Martha Stewart Living Good Things, December 2008

good things

johnny miller

a lolly, jolly Christmas Stack gumdrops, dot them with sprinkles and other candies in creative ways, and watch the colorful confections come to life as snowmen, Santas, and other icons of the season.

Wrap the candy pops in cellophane bags, and then attach them to gifts or slip them into stockings. Or create a holiday display: Partially fill a large glass jar with sanding sugar, and stand the figurines on flower frogs in the sparkling “snow.� For the how-tos, turn the page.

martha s te wart.com

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gumdrop-pop how-tos Slide gumdrops onto candy sticks (see the Guide) to create body of each pop. (Use leaf-shaped gumdrops for holly pop.) for santa Use top half of 1 small gumdrop for hat. Trim 2 oblong candies for arms. Use candy-coated seeds for buttons and pom-pom. Poke candy where facial features will go with a skewer; use sticky tip to pick up and place nonpareils for eyes and nose. for t re e Use 1 flattened gumdrop for base of tree. Use 1 small gumdrop for trunk. Cut sides from 1 gumdrop; press sides around top of stick, for treetop. Flatten 1 gumdrop; using an aspic cutter, cut out star. Insert sprinkles for lights. for s nowman Trim top of head; top with 1 candy wafer and half of 1 small gumdrop for hat.

Using a skewer (see “For Santa”), place nonpareils for eyes, mouth, and buttons. Insert sprinkle for nose. for hol ly Use halves of small gumdrops for berries. for mushroom Use 1 small gumdrop for stem. Use sequin sprinkles for dots.

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C lo c kw i s e f ro m to p : j o h n n y m i l l e r, y u n h e e k i m ( 2 )

winner plate Every Hanukkah guest gets a prize— chocolate gelt—when they unfold these dreidel-shaped place cards. 1. Photo­copy the template on page 64 (or download and print it at marthastewart.com/decembercrafts), enlarging as directed, and cut out.

Trace onto blue card stock; cut out. 2. With a craft knife, cut slits where indicated by template’s dotted lines. 3. Using a bone folder, score card at base of each flap (above), creating a square in the middle. Fold flaps up, and place chocolate in center. 4. Fold in pointed flaps. Fold in dreidel-shaped flaps, overlapping and hooking together at slits. Write guest’s name on the dreidel.

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before you deck the halls

Pour pebbles around the trunk of your Christmas tree.

It will stabilize the stand.

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For a tree that’s trimmed to the nines, fashion a skirt out of red cotton fabric and white grosgrain ribbon. 1. Cut a 13-by118-inch rectangle of fabric (you may need to link together several 13-inch-wide strips with fabric glue, overlapping ends, to create 1 long strip). Coat with fabric stiffener (see the Guide), using a foam brush to distribute evenly. Air-dry for 1 hour. Press with an iron.

2. Lay an 11½-foot length of grosgrain ribbon on each long side of skirt (see top), positioning ribbon so that there’s 10 inches of overhang on both sides (these ends will form ties). Starting at 1 edge, affix each ribbon with fabric glue; stop 2 inches from opposite edge, and leave remaining ribbon loose. Repeat with a third 11½-foot length of ribbon (see top), positioning it 2 inches from 1 side. 3. Using a quilting ruler as a guide, make 2½-inch-wide accordion folds in fabric (last fold will be slightly narrower).

Press fabric, and unfold. 4. Working along the side with 1 ribbon, punch holes through ribbon and fabric at each fold, about ¼ inch from crease (see above). 5. Thread 1 yard of cord through holes. Wrap skirt around tree, tying cord and ribbons at back.

johnny miller

tree chic

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goody tags

pin and paper Save scraps of holiday gift wrap, and put them to work in a festive greeting-card display. Using a glue stick, coat 1 side of a clothespin; press firmly onto gift wrap.

Cut around clothespin with a craft knife to trim excess paper. Repeat on other side. To hang a series of clothespins, clip them to a length of ribbon, and hang along a banister or above a mantel or entryway. Pin cards along ribbon as they arrive.

