Hosting & Entertaining — How-To Videos, Articles, & Inspiration « Hosting & Entertaining

How To: Make a Coca-Cola Can Rose for Valentine's Day

This video shows a step-by-step guide for making a Valentine's Day rose out of an empty Coke can (or soda of your choice). All you need is an empty Coca-Cola can (or other soda can), a knife, and a pair of scissors.

How To: Organize an Oktoberfest Party

If you’re planning to hold a party this October, what better event to model your event after than Oktoberfest? The German beer festival began in Bavaria, Germany in 1810 to celebrate a royal marriage. Since then, it has been celebrated annually by millions of attendees these past decades and has spread throughout the world. Of course, Oktoberfest would not come to be without the beer.

HowTo: Top 15 Alice in Wonderland Halloween Costumes

Alice in Wonderland's colorful cast of characters offers a whole slew of options for Halloween! Lucky for us, WonderHowTo's tenebrism has compiled a thorough, Tim Burton-inspired guide for transforming into Alice, the Queen of Hearts, the White Queen, the Cheshire Cat, or the Mad Hatter. Below, a few of tenebrism's selected videos; be sure to click through for all top 15 make-up and costume looks.

How To: Make a tall balloon centerpiece for weddings & events

Judy demonstrates how to make a very tall, simple, yet elegant centerpiece for weddings and other events. You first need a tube and a base that it will fit into. Placing the tube in the base, use a hot glue gun to secure the tube into the base. You can then fill up the balloons with air, using an air pump and tie pairs of balloons together. Twisting together four balloons, place the cluster of balloons around the base of the tube. Repeat with an additional 8 balloons and place this cluster at...

How To: Make a chicken out of a napkin

This video tutorial shows you step by step how to fold a cloth napkin into a chicken. No, it's not a live chicken, it looks like one you would buy at the grocery store. Just grab your napkin and follow along to impress your friends at the dinner table.

How To: Apply snow queen or winter themed costume makeup

Whether you're dressing up as a snow queen, maybe from Narnia, or just going for some sort of wintery look, this how-to video shows a way to make some stunning costume makeup. The cosmetics used to create this look are Coty Translucent Setting Powder, Matte Texture Cream, Sugar, Brows: Platinum Plus Pro Lash Mascara, MAC Pixel Paint, MAC Silver Fog Pigment, MAC, Dovefeather Eye Shadow liner, MAC Facsinating Eye Kohl, Dovefeather Eye Shadow, Platinum Plus Pro Lash Mascara, Makeup Forever White...

How To: Needle felt a Halloween pumpkin

Needle felted pumpkins make a for a nice Halloween decoration, and are simple to make with the step by step instructions in this how-to video. You will need wool batting, orange roving, green roving, a felting needle, and a felt pad. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to needle felt a Halloween pumpkin.

How To: Make whiskers for a mask or face painting

This is an amazing how to video on making fake whiskers using fishing wire and latex.

How To: Make a lifesize Halloween zombie corpse prop

The spooky Halloween prop in this how-to video is a great addition to a haunted house or a front lawn display. Scare kids and trick-or-treaters with this surprisingly life-like for the undead looking zombie corpse. This prop may be a little time intensive, but the finished product is worth the effort. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to make a zombie corpse for Halloween.

How To: Fold a cloth napkin into the shape of a woman's bra

In this clip, the Napkin Lady shows you how to take an ordinary cloth dinner napkin and fold it into the shape of a brassiere. This clip is quick and easy and you will have everyone at the table laughing in just a few simple steps. This bra napkin design is also great for bachelorette parties, showers and anywhere else where you need a little lighthearted napkin folding!

How To: Throw a Naked Sushi Party

The Japanese know how to party. Browsing the internet for my daily fix of Weird Asian News, I stumbled across this article on Cannibal Banquets.

How To: Box a tablecloth for catered events

Boxing a table doesn't mean getting into the ring, but it does require a certain degree of skill to successfully complete. Boxing the tablecloth is a great technique for any occasion or party, and every caterer should know these moves.

How To: Make ribbon napkin rings

Here's a quick and easy way to make some napkin rings using ribbon. Follow our favorite gal from Pink of Perfection as she shows us how to create some great last minute napkin rings.

How To: Steal a Kiss from Almost Any Girl You Want on New Year's Eve (Without Being Creepy)

The holiday season is almost over, bringing the year to an end, and what better way to end it than with some tonsil hockey from the dime across the room on New Year's Eve?

How To: Make Gorgeous Patterned Easter Eggs Using Your Own Natural Homemade Dyes

If you grew up dying eggs for Easter, you've no doubt used or at least seen those boxed kits that turn your eggs neon colors. Admittedly, they're easy—just plop a dye tablet into some water, dunk the eggs, and wait for them to dry.

How To: Make a napkin swan (or napkin peacock)

Need a lavish way to present you napkins at your next big dinner feast? May we suggest napkin swans? Folding a mere dinner napkin into a beautiful swan )or peacock) can take you just minutes, and completes and dinner table. The idea behind the fold is to shape it so that one end looks like a long, languorous tail-feathers of a peacock, but it could look like a swan, too.

How To: Dress up your poinsettia with golden fabric wrap

Chances are you will have a poinsettia plant in your house before the end of the holiday season, whether it's due to them being on sale at the local grocery store or you receiving them as a hostess gift.

