THANKSGIVING CRAFTS

Winter Potpourri Pie

Delicious aromas arising from the kitchen get so closely associated with every holiday. Bring the freshness of crisp winters in your home with this easy Potpourri Pie.

Materials:

1 cup salt
2 cups flour
water (as needed to form dough)
rolling pin
9" pie plate
lattice cutter/cookie cutters
pine needles
cinnamon sticks
pine potpourri
scented pine oil
tan acrylic paint
sponge brush
glue gun

Method:

STEP 1: Mix 1 cup salt with 2 cups of flour and water forming salt dough.
STEP 2: Roll dough with rolling pin (as if making a pie).
STEP 3: Trace pie plate on dough---put dough in bottom of pie plate.
STEP 4: With remaining dough make pie top with lattice cuts or small cookie cutters. Put top on foil.
STEP 5: Bake pie dough bottom and top in oven on low heat for 1 - 2 hours or until hard.
STEP 6: Scrape pine needles off Christmas tree branch, scrape cinnamon off cinnamon sticks, add cranberries, pine potpourri, scented oil to bottom of pie plate (enough to fill pie).
STEP 7: Paint pie top with tan acrylic paint to achieve pie color.
STEP 8: Glue gun pie top and bottom together. You've created your pie! Add potpourri periodically to freshen scent.

TABLE SETTING HOW-TO

There's nothing like sitting down to a meal at a beautifully-set table. An elegant set-up shows your guests that you've taken the time to make your dining experience special. Give your Thanksgiving dinner a great start by taking time to set your table with care.

1. Start with the table cloth. It will set the theme for the rest of the table decor. Choose white or a festive color as per your choice. A Table runner has become a must these days and it has a lot of functionality as well as beauty.

2. Place your centerpiece. If you do not have the place for one, let the turkey rule the table. Make a 'gourmet centerpiece' out of your turkey by garnishing the turkey in an attractive manner.

3. Prepare each place setting with care. Lay down the table mats, set out your china and glassware and keep the napkins. Use napkin rings to hold the napkins or fold them.

4. Whether silver, stainless steel or colored, precise rules govern the placing of the cutlery. Starting with those furthest out, one works inwards. The knife and soup spoon are set on the right of the plate with the cutting edge of the knife turned inwards. The fork is on the left with the serviette beside it. Above the plate, perpendicular to the rest, are the dessert knife and fork: first the knife with the handle turned to the right and the blade towards the plate; immediately above is the fork, with the handle turned towards the left. If a spoon is also required it can either be brought to the table with the dessert, or may be placed above the fork, with the handle to the right.

5. Glasses are placed to the right of the plate, in decreasing order of size: water, wine and lastly dessert wine. The dessert and the glass for the accompanying wine may also be brought to the table together.

6. If you like to provide a bread plate, this should be placed to the left of the fork.

7. If you are serving antipasti, provide a side plate on top of the dinner plate. If beginning with pasta, put a pasta dish on top of the dinner plate.

8. At the end of a course, plates are removed from the left and clean plates are offered from the right.

9. Add height to the table setting by introducing candles of varying heights. Votives can also be placed in glasses willed with colored sand or beads.

10. Flowers are always a lovely addition. But make sure you do not clutter the table with them. You want your guests to be able to talk to each other freely without any barriers in between.

11. Complete the table setting by placing place cards and favors on each place setting.

ELKE'S WEEKLY BEAUTY TIP

A quick dusting of shimmering body powder or an iridescent eye shadow over the high points of the face, (cheekbones, chin, top of nose, eyelids, across forehead..) a quick day to night look.