Masquerade Column Deco Mesh Centerpiece: Tutorial

Create an element of mystery, opulence and elegance for your event with the right centerpiece. Versatile clear column and plate pieces combine to create striking table decorations for Masquerade or Mardi Gras themed parties, proms or events. And, making one of these centerpieces takes only a few easy steps and some key ingredients such as a mask, deco mesh puffs, clear column with base and feathers.

The idea for this tall puff centerpiece with mini lights was inspired by a combination of hanging mesh pompoms from our previous blog post, and feather tree centerpieces (click here for our tutorial)that have been floating around the blogosphere. One of the great things about this centerpiece is that it is easy to change the colors and decorative accents to suit your needs for specific occasions. Here's how to make it.

SUPPLIES:

1. Clear Column Centerpiece Bases: (1) 6" Plate, (1) 18" Column and (1) 10" Plate

2. (1) 21"wide Purple Deco Mesh Roll

3. Phantom Stick Mask in Purple & Gold

4. Angel Grass Shred in Gold

5. Glitzy Sticks in Gold

6. Purple Ostrich Feathers

7. Battery LED Mini Light Strand

8. Scissors

9. Craft Wire

You can find all of these at MardiGrasOutlet.com.

STEP 1: Assemble the Centerpiece Base

  

Assemble the clear plastic centerpiece bases. The 10" plate should be at the bottom, into which you should insert the 18" column. Finally, place the 6" plate on top. These are perfect for adding height to make tall centerpieces.                                                

If needed, you can add another column and plate to make it taller, or use the 10" column to make the centerpiece shorter. All of these clear plastic centerpiece parts are interchangeable and fit together many different ways.

STEP 2: Fill the Column

For some sparkle, fill the column with purple deco mesh and mini lights. Cut about a 5 inch wide strip from your 21"x10 yard roll of mesh. Roll it tightly. Now, wrap the wired LED lights around the roll. Insert this into the column, with the battery end last, so that it sits on the top plate. You will need to roll the mesh tightly enough to fit into the column.

STEP 3: Make Deco Mesh Puffs

Make 3 deco poly mesh puffs with the purple mesh roll. The puffs give this centerpiece shape and volume. You can always use more puffs for a bigger and fuller centerpiece. 3 pom poms use up a little more than half a roll of deco mesh. For detailed directions, click here to see the previous blog post. Or, scroll down for a summary.

First, cut 3, 12 inch long pieces of craft wire to eventually tie the puffs together. Cut 3 sections of mesh that are each 2 feet long (3 pieces make 1 puff). Gather up one piece of mesh into one hand, and then layer on the other 2 pieces by first bunching in the middle. Tie it with craft wire in the middle where you have been holding. Make a loop with the wire ends so that it is easy to attach them to the centerpiece. Pull and fluff the puffs out. 

STEP 4: Assemble the Puffs and Mask on Stick

Insert the end of the phantom mask's stick through each of the wire loops to hold the puffs. The puffs should be spread out evenly, like a tutu, so that the centerpiece looks good from all angles. The mask acts as the focal point for this centerpiece.

STEP 5: Insert

Insert the mask's stick into the column as shown in the photo above. Adjust the puffs and mask and take a step back to make sure the centerpiece looks even. 

STEP 6: Create and Add Accents

Now you can add new textures and color accents. Insert 3 purple ostrich feathers around the mask into the column. Add about 5 gold glitzy sticks into the column. Glitzy sticks are wired and easy to twist around tubes to make spirals. You can also bend them into any other shape you need. 

Finally, cover the base with gold angel grass shred to complete the look. Another great thing about this centerpiece is that it is easy to move around the accents till you are happy with the arrangement.

MORE DECO MESH CENTERPIECE IDEAS

This type of centerpiece is easy to customize. Here is a different version topped with a beaded purple and gold princess mask and with about 5 purple ostrich feather placed throughout the mesh puffs instead of at the top.

A black & white color scheme would be great for Masquerade party as well. The only difference would be to use both black and white mesh pieces when you are making each puff.

Shown above is: 

1.White Metallic Deco mesh

2. Black and Gold Metallic Mesh 

3. Black and White Formal Feather Stick Mask

Having a party, birthday, wedding or event that isn't a masquerade? Here is a simplified version with  just the deco mesh puffs and lights, and another with feathers. Since there isn't a stick mask to hold and attach the puffs, simply use a thin wooden dowel or other type of stick. Choose accents and colors to customize for your event.

