Easy Table Centerpiece Crafts

Whether you are planning a wedding, anniversary celebration, holiday dinner or birthday party, a well-crafted centerpiece can add a decorative flare to a finely set table. Although store-bought or premade pieces can provide a polished look, homemade table crafts can be equally as elegant at a fraction of the cost.

Wedding

The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. typically runs well over $20,000. Although every bride and groom wants to make this day as special as possible, expensive store-bought centerpieces can push a well-rounded budget over the edge. Create a simple centerpiece for any wedding or bridal shower using basic materials found at many retail craft supply stores. A decorative clear glass vase can serve as the base for many different table projects. Fill the vase with glass beads and real or silk flowers for a traditional country look. Make a duel-duty craft and roll pairs of long candles in clear plastic wrap and ribbon to use in a centerpiece and also to serve as party favors. Place the wrapped candles into the vase and position accordingly.

Holiday Table

Enhance a simple holiday table setting by adding a hand-crafted centerpiece inspired by the day's festivities. Go simple and create a real or silk floral arrangement in traditional holiday colors such as red and green for Christmas or orange and yellow for Thanksgiving. For a more elaborate look, craft a statement piece such as a papier-mache sculpture. Choose a holiday symbol or something associated with the day. For example, create a turkey for Thanksgiving or Santa Claus for Christmas. Create an armature using rolled newspaper, wire mesh or even balloons. Coat the piece with strips of papier-mache and paint. For a quirky, unique look, create a colorful topiary using candy gumdrops attached to craft foam balls. Spear the drops with toothpicks and attach them to the foam. Set the candy topiary in a round vase to complete the look.

Birthday Party

Celebrate a special day by designing an easy homemade birthday party table centerpiece. Make the piece personal and choose a theme that matches the birthday guest of honor. For example, if your grandson is a baseball fanatic, arrange a decorative piece with a baseball, baseball glove and flowers in his favorite team's colors. For a more mature look, grace the table with a colorful vase filled with layers of craft sand and silk flowers or a special arrangement of seasonal fruit. As an added option, choose birthdays as the theme. Wrap at least three boxes of different sizes and shapes in colorful or metallic papers. Tie on satin ribbons and arrange the boxes together to form a sculptural centerpiece.

Photo Trees

Make your own photo tree centerpiece for a highly personal statement. These pieces can brighten any table from an anniversary setting to a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Use place card holders, thin wire sculptures or even basket-type spice racks as a base for your unique centerpiece craft. Insert photos that connect to the party. For example, if you are planning an anniversary party, insert photos of the happy couple's wedding or pictures of them throughout the years. Laminate the photos first and add a bush of glitter glue for an added sparkling effect.