original condition

I inherited two old wooden dry 4 quart measuring crates (used for measuring things like apples) that were owned and used by my great grandfather, Washington Columbus Thompson (quite a name, right?).  Wash used to take these to market – and the story goes that he slept all the way there and the horse knew the way. I’ve been pondering what to do with them and looking to Martha for inspiration.

First, they needed to be cleaned since they had been sitting in a crawl space for about 40 years. A friend suggested I vacuum them, which sounded nuts, but actually was a great idea. I got all the loose dirt off this way. Next, I used some Murphy’s Oil

after cleaning

Soap diluted with some water and just wiped them down. Wow! Were they dirty! You can’t really tell in the photo, but they really cleaned up quite well. The sink was full of absolutely black water when I was done.

The next question was what would I do with them. I could use them to put a plant in (in a plastic pot), but for now I decided to put them under a table in

inside

our family room. I might stick poinsettias in them during the holidays, but for now, they are visible and are an interesting item to display.

I inherited two old wooden dry 4 quart measuring crates (used for measuring things like apples) that were owned and used by my great grandfather, Washington Columbus Thompson (quite a name, right?).  Wash used to take these to market – and the story goes that he slept all the way there and the horse knew … Read more →

I’m working my way through the items I inherited from my grandmother and I have been asking myself, What Would Martha Do, to help me find creative display methods.

I’m puzzled by a few items. Maybe you can tell me what you think Martha would do with them.

First up is this tea towel. It’s made of a very nicely textured linen and it is hand stitched. It’s likely my grandmother stitched it (or maybe her mother). It is slightly yellowed, but is generally in very good condition. I would never use it for dishes. It’s rather large to frame. Any ideas?  The only thing I can come up with is to make it into a throw pillow, but I’m not sure where I would put it. What do you think Martha would do? I think it is beautiful and would like to find a way to use it.

Next up is the picnic basket.  It is a regrettably bright yellow color, but it’s very old, with a hinged top. My mom remembers my grandmother using it when she was a kid for family picnics. It seems to me that stripping this would be a Herculean task because of the woven wood. I don’t think you could ever get in between the strips of wood to clean it all off. So what would Martha do? Paint it another color (white? blue?)? And what would she do with it? I can see Martha placing this in a guest bathroom and filling it with towels and toiletries. That sounds great, but it won’t work in my house since we have one bath, the kids have a bath and there is a small half bath downstairs.  Tell me what you think Martha would do!

I’m working my way through the items I inherited from my grandmother and I have been asking myself, What Would Martha Do, to help me find creative display methods. I’m puzzled by a few items. Maybe you can tell me what you think Martha would do with them. First up is this tea towel. It’s … Read more →

Something very cool that I inherited from my grandmother is a set of crystal butter knife rests. Unfortunately, there are only 3, so maybe someday I will run across some others to buy. I don’t know why I am so fascinated with these, but they strike me as charmingly old fashioned. It must have been uncouth to rest your knife on your plate. The idea was to keep the butter knife from touching the tablecloth and staining it (and after seeing the damask tableclothes my grandmother had that need serious ironing and care,  I understand).

My grandparents wintered in Florida for over 20 years, and they went to the beach every day. In the beginning, they loved to collect shells and I brought home a big bowl full of perfect shells from their house that they had found. I have no idea what to do with these though. We have lots of shells that we have collected ourselves, but these are in amazing condition. I already have some shells on display in a bathroom. Any suggestons of what to do with these?

I have to tell my favorite story about my grandfather. Because they went to the beach every day for many years, they soon had more shells than they knew what to do with.  My grandfather soon hit upon the idea of taking shells he found and sticking them partially in the sand near where he was sitting and then he would sit and wait for someone to find it. He used to love to see their excitement and joy at finding a perfect, beautiful shell and for him that was much more entertaining that taking yet another shell home.

Something very cool that I inherited from my grandmother is a set of crystal butter knife rests. Unfortunately, there are only 3, so maybe someday I will run across some others to buy. I don’t know why I am so fascinated with these, but they strike me as charmingly old fashioned. It must have been … Read more →

Since my grandmother passed away, I’ve been sorting through the items I inherited and looking for ways to use them or display them. I have made some progress.

Yesterday I went to the jewelry store with a pile of old clip on earrings, many ivory which my grandmother bought in Africa, as well as some sparkly costume jewelry earrings. They are going to convert the earrings to posts so that my daughter and I can wear them. I also took a little ivory carving of a group of elephants. It had two little holes in the back of it and the jeweler said it must have been a pin. He’s going to attach it to a tie bar for my son, so that he can have a piece of jewelry as well. I’ll post photos once I get it all back. The jeweler did warn me that many of the earrings are made with lead, so they aren’t something you want to wear on a daily basis (yikes!).

