If you’ve been following along with me, you know that I started this blog and my Martha project a year ago. My mission was to do one Martha project a day for an entire year and see if it changed my life. The year is up.
I have lots of thoughts on how it has affected me and my family. I’m going to share just a few here. One of the biggest changes is that Martha has made me pay attention to details and thus I’ve found that the details really do matter. I’m nowhere close to Martha-perfection on anything, but I find that when I make a little extra effort in whatever I am doing around the house (cooking, cleaning, organizing, crafting, decorating, etc.), it almost always pays off.
Another important lesson has been focus. Martha has an incredible ability to focus on things. I’ve often heard her practically squeal with excitement over how orange some carrots are or how a loaf of bread turns out. She’s able to find the sublime in the everyday and I’ll always thank her for showing me how to do that. If you can find happiness in the small things, it carries you through the harder parts of your day.
I’ve had a lot of failures (recipes that were just plain awful, crafts I murdered and organizing jobs I didn’t quite complete) but I’ve also tried so many new things (corning my own beef, eating celery root, using glitter). I feel as though this year has been a complete education for me, like going to culinary school, apprenticing in a new trade, and practicing to open a shop on Etsy.
It has also been exhausting. In the midst of all the Martha lessons, I’ve had a busy year. My grandmother passed away, we went to the UK on a two week vacation, husband and daughter continued the balancing act required with rheumatoid arthritis, I wrote a book about the history of cookies (coming out next fall), I did massive numbers of indexes and wrote several book proposals, my daughter had swine flu and pneumonia, I struggled with an ongoing infection, my son started middle school, my daughter applied to and visited colleges, and I continued to be daughter, wife, dog owner, and mom to the people I love.
I’ve been contemplating what I would do when my one year of Martha ended. On the one hand, I’m tired. I’m tired of cooking Martha food all the time, tired of pushing myself to craft, and tired of spending a large portion of my disposable income on food for Martha’s recipes, supplies for Martha’s projects, and on Martha’s favorite products.
But on the other hand, I can’t see a life without Martha. I admit it – I am slightly hooked. I’ve already decided I’m ordering one of Martha’s turkeys for Thanksgiving and I’m giddy at the thought of her new line of cleaning products. I’m already looking forward to the December issue of Living. So, I don’t think Martha and I are going to part ways. Instead, I think we will reach a compromise.
So, my plan moving forward is to continue to experiment with Martha’s recipes, crafts, and projects, but at a slower pace. One year of doing Martha every day has been plenty. Instead, I’d like to see what sticks. I want to try a slightly different experiment – move forward with my life and see what Martha lessons and projects are truly me. I need some time and space to find what really works for me. So, I’m going to continue the blog, but may not have a post absolutely every single day. It almost kills me to write that, since I’ve come to depend on my loyal readers! I love coming here every day and reading your comments and knowing you’ve been on the journey with me. I might take a weekend off! I do plan to post regularly and to continue sharing my results with you and hopefully sharing my thoughts with you about how I’ve incorporated Martha into my real life.
I also would like to show you some non-Martha recipes – my own creations. Martha has certainly influenced me to try new things and enjoy new things, so I’d like to show the direction she has steered me as I move forward.
Martha Mondays will continue and I’m still going to do the MS Cupcake Club. But those are my only required assignments. As for the rest, I’m going to do what really interests me and excites me. At this point, I’m not even sure what that will be – I’ve been so focused on doing Martha, I’ve lost sight a little bit of what I want to do.
Many of you have asked me if I will be writing a book about this experience. The answer to that is I hope so! It’s started, but it really wasn’t something I could write until I got to the end of the journey so I could have perspective on it. If you would like to read such a book, I would love for you to comment and say so.
I can’t thank you enough for the support, cheering on, commiserating and just general interest in my project! It has meant so very much to me to know that every single one of you is reading along. So, stick around and come with me on year two as I discover where I go from here and what lasting influence Martha will have on me!
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SO thrilled that you’ll be continuing the blog!! And I definitely vote for you writing a book about your experiences as well 🙂
Thanks!
I think your new emphasis on yourself, what you’ve learned, what you’ve liked, makes sense and will be fascinating to read about. This is Martha Meets Reality — family, obligations, compromises, imperfections. What a great idea!
Thanks Ruth – that’s a great way to put it.
Brette, First of all, congratulations on sticking out the year! That’s quite a commitment, to say the least. I like the idea of a book – especially relating personal growth experiences to what you found out during your experiment with cooking and crafting. I think that would be most interesting. Good luck and hope to read your book someday soon.
Thank you!
Brette, I am so pleased that you will be continuing with the blog. At first I didn’t fully understand why you would make a recipe when you didn’t like something in it, but over time I god to understand and appreciate why you were trying all the different things.
