Australian inspired Christmas setting...plate tutorial

This year I wanted to bring a little bit of Australia into our Christmas decor.  It seems to me that Christmas decor is all about Northern Hemisphere flora and fauna: deer, holly, snow, pine trees.  Its pretty, but I live in Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere where its sunny and warm at Christmas time.  So I decided to take inspiration from our animals and weather: golden sunshine, koala's and wombats, eucalyptus.  

The photos of the place setting show just how easy the plate setting is to put together.

• Start with a gold charger and a white plate.
• Fold a white napkin and tuck the ends under the plate.
• Cute a length of polka dot ribbon and tie loosely around the plate and napkin.
• Repeat with a length of gold sequins.
• Add golden animal figurine.
• Finally add leaves, here I have used an olive spring but for my final setting I plan to use eucalyptus.

Spraying the Aussie animals was easy to do.  I made a spraying cube out of an old box and applied several light gold sprays.  Turn the animals between the sprays to make sure the gold covers everywhere.

Watch this space to see the entire Australian Christmas concept, and I hope you are inspired to try something a little different at your house this year too.