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add some trimInexpensive seam binding—normally used to conceal the seams inside tailored garments—is all you need to dress up a Mother ’s Day brunch table. Use coordinating colors of the multipurpose trim to make flirty skirts for a pair of stacked cake stands, and then continue the theme with a free-flowing seam-binding “chandelier” (for the how-to, turn the page).

make cake-stand skirt

cut lengths of seam binding in 3 colors. Each length should be long enough to hang over both sides of the cake stand.

Apply double-sided tape around edge of cake stand. Drape seam binding across cake stand, press-ing onto tape. Alternate colors, overlapping pieces at center.

tip: Cut ends of seam binding at an angle to prevent fraying.

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make the tea bags

choose loose teas, and create desired blends. Place 2 tablespoons toward top edge of a cheese-cloth square.

roll up cheesecloth. Gather ends of bundle to create a pouch, and tie closed with cotton string. repeat to create more tea bags.

mAke a tag for each flavor using craft punches and card stock. Punch a hole in the center of each tag. thread tea-bag strings through each tag, and knot.

crafts

mother’s day giftTailor-made teas to suit every taste

Put a pretty, personalized spin on a gift of assorted teas. Make sachets to fill with a mix of favorite loose teas (or create custom blends from dried herbs and edible flowers, such as mint and hibiscus). Add tags, and place in a gift box.

make the seam-binding chandelier

wrAp seam binding around a 14-inch wreath form to cover the surface of the form, and knot to secure. repeat with more seam binding until the form is completely covered.

cut lengths of seam binding (about 20 inches each) in 3 colors.

tie pieces around the wreath form at their midpoints.

to hAng: Cut 4 lengths (about 15 inches each) of seam binding. tie at 4 points around wreath form, and knot at top. hang the decoration from the knot.

tOOls and materials

Loose tea

Cheesecloth, cut into 8-inch squares

Cotton string

scissors

Craft punches in different shapes

Card stock, plain or patterned

hole punch or screw punch

Gift box

Craft glue

make the gift bOx

cut 2 rectangles from card stock to fit inside top and bottom of gift box. snip corners to create flaps. Glue bottom rectangle inside box.

use craft punches and card stock to cut out more tags. Glue tags to top card-stock rectangle, and label. Glue to inside lid of box.

sources: Craft punches and screw punch available from Martha stewart Crafts at michaels.com; see the Guide.

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raspberry lemOnade s E r v E s 8

Combine 10 sliced lemons, 2 cups rAspberries, and 1½ cups sugAr in a large pot.

Pound the mixture firmly with the end of a straight rolling pin (or a large wooden spoon), extracting as much juice as possible, about 10 minutes.

stir in 6 cups wAter. Pour through a sieve into a large bowl. Press the solids until all juice is extracted. Discard the solids. serve over ice. Makes 9 cups

drinks

more fruitCreate a new kind of pink lemonade. Enlist raspberries—those on the verge of being over-ripe are perfect—to sweeten lemonade and turn it a pleasing shade of pink. Pounding the lemon slices releases oil from the rinds, rounding out the flavor.

cOcktail versiOn

stir 2¼ cups tequilA blAnco into 9 cups rAspberry lemonAde. serve over ice, and garnish with mint.

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tOOls and materials

serving bowl

Plastic wrap

tall vase

Floral adhesive

Blocks of floral foam, cut to fit bowl and soaked in water for 20 to 30 minutes

Lilacs (or other flowers)

make the arrangement

line bowl with plastic wrap.

plAce floral adhesive on under-side of vase. set vase in bowl.

fill bowl with soaked floral foam. Arrange lilac stems in foam.

Add water to vase, and fill with more lilacs.

tips: Floral adhesive will hold the vase securely in place but is easy to remove. hammer the tips of the lilac stems until frayed. this will help them absorb water.

sources: Floral adhesive and foam available from Dorothy Biddle service, dbsretail.com.

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LiLaC disPLay Spring flowers stand tall in an easy, two-tier centerpiece.

You can boost the height and visual drama of any arrangement with the help of a serving bowl from the kitchen or china cabinet. Set a vase inside the bowl, and then fill both vessels with billowing flowers.

(more) things a fork can do

1. reaming Insert the tines into halved citrus fruits to extract juice.

2. pricking Make holes in piecrusts or

potatoes before baking.3. crimping

Decorate a raw piecrust by pressing tines along the edge.

4. Whisking Whip eggs for omelets

and other dishes. 5. mashing

Crush berries for a sauce or bananas for banana bread.

6. decOrating Make a crosshatch pattern on

cookies or sides of a cake.7. dipping

Lower nuts, fruits, or cookies into melted chocolate.

8. scraping Carve out spaghetti squash.

Make granita.9. spearing

Lift pickles from a jar and waffles from the waffle iron.

Hold meat when slicing.10. testing

Check if boiled potatoes are cooked through.

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baking

bouquets by the batChThese pastel-colored blooms are a sweet stand-in for real flowers.

Simple sugar cookies spring to life (and become a nice gift for Mother’s Day or any other occasion) when baked on skewers and arranged in a “meadow”—actually a flat of wheatgrass. Use royal icing and any sugar-cookie dough, or visit marthastewart.com/cookie-meadow for recipes.

make the cOOkies

cut shapes from rolled-out cookie dough. transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, placing each cookie on the tip of a wooden skewer. Gently press down. (Cookies will adhere to skewers as they bake.) Bake cookies, and let cool completely.

pipe a border of royal icing onto each baked cookie, using a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip. Make a large dot at the center of the flower if desired, or add several polka dots to mushroom.

cover remaining surface of cookie immediately with icing in a contrasting color. (If desired, let stand 10 minutes, and add smaller dots to center of each flower.) Let icing dry overnight.

sources: Daisy cookie cutter available at kitchengifts.com; mushroom cookie cutter at countrykitchensa.com.

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