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GOOD T H INGS Fresh Ideas to Elevate the Everyday
DIY DÉCOR
FALL INTO PLACE
Guide Thanksgiving guests to their seats—and give little hands a fun project in the days beforehand— with easy embroidered table cards. Stitch each name onto a sturdy leaf (these are magnolia), and let nature’s paper spruce up the feast. PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHELSEA CAVANAUGH TEXT BY SARA MORROW
ST Y LI N G BY SA R A H VAS I L
For the how-to, turn the page.
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November G O O D T H I NG S HOW-TO
MAKE & GIVE
Leaf Place Cards
Hot Knots Shorter days often lead to longer gatherings over hearty roasts and pots of chili. Wow any host with this stylish woven trivet, which we crafted out of wire and metallic knotting rope. With a basic cow hitch (one of the easiest techniques in making-a-comeback macramé), you can bring the kitchen staple full circle in minutes. For the how-to, see page 148.
The thick thread and plastic needle used in this project make it great for kids; with a little parental guidance, they’ll sew like pros.
1 PREP Set leaves upside down on a work surface, with their midribs and veins facing up. Write guests’ names (in simple block letters) on the leaves in gold marker.
2 SEW Thread a plastic needle, and go over the names in a basic backstitch (with the stitches overlapping slightly). Let the leaves dry for a few days so they get crisp. DMC Light Effects �loss, in Golden Oak, $2.50 for 8.7 yd.; and Susan Bates plastic yarn needles, $2 for 2, michaels.com.
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EASY ENTERTAINING
Do a Plank Having a bunch of people over? Keep appetizers stress-free and minimize the number of dishes piling up in the sink with this genius trick: Simply arrange charcuterie, cheeses, fruits, nuts, olives—you get the picture—on a board cut to the length of your buffet or coffee table. Add votives and sprigs of fresh herbs to jazz it up. To create the board, have your lumberyard cut a slab, then sand it and treat it with a food-safe oil. Rub it before each use with a woodtreatment cream to prevent stains. John Boos Block board cream, $8 for 5 oz., amazon.com.
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November G O O D T H I NG S
CLUTTER CONTROL
DO A DOUBLE
Get the Hang of It In a bathroom that lacks under-sink storage, make walls work overtime and beautify an empty space in one fell swoop. A row of Shaker pegs—and a handful of pretty baskets—are a stylish way to organize get-ready essentials.
Mount two rows of pegs in one line to max out the space over your toilet or bathtub, too. Six-peg maple Shaker racks, in Unfinished, $15 each, containerstore.com.
STASH THE PAPER
An extra roll looks more polished when tucked into a pouch. From left: Round Tahiti baskets, $14 each, and Oval Makati waste basket, $20, containerstore.com. IKEA Nordrana basket, $10 for 2, ikea.com.
MEASURE UP
Look for a mirror with a hanging bar or rope, and make sure to center it over the sink. IKEA Ikornnes table mirror, in Ash, $30, ikea.com.
TIP BYPASS THE BAR
Your bathroom just got even more streamlined: Pegs eliminate the need for towel racks.
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Use leather cord to make hanging straps for baskets: Thread the ends through the weave and knot them. Bead Landing leather suede cord, $8 for 9 ft., michaels.com.
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November G O O D T H I NG S RECIPE REMIX
A Scrappy Idea
CARE PACKAGES Order coated-Kraftpaper to-go boxes in advance.
MASON-JAR LID
Easy Fold & Close Box #4 takeout containers, $37 for 40, amazon.com.
EXTRA PIE DOUGH Go sweet...
WRAP RIGHT Cordon off moist foods with parchmentlined foil.
...or savory. If you have crust trimmings from your holiday pies (for inspiration, see page 90), bake ‘em into breakfast bites. Gather the scraps and roll them out ⅛ inch thick on a �loured surface. Use a ring mold or glass to cut out 4-inch rounds. Place them in Mason-jar lids and crimp the edges. Then make them into mini quiches, or teensy tarts with ricotta and dollops of strawberry jam. Get the recipes at martha stewart.com/ breakfast-bites.
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THE BEST PARTS Spoon cranberry sauce and stuf�ing into small Mason jars. Ball Quilted Crystal glass Mason jars, 4 oz., $10 for 12, freshpreserving.com.
PROVISIONS
Turkey-Day Giveaway To leave them even more thankful (and save your fridge from overstuffing), send guests home with sandwich fixings and a slice of something sweet. All it takes is a few bucks and a little forethought to distribute leftovers with style.
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