DIY Tiered Plates Fit for a Tea Party

Every other week, Anna Hezel talks about the innovations, decorations, and other quiet touches that make a party memorable.

Today: Turn mismatched plates and candlesticks into props for your next tea party.

Tiered plates are hard to come by these days, but they make so much sense -- they save tabletop space, feel nostalgic, and look pretty. A few months ago, a friend told me that she had made her own tiered plates for a party, using some china and old brass candlesticks. This struck me as a pretty genius way to turn household odds and ends into some good-looking party props, so I gave it a try myself.

The results were fit for a cozy early-autumn tea party -- the perfect vessels for tomato sandwiches, stonefruit, ginger cookies, and rosemary shortbread. If you find yourself craving a bout of baking and entertaining as the warm weather wanes, I would urge you to do the same.

If you're really ambitious and can get your hands on the right equipment, give Apartment Therapy's tutorial a try. Otherwise, pick up a few $.99 plates and platters from Fishs Eddy and gather up some old candlesticks you have lying around.

More: 12 quick breads, muffins, and scones to put on your new tiered trays.

Supplies:

- plates in a few different sizes
- brass, wooden, or iron candlesticks
- super glue

Instructions:

1. Apply a little bit of super glue to each end of a candlestick.

2. Carefully set it down in the very center of a larger plate. Set a slightly smaller plate at the top of the candlestick, making sure that it is centered before you allow the plate to make contact with the glue.

3. Place a heavy book on the top plate, and allow the glue to dry for at least an hour. If you'd like a plate with three tiers, repeat with another candlestick and another plate that is smaller yet.