All you need are the crayons. This is a cheap and rustic way to dress up your table—just lay out some butcher or craft paper, and write your guests' names as place cards. You could also write the night's menu or identify dishes on the table, if it's a buffet. See an example of that, below.
It's a look you see at so many great neighborhood bistros, for good reason. It's simple, classic, and practical for messy meals (it reminds us of putting down newspaper for a crawfish boil).
Hey, you can recycle the paper—and how fun to doodle on the table or play a game post-dinner? We just love the natural brown color topped with white dishes and a few scattered votives.
Here's more information on the images above:
• Names written on paper table runner (top), from Good Gumption (via Remodelista).
• Recipes written on butcher paper (above), at Chez Pim.
Related: How to Sew Napkins and a Table Runner
(Images: Amy/Good Gumption; Greg Silva)
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very cool. Where would you buy this?
You can buy this in rolls at just about any craft store, and sometimes at Target or even grocery stores. Look in the shipping and mailing section, with the bubble wrap. I use it to wrap presents, too, so I'm always replenishing my stash.
At Costco about 10 years ago I bought an enormous (natch) roll of white butcher paper that's lasted me through 2 creative kids and several buffets and cookie-decorating parties. I probably have several dozen yards of it still to go. And yes, like Faith said, it makes good wrapping paper too.
Yes! This is brilliant! (I usually save the butcher paper used as shipping/packaging for wrapping presents later on.)
Be careful if you buy white paper. I bought a large roll of white paper - I mean HUGE roll - intending to use if for things like this but also for wrapping presents. I like wrapping things in white paper. The paper was too transparent and everything needed to be wrapped twice so that boxes wouldn't show through. Make sure you can also handle the paper well - my roll was so large that it two two people to get it out of the storage box and then do something with it so that it wasn't ruined. I got rid of it soon after.