I have a big box of doilies and dresser scarves (many of which my grandmother made) which I’ve been pondering. I decided to search Martha’s site for inspiration. I found this project which involves stiffening doilies and hanging them in a window. While that is a great idea for winter, it isn’t a year round display that works for me. I decided instead that I would frame a doily, but that project gave me the idea to stiffen the material first. So off I went to Michael’s where I bought some liquid fabric stiffener (which oddly enough they do not keep in the fabric/sewing area) and painted it on the doily, which I had placed on parchment.  It turned out very stiff. I can’t seem to find a frame though. I need a big square one. I guess I’ll need to do some online searching for that.  I think I’ll put a dark background behind it so that the doily pops.

Since my grandmother passed away, I’ve been sorting through the items I inherited and looking for ways to use them or display them. I have made some progress. Yesterday I went to the jewelry store with a pile of old clip on earrings, many ivory which my grandmother bought in Africa, as well as some … 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 →

Yesterday was our 20th anniversary. I don’t know how 20 years has passed. Because we’re taking a family vacation later this summer, we decided to have a low key celebration. This is distinctly un-Martha, but I ordered Mr. MarthaandMe’s favorite pizza for dinner. We never get pizza from here because it is so far, so it was a special treat for him.

Mr. MarthaandMe had flowers delivered for me. He tried to order Martha’s flowers from 1-800-Flowers. The site said that same day delivery was available, but it would not let him order them for the same day. So Martha apparently did not want to be part of our anniversary. I was a little disappointed – I would have liked to have seen one of her arrangements.

Our wedding cake

My big task of the day was the cake I made. Our wedding cake was a spice cake and it was decorated with flowers. I decided to make a little replica of it.

I used Big Martha’s Spice Cake Recipe with a few small changes. I didn’t have any mace and I used buttermilk instead of milk.

The next question was how to make a tiered cake when I didn’t have the proper pans. I used one regular cake pan, one medium Corning bowl and a ramekin. The sizes actually worked out quite well.

Once I had the cakes made, I needed frosting. I decided to use the Buttercream Frosting recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes. First you whisk

The layers

egg whites and sugar in a double boiler then you mix the heck out of it. Finally, you add butter and vanilla. I thought the frosting tasted a lot like butter, but it was ok.

I stacked the cakes first, then frosted them (a cheat, I know). I went outside and snipped flowers to decorate it with. I have

Buttercream frosting

to say, I think it turned out pretty well.

The cake tasted good, but not out of this world good. If I made it again, I would increase the amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. I thought it was a tad bland. It was moist though, so the buttermilk did its work.

It was fun to make a cake like this, especially since there was no pressure. It was just for the two of us (and kids) and if it didn’t turn out, then it didn’t matter. I think it’s pretty though and I’m proud of myself for attempting it!

Yesterday was our 20th anniversary. I don’t know how 20 years has passed. Because we’re taking a family vacation later this summer, we decided to have a low key celebration. This is distinctly un-Martha, but I ordered Mr. MarthaandMe’s favorite pizza for dinner. We never get pizza from here because it is so far, so … Read more →

Yesterday was our 20th anniversary. I don’t know how 20 years has passed. Because we’re taking a family vacation later this summer, we decided to have a low key celebration. This is distinctly un-Martha, but I ordered Mr. MarthaandMe’s favorite pizza for dinner. We never get pizza from here because it is so far, so it was a special treat for him.

Mr. MarthaandMe had flowers delivered for me. He tried to order Martha’s flowers from 1-800-Flowers. The site said that same day delivery was available, but it would not let him order them for the same day. So Martha apparently did not want to be part of our anniversary. I was a little disappointed – I would have liked to have seen one of her arrangements.

Our wedding cake

My big task of the day was the cake I made. Our wedding cake was a spice cake and it was decorated with flowers. I decided to make a little replica of it.

I used Big Martha’s Spice Cake Recipe with a few small changes. I didn’t have any mace and I used buttermilk instead of milk.

The next question was how to make a tiered cake when I didn’t have the proper pans. I used one regular cake pan, one medium Corning bowl and a ramekin. The sizes actually worked out quite well.

Once I had the cakes made, I needed frosting. I decided to use the Buttercream Frosting recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes. First you whisk

The layers

egg whites and sugar in a double boiler then you mix the heck out of it. Finally, you add butter and vanilla. I thought the frosting tasted a lot like butter, but it was ok.

I stacked the cakes first, then frosted them (a cheat, I know). I went outside and snipped flowers to decorate it with. I have

Buttercream frosting

to say, I think it turned out pretty well.

The cake tasted good, but not out of this world good. If I made it again, I would increase the amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. I thought it was a tad bland. It was moist though, so the buttermilk did its work.

It was fun to make a cake like this, especially since there was no pressure. It was just for the two of us (and kids) and if it didn’t turn out, then it didn’t matter. I think it’s pretty though and I’m proud of myself for attempting it!