Deco mesh is a type of soft plastic netting  that holds a full shape very easily, and it comes in a huge range of colors, finishes like metallic, and many patterns. Click here to see a great selection.

Have fun!

Create a Cat Mask as featured on Martha Stewart

Masks and Halloween go hand in hand. Be crafty and try making your own purrrfect cat mask! All you need are a basic unpainted cat mask, crepe paper, black acrylic paint and glue.

Click here for Martha Stewart's tutorial and video on how decorate this cat mask. She provides a template for cutting out the different crepe-paper shapes. MardiGrasOutlet.com offers this paper mache mask that is used in Martha Stewart's project. It has a smooth matte surface perfect for paint and gluing. The mask is available here.

Martha also transformed the unpainted paper mache eye mask and the casanova mask into an owl and bird mask using crepe-paper techniques. 

Go here to learn how to create an adorable owl mask.

The unpainted paper mache eye mask she uses is available here.

Click here for Martha's instructions on making a bird mask.
For this project, she used the paper mache casanova mask, available here.

Happy Crafting & Happy Halloween!

DIY: Halloween Ghosts made with Deco Mesh

As promised, here is the tutorial for these cute deco mesh Halloween ghosts. With inexpensive white deco mesh, black masquerade masks and white balloons create these breezy whimsical ghosts for easy Halloween decorations.

SUPPLIES

(will make apx.4-5 ghosts depending on the length of deco mesh cut)

1 roll of 21" roll of metallic white-iridescent deco mesh

1 roll of 2.5" wide orange deco mesh ribbon

black pipe cleaners (5 per ghost)

black masquerade mask

11" white latex balloon (1 per ghost)

adhesive of your choice (glue dots)

scissors

wire or string (for hanging the ghosts)

Lay the deco mesh on a flat surface. Cut a piece of white deco mesh approximately 5 feet long. The longer the piece of mesh, the larger the ghost. The three ghosts pictured above are made with three different lengths of mesh.

Layer another piece of mesh across going the opposite direction (form a cross shape). Cut this piece the same length as the first.  

Trim and finish off the ends of both pieces of deco mesh with a large irregular zig-zag pattern.

Fill one of the white latex balloons with air. The balloon should be the size of a large cantaloupe. Place the balloon in the center-cross point- of the mesh. Gather up the first piece of mesh around the neck of the balloon and hold. Gather up the second piece of mesh. Hold in place.

Tie a piece of the 2.5" orange deco mesh ribbon around the neck of the ghost to secure. Cut an addition loop of ribbon approximately 3 feet long. Create a big loop and tie into the ribbon on the neck to form a bow.

Make a ghost mouth:

The fun part is creating a mouth for your ghost with a black pipe cleaner.

Bend it in half and form it into what-ever silly mouth shape you like. We created three different versions on our ghosts featured above- pick one you like!

Attach the black mask and pipe cleaner mouth to the ghost head with your preferred type of adhesive. We used glue dots. Depending on the weight of your mask you may need additional adhesive.

Each of our ghosts has one of these cute spooky spiders! 

How to create spooky pipe cleaner spiders:

Twist four black pipe cleaners together in the center as shown.

Bend each of the 4  legs on each side into a V shape to make the spider legs.

Our bunch of whimsical ghosts 

Wire, mono-filament or string tied to the top of these whimsical ghosts allow you to hang them indoors or out. The deco mesh is weatherproof !

Decorating for Halloween with Masquerade Masks

Masquerade masks are for more than carnival season. Masks are great for Halloween- not just to wear, but also to decorate with. To inspire you, here are a few Halloween decorating ideas using masks in creative ways. If you want to create similar Halloween decorations, find these masks and similar styles at MardiGrasOutlet.com.

Add a note of mystery to your ghostly creatures with masks. The black cat eye mask on this cute mesh ghost (featured above) adds another touch of whimsy to the decoration. We will post a DIY tutorial for creating this mesh ghost next week. Look for it soon!

A paper mache Stallion mask adds a spooky accent on a chandelier, sconce or candle holder.  Better Homes and Gardens featured Spooky Stylish Halloween Decorations that lend a sinister effect to a light by attaching an eerie mask. The light will glow through the eyes of the mask, giving off a mysterious glow.

Photo credit: Better Homes and Gardens

 Transform a tall vase into a witch head by filling the vase with branches and feathers. Tie them at the top to create the illusion of a pointy hat. Adorn the vase with a green mask for the witch face.