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c lo c kw i s e f ro m b ot to m l e f t: j o h n n y m i l l e r ( 3 ) , Y u n h e e K i m

These sparkling gift tags, with a front flap for holding gift-certificate cards, are as functional as they are pretty. Tie them to presents, or hang them on the tree (see page 56). 1. Cut a 4½-by-3½-inch rectangle from card stock, rounding the corners. Cut a 3½-inch square in a coordinating color, rounding bottom corners only. Trim top edge with scallop scissors if desired. 2. Place strips of double-sided tape where glitter will appear, using different widths to vary the size of the stripes; sprinkle with glitter. (If using multiple shades of glitter, lay tape strips down 1 at a time so you can sprinkle individually, left.) 3. Attach square to rectangle with double-sided tape, leaving opening at top. Write greeting on front. Punch a hole in the top, and thread with cord or string, knotting to secure.

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star turn Use cookie cutters to cut Hanukkah symbols from store-bought puff pastry. Roll out thawed frozen puff pastry to a Ÿ-inch thickness. Cut out shapes, and brush with a lightly beaten egg. Sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar. Bake according to the pack­age directions, and serve the pas­tries with ice cream or other desserts.

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c lo c kw i s e f ro m to p l e f t: y u n h e e k i m ( 3 ) , j o h n n y m i l l e r

evergreen adornments These paper trees are as pretty as origami versions but easier to make. 1. For large Christmas trees, use an adjustable circle cutter to make 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-inchdiameter circles from green card stock (for small trees, omit the 6-inch circle). 2. Fold each circle in half 4 times with a bone folder (top). While circles are folded, snip off the tip of each piece, forming a very small hole in center. 3. Place smallest circle on the pointed end of a wooden skewer (we used 12-inch skewers), letting the tip poke through the hole in circle. With a hot-glue gun, dab underside of circle, where paper and skewer meet. Hold for 10 seconds to secure. 4. Working 1 at a time from smallest circle to largest, slide remaining circles onto skewer; secure with glue (above). 5. Insert bottom of skewer into a spool (see the Guide); remove, and cut skewer to desired height (we cut ours to 6, 9, and 10 inches), keeping in mind that only spool should be visible beneath standing tree. Return skewer to spool; secure with glue. 6. Add a dot of glue to top of skewer, and attach a gold bead.

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to have and to fold Gift cards will never go astray again, thanks to the built-in pocket created by this clever wrapping technique. 1. Cut paper several inches larger than the amount needed to wrap the item. Fold paper in half, pattern side in. 2. Fold top layer of paper back partially creating a pocket of desired depth (above); press to crease. 3. Wrap and tape presents as you normally would, keeping the pocket fold in place. Decorate the pocket with ribbon, cord, or other trim.

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johnny miller

a present that grows The next time you give the gift of an amaryllis or paperwhite bulb, top the package with a silk version of the flower: You’ll give the recipient a cheery glimpse of what’s to come. 1. Wrap bulb in tissue paper (above left), and place inside a gift bag. 2. Fold down top edge of bag to close.

Wrap bag lengthwise with satin ribbon, and knot loosely at the top. 3. Trim the stem of a silk flower to ž inch, and then slide it through the knot (left). Use a hot-glue gun to affix the stem, and the ribbon covering it, to the back of the bag. 4. Write care instructions on a card (or download and print card at marthastewart.com/december-crafts), and slip behind ribbon.

silhouettes to savor All you need to make custom stencils for holiday cookies is a plastic lid or an index card. 1. Photocopy templates (below left), enlarging if desired (we enlarged by 155 percent); cut out. Trace shape onto lid or card.

Cut out with a craft knife. 2. Lay stencil on cookie. Using a fine sieve, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on top. Lift stencil carefully.

(For chocolate-cookie recipe or downloadable version of stencil templates, visit marthastewart.com/december-crafts.)

ONLINE: dozens more seasonal good things at marthastewart.com/

good-things-holidays

d r e i d e l p l a c e c a r d t e m p l at e ( e n l a r g e by 2 9 5 p e r c e n t )

c o o k i e st e n c i l t e m p l at e s

f r o m T o p : j o h n n y m i l l e r , y u n h e e k i m ; c r e at e d b y i s a b e l a b d a i , ta n ya g r a f f, a s h l e y l i u , a n d b l a k e r a m s e y; t e x t b y j e s s i c a c u m b e r b at c h

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