Treat your guests to a fun surprise at the dinner table with a spinning paper wheel menu. As they turn the wheel the cut out reveals the evening’s appetizers, dinner, cocktails and desserts. I decided to decorate my wheel with paper petals but you could simplify the project (especially if you have a lot of guests) by using simple circle shapes or adding character with patterned paper. If you’re not up to the challenge of creating a menu per guest you could also make just one for each table.
Supplies: colored craft paper, screwposts, ruler, scissors, screw punch, pinking shears (if desired), pencil & eraser, glue stick, cutting mat, craft knife, and compass.
1. Begin by measuring the plates you’ll be using at your event (I determined my wheel should be about 8 inches wide to fit nicely in the center of my dinner plates). Using a compass trace a circle, mark the center, and cut out. Then, using a screw punch, punch out the center with a hole large enough to fit your screwposts.
2. Next trace and cut out your secondary circle. This circle will have the window which reveals each portion of the menu. Cut out two holes with a craft knife, one for the title (‘appetizers,’ ‘dinner,’ etc.) and one for the menu items. To determine these sizes print out your menu text and measure the area. Be sure to measure the largest/longest groups of words so that the holes. don’t cover up any writing as it spins.
3. Print out your menu items on the same colored paper as you’re using for the backing circle and glue evenly around the paper. Note: You could also print the items directly on the back circle but from experience this can be frustrating if you don’t have everything perfectly lined up.
3. Print out your menu items on the same colored paper as you’re using for the backing circle and glue evenly around the paper. Note: You could also print the items directly on the back circle but from experience this can be frustrating if you don’t have everything perfectly lined up.
