Tray Chic
Old cabinet door destined for the landfill? Don't be so closed-minded! With paint and a pair of drawer pulls, a salvaged cabinet door makes a great tray for entertaining. Fill any holes in the board with wood filler from a hardware store; let dry at least two hours. Sand and paint the surface; pre-drill holes and screw in handles of about four inches, as shown.
Pretty Practical
Give your dining table a cheery face-lift for fall by making these custom, easy-care place mats. To start, gather fabric (heavier, "home decorating" weight, like the Amy Butler design shown here from amybutlerdesign.com, works best), pinking shears, and iron-on vinyl topping, which is available at most fabric stores. Cut fabric into 12"-by-17" rectangles; iron. For each mat, cut two rectangles of the same size from the vinyl. Following package directions, iron a piece of vinyl onto each side of the place mat; use pinking shears to trim the edges of your mats. You'll be able to sponge away any spills.
FLOWERY PROSE
Perk up your pencil cup with a bud vase that adds some life to your office space. Remove the ink cartridge from a dried-up pen (most snap out easily). Fill with water, cap the pen at the bottom, and pop in a thin-stemmed bloom.
Change Is Good
Want to teach wee ones that every penny counts? Make a coin bank -- for free. Rinse an empty cleaning-wipe container; remove the label. Go to goodhousekeeping.com/bank to print a new label, below. Cut to fit; affix with tape. Change can be dropped right in through the top hole.
CLEVER COVER
Disposable tissue box designs tend to (pardon the pun) blow. Here's how to DIY an attractive topper that'll last: Pick up an unfinished wooden tissue box, X-acto knife, wood veneer, decoupage glue (like Mod Podge), and polyurethane from a crafts store. Coat the box with polyurethane three times (follow product instructions). Cut four two-inch-wide strips of veneer, one to fit each side of the box. Glue on strips (ours are an inch from the bottom), coating both sides of each strip with glue, as well as the entire box; let dry. For a smooth finish, add a last polyurethane coat.
Stake Your Claim
For your next dinner party, try this trick to mark guests' seats: Spear place cards onto wooden skewers atop lemon slices, then park them in glasses as you set the table. Simply snip card stock into two-inch squares, write names, slice lemon, and assemble on skewers. Hint: Remind guests to remove them before drinking.
Tack It On
The upholstery tack isn't just for sofas anymore. This fabric finisher is back in fashion -- and makes an inexpensive way to add pizzazz to plain pieces of wood furniture. Buy tacks from a hardware or fabric store for about $10 a pack (we used two packs in two sizes); push or tap them in along the lines of a table, bench, or chair for an eye-catching accent.
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