Ok, so sometimes I totally cheat when it comes to decorating for parties.  Why?  Well, usually a gathering is a short-lived event and I don’t NEED to go buy expensive stuff to make it a stunning presentation.  That is why today, I’m sharing a trick for creating a total fake out that I’ve employed several times.  Not only is this long wooden box not really a box, but it costs about $3 to make (far less than than what it would cost to buy a 32″ long wooden vase) and it always surprises people when they see how it was done. To the naked eye, this dinner party centerpiece is a floral masterpiece, but just under the façade, however, it’s a truly remarkable fake out. 

The trick is simple.  Use really cheap craft store balsa wood and tape to create a cover for a series of several small vases.  Let’s make one, shall we?

I bought the thinnest (3/32″) wood strips to create the cover.  It’s so thin, that it can be held together with just some strong tape.

First, measure 4″ from just one edge of the strip. Mark that spot, then score that spot with a sharp edge.  Do not cut all of the way through the strip, just enough so that it folds nicely.

You might want to use that ruler again to help you bend the slat into a straight fold.  If it breaks, no biggie, just tape it back together on the inside of the box (like a flexible tape hinge). After you’ve measured, marked, scored, and folded one slat, do the same to the other piece of balsa wood. Then, fit the two pieces together to form a box and tape the insides of the corners with strong tape (like Duct tape).

Here is the sneaky part.  Line the wooden shell with low juice glasses and arrange your flowers inside each glass.  Or, you can arrange them outside of the wood for now, then like the arrangements in the shell once you get your table set. I have a full tutorial for creating beautiful arrangements in juice glasses HERE.

I ended up using some juice glasses and some short vases that I had sitting around.  They didn’t match, but it doesn’t matter because the wood faux box covers it all up!  Genius!

For the arrangements, I used a mixture of Dusty Miller, Italian Ruscus, Queen Anne’s Lace, Spray Roses, and Silver Brunia Berries.  The levels of green, silver, and white are so pretty and give this table a laid back, but elegant vibe.  Or, if you’re in the mood for another color palette for your Thanksgiving centerpiece, be sure to check out yesterday’s post on holiday table color schemes!!

It looks FAR more impressive than just a couple of juice glass arrangements, right?

p.s. I got them all of the flowers from a local floral shop called Oberer’s.  If you’re in the Ohio area, this is a fantastic resource because anyone can buy from their coolers at wholesale prices. All of these flowers cost under $20, which would have easily cost triple that from a florist.  I think they have several stores around OH, IN, and KY.

p.p.s. Are you interested in starting your own product line?  If so, head on over to my other site where I share insight and actionable advice to aspiring product designers!  PLUS I have a free video training lesson available now, so take advantage of that HERE.