Photo credit: BHG.com, Spooky Stylish Halloween Decorations

Craft a striking Halloween wreath by hot-gluing alternating black and white domino eye masks to a wreath form. The striking combination of black and white mask creates a fun, inexpensive and unique Halloween themed wreath.

Photo credit : Spell-binding black and white Halloween decorations at BHG.com.

What a fun and easy way to add a new look to your jack-o-lantern! Slip a mask on your pumpkin face to change him from plain to perfect! These cute Jack-o-lanterns were featured in Good House Keeping, Magical Halloween Decorating Ideas.

Photo credit: goodhousekeeping.com

A pumpkin carving party for your friends and family is lots of fun. Have a contest for the best pumpkin creation. If your guest don't want to carve at the party, offer fun masks and accessories to decorate their pumpkin and they can carve the pumpkin later at home.  After the party everyone gets to take home their pumpkin creation- the perfect party favor!

Photo credit: Country Livings, 40 Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

What better way to disguise yourself at a costume party than with Mustaches and Masks? This precious centerpiece was featured on Hostess with the Mostess blog for a Victorian themed Halloween party. The masks and mustaches are anchored in a big silver wine cooler with orange candy. This arrangement serves not only as a centerpiece, but also as party favors. Cute idea!

Photo credit: Hostess with the Mostess

A gold venetian mask lends a air of mystery to this elegant Halloween table-scape. The metallic gold adds a nice luster to the black and white color scheme.

Photo credit: pinterest.com

Mardi Gras Wedding Theme

Choosing a Mardi Gras theme for your wedding brings a fun party atmosphere of jazz, music, good food, great times and the mantra of "laissez les bon temps rouler" to your event. Don't think that it has to be over the top, or that you have to be in New Orleans to have this unique theme. Small touches of Mardi Gras for the reception, decor, favors, invitations, cake and food all add up to make for a memorable Mardi Gras event.
(photo: bicoastalbrideblog.com)

Purples, greens and golds are the traditional Mardi Gras colors. Masks, fleur de lis, crowns and jesters are common symbols. Set the tone by choosing a wedding invitation with these colors or themes. You can find a big selection of Mardi Gras invitations ranging from traditional to modern here.

(photo: theknot.com)

Incorporating a Mardi Gras theme into your bridal party attire is easy. Mardi Gras masquerade masks add a festive touch and come in a huge variety of shapes and colors. The bridal party can carry feather masks and wear purple and green like this sophisticated group pictured below. The bride stays traditional in white and wears a white or silver mask like this one.

Another great Mardi Gras tradition is the second line parade, which you can read more about  here. The wedding pictured here has a real brass band marching with the wedding party to the reception. The bride carries a lace parasol which you can find at this site. How fun to parade into the reception hall, tossing Mardi Gras beads to guests!

          (photo: theknot.com) 

At the reception continue the Mardi Gras theme by serving spicy entrees such as gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish etouffee. Check out our selection of  Louisiana food and drink mixes for more Cajun dishes or see our Louisiana recipes page for ideas.

Serve your guests some Louisiana favorites such as beignets, pralines or king cake. Instead of a typical groom's cake, serve Mardi Gras king cakes. This is a great way to bring in a Mardi Gras theme while keeping a traditional wedding cake. Coordinate the wedding cake with your Mardi Gras theme. The beautiful wedding cake seen below, is decorated with a harlequin diamond pattern, beaded details and masquerade masks. End your meal with a champagne toast to the new couple in these beautiful fleur de lis toasting glasses! Find them at this site.

           (photos: theperfectdetailsblog,blog.mardigrasoutlet.com)

Carry the Mardi Gras theme throughout the decorations and centerpieces. Below are a range of ideas. 

Clockwise from top left: A rich table-scape theme with purple table cloths, gold napkins and  venetian masks; learn how to make this beautiful centerpiece here; a simple and clean table-scape using beads and floral sprays; throw beads; a d.i.y. floral centerpiece with submersible aqua-lights; and easy decorating with sprinkled doubloons and a jester mask as favors for the guests.

       (photos: joelatter.com, theknot.com, theperfectdetailsblog,blog.mardigrasoutlet.com.)

Browse this blog for more Mardi Gras decorating tips and ideas, and visit Mardi Gras Outlet for the products you have seen here plus many more!

Some more helpful posts on a Mardi Gras Wedding:

Wedding Welcome Bags

Mardi Gras Outlet featured in Wedding Magazine