Martha_Stewart_Living_November_2016

(Dana P.) #1
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 wood-
treatment cream to prevent stains.
John Boos Block board cream, $8 for 5 oz., amazon.com.

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.


MAKE & GIVE

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-come-
back macramé),
you can bring the
kitchen staple
full circle in min-
utes. For the how-to,
see page 148.

HOW-TO

Leaf Place
Cards
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


SEW
Thread a
plastic needle,
and go over
the names in a
basic back-
stitch (with the
stitches overlap-
ping slightly).
Let the leaves dry
for a few days
so they get crisp.


2


DMC Light Effects
floss, in Golden
Oak, $2.50 for 8.7
yd.; and Susan
Bates plastic yarn
needles, $2 for 2,
michaels.com.

28


GOOD THINGS


November

Free download pdf