Esther O Design

These gorgeous,delicious and refreshing fruit cups are the perfect dessert for a hot summer day.

For an eye catching presentation at your next party, line them up in rows, each row topped with a different fruit topping..

The Pesach Seder is a culmination of many things....weeks of cleaning, hours of cooking, more hours of shopping, days of having the kids home and bored.

But it's also the anniversary of our nationhood.  It's the commemoration of our redemption from the seemingly endless exile of Egypt.  And even if we are dropping with exhaustion, we get a second wind when the Seder begins.  I attribute this yearly phenomenon to the sparkle in the children's eyes, the memories of all the sedorim of our youth, and the desire to create new memories that our children will cherish as they grow,.

So now that you have your Mishloach Manos and Costumes all taken care of (gulp) we can turn our attention towards the seudah.

Purim gives us a unique opportunity to unleash our creativity with a bit of a funky twist.  Most of our holiday meals are formal kind of affairs.  Purim is just begging for us to have fun and introduce that element of surprise into our table setup.

Click on an image above to download the corresponding placemat file from the Black and White Theme.

Click on an image above to download the corresponding placemat file from the Purim Characters Theme.

My philosophy is that every celebration should include interesting and memorable details. This however, does not mean it has to be complicated, or expensive. Often, the most memorable party favor, table décor, or original presentation, is by taking regular household items and transforming them into an unforgettable memento that will remain with the guests long after the party is over. A couple of years ago, I did a Chanukah party setup for Mishpacha Magazine. Included in it was the following idea for Chanukah themed napkin rings. All it is, is pennies… but the décor, is priceless

Shavuot is a special time for adults and children alike. If you’re like me, when I think of Shavuot I automatically associate this holiday with two things; cheesecake and flowers! 
Cheesecake aside, flowers are a wonderful way to bring the spirit of the holiday into your home. These candy flower planters are easy and lots of fun to make. They will look stunning as a decorative addition to your Yom Tov sweet table and they will be enjoyed by both adults and children alike.So, after the cupcakes have been eaten and the lollypops licked, the fond memories of the flowers (and the cheesecake) will linger year after year.

Years ago, I made a fruit topiary centerpiece for a Bar Mitzvah which took place the week of Tu B’shvat. Though it looked beautiful, it was not practical at all. The moment someone took a fruit off, the whole structure began to unravel. Last year, a friend of mine asked me to make fruit centerpieces for her daughter’s Shabbos Sheva Brachos which came out on Tu B’shvat. This time, I was determined to make something more practical. Originally, I intended to use curly branches from my florist, but while I was planning this I spotted an all-year-round bush in my yard with beautiful leaves on it, which is what you see in the picture.  I used some thin wire to hang kumquats on the branches and a striking “tree” centerpiece was created that still looked great after its fruits were “picked”.

Everyone is always looking for cute yet simple and inexpensive ideas to enhance their Purim table. Here are some attractive ideas for   you to create that festive look. Whether you use china or plastic, your  guests will surely be delighted with your charming setup.

Delight your family and friends with these adorable Purim setup ideas-eye catching,fun and oh so simple to create.Use one of these ideas and you'll be "set" to go!

The bottle of wine is the classic Mishloach Manot  item on everyone’s list. For the Rabbi, teacher, in-laws, etc, a bottle of wine is always on our list for someone. Here’s an idea to present it in an elegant and unique way. This diamond wrap trim used, cuts and glues easily, and is simple to assemble. Paired together with a matching box filled with Cannolis, with minimal effort you’ll have a classy presentation.