I have become more than slightly obsessed with the American style party food tables. I love the symmetry, the precise placement of treats and the use of props to make your buffet more enticing.

It makes very ordinary food look extraordinary.

Top Tips for the Perfect Party Table:

Sketch your vision beforehand!

That way you know what you need to source and how much of everything to buy.

The danger with assembling your table on the day is that you overbuy on food and can't fit everything on the table! Unless you are a creative genius and can do it from scratch there and then!

Have a central feature. 

Start with a central focus point and work outwards. I used his initial wall letter from above his bed propped up on a toy wagon! The more personal you can make the props the better, so root through their toy boxes!

I found this ferris wheel cupcake stand and just used the wheel as a prop! 

The birthday cake would make a great focus point too. I always think it's such a shame to keep the cake hidden until it's time to sing, so show it off for the whole party! 

Create height and interest.

 If you have made beautiful cake and lollies you want to show them off! But on a flat table they can get lost. I used crepe paper to wrap up blocks of polystyrene I bought in the local DIY centre, so that I could simply poke the lolly sticks into them. Minimal effort, maximum impact!

Use cake stands and upturned baskets, I even raided the children's miniature chairs. I found one gum ball machine in a charity shop and one in the local £1 store, which were great for the grown up nuts!  

Think about symmetry.

It makes it easier to work outwards, displaying in opposite pairs. Or go completely and purposely mismatched, creating depth with taller storage jars at the back of the table and bowls at the front.

Think mini! 

Use cake cases as mini containers instead of one big bowl. Children love having individual portions and it just looks sweeter! Rigid cup cake cases work well turned upside down too as mini stands! 

Create a backdrop.

You could use garden canes to make a frame and old duvet covers are fab as a backdrop sheet. The tent canopy is actually for above Sammy's bed, but teamed with the striped fabric, made a perfect mini big top. For a cheap version use twisted crepe paper streamers. You could easily create a 5ft wide backdrop for only a few pounds. Just tie at the top and pin at the bottom.

Cover any odd edges for a clean, professional look. I used an old piece of hessian material for the tablecloth (I would always go for a paper or fabric cloth over shiny plastic - it instantly looks more expensive, when really paper is cheaper!) 

I covered the edge where the two fabrics met with a roll of paper tickets and some brilliantly effective paper fans. I stapled gunned them in place and teamed with the personalised bunting, thought it really had the wow factor. (Photo below by Emily Beale Photography.)

Less is not more!

Think colour, think props, think labels and tags! Tie a ribbon around the jar, print some little labels. It instantly creates a impression. It took seconds to add the ticket ribbons around the lolly stands and the cuddly Circus toys were perfect partners for the food itself. Have a theme in mind and then just go for it!  

And if anyone thinks it is over the top take it as a compliment! I bet they wished their party buffet looked as fab as yours!

I got such pleasure from preparing all the details and everyone noticed the finishing touches on the day.

Get snapping.

And finally - leave enough time to photograph it! I would have been so disappointed not to have got some lovely photos of all our hard work! And make sure you 'pin' your photos to Pinterest so others can be inspired.

This post was kindly sponsored by delights - the online party supplies store

I am a big fan of minimal effort, maximum impact ideas, especially when it comes to parties! 

For Sammy's Birthday, instead of a sweet table, I have a selection of homemade candy lollies. When I say homemade, I mean the cheat's way!

Take a rice crispy square bar and cut in half. Push your lolly sticks in half way and dip in icing.

Dip and roll gently in your chosen topping. Set in the fridge for 10 minutes.

You are done!  

Of course you can choose not be a cheat and make the crispy cakes yourself but when you have lots to make sometimes you are allowed to cheat! 

What could be more delicious than something that looks too pretty to eat. 

Edible flowers are just the most beautiful ingredient. With all the hot weather we have been lucky enough to experience over the last week, I have been inspired to make lots of lollies! But the petal ones have to be my favourite. 

I used elderflower cordial and cherry flavoured water for the lollies themselves and then dropped the petals in at random. 

If you want a perfect look then freeze a third at a time to keep the flowers evenly spaced. I love the perfect imperfect look, so just popped the sticks straight in and whacked them in the freezer. 

I used wide wax spatulas instead of normal lolly sticks  (A timely gift from a friend who said "I was having a clear out and thought, I know someone who might be able to use them for something crafty!") as they have more room to write on. You could ink stamp words on too, or names of party guests, if you made a big batch for a special occasion.

I was totally inspired by these, these and these and there are loads more to choose from on Pinterest like these edible cheese towers, if you are feeling motivated to make petal creations of all descriptions. 

I had a few petals left over so made a few pretty cocktails. I'll share those beauties next week :) 

I always remember my Mum used to make an ice bowl with flowers in it for 'dinner parties'. Take a large bowl and fill it a third full with water. Take a smaller bowl and place it in the water so the bowls sandwich the water between them. Add more water to ensure it almost reaches the top. Almost - remember it will expand in the freezer. Drop your flowers into it, they don't need to be edible if you are only using it for display purposes. Freeze for at least 4 hours. If you want a perfect look freeze a little at a time and add more flowers to ensure they are evenly spread.

They went down very well on the hot summer's day we had this week. I bought my flowers from Greens of Devon . What would you make with edible flowers?

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