MarthaAndMe has been nominated for a Blogger’s Choice Award. I would love it if you voted! http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/79322 You do have to register with the site first before you can vote – if you click on ‘vote’ before you register it does not go through – you have to register then go back and vote.

MarthaAndMe has been nominated for a Blogger’s Choice Award. I would love it if you voted! http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/79322 You do have to register with the site first before you can vote – if you click on ‘vote’ before you register it does not go through – you have to register then go back and vote.

Thank you to Ron S. Doyle for picking MarthaAndMe for a Ripe Tomato Award! How cool is that?  Here is how Ron describes the award:

“Sharing Blog Awards was started by A Traveler’s Library as a way to acknowledge bloggers who have acknowledged your blog and then pay it forward to 15 other bloggers. And the magical number 15 is involved. Don’t ask why it’s magic—asking why is like asking a magician for his secrets—just trust in the mystery, be grateful, and pay it forward.”

I appreciate it very much Ron and I am definitely going to pay it forward. I’m going to award the MarthaAndMe Good Thing Blog Award to my 15 picks for blogs I love:

Ms. Bookish: Think you read a lot of books? Once you check out this site you’ll feel like a slacker. The sheer number of books that go through Belle Wong’s house is astounding. I like to hear what she’s reading, what she’s writing, and what she’s giving away.

Suddenly Frugal: Leah Ingram’s great blog with more money-saving ideas than you could ever imagine. There’s a book to follow it soon.

The Cookie Blog: A cookie a day keeps the Dr away. At least that’s what this blog’s message might be. Every day there is a new cookie. It’s heaven.

My Baking Addiction: I gain weight just looking at the delicious things on this blog.

La Dolce Vita: Fabulous recipes and gorgeous photos

The Perfect Pantry: Sneak peeks into other people’s pantries (love this!) as well great recipes.

Jeff and Martha: Jeff is cooking his way through Martha Stewart’s Cooking School book in one year.

House Blend: The scoop on Martha’s latest doings as well as recipes and great decorating.

Martha Moments: Scoops about Martha, but also a very thoughtful and beautiful analysis of her magazines, homes, etc.

Make and Takes: Cool craft projects made easy

Cooking with Amy: Great recipes and food writing

The Brown Eyed Baker: This one always makes me hungry with it’s amazing recipes and photos

Geezer Sisters: Ruminations by a woman of a certain age – sometimes funny, sometimes thought-provoking, always worth reading.

J the Travel Authority: She goes to all the places I want to visit. If only she would take me with her!

Martha Stewart Living Radio Blog: Truly awesome blog with great recipes and ideas. It’s beyond a blog – almost a magazine.

Thank you to Ron S. Doyle for picking MarthaAndMe for a Ripe Tomato Award! How cool is that?  Here is how Ron describes the award: “Sharing Blog Awards was started by A Traveler’s Library as a way to acknowledge bloggers who have acknowledged your blog and then pay it forward to 15 other bloggers. And … Read more →

I’m continuing to work through what I call the Grandmother Project, as I seek out ways to use, preserve, and enjoy the special items I inherited when my 99 year old grandmother passed.

Before

Two items that came home with me were baskets. The first is a very old two-handled, hinged picnic basket. My mom remembers my grandmother using this for family picnics years ago. It was a really hideous yellow (and I discovered there was a layer of green paint underneath that!). This basket seemed to me like something Martha would have great ideas about using. I posted about this a few weeks ago, asking for suggestions. So many of you sent me great ideas – thank you so much for inspiring me! The first thing I did was clean it. I took a damp cloth and thoroughly wiped it all over. It was dirty!

After

Next, I spray painted it white. It took an entire can of white spray paint and honestly, I probably should have ran out and bought another can to give it one more coat, but I didn’t have a chance.  I put the basket on my front porch, next to my white wicker furniture, with flowers in it. Next year I’m going to buy a nice oblong planter that will completely fill the basket and fill it with flowers that will grow and drape over the side, but for now this geranium brings it to life.

Next up is another picnic basket. This one is from my childhood. This is the basket my grandmother used to take on picnics with me. We often went to the park to have lunch. This is also what I think of as The Kitten Basket. My grandfather and his brother ran a greenhouse. Every spring the mama kitty that lived in the greenhouse had kittens. My grandmother would bring this basket with a towel in it and walk me over to the greenhouse. My grandfather would have already scoped out where the mama kitty was hiding her babies (often it was behind the boiler) and he would climb into wherever it was and get them out for me. We would put them in the basket and carry it back to my grandmother’s house where I would put the kittens out on a blanket in her sunroom and play with them. I can only imagine what the poor mama kitty thought about this!

