Decorate with Food!

Forget what mama told you -- go ahead, play with your food! You can use everything from jelly beans to key limes to create instant and inexpensive decorations for your next party. So the next time you're planning to entertain, just break open your kitchen pantry and let your imagination run wild.

• Fill a large wooden bowl with basmati or wild rice and nestle votives inside. Sprinkle a bit of dried orange peel on top and you've got a simple but stunning centerpiece. Inexpensive too -- leaving you more $$ to spend on a new pair of party shoes!
• Beans and lentils come in an incredible range of earthy tones from pale orange, to green, white, and black. Layer two or three colors in a tall glass vase and stick your favorite flowers in (with a little water if you want the flowers to last). Dress up your guest bath with a mini version to match.
• Fruits are a great way to create unique place settings. We love key limes because they're so adorable and sassy. Place one at each setting, then make name "flags" using colored paper glued around toothpicks. Stick a flag in each lime and write the guest's name on it. You can even sprinkle rock or sea salt around the lime for a bit of margarita-inspired magic. Cherries, grapes, and tiny Seckel pears are also ideal for dressing up your dinner table. (And if you have a good florist, ask him or her to use the same fruit in a centerpiece to carry the theme through.)
• We love jellybeans -- not just for satisfying our sweet tooths, but also for adding instant color to a home. They come in every shade of the rainbow, so you can use them to reinforce your party's theme. Collect apothecary jars of different sizes and fill each with a different color.
• Pine nuts, pistachios, and almonds are a great way to add an instant organic touch. Nestle a pillar candle amidst a bed of pine nuts. Create a striking centerpiece by filling a long dish with unshelled pistachios, then placing several tiny succulents atop it. Your guests will -- so to speak -- go nuts!

• From pink peppercorns to golden curry powders and fresh rosemary, spices can add a personal touch to your entertaining. Layer them in a glass vase to create a textured centerpiece. Tuck sprigs of vanilla bean or rosemary inside cloth napkins. Or create a beachy centerpiece using salt instead of sand -- add a few pieces of coral or shells and a couple of candles and light things up!