If you are looking for something whimsical, look no further than the children's toy department for inspiration. Cute little animals, be they from the jungle, farm or forest, can be styled up with a coat of gold paint to turn them into quirky ornaments for your tables. The gilded creatures can be displayed next to flower arrangements, on stacks of books, as cake toppers, or turned into place-card holders or table numbers.

• plastic animals
• spray can of gold gloss paint
• electric drill with a fine drill bit (slightly thicker than the wire)
• fine wire
• wire cutters
• needle-nose pliers

Drill a hole in the top of the animal. To hold the card, you will need to create three equal sized circles tightly together. Cut a piece of wire 12cm long, hold one end with the pliers and twist to form the circles around the pliers. Leave approximately 3cm of wire at the other end to be inserted into the drilled hole. Spray with two coats of paint in a well ventilated area. When dry, insert the card between the wire rings.

Bags of plastic animals can be purchased from discount stores or individually from toy shops. All other materials are available from hardware stores.

MW x