In 2023 I was invited to work as a volunteer for the local annual charity event known as the Chef’s Soirée. Restaurateurs, spirit and wine vendors and a multitude of other food and beverage related businesses from the area volunteer and donate time and tastings for those attending the event in an effort to raise a sizable amount of funds to support the local Youth Service Bureau.
The Youth Service Bureau’s mission is to provide Advocacy, Counseling, Education and Intervention for at-risk youth and their families, helping them reach their full potential. Their programs have served St. Tammany and Washington Parishes since 1981. https://www.ysbworks.com/ The YSB is dependent on the donations and fundraising efforts throughout the year.
Since relocating to the Northshore area (north of Lake Ponchartrain and New Orleans) a little more than a decade ago, I’ve seen the annual posters for the event displayed in various restaurants, but I was unfamiliar with the event or it’s purpose when invited to participate. I accepted the invitation to work as a volunteer in order to become more familiar with the cause and those involved.
When the weekend of the event arrived it was extremely cold and wet from rain which could result in a disaster for an outdoor event. By the evening of the main event, while still very cold, the sun blazed brightly and helped to somewhat dry the park’s turf, but didn’t warm up enough to prevent us from having to forfeit elegant red dresses for warm layers of sweaters and coats. When all was said and done, the weather relented and the evening went on like clockwork making the event once again a success.
This year I was approached and asked if I’d be interested in joining the actual planning committee for the 2024 Chef’s Soiree’ which will be the 40th anniversary. I originally agreed to assist a friend with her committee, but somehow ended up being assigned the task of decorations for the event. While quietly unconvinced an event of this size was something I could manage, and knowing it would greatly test my confidence, I reluctantly agreed to take the assignment.
I was assigned the task of designing centerpieces for 130 various sized tables for the event, with the note that everything for the event is donated and there was no funds in the budget for decorations, to which my eyebrows furrowed. Later I was informed there was no donor for decorations and I given a small budget of only $300 which comes to $2.31 per table. While I do like to challenge myself, I was seriously concerned, I have no magic wand.
The person in charge of organizing the event (for 28 years) advised she had chosen a “Glitzy Gold” theme and wanted an elevated elegant decor for this anniversary year incorporating lots of gold. The plan included additional lighting (more than prior years) that would be strung in the trees throughout the park in specific patterns and designs to update the ambiance. The high boy tables would be covered with black tablecloths and cinched with a gold sash (but in the end had white sashes). I suggested that the black and gold brought my thoughts to an Art Deco decor which was enthusiastically accepted as the direction for my decorations. Now I had to present a few samples of table decor designs that would cost pennies.
For those that follow me, you know I rely heavily on The Dollar Tree to source materials for creating my home themed party decor. This event was no different, especially due to the very limited budget. I carefully collected some materials and began my quest to design tasteful styled art deco centerpieces that I could present to the committee.
A VIP party is held the Friday evening prior to the main event for those that made the most generous donations and sponsorships with an attendance of approximately 300. While decorations are used for this evening, they are less elaborate offering just a hint of what is to come in the main event and include only 26 tables. Above and below are the centerpieces for that event. The tumbler vases were donated to us, so we did not have a cost for that item (but they are also sold at, you guessed it The Dollar Tree.) The vases will also be reused with a different wrap band design on the evening of the main event. The three sided poster board design was used on the high boy tables and the vases were placed on small bistro tables.
The poster board is so lightweight that I glued glass floral pebbles inside of each corner to keep it in place on the table. Since the event is held outdoors, concerns about any wind had to be considered as part of my designs. The space in the middle is just the right size to hold the votive candle. (each square is 4″ x 4″)
A large art deco fashioned arch was constructed for the VIP’s to walk through as they arrive to the VIP event and another was placed in the “Chef’s Corner” tent, again for VIP’s.
My mind continued to spin with unique ways to use the poster board to create designs, knowing it would keep the cost down. Below is a medallion I created from the larger ring (left over from the set of 3), poster board and rhinestones that was placed behind the car raffle tent.
On to the bistro sized and 60″ round tables, I started with a set of 3 gold rings I found in the floral section (The Dollar Tree). Using two of the smaller rings wired together, I imagined a wood stand that would hold the rings in place wrapped in black and gold card stock in an art deco pattern. One of our construction fellows made 12 wooden stands for me and painted them black. I cut and paste together an art deco style center card with “40” on it, and purchased two packs of 40 feathers from Amazon for $25 each). This design was the majority favorite and guests left with two of them! The feathers were used in several of the other designs.
The final ring design – is two sided so that both sides of the table have the same image.
The final design included the wood block, painted black and then wrapped in black glitter cardstock. To avoid the expense of printing the anniversary cards inserted in many of the designs, I opted to use the poster board and rhinestones with numbers cut out on a cricut machine (with the help of a volunteer as I do not have a cricut machine). Five of this specific design were made.
My paper cutter got a very big workout making all of the poster board designs.
My meeting with the event planner was at her house, and I was inspired by a sconce on her foyer wall that had a modern art deco design created with metal spikes. I decided to purchase wooden skewers and paint them gold to create an original design for some of the tables. This design will be used on four tables.
Using the round styrofoam base with skewers cut to form a crownlike shape (higher in the back and gradually lower in the front), then painted gold created the next design. I also incorporated some party skewers with gold wooden beads that I had in my own person stock to add some variation and interest. Later I found similar wood beads at The Dollar Tree that I was able to slip on to the wooden skewers to repeat the adornment to other spike designs created.
