Thrifty Thursday: Easy Instant Centerpieces

Here are a couple of easy ways you can make a quick centerpiece for your table with the help of some ordinary things that you probably already have around the house.

1. Secure a pillar candle or a few votive andles to an aluminum pie pan by melting some wax from the bottom of the candles onto the pan. Add a thin layer of water or sand, and put in several rose petals or seashells.

2. Add a cozy, country feel to your table setting by creating a natural candleholder. Use an apple corer to carve a hole three-quarters or the way down into a pair of large apples, insert a tall decorative candle into each hole, surround the apples with a few leaves, branches, or flowers, and voila! You have a lovely centerpiece. {You can also core the apple only a fourth down and put in a votive.}

BONUS TIP: Don't let loose candles spoil the romantic mood or cause a fire at your next candlelight dinner. If the candles don't fit snugly into the holder, wrap layers of tape around their bottom edges until they fit just right.