I am also very pleased that you are continuing with Martha Mondays which are a great highlight of my weekend.
I can’t wait to see what year two brings – hopefully bigger and better things as you put into practice all the things that you have learnt.
Congratulations and thank you, for such a wonderful blog.
Pru
Thanks Pru. Yes, the idea was to experience new things – and I really did find lots of things I had never tried that were good. I also learned I actually do like some things that I thought I didn’t – if they are made the right way. It’s made me less afraid to try just about anything.
I have loved reading this blog. It was comforting to know that there was someone out there like me who loved Martha, but also had a real life and real family to take care. I think it is a great idea to incorporate the Martha ideas that work for you and to leave the rest. I would love to read your book, and I will continue to read your blog even if you post less frequently.
Thanks for taking us on this journey with you, Brette. I can’t wait to read the book.
I’m glad you’re continuing the blog…I would miss it. And the book idea is great.
I’m so glad you are going to continue your blog. I’ve become a faithful follower and would like to read more about your experiences living the Martha life.
I think a book would be fantastic! Please write one then let us all know where we can buy it. I would love to have a book like this!
Brette, I love your honest writing and think a book would be amazing!!!!
I’m glad you’re going to start infusing more of your own recipes into your Martha fare. I’m looking forward to reading–and eating–more. A book sounds like a wonderful idea!
Brette,
I’ve really enjoyed following you on your blog and on your radio appearances with Martha Living. You’ve challenged me to look at and try things I never would have before through your example. I’m here with you all the way.
Andre
PS: Put me down for two books. I know someone else who would love it too.
Andre – you’ve just made my day!
That is so kind of you to say! Thank you.
Thanks! Putting my own recipes in writing will be a challenge in and of itself. I tend to dump and pinch!
I am glad you will be continuing to post on this blog. I have to say this is THE ONE blog that I check every day. You have a great, honest, fun writing style and I can totally relate to your successes and failures. Thanks for sharing them with us through the year. Can’t wait to see what the next year holds.
That is so nice of you to say. I appreciate it.
It’s amazing, Brett, that you set this goal and stuck to it. And I really love on the blog how you posted about BOTH the successes and the failures (so many blogs are more about only success and make it look so easy). I would love love LOVE to read a book about this — that incorporated YOUR FAMILY LIFE and YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MARTHA. So we could hear the back story about the infection, the trip, your life, etc. and also the front story of keeping up with Martha. I think a book like that would be incredibly compelling.
I appreciate your vote of confidence! I do have quite a story to tell.
Congrats on finishing the year! Wow! Also, I’m looking forward to reading about your own recipes here. I think I might enjoy yours more than I would ever enjoy Martha’s. Martha? She’s not me, but I think you are. Congrats again!!
A whole year of Martha? Who wouldn’t want to read a book about that? I’ve enjoyed your journey so far and look forward to what is to come.
Good luck with the book!
Much appreciated!
That is so nice of you to say. I’m actually cooking dinner right now and am making something I’ll be posting about in a day or two.
Brette,
I think you may have more than one book here — the Martha Year, and then a year or two later, your stories and reflections on what’s come after that. I look forward to reading both.
as someone who purposely does not post every day, I think you’ll find that allows you to enjoy your blog and your readers even more than you do now. glad you will continue with the blog, though, I enjoy it.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this blog. I found it just a few months ago, but now I’ll go back and read all I’ve missed. I think a book would be a great idea.
Congratulations on completing your one year Martha goal. It was so interesting to watch you!
I’m so glad you are going to continue and I’m really anxious to see what you make with your own recipes. They are sure to be great! I can’t wait!!!
Already I am feeling much happier knowing I don’t have to do something Martha today if I don’t want to and don’t have to write a post for the next day. It’s like I can breathe. However, I already have ideas for posts for the next several days, so apparently I have an addictive blogging personality.
I vote for a book AND a movie. 🙂
Ha!
I’m really glad you’re continuing with the blog, Brette. Yay!
Mazel tov on completing the year, Brette! As others have said, I’m looking forward to seeing some of your own recipes & ideas–I imagine they’ll be Martha-inflected (how could they not be, after a year?) but with your own unique approach.
And put me down for a book, too!
Good for you! I am glad to hear that you are stepping back and approaching things in a way that may be more personally satisfying! Taking stock and making changes are definitely “good things”. 🙂
I like your new goal, Brette. One of the “problems” with being a follower of Martha Stewart is the way-high bar she sets. She has so much energy and is such a perfectionist. I think it’s great to follow but do it at your own pace this year.
Martha is a bit overwhelming!
I agree!
Yes, I think Martha has influenced me for sure!