Make a quick and easy footed cake plate

Virginie Martocq

It's dreary out. Rather than turning in and getting cozy, I've decided to pretend it's April or May, that the tulips are poking through the ground and magnolia trees are in full bloom. With that in mind, I thought up this little project that literally took me 30 minutes and makes me so very happy.

Start with a pile of mismatched plates and cups – I got these at Value Village for $10.

I also stopped by my favourite ribbon store, Mokuba on Queen street, to stock up on ribbon.

To assemble the cake plates, run a band of silicone on the end of your cup or small bowl, then press plate firmly into place. Allow 24 to 48 hours to dry. I used hot glue which works as a temporary solution, but won't last forever.

If you're really feeling fancy, trim the edges of the plates with ribbon – double-sided tape works best so you can remove the ribbon to wash the plates.

Stack them high and pile them with cakes, cookies and mini-sandwiches. And why wait for a special occasion. Nothing like hump day to hold a tea party.

Don't forget to send me your decorating questions at askvirginie@chatelaine.rogers.com.

First edition of reader Fridays coming up!