Looking Sharp
The best part of starting a school year is shopping for fresh supplies. But don't let the kids toss last year's pencils. Heather Brosman, an art teacher
in Rochester, New York, and winner of our
back-to-school-inspired centerpiece contest,
showed us how to turn them into a homework table topper that'll make hitting the books less of a drag. Heather's idea: Stick the blunt ends of short colored pencils into mini Styrofoam
balls. Prick a full-length No. 2 pencil into each base, then bury the "stems" in a garden trough filled with pistachios, almonds or another healthy after-school snack. (If the posts are too wobbly, add a wedge of floral foam for stability.)