Halloween Pumpkin 2014 - Candy Corn Gumball!

Love, love, LOVE the Martha Stewart Mother of Pearl paint!  The orange is just the glitter paint over the pumpkin and the yellow is a combo of yellow with a layer of the yellow glitter paint.  The Martha Stewart paints were 30% off at Michael's this week.

A Very Martha Christmas

Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery wrapping supplies from Staples in Austin, Texas.  And I finally found the red and white baker's string at The Container Store. A cone spool of 1,000 yards was $8.    Bonus find -- the roll of double row of rhinestone sparkle trim!

Some of my bounty from Michael's.  I'm thinking about putting some of the snowflakes on my car windows! Those sparkly glitter paints are Multi-Surface Peridot, and Mother of Pearl and Copper Glass Paint.  I am loving that shade of green - it is everywhere this year as a fresh take on a nice Christmas green.

Wednesday Work in Progress - Go Green!

$12.99 watering can from Tractor Supply. Martha Stewart Craft Paint in "Green Curry" from Michaels. Hello Kitty's green bow is my nod to Earth Day! I love this shade of green.

Wow! Of course anything Martha Stewart has her hand in is great. This will be my new go-to crafting paint! While list priced at $2.29; you could really tell the difference between the cheaper paint. It was thicker and laid down in just one coat.


And there were lots of other finishes available. I stood in front of the display agape -- Metallic! Sparkle! Well worth the price. And with the usual 40% off coupons Michaels has all the time, not that much difference in cost. Big difference in quality.

Too Damn Hot To Cook Dinner!

For those of you noticing my Accuweather widget on the side bar, yes - we've had almost a month now of 100+ degree days in Houston. (whimper!) Today we hit 104! Our normal high temperature of 92 would seem like a cool front to me now.

The thought of heating up the house either by burner or oven is unbearable. But we are tired of salads, sandwiches, eating out; and there's not much energy to cook either, so I thought I would try HEB's Central Market's Dinner For Two tonight.

For $13.99 we got - Almond crusted tilapia ("delicate tilapia fillets encrusted in crunchy almonds") , Golden rice pilaf ("aromatic rice seasoned with tumeric, tossed with golden raisins, almonds and cilantro"), Creamed spinach ("fresh sautee'd spinach in a light cream sauce") and two mini baguettes. They give you directions to reheat by oven or microwave. (or sticking outside!). I decided to use the microwave. Each day there is a different meal. A lot healthier and cheaper than a restaurant. And it was delicious! Dinner for Two was more like Dinner for Three...or even Four! The portions were very generous.

And with the savings and anticipation, I bought Martha Stewart's Halloween issue at Costco today - ($4.79). "Motha" Stewart - haha! Seriously, check out her cover and the magazine. It's great.
Fall will be here soon!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Photo credit Merissa Cherie

St. Patrick's Day 2010

Or next week's new toy for Grandma's cat! I dunno about this one. I went along with Martha Stewart's Zipper Flowers basic idea of using a zipper and folding/wrapping/forming the flower...But decided to use needle and thread to secure the petals instead of a hot glue gun! This was the longest zipper I had in the stash (20" versus a 36"?!) and an odd enough color I didn't think I would be using any time soon. A fast, quirky project if you have an assortment of leftover zippers.

Valentine's Day 2010

But isn't any time is a good time for hearts and love? This "Blossoming Brooch" project was from the February issue of Martha Stewart Living's Good Things column. Instead of lace I used wire-edged ribbon from Costco -- in the lifetime-sized 50 yard roll. I loved the heart edging - good for all year-round. I used a 34" piece and gathered it to about 12". I think the wire helped it form a good shape and stay in place. Not only will this look cute as a pin, but also for package decorations or any other opportunity for a flower to brighten your day.

Wearing o' the Green! - Shamrock Boutonniere pins

Or, "Mom did you really sew this to my uniform vest?!" Yes, yes I did! Just the top ribbon cockade part though.

I found the link to Martha Stewart's Shamrock Boutonniere, at the Craft Gossip site yesterday afternoon and finished them while watching "Dancing with the Stars." Don't we all do better under a little pressure? (Sewing and DWTS)

The larger shamrock is the template I used for ours. I sort of followed Martha's directions. . .

