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Follow along as we walk you through sanding manually with a block. Although there are other methods, manual sanding is best suited for small projects that require only a little bit of sanding, such as smoothing a single piece of wood or touching up a larger project. For bigger jobs, we recommend renting a power sander, like an orbital sander, belt sander, or palm sander. Step 1: Choose Sandpaper Before you start sanding, pick the appropriate sandpaper grit for your project....

Poinsettias as Cut Flowers Once a poinsettia leaves the pot, it’s free to spread its wings in new places. For example, you can place several cuttings of various colors in a vase to make a colorful addition to a mantel. Or tuck the stems into floral picks, those water-filled tubes that cut flowers come in, and nestle them into holiday wreaths or Christmas trees. Get our helpful tips for creating a poinsettia flower arrangement that will last up to two weeks....

The ball drops at midnight, signaling the start of a new year, but the celebration begins much earlier than that—and crowds typically camp out in Times Square all day in anticipation of the event. This year’s New Year’s Eve program begins at 6 p.m. EST on December 31 and will run through the ball drop at midnight. How to Watch the Ball Drop If you don’t plan to make the trek to Times Square this season, you can tune in to the ball drop and six-hour broadcast from anywhere in the world....

Tips Brown or green lentils can be used in place of the red or yellow lentils. Simply increase the cooking time to 25 minutes. Toasted Spice Blend In a small dry skillet cook and stir 1 tsp. each mustard seeds and cumin seeds and 1/4 tsp. each fennel seeds and whole black peppercorns over medium heat 30 seconds or just until toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl; cool. Finely grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle....

⅔ cup lemon curd ⅓ cup dairy sour cream

These hands-off plants are small enough to perch on a desk corner or to be grouped on a coffee table. Plus, each plant comes with special care instructions, so even those with green-deprived thumbs are given a fair chance. Cacti don’t have large root systems, so they can grow in tiny pots for extended periods of time. The folks at TierraSolStudio make each ceramic pot by hand, ensuring that each can hold the appropriate amount of soil and water needed....

Kitchen Measurement Conversion Charts If you have questions about cooking measurement conversions, this information will come in handy. Standard Metric Equivalents These are the approximate standard metric equivalents from U.S. measurements.

Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray 2 cup all-purpose flour 1 package active dry yeast 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil ⅔ cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)