Lay these over your plates and make your guests feel like royalty when they see their own initials!
Every detail counts, and sometimes it’s the smaller ones like gold rimmed glasses that make your event seem truly chic. After all, it’s such a subtle touch your guests might think you always drink this stylishly.
Inspired by Pippa’s controversial foray into disco at the Royal Reception, these table mirrors in various sized bring a sophisticated shimmer to your tabletop. They catch the reflection of glassware, florals, and light, which makes it almost as though you have a chandelier on top of your table rather than above it.
The Brits are famous for hats. From those which have the wingspan of two eagles to those which jut out from the forehead like small cakes, there is perhaps no other fashion tradition which carries with it such repute. Inspired by these ornate status symbols worn at the Royal Wedding, I created fascinators – the napkin ring that also makes your guests chic and posh by doubling as an accessory that is almost as elaborate as those hats themselves.
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget the gentleman guests. For them, the fascinatiere! A napkin ring that doubles as a boutonniere to heighten the appeal of any dashing fellow.
Get ready for a classy affair.
Chic Easter Treat Basket
For Dessert, I’ve created a sophisticated replacement for the standard Easter basket. This bowl is all the basket you need when adorned with edible flowers like pansies and nasturtiums. Create a nest of gourmet sweets and French treats that won’t leave room for one thought about a chocolate bunny!
Fill your “basket” with unexpected and high-fashion flavors. I went for macaroons from Laduree, classic French Easter candies, and Vosges’ flower infused truffle collection “Les Fleurs du Chocolate”. And don’t forget, even the flowers are edible.
Delicious!
Setting the Stage for The Big D Super Bowl Party
To set the stage for my BIG Super Bowl Party I designed a tablecloth inspired by classic cowboy bandanas. Take a close look at the pattern… it not only features Texas Icons like the Texas Star, CB Boots, Horse Shoes, etc… but I’ve also added the Super Bowl 45 logo, the NFL logo and the contending teams helmets. Making the cloth is easy, I already done the hard part – designing the bandana pattern! So now you just have to download the pattern, print it on iron-on transfer paper (found in any office supply store) and then iron on an in expensive white table cloth – and bam! You have a Texas-style tablecloth with a Super Bowl twist. Your guest will love it!
The pattern is available in Blue, Red, Steeler’s Gold, & Packer’s Green
Pattern Downloads:
Blue Super Bowl Bandanna (click here)
Red Super Bowl Bandanna (click here)
Steeler’s Gold Super Bowl Bandanna (click here)
Packer’s Green Super Bowl Bandanna (click here)
Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
Follow this step-by-step for a unique way to wrap your presents in cloth to avoid using wrapping paper. This wrapping method is great because unlike normal wrapping paper, this cloth wrapping can be recycled again and again. Plus, choose an extra bold pattern or rich color to add an extra pop to your gift!
Mark's Living Holiday Décor
It’s time to start decorating for the holidays (if you haven’t already started, that is!). Every year, we climb into the attic and grab all same Christmas decorations we’ve used since the late 90′s. It’s definitely time to mix it up! Breathe life into your home with some living holiday décor. In this 3-part series, Mark shows you how to create festive accents using Mother Nature as inspiration. Pull out your green thumb and have your Santa hats at the ready… it’s Décor-ating time!
Idea #1: Holiday Planters
Potted plants instantly add life to any space any time of the year. Try using holiday plants in the place of cut foliage this year. Plants are easily moved around your space as you prepare for different holiday functions and can be “recharged” outside when need be. There are many suitable plants to choose from that you might not associate with the holidays. Try potted evergreens, boxwood and fir trees. Even herb topiaries are great and can do double duty in the kitchen for use in holiday recipes.
Idea #2: Winter Bulbs
A bright floral display and fragrant aroma is always welcome in winter, but cut flowers fade all too quickly most of the time. Forcing flowering bulbs in winter keeps the blooms around much longer than cut florals.
Hyacinths, crocus, and narcissus bulbs can be forced in special glass vases with water. They can also be grown in shallow dishes of water filled with pebbles. Bulbs should be secured in the pebbles deeply enough so that its base is in contact with the water. Keep them in a cool, dark room for several weeks to ensure root growth. After roots have grown, place in a sunny location. Each bulb will send up several flower stems bearing many tiny blossoms. Once the flowers begin to open, take the plants out of direct sunlight to prolong the bloom.
Note: Unlike the bulbs planted in the ground, these plants are not able to regenerate and should be discarded.
Idea #3: Winter Wreaths
Start with a floral foam wreath form and securely pin the moss to the form, then add your small plants making sure to cover the root balls with moss to keep from drying out. If you are hanging your wreath, take extra care in securing your plants by using thin, pliable wire. Living wreaths can also make great centerpieces. Try combining your wreath with candles floating in colored water for a vibrant tabletop décor.