So, as you can see, this basket has great sentimental value to me. I wanted to find a way to make it a part of my house. I decided to use it as a plant basket. I layered the bottom with plastic to protect it, then I set a plant pot in it. I’m going to carefully water it so that the basket does not get damaged.  It makes me happy every time I look at it.

I’m continuing to work through what I call the Grandmother Project, as I seek out ways to use, preserve, and enjoy the special items I inherited when my 99 year old grandmother passed. Two items that came home with me were baskets. The first is a very old two-handled, hinged picnic basket. My mom remembers … Read more →

As I announced this morning on Martha Stewart Radio Morning Living Live (Sirius XM), I’ve lost 13 pounds on what I’m calling The Martha Diet (and if you heard me on the radio, would you email them and say you enjoyed it? Here’s the link– in the middle of the page over to the right, it says “send email). I’ve tried lots of diets in my life and this is really the easiest weight loss I’ve ever experienced. There’s no gimmick, no crazy restrictions and I’m not even counting calories. I’m not paying anyone (nor is anyone paying me!) and I’m not buying bad food or going to support groups. I’m making delicious, wonderful food and I’m also making and eating desserts. How is this possible?

If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I committed to giving my life a Martha Stewart makeover. I entered into a one year commitment wherein I would do at least one Martha project or Martha-ish project per day – cooking, crafting, decorating, organizing, etc.

The weight loss started without me even really noticing. A few pounds just fell off because I was cooking and eating Martha food. I finally noticed what was up and thought about it. I’m giving my life a Martha makeover, but what about my body? Maybe I should include that in my plan. Martha takes very good care of herself – she makes it a priority to eat well, exercise, and stay healthy. It’s a priority for her and maybe it should be for me too, I thought.

Now if you are a Martha follower, you know that each January she promotes a Body and Soul diet. Frankly, I never quite understood it. I didn’t feel as though I could really find the program anywhere in one concise place (she talked about in Body and Soul Magazine, on her show, and on her site, but it never felt cohesive to me). This is not the Body and Soul diet. In fact, it’s not really a diet at all. I’ve changed how I buy, make, eat and think about food because of Martha.

Here are some of the basic tenets of what I’ve been doing:

– I always ask myself “Would Martha eat this?” if the answer is no, then I don’t either. That means no soda, junk food, prepared foods, etc.

– I shop like Martha. I buy fresh ingredients and usually they are for Martha recipes I plan to make.

– I still make dessert! But I think about it like Martha does. Desserts are for sharing. I love to make them and taste them, but Martha does not make a pan of brownies and let it sit on her kitchen counter all week so she can slowly eat her way though it. She makes things, enjoys them, and shares them. So I give away the desserts I make, after I have had a piece to enjoy.

– Throughout the day, I try to think about food like Martha does. She loves fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, whole grains and other healthy things, prepared in ways that are beautiful, elegant and delicious. I find that because I am cooking wonderful food, I no longer crave junky things. I feel fulfilled and satisfied because the food I am eating fills my emotional and physical needs.

– I eat a real breakfast. For years, I had Cheerios for breakfast. Now I eat eggs, fruit or yogurt for breakfast and I feel full longer. One day on her show, Martha showed the audience and viewers a tray containing her breakfast. That really inspired me.

– I eat a fruit and a vegetable with lunch. I also used to eat a lot of leftovers for lunch, but because the foods I make for dinner are so healthy, my leftovers are good for me. On the show, Martha has often exclaimed while cooking that she would be saving a piece or a serving of whatever it was to have for her lunch that day. So now I eat salads, fish, fruit, cheese, and a small amount of carbs for lunch.

– I drink a lot of water throughout the day. If I snack, I do so on fruits, nuts or cheese. I find that they satisfy every craving I have – sweet, salty, or filling.

I feel wonderful and healthy. And of course I am exercising. I’ve been walking 3 miles a day for years, but I’m trying to mix it up with swimming, kayaking, badminton, and other fun things so that I sneak in more exercise while I am having fun.

I’ll keep everyone posted about my progress and share more insights and secrets as I go along! This feels like a big life change for me and I want to share it with you as I move forward.

