Get a head start on the holiday season by decorating your table for autumn with hand-painted leaf napkins and a centerpiece of attractive sugared fruit. Shape your design in the fall, and build on it as the season changes to winter. Give plain cloth napkins zing with a hand-painted silhouette leaf pattern. Wash a new napkin -- a solid pattern works best -- to remove the sizing, and position a silk leaf sprayed with low-stick adhesive on it. Brush fabric paint over the leaf (figure A), and when it's dry, remove the leaf to reveal the negative leaf pattern (figure B). Copper, gold and bronze fabric paints are just right for the season. Create a shimmery centerpiece from sugared fruit. When selecting fruit, keep in mind that underripe fruit will make your creation last longer, and stemmed fruit is easier to work with. Brush the fruit with egg white (figure C), and place in a bowl of sugar. Spoon sugar over the fruit, covering it well (figure D), and shake off the excess. If you want an edible centerpiece, coat the fruit with a mixture of powdered meringue and water before applying the sugar. Set the sugared fruit on a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper, and let it harden for four to six hours. Use colored sugar for a brighter look.
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