Hot Hosting & Entertaining How-Tos « Hosting & Entertaining

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 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: Make a sphinx napkin fold

Watch a simple video that shows you how to make a sphinx napkin fold. Interestingly, it looks more like an Egyptian pyramid than the Sphynx! This classic yet stately place setting is sure to add life to any table. Make a sphinx napkin fold.

How To: Make a paper sphere ornament

Sphere ornaments fashioned from holiday cards are simple to make and add a decorative touch to any Christmas tree. Materials needed are

How To: Cut an oval style wedding veil

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to cut an oval style wedding veil. The oval cut veils are exactly like the standard cut, except the sides are straight and the corners are curved. Only begin cutting 72 inches from the bridal illusion. Do not cut the veil any less than that. The standard width is 72 inches. The oval cut veil creates a more angular/squared off look. The oval cut style is only available in 2 layer styles. This video will benefit those female viewers who are getting marr...

How To: Make glittery glass ornaments out of floor cleaner and glitter

Floor cleaner? Really? Indeed! All you need are some clear glass ornaments, some Pledge Future Clean floor cleaner and your favorite fine glitter. Mix the floor cleaner and glitter together in the ornament, then let it dry and you have your own collection of glittery glass Christmas tree ornaments!

How To: Gift wrap a t-shirt if you don't have a box

If you find yourself running out of boxes with piles of clothes still left to wrap, have no fear. Just watch this tutorial and follow along as you're shown how to gift wrap t-shirts with pretty wrapping paper and ornaments. You'll amaze with your pretty wrapping paper skills.

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 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: 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...

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 a pew bow

Sandy from Afloral.com shows you how to make a pew bow with this step by step tutorial. This is a great addition to any church event such as a wedding or christening. Watch this how to video and you will be tying pew bows in no time.

How To: Forget Flowers—Give Your Sweetheart a Bouquet of Mini Alcohol Bottles on Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a day full of clichés. Roses, chocolates, and a nice dinner are always at the top of the list, and while there's nothing wrong with any of those things, how...boring. These traditions may be great for florists and the greeting card industry, but for those who want to break the mold, it takes some creative thinking.

How To: Fold napkin roll-ups with silverware inside

Folding napkins takes precision, but a simple napkin rollup is the easiest of them all. You don't need to be a professional caterer or waiter to get this method down. Watch and learn how to make a nice, snug, rolled napkin with silverware inside. It's the most common way to present silverware at restaurants.

How To: Turn your backyard into a beer garden

Why have a plain old barbecue when you can host an Oktoberfest? Make it authentic with these tips. You Will Need

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: Make a moving jaw for your werewolf mask

This is a visual demonstration of how to make a moving jaw for your werewolf mask. Watch Make a furry werewolf mask for some more ideas!

How To: Fold napkins the French way

Set a table that’s tres chic by folding your napkins French style. Learn the art of napkin folding, perfect for entertaining guests!

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 ...

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: Make a seaside inspired floral centerpiece with flowers

It doesn't have to be the middle of summer for you to craft a seaside-inspired centerpiece. Whether you live on the coast or closer to the Grand Canyon and lots of cactii than anything else, you can bring a piece of the sea home by making this craft.

HowTo: Top 10 Avatar Halloween Costumes

Below, 10 step-by-step instructional videos for transforming yourself into a Na'vi being this Halloween. Step 1: Choose your favorite Avatar look from the list below. Step 2: Apply your chosen look. Step 3: For the dedicated fans with (more than a little) time on their hands, learn the Na'vi language and your transformation is complete!

How To: Fold a cloth napkin into a flower

In this Hosting & Entertaining video tutorial you will learn how to fold a cloth napkin into a flower. First fold the napkin in half. Then lift one corner and fold it back up to the center fold line and do the same for the other corner also. Now fold the center point back up to the center fold line. Flip the napkin over and repeat these steps. Then open up the center fold and fold the protruding triangles back up to the center point of the napkin. You now have a square folded napkin. . Now fo...

How To: Make a floral Birthday "cake" table centerpiece

This video describes how to make a "no calorie" birthday cake centerpiece with carnations in soft and sweet hues of pink, yellow, white and cantaloupe. first a flower foam was taken. Then the toothpicks were used to join the flower foam together. Then trace out a circle from the foam using a kitchen knife. Add some water to the base of the cake. With equal size flowers decorate the base of the cake. Then the cake is beautifully covered with different types of flowers. decorate with as many fl...