As I announced this morning on Martha Stewart Radio Morning Living Live (Sirius XM), I’ve lost 13 pounds on what I’m calling The Martha Diet (and if you heard me on the radio, would you email them and say you enjoyed it? Here’s the link– in the middle of the page over to the right, … Read more →

Join me Monday (July 13) on Martha Stewart radio on Sirius XM for Morning Living Live at 7:30 a.m. The gals who host this show are terrific so if you’ve never listened, I know you will enjoy them. Also, I’ll be sharing some exciting news about my Martha project with them.  I hope you can listen!

Join me Monday (July 13) on Martha Stewart radio on Sirius XM for Morning Living Live at 7:30 a.m. The gals who host this show are terrific so if you’ve never listened, I know you will enjoy them. Also, I’ll be sharing some exciting news about my Martha project with them.  I hope you can … Read more →

I’ll be on Martha Stewart Radio Morning Living Live (Sirius XM) on Monday morning at 7:40 a.m.  Please join me! I’ll be talking about a very exciting and life-changing result of my blog.

I’ll be on Martha Stewart Radio Morning Living Live (Sirius XM) on Monday morning at 7:40 a.m.  Please join me! I’ll be talking about a very exciting and life-changing result of my blog.

This past season, Martha did a segment on what she carries with her when she travels. I always love seeing segments about Martha’s real life. One of Martha’s fave travel items is a Kindle. We’re taking a trip this summer and Martha convinced me to give Kindle a try.

I’ve had my Kindle several weeks now. First of all, I was surprised by how thin and small it really is.  It charges easily. It’s cute.

But how does it work? The first book I read on it was a travel guide.  Not so great. I think Kindle is nice for just plain reading, but with a book where I wanted to make a lot of bookmarks and notes, I found it tediously slow and not easy to use. My toggle button is not very loose and it’s a bit difficult to use.

I will take it with us on our trip because instead of having to pack 5 books to read, I can just bring the Kindle, which is definitely convenient. I was hoping I could load all my travel guides on it and just pull it out of my purse when I need to know where something is, but it’s just not convenient enough for that, not to mention most travel books are not yet available on Kindle.

And by the way, this little baby cost me $359. A lot for me, maybe not so much for Martha. I appreciated Martha’s recommendation, but I’m not wild about this yet. I’ll report back after the trip.

This past season, Martha did a segment on what she carries with her when she travels. I always love seeing segments about Martha’s real life. One of Martha’s fave travel items is a Kindle. We’re taking a trip this summer and Martha convinced me to give Kindle a try. I’ve had my Kindle several weeks … Read more →

This past season, Martha did a segment on what she carries with her when she travels. I always love seeing segments about Martha’s real life. One of Martha’s fave travel items is a Kindle. We’re taking a trip this summer and Martha convinced me to give Kindle a try.

I’ve had my Kindle several weeks now. First of all, I was surprised by how thin and small it really is.  It charges easily. It’s cute.

But how does it work? The first book I read on it was a travel guide.  Not so great. I think Kindle is nice for just plain reading, but with a book where I wanted to make a lot of bookmarks and notes, I found it tediously slow and not easy to use. My toggle button is not very loose and it’s a bit difficult to use.

I will take it with us on our trip because instead of having to pack 5 books to read, I can just bring the Kindle, which is definitely convenient. I was hoping I could load all my travel guides on it and just pull it out of my purse when I need to know where something is, but it’s just not convenient enough for that, not to mention most travel books are not yet available on Kindle.

And by the way, this little baby cost me $359. A lot for me, maybe not so much for Martha. I appreciated Martha’s recommendation, but I’m not wild about this yet. I’ll report back after the trip.

This past season, Martha did a segment on what she carries with her when she travels. I always love seeing segments about Martha’s real life. One of Martha’s fave travel items is a Kindle. We’re taking a trip this summer and Martha convinced me to give Kindle a try. I’ve had my Kindle several weeks … Read more →

As some of you might recall, my 99 year old grandmother passed away at the beginning of May. I was very close to her and although her passing was not unexpected given her age, it was still hard.

My grandmother was a collector, but a selective and tasteful collector. In the past month or so I have been involved in sorting through her belongings and dividing them up. My grandmother had 2 children, 2 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, so it’s not a huge family. She had a LOT of things (almost 100 years worth of belongings) and so everyone is bringing home a lot.

Since Martha is a collector, I have been greatly influenced by her as I’ve gone through this process. I’ve inherited some beautiful Depression glass (and some much older) and have been relying on Martha’s principles when it comes to displaying it. The first thing I had to do was be selective. I ended up with boxes and boxes of glass, so I’ve chosen to display only those that are sets, similar in some way or which create pretty color combinations in ways I imagine Martha might do. I put away some amber colored pieces to display with my fall decorations. I would love to some day install some lit glass shelves to better display all of the items.

