This book is full of great ideas!

I seem to enjoy reading these books more than trying their suggestions. I think I find a mixture of inspiration and difficulty in Martha's approach to making things exactly how you want -- stuff like visiting a glazier. I totally appreciate not buying ready-made stuff, then dealing with it as is -- I'd love to be more involved in making everything in my house Just Right. But I think I'm too cheap, or too lazy, or both.

Ideas to remember:

p. 99 gluing paper down with wallpaper paste and smoothing with a wooden roller (I have been trying some paper collage, but never with wallpaper paste)

p. 101 Ribbon Plate Hanger - simple and elegant way to let a beautiful dish function as art when it's not functioning at a meal

p. 119 - Every car should have basic safety equipment: jumper cables, flashlight and fresh batteries, tire jack, flare or reflector triangle, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, windshield-washer fluid, and work gloves. In cold climates, add an ice scraper and snow brush, small shovel, sand or nonclumping cat litter, spray de-icer, blanket, and an empty coffee can and candle, for heat.

p. 37 recipe - potato, sweet-potato, and onion latkes

p. 47 - easiest way to chop an onion (which I will never remember), and using dental floss to cut cake or soft cheese

p. 61 - Openwork Pumpkins - may try this year! :)

p. 71 - paper decoration idea - use self-adhesive dots (round stickers) stuck back-to-back on button thread to make a garland

p. 74 - paperwhites - must ask Evan about his!