The final design also included the card made with poster board and it was set and glued to a wood block painted black. I used cocktail napkins from a recent party that had gold fringe on the bottom edge to wrap around the wood block. This gave weight to the styrofoam based design to help hold it in place on the table.
The larger 60″ tables needed something a little larger, without being too tall or obstructing the view from one side of the table to the other. These Dollar Tree very art deco mirrors were glued to the middle sized ring (same set as the ring design) with E6000 adhesive. One side until it was fully dried and then one placed against its back to form a two sided design.
To stretch the dollar even further, I used gold pearl push pins, black and gold glitter vinyl paper (for a cricut machine) and adhesive rhinestones all found in the office and craft sections of The Dollar Tree. Mirror squares found in the candle section, were framed with strips of the pearl-rhinestones and then the entire design was attached with E6000 to give it stability and reflection. A battery votive candle will go in the center (a gold painted shower curtain ring).
I call the design below my “Empire State Building”. Simple poster board, skewers inserted into styrofoam and a clear plastic bowl sprayed gold.
Since all of the components are very lightweight, there is a concealed small plastic bowl turned upside down with glass floral pebbles (6) inside to add weight to the very light centerpiece. (Skewers from Walmart – 100 count for 97 cents, gold spray paint $7, plastic bowl 2 for $1.25 and Pearl and rhinestone $1.25 a sheet –The Dollar Tree). A light sprinkling of gold glitter was added to the skewers while the paint was still wet.
The ostrich feathers were the most expensive item of all of the materials used. The adornment added just the right amount of and much needed flair and elegance to some of the designs.
Heavy plastic champagne flute glasses were donated to create the 44 high top table design. Glittered white tissue paper, a battery operated votive and an ostrich feather completed the design. I also added some of the self adhesive rhinestones and pearls to the feathers. The feminine touch needed a little jewelry. (Every single one of these were taken by the guests!)
Tumbler vases with poster board bands, then filled with gold and black painted skewers are for the small bistro tables. The battery votive candles were later wiped down with a gold wax to blend in better with the design.
When I thought all of my designs were complete, the event organizer advised that she had a new sponsor that would need a tent with four more tables. I remembered I had a small number of gold foil mini cupcake or candy holders in my baking stash. So using the same glass tumbler, I created a different band for the four tables using the same poster board and a rhinestone design that was in the center of the full sheet.
Each year a local Ford dealership, donates a new vehicle to be raffled off at the Soiree. It is a major source of the fundraising for the night. A special tent is set up where raffle tickets are sold. We placed the large vases on each side of the tent on column pillars filled with pampas grass plumes and gold palm leaves. For this vase I created a 4 inch band out of corrugated paper (used to pack and separate dinner plates) painted gold to create “fringe”, topped with black poster board. I then traced the outline of the art deco mirror on the back side of the metallic gold poster board, black starbursts and YSB initials cut on a cricut were placed in the center.
As I continued to look at the pile of scraps that remained from the materials I used, I had a final burst of inspiration. I used the two larger rings (15″) the remaining gold poster board and scraps of black poster board, rhinestones and feathers to create two faux sconces. I hot glued a section of poster board inside the cup shape to place a battery votive candle. These were placed in front of some shiny gold fringe in the pavillion.
Every year an artist creates the image for the event poster. This year’s poster was inspired by the event planner’s imagination of what this year’s soiree would look like and depicts the artist in the crowd (the red haired woman in the front in a gold dress). The event planner and artist are one in the same.
Based on the photo I took below, the image matches the poster almost perfectly.
I was a little wet and weathered, once again it rained causing what usually is many hours of work to be condensed to only a couple of hours and everyone was worn out and exhausted, but I made it to the end. Never take for granted how hard volunteers work in the background to create a memorable evening for events you attend.
I watched families with young kids set up cardboard trash receptors with bags for nearly an hour, men and women push water from the rain with brooms to clear paths, carry tables to various locations manually because the rain had delayed the set up until just two hours before the event was to begin and more. The work was exhausting and at all times I tried to stay focused not only on my commitment to see my assignment through (and I could never have done it without the help of some of my closest friends), but also the purpose for this event which was to raise funds to help make many little young lives better for themselves and our community. I now have a new appreciation for all that goes into raising funds to help such meaningful organizations and we are grateful for every single hand involved in addition to the generous donors and those who purchased tickets to attend. À votre santé and Bon Appetit!
Tips:
- Use double sided scotch tape to layer the poster board rather than hot glue or any liquid glue. Hot glue cracks when bent and does not provide a smooth surface. Wet glues make the color of the poster board bleed and bubbles. The double sided table avoids all of these issues.
- When spray painting the skewers, use a block of styrofoam to stick as many of the skewers into as possible leaving some space in between. Lightly spray from one angle and allow to dry. Turn the square and spray from another angle. Repeat until all skews are completely covered. To add the glitter, sprinkle lightly after final spray while still wet. An alternative, once the paint is completely dry use an adhesive spray to gently mist the skewer and then sprinkle with the glitter.
- It doesn’t have to be pretty, (no one will be looking that closely and it will be dark – an evening event) but we rubbed a gold metallic wax on all 100 battery votive candles. The white stood out too much and did not blend in with all of the sparkly gold. Even when slightly covered with glitter tissue paper, if any portion peeked out, it looked better gold.
S I P [Social Interactions and Parties] 