I’ve also hauled home boxes of very old household items – stoneware crocks, some interesting cake pans that have a bar that you spin to get the cake to come out, and an old hand held egg beater. I also have a set of round wooden crates that are called dry measure crates. My great grandfather used them at the market where he sold produce – they have his last name and initials on them. I also brought home a very old two-handled hinged picnic basket which unfortunately was painted yellow at some point. I may end up repainting it another color (tips on that are welcome!). In my mind’s eye I can just see Martha doing a segment on things like these. Each piece is unusual and beautiful.

I’ve got a big tin of old buttons as well. I haven’t gone through it yet, but I’m thinking there must be a Martha craft that involves buttons I could do. Any suggestions?

My grandmother had lots and lots of costume jewelry, some of it so gaudy it is beautiful. I once heard Barbara Walters say she wears her mother’s old costume jewelry brooches and people think they are real and I might use some of the brooches in that way. Mostly, I was unable to imagine it all going to charity. I don’t quite know what to do with the many beaded necklaces and clip earrings though. Any suggestions are welcome for this as well!

Then there is the furniture. I brought home two end tables which desperately need refinishing. I know Martha would enthusiastically pop some gloves on and get to work, but I’m afraid to ruin them, so they will have to wait until we can pay someone to do it.

I also brought home two lamps which I am not sure what to do with. Neither one quite fits the style of my house. One is a reconditioned oil lamp and the other is milk glass. I couldn’t walk away from those either.

I am now the proud owner of many doilies and dresser scarves. I have no idea what to do with them. Displaying them on tables is not my style. I am thinking some might be beautiful framed (another Martha inspired idea). We think my grandmother may have made some of them – unfortunately there is no way to know. I also now own two pretty aprons – again, I have no idea what to do with them.

I’ve discovered that my grandmother kept every note, card or postcard I ever wrote for her. Going through those brought back many memories.  She also had many mementoes from her travels. My grandparents traveled to every continent, except Antartica, and brought home many interesting items.  I have the world map that shows all of their trips (and am trying to figure out where to put that!).

One thing she collected on trips was dolls. I inherited the entire collection which looks like a little United Nations  – each doll in native dress. Many are in need of repair, so I’m going to have to find a doll hospital. Then I will need to determine how to display them (and where!).

One thing I have learned from all of this is that I need to take the time to document the things I own that are meaningful to me. A friend suggested I take photos and paste them into a Word doc and write a brief description. That way my children (or hopefully grandchildren) will know what it all is, where it came from and why I cared about it. So many of my grandmother’s things are beautiful and interesting, but no one knows where they came from.

As I work through the boxes of things and find ways to use them that are Martha-inspired I will post them.

As some of you might recall, my 99 year old grandmother passed away at the beginning of May. I was very close to her and although her passing was not unexpected given her age, it was still hard. My grandmother was a collector, but a selective and tasteful collector. In the past month or so … Read more →

Martha’s calendar is a popular feature in Martha Stewart Living, and the magazine recently brought it back after a long absence. I like to look at because it gives you a glimpse into Martha’s life. I have to say I find it hard to believe though. I don’t really think Martha is doing many of the household and garden tasks on the calendar. Supervising them, maybe, but doing them, no.

Despite this, I decided to make a calendar for myself for May in the style of Martha’s calendar and then see if I was able to actually fulfill it. The results are in. For about 50% of the days on the calendar, I did not do what was planned. That doesn’t mean I didn’t do the household tasks I had planned though – most of them got done, but on other days. There were a few that never happened. I found that it was nearly impossible to know three weeks ahead of time which day would be the best for dusting the inside of my curio cabinet or buying new carpet for the front porch. In my life, things just come up. With two kids at home, a husband, parents, and work, most of the time I don’t get to dictate my schedule at all.

I did find it helpful to take some time and think about what needed doing that month. I would love to get to the point where I had a revolving calendar of jobs that get done in certain months. It would help me feel so much more organized. But at this point in my life, I’m not as focused on household tasks as I am on people tasks – driving someone to an activity, getting medical records for school, buying milk when we run out, keeping kids and husband in clean clothes that actually fit, and so on. The calendar is a nice idea, but not practical for my life.

Martha’s calendar is a popular feature in Martha Stewart Living, and the magazine recently brought it back after a long absence. I like to look at because it gives you a glimpse into Martha’s life. I have to say I find it hard to believe though. I don’t really think Martha is doing many of … Read more →