How To: Make a budget music note centerpiece

Judy of A-BnC Parties and More, Inc. shows you how to make an economical do it yourself music note centerpiece. Three music notes are attached to wooden dowels which are added to a budget Just Add Sand centerpiece base. The centerpiece is accented with two pieces of onion grass. Add balloons, a table name and table place cards for an economical musical themed music note centerpiece for your Bat Mitzvah, Bar Mitzvah, wedding, special event or party!

How To: Construct a beautiful flower and bow diaper cake

This video is a tutorial on how to make a diaper cake. The cake is not edible. To begin, you will need a pack of diapers and rubber bands. Roll up the diapers from the waist down and secure them with the rubber bands. Put several rubber bands around a bottle of wine and secure the diapers in tiers around the bottle of wine. Cover each tier with tissue paper before adding the next one. Wrap each tier in blankets. Top off the cake with a can of formula wrapped in a decorate blanket. At this poi...

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.

How To: Fold a napkin into a Bishop's Mitre

Learn how to fold napkin into a Bishop's Mitre or hat with this tutorial. This is a perfect way to decorate your table when hosting a fancy dinner party. Impress your guests with your napkin folding skills with this easy Bishop's Mitre.

How To: Organize a charity bachelor auction

In this video series, let Jenelle Taylor show you how to organize a charity bachelor auction. She will walk you through all the steps: budgeting, venue selection, and finding bachelors. She also offers tips and advice for creating the kind of atmosphere you want at a bachelor auction. It can be as formal or informal as you want it. So, go ahead. Learn about this fun and entertaining way to raise money for your favorite charity today!

How To: Design a head table flower centerpiece for a wedding

This is a short, very fast paced (6x normal speed) demonstration of how to arrange a floral and green head table piece. The 54 seconds shows the designer how to complete an arrangement from beginning to end. It is difficult to see what the shape of the base is, but it is fresh flowers going into the design. The designer places long greens into the center of the base, adding some long white stemmed flowers. Red carnation heads are then placed around the base along with some additional greenery...

How To: Shred a ribbon

Judy of A-BnC Parties and More, Inc. demonstrates two methods to show you how to shred ribbons. For the first, she uses a wide curling ribbon, scissors, and a shredding tool. This how-to video is helpful in decorating, bow making, finishing gift baskets, putting final touches on wrapped presents, etc.

How To: Make a handcrafted snowman ornament

In this how-to video, you will learn how to make your own hand-crafted snowman. You will need two Styrofoam balls, tooth picks, a white sock, plaid fabric, orange pipe cleaner, black fabric paint, pins, hot glue or tacky glue, twigs, buttons, red baby socks, and any other decorations you want. Place a tooth pick to connect the two balls. Insert the balls into the sock and cut the excess. Next, pin the sock to the balls. Cut the scarf from the plaid fabric and wrap around the snowman. Now, cut...

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: Make baby shower balloon art for a centerpiece or gift

Making balloon art for a baby shower is explained easily and clearly. The step-by-step directions will have you making your own creations in no time. The various products needed are also clearly explained and demonstrated. Become the envy of your friends by throwing the best parties around with these balloon centerpieces.

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: Apply sexy pirate makeup for Halloween

It's true, Halloween is basically the time for girls to dress slutty. Check out this how-to video for a sexy pirate look. The demonstrator used these cosmetics: Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation, Mineral Veil, Nars Laguna Bronzer, True Gold e/s, Mac Blackground Paintpot, Black Ruby e/s, Rapture e/s, True Gold e/s, Retro e/s, Mac Gesso e/s, Mac Blacktrack Fluidline, Diorshow Mascara, Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in "Zero," Mac Quartz Lipliner, Mac Viva Glam I Lipstick, and Mac Cult of Cherry Lipgla...

How To: Fold a napkin in a rectangle (Pliage en rectangle)

Folding a napkin into a rectangle is demonstrated in the following video. This will really impress your guests. Fold a napkin in a rectangle (Pliage en rectangle).

How To: Make an elegant napkin fold

Having a dinner party or just want to impress a date? Use this video to show your good manners and find out how to properly set the table and fold a paper napkin.

How To: Make a corsage

Why justify the cost of buying a corsage from your local florist? Make an affordable corsage yourself that reflects your personal style.

How To: Make an easy wedding reception table centerpiece

This video shows the viewer how to create a stylish centerpiece for a wedding reception using commonly available items. This is done by first placing a square mirror on top of a larger piece of light pink tulle. Then an artificial plant was selected and a number of glass beads were secured around the piece using another piece of tulle and a ribbon; this is to stop the plant floating. The plant is then placed in a tall square vase that is filled with water. A single drop of food dye is then ad...