A Floral Soiree

This week, I'm discovering new uses for empty tea envelopes.

These may look familiar to you. Once they're empty, they go straight to the trash. But do you know that from blah, they can be turned into...

 ...TADA!? 

The tea sachets are now dinner party place cards.

Here's how they're made:

Choose a paint color. I'm mixing red and white

to make my own shade of pink. 

Begin painting the tea sachet. You'll need to do at least three coats; allow the paint to dry between each coat. Once dry, paint the other side.

Here's what the painted tea sachets look like (I added some streaks of white/lighter pink paint to add some dimension). However, they need some embellishment.

One of my favorite ways to "embellish" is with decoupage. I found these flowers in one of the pages of Martha Stewart Living. Just by cutting around each flower and attaching them to the tea sachet with glue or Mod Podge...

 ...they now have a lot more personality.

Add the names of your guests and number the envelopes, too.

Secure this to a napkin with ribbon and a wooden clothespin. Once the guests arrive, they know where to sit.

 When everyone is seated, have them open the envelopes...yes, there's something inside!

These are conversation starters. Each guest asks the question they found in their envelope, and everyone on the table takes turns answering. 

It's a good ice breaker before the meal starts.

And it's an interactive way to get to know an acquaintance or a friend you've known forever.

Remember that we numbered each envelope? Well, you'll have to find out tomorrow the reason why. Later!