The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Natural settings for Thanksgiving
The only thing as wonderful as upholding favorite holiday traditions is starting beautiful new ones. Each of these ideas strikes a nice balance between rustic and refined, is simple enough for casual crafters to pull off and will make your Thanksgiving table look so lovely, you’ll happily give Nana’s silver napkin rings a breather — at least till next month.
Fringed skirts
Snip a yard of fringe trim from the crafts store into 7-inch pieces, poke a hole at each end with an awl, wrap them around rolled-up napkins and secure with screw-back brass clasps. Joyce Trimming fauxsuede fringe trim, 2 inches, $4 a yard, joycetrim.com. Pacific Trimming screw-in rivets, 6 millimeters, $1 each, pacifictrimming.com.
Shell cellars
Gather small sticks that lie flat, and hot-glue two walnut halves onto each. Fill them with salt and pepper, and place them around your table — one for every two people. ArtsShopCo large walnutshell halves, $5 for four, artsshopco.etsy.com.
Starring rolls
Forgo the usual communal basket, and treat all your VIPs to personal bread boards. Add a ramekin of butter, so they can lay it on as thick as they like.
Chic circles
A leather washer used in bike repairs is the thing of beauty here. Just attach a leather cord to the ring using a lanyard hitch, and knot the loose ends around a napkin. Twin Leather Designs W-9 leather washer, 40 cents, twinleatherdesigns.com. Bead Landing latigo cording, in Toffee, $8.50 for 3 yards, michaels.com.
Holiday fun: the party zone
Since they’re not exactly big on small talk, gourmet canapés or relaxing with a cocktail, the youngest of your esteemed guests may start getting antsy before the bird gets carved. To keep the potentially squirmiest seated and happy sans screens, serve up activities so tempting, adults may ask, “Exactly how strict is the age limit at the kids’ table?”
1. Check mates: Turn a linen runner into Activity Alley with fabric paint and game stencils. Paint or number wooden rounds for the pieces. The Stencilsmith game-board stencil, 10 inches, $13.50; and tic-tac-toe stencil, 10 inches, $16, thestencilsmith.com. ArtMinds wooden disks, 1 inch and 1.5 inches, from $2 for six; and Martha Stewart Crafts multisurface satin acrylic craft paint, in Ink Blue, $2.50 for 2 ounces, michaels.com. Jacquard Textile Colors fabric paint, in Brown, $4.75 for 2.25 ounces, dickblick.com.
2. Action figures:
Top kids’ napkins with wooden dolls (aka protoLegos) wearing acorntop berets and ribbon scarves, and set out markers so they can fill in the details. ArtMinds Mom & Dad dolls, $2 for a pair, michaels.com. Linge Particulier linen napkins, in Brown Gingham, $15 each, shopthemansion.com.
3. Better letters: Make “place cards” from alphabet tiles that kids can swap, spell with and take home as souvenirs. ArtMinds wooden alphabet tiles, $6 for 60, michaels. com.
4. Bead brigade: Fill bowls with necklace- or bracelet-making supplies for junior jewelers. Factory Direct Craft assorted round wooden beads, $5.75 for 45, factorydirectcraft.com. Creatology wooden alphabet beads, $7.50 for 150; and Bead Landing faux-suede cording, $7.50 for 12 two-yard bundles, michaels.com. LET US HELP YOU Email your questions to ask. martha@meredith.com, or send them to Ask Martha, c/o Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 225 Liberty St., 9th floor, New York, NY 10281. Please include your full name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters and messages become the property of Meredith Corp. and may be published, broadcast, edited or otherwise used in any of its media. By submitting your questions to Ask Martha, you are agreeing to let us use your name and hometown in connection with our publication of your questions.