How to Make an Old Time Picnic Table Centerpiece

Summer is a time for outdoor living and, of course, picnics. Planning an old-fashioned picnic for family and friends is a fun way to celebrate and take advantage of lazy summer days. You can make the get-together complete by decorating picnic tables with old-time centerpieces. These centerpieces are both practical and decorative, and they're easy to make out of classic items such as galvanized steel buckets, mason jars and tin cups placed in the center of the table for easy access.

Things You'll Need

• Galvanized steel buckets
• Mason jars
• Tin cups
• Wildflowers
• Plastic soda bottles
• Silverware
• Cloth napkins

Instructions

1. Set a large, galvanized steel bucket in the center of a picnic table. Fill the bucket to the rim with ice. Place several varieties of bottled soda in the ice to keep cold. Keep extra ice and soda bottles in coolers to replace as needed.

2. Fill eight different sizes of mason jar with water to within 2 inches of the rim. Cut wildflowers to fit the jars, make small bouquets and place them inside the jars. Group four jars on each side of the galvanized steel bucket.

3. Line six tin cups with checkered cloth napkins so that the ends drape over each cup's edge. Fill two cups with knives, two with forks and two with spoons. Place three cups, each containing a different utensil, on each side of the flower-filled mason jars.

Tips & Warnings

• To add to the old-fashioned look and feel, cover the picnic table with a checkered table cloth before arranging the centerpiece on the table.

References

• Country Living: Summer Table Settings
• Favor Ideas: A Rustic Country Wedding