It pretty much goes without saying that a Kentucky Derby party should have mouth-watering southern food along with a continuous flow of mint juleps. But it’s important to realize that a Derby party is about more than food and drinks. The horses are the true stars of this show. If you leave them out, you’ll have an amazing party with great food and drink, but you will not have a Kentucky Derby party. These golden equestrian napkin rings are just one of the ways that Incorporated horses into my party. They emphasize the equestrian theme, look beautiful on any table, and are unbelievably easy to make. Yup, they win the triple crown of DIY party decor, hands down!

Materials

• 3″ plastic horse toys
• 1.5″ metal ring
• Loctite Super Glue
• metallic gold paint (I used this one by Rustoleum)
• paintbrush

And We’re Off!

The first step is to paint the ring and horse because once we attach them, it will be pretty difficult to paint the nooks and crannies between the legs and the ring. I used the Rustoleum Metallic Accents in soft gold. I stumbled upon this product recently, and I’ve fallen in love with it. It’s a lifesaver if you’re working indoors and can’t use spray paint. Although it takes three to four coats to achieve full coverage, it dries to a smooth, shiny finish with no brush marks. The gorgeous metallic finish more than makes up for the time spent applying the extra coats.

Apply a light coat of paint to the front sides of the napkin ring and horse. Painting one side at a time gives you a dry surface to rest them on while the paint on the other side dries. This way, you won’t mess up your paint finish. Allow the paint to dry before you follow up with the next coat.

Hold Your Horses

To assemble your napkin ring, slide the ring between the horse’s legs such that when you are looking at the side of the horse, you are also looking through the ring. The horse’s belly should rest on the top of the ring. If your ring has a visible weld point like mine, make sure that it is at the bottom so that it will be hidden by the napkin.

Now that you’ve confirmed the fit and placement, pull the ring down slightly, just far enough that the super glue nozzle can fit between them. Add a dot of glue to the top of the ring and move the horse back into place. The glue will set in about ten seconds. Try to glue at least one of the legs to the ring. Your horse’s pose will determine how many legs you can attach, but the more, the better. Unlike the thoroughbreds in the Derby, we need these horses to stay in place.

Once your glue sets, just grab a napkin and start rolling! If you’re not having a sit-down meal, try rolling your silverware inside your napkins and placing a stack on your buffet table. It’s more convenient for your guests since they can grab a napkin and silverware in one shot and as a bonus, it’s an opportunity to jazz up your table. That’s what I call a win/win!