How To: Create super hero cape party favors

In this tutorial, we learn how to create super hero cape party favors. First, take a plastic red table cover and remove it from the package. Next, open it up and fold it in half twice, so you end up with a rectangle. Then, take scissors and cut a large triangle shape out of the material. When finished, open up the cover and it will be in the shape of a cape! Then, cut out some "s" for Superman signs and tape it on the back of the cape. Then, tie string around the top so it can be worn and you...

How To: Make a hidden blade from Assassin's Creed with a metal bearing rail

The hidden blade that Altair uses to murder his victims in Assassin's Creed is a great costume piece, and if you don't mind working with metal then you should be able to use the instructions in this video to make a really cool one.

How To: Make an Awesome DIY Statue of Liberty Crown for the 4th of July

Lady Liberty's crown is one of the proudest symbols of America. If you are looking for a fun easy way to make your American Day (4th of July) attire more patriotic, check out this video to learn how to make a DIY Statue of Liberty crown to wear the big party.

How To: Fold cloth napkins into silverware holders

In this tutorial, we learn how to fold cloth napkins into silverware holders. First, grab a dinner napkin and take the end to fold it in half. Now, fold it in half again so you have a small square. Now, fold the corner down half way and fold it down again. Then, flip it over and repeat this. Then, fold the top over and flip it over again. After this, place your silverware inside of the napkin and you will be ready to set your table! This takes just a few minutes and makes the look of any dinn...

How To: Customize a pinata buster stick

In this tutorial, we learn how to customize a pi–ata buster stick. First, choose a couple streamer colors that match the theme of your party. Next, roll the streamer around the stick, covering the entire stick. Tape down the end on both sides so the streamers stay on. Next, wrap a different color streamer around the stick and tape that down as well. You can also add on ribbon around the stick to make it more decorative. When finished, make sure everything is taped down at the end and you will...

How To: Make a sequined sakura (cherry blossom) ornament

Celebrating Christmas in Japan this year? Make your own sakura X-mas ornaments. This video will show you how it's done. It's easy. So easy, in fact, that this clip can present a complete overview of the process in about 7 minutes' time. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Set the dinner table properly with glass & silverware

A great dinner party is great because of presentation, and you know that everything has its place on the table, but where exactly does everything go? Learn about the placement of everything, from silverware to glassware.

How To: Make an Irish themed gift basket for St. Patrick's Day

In this tutorial, learn how to make a beautiful traditional Irish themed gift basket for celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Give this gift baskets to guests at your St. Patty's party or save one for that special Irish friend. You can make a game out of it and the winner will receive the basket, or even auction it off! Enjoy this fun and great looking gift at your next Irish get together.

How To: Make a diaper wreath for a baby shower

Notthecoolmom gives a craft lesson on how to make a diaper wreath for a baby shower. To make the wreath you will need the following materials: a package of 56 size 1 diapers (preferably with a design of some kind), a Styrofoam wreath, a spool of ribbon, and rubber bands (optional). Start by laying your diapers around the wreath to get an idea of spacing. Be careful not to make your wreath too full. You don't have to use all of the diapers it depends on the size of your wreath. To put the diap...

How To: Design parallel flower arrangements in a low container

Watch carefully as this florist moves quickly and silently through the process, grabbing a tearing different types of flowers, then putting them together in an ornamental arrangement. He starts first with some somewhat colorless bushy flowers and affixes them low within the container. Thereafter, he takes single stems of purple, yellow, and red flowers arranging them at different heights above the low-lying bushy ones. He keeps the variously colored flowers isolated in their own little area, ...

How To: Make a bow using wired ribbon

Bows are so beautiful. They make a great accessory and an awesome accent to any gift. The bigger the bow, however, the more likely it is to flop and not look as beautiful as it should. This tutorial will show you how to make a beautifully large holiday bow using wired ribbon so that it doesn't wilt. Soon, your gift will be the talk of the party and no one will ever want to open it - it will be too perfect!

How To: Stuff balloons inside of balloons for party decor

An interesting party decor idea is to place balloons inside other balloons. This can be accomplished easily by first inflating a large balloon. Using a small stick, push a second, smaller balloon inside the larger one and then inflate the smaller balloon while it is inside the larger one. You can then tie up the second balloon, leaving the smaller one inside the large balloon. This can be repeated with multiple small balloons, so your balloons will have a unique and interesting look. This tut...

Holiday HowTo: Colored Flaming Pine Cones

These little babies are meant to be tossed into the fireplace, adding some color to your festive holiday hearth. However, you can do whatever you want with them... Get creative. WonderHowTo sure loves explosives.

How To: Attend a wedding alone

Learn how to attend a wedding alone. Not having a date for a wedding can be a good thing, if you know how to work it.

How To: Keep ice cubes frozen longer for your next party

Ok, it’s not the biggest problem in the world, but an ice bucket full of water is a not-so-subtle hint that the party’s over. Make your cubes last until the final guest has had their fill. Watch this Howcast video to learn how to keep ice cubes frozen longer. You will need boiled water, large ice trays, insulation, like bubble wrap or cloth, and muffin tins.

How To: Apply zombie makeup for Halloween

Create a creepy undead look for a Halloween zombie costume with the little help of makeup and the steps in this how-to video. The cosmetics used for this look are: MAC - Pure White Paint Stick, Laura Mercier - Translucent Powder, MAC - Feline Pencil, MAC - Feline Pencil, MAC - Flammable Paint, MAC - Beauty Marked e/s, MAC - Fascinating Pencil, MUFE - Smoky Lash mascara, Guerlain - Kiss Kiss Lip Lift, and MAC - Pure White Paint Stick. Learn how to apply zombie makeup for Halloween by watching ...