Here are some home-made wood table mats for a beautiful decoration for special summer-time meals.

0.2 inch plywood
string
your choice of seashells or beads
your choice of paint color

Material
pumice stone or sandpaper
pokerwork machine/soldering iron
glue gun
a fret saw or a jig saw
drill

Cut out the shape you want for the place mats from the plywood sheet, using the fret saw or the jig saw. Also cut out the little "place cards" in the same way, but BE CAREFUL, these should not be cut out with the jig saw as this is too dangerous, unless you have a vise! Smooth the edges.

Cut a piece of string. Tie a double knot at the end and insert it into the opening of the seashell. Using a glue gun, place one or two drops of glue at the spot where you inserted the knot.

Drill two holes on each side of the place mats that you have just cut out, 4 holes on each place mat. Also drill two holes, one at the top and one at the bottom of the little 'place cards'. Paint the place mats. When they have dried, thread the pieces of string through the holes on both sides of the place mat and tie at the back.

Using the pokerwork machine/soldering iron, write the first names of your guests on the  "place cards". Then pass the string with the seashell at the end right through the holes in the place mat. Lastly, bring the end of the string through one of the upper holes in the place mat and tie a knot at the back of the mat.

Here you can see the plate, napkin and table runner that I've chosen, as well as two different ways you can position your plates. Just to let you know, I used paper plates for this event.