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Summer Party Planner

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Fresh Ways to Dress Up a Table By Elisa Huang

Sixteen ideas that add unexpected fun and color.

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Anita Calero

Create a Drinkable Centerpiece

Set out an array of brightly colored soda bottles as a consumable centerpiece. Write guests’ names on ribbons, then slip them through key-ring bottle openers; lay one at each place setting for self-service with good cheer (and added value as favors). Your friends can find their seats, grab a bottle, and raise their glasses in a party-starting toast. Key Bottle Opener Key Chain, $3, Wishbone, 415-242-5540.

Next: Assign Seats with Chalkbo...
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4 Designers’ Tricks for Topping Your Thanksgiving Table

Certainly there’s a lot to be said for letting the turkey and its trimmings reign in unadulterated glory over your holiday table. But just as the most brilliant jewel sparkles even brighter in the right setting, so too with a glorious meal. We challenged four designers to create unique table decorations on a budget. See what they came up with and how you can copy the results, using materials from the crafts store, the supermarket―even your own backyard. Then see more on prepping for the holiday.

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What's your most original idea for dressing up your dining table?

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