Yesterday was our 20th anniversary. I don’t know how 20 years has passed. Because we’re taking a family vacation later this summer, we decided to have a low key celebration. This is distinctly un-Martha, but I ordered Mr. MarthaandMe’s favorite pizza for dinner. We never get pizza from here because it is so far, so … Read more →

Yesterday my daughter went to the junior prom.  Although it was her prom, I spent the day getting ready since her limo of friends were coming back here afterwards.

In the afternoon I had to redo my daughter’s hairstyle – she wasn’t happy with how the hair stylist did it.

I spent a lot of time trying to get the house ready – setting out hand towels and extra toilet paper rolls, moving around chairs, and finding serving bowls.

I managed to take a photo of the table before I put out the food – I made a centerpiece of lilacs and what I think is a honeysuckle tree.  I didn’t get any actual food photos since the kids did not arrive until 2:30 am and it was all I could to do to dump it all on the table and sit in a stupor on the couch.

I did try to make things as Martha-like as possible. I made a cookie cake and decorated it with pink rosettes and wrote “Prom ’09” in the center. I used my good serving bowls for the snacks, fruit, dip, cheese and cake. This morning I had donut holes, muffins and juice available, which they picked at as they stumbled out the door.

Yesterday my daughter went to the junior prom.  Although it was her prom, I spent the day getting ready since her limo of friends were coming back here afterwards. In the afternoon I had to redo my daughter’s hairstyle – she wasn’t happy with how the hair stylist did it. I spent a lot of … Read more →

I am a big fan of paint techniques. Martha has a feature on them in the May issue of Martha Stewart Living and she also demonstrated some on her tv show recently. I absolutely am desperate to try the “raw-silk wall” treatment. The problem is finding a room to do it in! I already have several paint techniques throughout the house.

This is the first paint technique I tried. It’s sponge-painted. It looks very yellow in this photo, but it is more subtle in person.

This is Venetian plaster – and it almost caused us both to be committed. It was a LOT of work. We did this in our entryway, up the stairs and in the upstairs hall. I actually love the way the color turned out, but we did a really crappy job on the corners.

This is in our bedroom. I used a rag for both the top and bottom. On the bottom, I first tried to use a whisk broom,but couldn’t get the look I wanted. I wanted the room to look like a meadow – with tall grass on the bottom and blue sky above.

I am a big fan of paint techniques. Martha has a feature on them in the May issue of Martha Stewart Living and she also demonstrated some on her tv show recently. I absolutely am desperate to try the “raw-silk wall” treatment. The problem is finding a room to do it in! I already have … Read more →

Sunday was Mother’s Day. I usually spend Mother’s Day with my mom and in the past, she has usually made dinner for her mom and we’ve celebrated there. This year my grandmother passed away a week before and my dad had retinal surgery, so my mom decided to stay home and celebrate with me another day. This left me at loose ends for Mother’s Day.

Mr. MarthaAndMe made breakfast (Dutch babies) while I lounged in bed and the kids had thoughtful gifts for me. It was a nice morning. Expecting Mr. MarthaAndMe to cook dinner though is a bit much. No one in this house has forgotten the Meatloaf Incident (in which he made meatloaf with a little meat and a LOT of ketchup). So, I made a roast chicken and mashed potatoes. But I really wanted a dessert of some kind. Martha to the rescue! I was intrigued by the recipe for Versatile Vanilla Cake (Everyday Food, May issue). The idea behind this recipe is that you can easily modify it to make chocolate or lemon cakes. I decided to make one batch, but split it in half so I could have a chocolate and a vanilla cake (since we have two camps in this family – chocolate and vanilla).

The cake was easy to make. Of course I ran out of eggs and had to send Mr.  MarthaAndMe to the store. The cakes baked up nicely. Once I had the cakes made, I made Martha’s frosting. I must admit, I was a little scared of this frosting. It’s made from egg whites, sugar, salt and water. Frosting without butter? Seemed weird.

You cook the egg whites in a double boiler until the sugar melts and you reach 150 degrees. I must say it didn’t look too appetizing at this point! But I kept at it and once it is cooked, you whip it. Now it began to resemble frosting.  It whipped up nicely and was light and fluffy.

Next, I spread it on the cakes. Because it was so light and fluffy, it went on very easily. I had just the right amount to frost two one-layer cakes. If I had made a two-layer cake like the recipe directed, there would have been enough for that.

The frosting looks really pretty on the cakes, don’t you think?

Now for the taste test. The cakes were delicious! The cake was very moist (because of the buttermilk in the recipe) and had a nice consistency (heavy but not too heavy) and a good flavor. The frosting was quite good. It was sweet and light and was not overpowering like some frosting can be. I also love that it is non-fat.

I will definitely make this cake and frosting combo again. It was a winner!

Sunday was Mother’s Day. I usually spend Mother’s Day with my mom and in the past, she has usually made dinner for her mom and we’ve celebrated there. This year my grandmother passed away a week before and my dad had retinal surgery, so my mom decided to stay home and celebrate with me another … Read more →