Martha Stewart Living October 2019

AS THE BACK-TO-EVERYTHING speed of September downshifts into the ease of October, I realize how much of a shoulder-season person I’ve become. Sure, I’ll always love the sun-filled, laid-back quality of summer, but there’s something to be said for the equanimity of October. In the dog days of August, I miss wearing jeans, yet I like to wear sandals. This time of year affords me both options, plus the divine idea of a lightweight jacket. The evenings are cooler, but often still temperate enough for an alfresco dinner. Fresh, seasonal produce abounds. And let’s not forget the month’s culminating moment that is Halloween. My family has been looking forward to it since July, when costume talk resumed. (Note: At this prepress moment, my 5-year-old son’s decided to be Star Wars’…

ON THE ROAD AMAZING MAZES Plenty of cornfields turn into life-size labyrinths this time of year, but some are breaking new ground. At Treinen Farm, in Lodi, Wisconsin, hidden mailboxes hold fragments of a map that guide visitors along endless twists and turns (treinenfarm.com). Here, more spots where getting lost is the whole glorious point. ANDERSON, S.C. Look for smart-code-enabled map checkpoints among the stalks at the 140-year-old Denver Downs Farm to track your time. denverdownsfarm.com CRAIG, MONT. Take your tots to the mountain-encircled Applestem Corn Maze; it has a quicker route for mini explorers. applestemcornmaze.com DANVILLE, VT. Relive The Shining. The 24-acre Great Vermont Corn Maze is a mind-bending journey, complete with an underground tunnel and 100 feet of bridges. vermontcornmaze.com ON OUR BOOKSHELF Doughnuts, trefoils, cowboy’s pretzels—they’re not snacks, but a sampler of the 365 intricate knots Windy…

I FIRST BECAME ENAMORED with faux bois (French for “false wood”) when I purchased Skylands, my home in Maine. The house sits high atop a knoll known as Ox Hill, and is surrounded by tall trees. When we look out the large leaded windows, it feels like we’re actually living in the forest, among the evergreens. To play up this effect while adding an element of natural beauty to my traditional furnishings, I decided to decorate with faux-bois pieces—that is, items that resemble tree trunks, branches, or bark—made from a variety of materials. I searched antiques and garden shows and shops, and found tables, chairs, benches, settees, planters, troughs, pots, and flower vases. I also commissioned artists—most notably Carlos Cortés of San Antonio, Texas, who made several large faux-bois concrete…

EASY CRAFT Here’s the Bling These crazy, kid-friendly pumpkins require zero knives, but they’re seriously sharp. Sketch a design on the surface with chalk, then go over (and fill in) the lines with stick-on jewels. To apply items that aren’t self-adhesive, like our faux spider, use a smidge of Magna-Tac craft glue. The low-impact approach has a bonus: Uncut gourds last longer than carved ones, so your crew can start boo-dazzling as soon as the air turns crisp. THE DETAILS: Recollections Bling on a Roll double-roll rhinestones, in Clear, $5.50 for 1 yd.; Bead Landing Black Mix acrylic gems, $10 for 7.6 oz.; and large mixed acrylic gems, $10 for 7.6 oz., michaels.com. SCARY ACCENT Unlucky Numbers Some houses ooze charm; come October, yours drips blood. A minimal but macabre touch, this horrifying hemoglobin is actually…

Layer Your Lighting For a room that’s equally pretty and practical, subtly light every level and corner, says interior designer Elizabeth Lawrence, a partner at Bunny Williams Associates, in New York City. Then put all fixtures on a dimmer, so you can fine-tune with ease. Here’s how to orchestrate an inviting glow. BRIGHTEN THE PERIMETER “Sconces are both decorative jewelry and practical contributors,” says New York City interior designer Alexa Hampton. Hang them about 66 inches high on a wall (1), and team them with lights above bookcases and art frames, and up-angled floor lamps (aka torchères). GO TO TASK ”I’ve found that people never have enough lamps,” says Atlanta interior designer Suzanne Kasler. Put them where you’ll need them daily: Sidle a floor lamp up next to a reading spot (2); top end tables…

LITTLE APPLE TREATS, Sebastopol, California Plant farmers Joanne Krueger and Dan Lehrer certainly know how to make the most of something—especially when it comes to apples. The husband-and-wife duo bought land in 1999 with the simple goal of expanding their nursery business, but the 22-acre orchard they found on the plot became their calling. Its fruit famously flavored Apple Jacks cereal in the ’70s, so they decided to tap into its full potential. First they turned the property organic (a rigorous three-year process). Then they began fermenting cider vinegars in oak barrels from a nearby winery, and quickly garnered a fan base at the farmers’ market. “Then I thought, What else can I do with apples?” Krueger says. Her answer: buttery caramels, chewy granolas, and bracingly tart and delicious shrubs.…