Hollowed-out squash makes a good base for table decoration or centerpiece.Forage in your home and garden (as well as the grocery store) for an easy centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table or buffet. When you head outside, look for texture, fall colors, seed heads, pine cones.
• Hollow a pumpkin or a large squash and fill with blooms. A quick trick: Drill holes in the squash and insert stems. Any fresh or dried flower or ornamental grass would work.
• Best set on a buffet, make a centerpiece of treasured family photos. Ask guests to bring their favorites for display. Tuck loose ones in wine glasses, or set framed photos at different heights on boxed covered with kraft paper or wrapping paper.
• A bouquet of herbs makes a standout, scented centerpiece. Place floral foam on the bottom of a container, stick a candle in the middle and poke in stems of all sorts of herbs. Be careful to keep all greenery away from the flame and never leave a burning candle unattended.
• Fill matching clear glass containers with colorful harvest items, such as dried papaya, fresh cranberries and dried figs.
• With a drill, puncture holes in a squash and fill the cavities with slender candles.
-- Homes & Gardens staff
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