Country Living November 2013

The Truth About Thanksgiving Every hostess has her tightly guarded secrets: the crawfish dip that relies on ketchup instead of fresh tomatoes, an onion soufflé that calls for Parmesan, mayo, and cream cheese. Yes, of course, I'm talking about myself. And, no, the aforementioned examples don't represent my worst transgressions. Plenty of people add cream to potatoes au gratin; I quite literally boil my spuds in several quarts of the stuff—before applying Gruyère with a shockingly heavy hand. So now you know, friends, the real reason I refuse to share the recipe. I'm simply protecting you from the knowledge of untold fat grams. Ignorance, especially this time of year, is pure bliss. That's me, above, swilling wine from a mason jar at chef Cooper Boone's birthday bash earlier this fall.…

I love your annual House of the Year feature [above]. This time, the sensibly priced, high-design finds you sourced from places like Cost Plus World Market and overstock.com were the icing on the cake. Well done! —Rosie Tanaka, Breezy Point, New York Your September cover concept was so much fun! It was amazing to view the same room in four different palettes. The pictures drove home the point that color has a tremendous influence on the feel of a space. —Alice Harwell, Statesville, North Carolina Having four covers last month was a fantastic idea. Showing the power of paint, not just suggesting it, was an excellent visual aid. It would be wonderful to see even more makeovers like this one! —Elizabeth Mitchell, Madison, Mississippi The latest issue is really terrific.…

Go on an armchair road trip with digital prints of 1930s-era images commissioned by the WPA—the agency that put unemployed artists to work. ($21.99 each; 11"W x 14"H; printcollection.com. Frames, $13.97 each; walmart.com for stores) TRENDLET Beyond Measure Try one of these clever measuring cups on for size: TROPHY Kikkerland's cheery plastic prize holds eight ounces. ($14.05; 6"W x 4¾"H; wayfair.com/shopcountry) PITCHER La-di-da script notwithstanding, this ceramic jug boasts a shockingly low price. ($4.99; 8"W x 5"H; worldmarket.com) FUNNEL Tala Cooking's tin cone displays values in both ounces and grams. ($24; 4½"W x 5½"H; shopterrain.com)…

Finally, kitchen SPONGES you'll actually want to leave on the counter RECOMMENDED READING The Book of Pie Originally from South Dakota, sisters Emily and Melissa Elsen became the toast of Brooklyn after opening the bakery Four & Twenty Blackbirds three years ago. Now, the duo is divulging their secrets in The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book ($30; Grand Central Life & Style). Packed with gorgeous photography and 58 recipes—yes, the much-ballyhooed salty-honey confection is included—the book costs just $30, or $8 less than a single 10-inch pie at the shop. So long, garish yellow! Twist's blissfully neutral alternative—with a built-in loofah for scrubbing—delivers clean dishes and good looks. ($4.95 for two; crateandbarrel.com)…

As a farmstand manager and landscaper, Alice Saunders found herself with lots of idle time come winter. So the DIY enthusiast spent the off-seasons crafting jewelry and rugged bags. She began selling her wares on Etsy in 2008, but it wasn't until Saunders started sewing totes from a World War II–era duffel that her company, Forestbound, discovered its focus. SOURCE MATERIAL The Bostonian scours New England flea markets and estate sales in search of mattress ticking, hardware-store aprons, "and other stuff that's usually forgotten, sitting in someone's basement," she says. GROWING APPEAL Two years ago, Saunders quit her seasonal gigs to devote herself full-time to Forest-bound. She added leather bags and wallets, and launched her own site, forestbound.com. Within a year, the designer had tripled her income. WHAT'S NEXT Saunders…

Twenty top-notch finds—including servers that will stand out on any buffet! ECO-FRIENDLY Introduce honest-to-goodness patina with repurposed teak and acacia slats. ($316.99; 63"W × 71"H; overstock.com) Chair, $650; 24"W × 31"H × 28"D; fourhands.com for stores. Table, $170; 11½"W × 17¾"H; canvashomestore.com CHEVRON The open-work construction of Screen Gems' model allows light to shine through. ($479; 63"W × 72"H; wayfair.com/shopcountry) CHALKBOARD Scribble to-do lists, doodles, and reminders on this partition framed in century-old reclaimed fir. ($450; 6'W × 6'H; winecountrycraftsman.com) PAINTED Pick a color, any color! These cedar shutters by Screen Gems can be ordered in six shades. ($643.77; 76"W × 84"H; hayneedle.com) METAL-MESH This screened mango-wood beauty conceals and reveals at the same time. ($1,248; 87"W × 80"H; shopterrain.com)…