1) I traced the shamrocks onto clear plastic...2) went into the stash and pulled the shamrock fabrics, cut two each 3" x 5" of each fabric...3) discovered I didn't (or couldn't find) my Wonder Under and used a piece of non-fusible interfacing sandwiched between...4) I stitch-traced along the templates and learned the small one is just too small... 5) Then I zig-zagged 1.5 L x 2.0 W around each shamrock and cut out... 6) Folded each leaf in half and pressed, then stitched along the crease...7) I didn't have floral wire, but I had metallic silver pipecleaners and I attached the shams to them.

I grouped three together and tied with two green bows. L thought hers needed more bling, so I added a string of green sequins and the shamrock bow on top. I tied mine together with the wired shamrock ribbon. We are good to go! Just cross your fingers she will be lucky enough to slip under the uniform police radar at school.

Yesterday's Costco Find

Martha Stewart Kirkland Apple Raspberry Slab Pie - marked down to $6.97. With three kinds of apples! Check your Costco -- It's in the freezer aisle next to the cheesecakes. Too bad, so sad I didn't have enough room in the freezer, it's baking right now and smells wonderful! Looks very Martha-y with the rustic looking crust edge.

What Kind of Martha Stewart Cookie Are You?

Take the quiz and find out. I am Candy-Stripe Cookie Sticks.
A little complicated and possibly high maintenance, but well worth it.

Why couldn't it be an easy one? Like a drop cookie. I'm constantly dropping things. Not that I'm easy. But if you check the blogs of others who have attempted these, I think I'll just admire the photo instead. Besides, they look a little uptight, upright. Not that I'm that either. . .I'd better just end this post now.

Martha Stewart's New Holiday Issue!

$6.95 (found at Target -- save 10%!)

Grab it when you see it -- 151 ways to make your holidays crafty a la Martha Stewart! Handmade gifts...ornaments...decorations...gifts from the kitchen...wrappings and cards. I loved the button snowman! The beaded ornaments are in a gorgeous lettering you could easily replicate on your sewing machine. Each time I flip through I find even more crafting temptations. Martha definitely pulled out the stops for this holiday season!

Martha Stewart on iTunes!

Martha has free video podcasts on iTunes! They range from 2 1/2 minutes to just over 14 minutes. There are 27 podcasts for June, focusing on Father's Day, Graduation and 4th of July recipes, crafts and party ideas. Pick and choose, or grab them all.

175!

175 cookie recipes in the soon-to-be-published, Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook. Per the Costco Connection magazine, they will have it mid-March (and Everyday Food again). Amazon says you can pre-order for March 11.

Update 3-11-08 -- I picked up my copy at Costco today! $13.59 (publish price is $24.95). The recipes are divied up into -- light and delicate...chunky and nutty...crisp and crunchy...soft and chewy...cakey and tender...rich and dense...crumbly and sandy. . .yum! The books are going fast, there were only 6 copies left on the table.

Green Tee - Turn a T-shirt into a shopping bag

From the January 2008 isssue of Martha Stewart Living, page 91. And it was also on the Martha Stewart Show, here's the link. This was fast and easy! Turn t-shirt inside out and stitch the bottom closed. I boxed the side seams so the bag could hold bulkier items a little easier. Turn right side out and cut off neckline ribbing, making the curve of the back and front necklines even. Cut off sleeves at seam. Voila! No need to even finish the neckline or sleeve edges. Plus it will be washable, too!

...And what did I buy with the cookbook refund?

Tah-dah!

The bag measures 15" x 15" with a 1/2" black fabric Kirkland Signature embroidered ribbon. Even on the tag Martha suggests reusing - "after washing - the bag for storing linens, cookie cutters, serving utensils and other kitchen items." Inside the label, recipes for two different glazes --Brown Sugar and Cognac Glaze and Whole Grain Mustard and Apricot Glaze. And a recipe for Split Pea Soup! Oh, and the ham itself--an almost 7 pounder, free of antibiotics, smoked over applewood chips, ready to heat and serve. How much fun will I have with this ham purchase?!

Martha Food

I saw the first of the Martha Stewart food at Costco yesterday -- The ham for $3.99 a pound. How tempted was I to open the Martha logo drawstring cloth bag it came in, tear off the price tag, dump out the ham and stuff the bag into my purse?!

Texas-Style Martha Stewart Living

This was probably my favorite photo, taken from the dark gray-green tiled kitchen doorway. . .

True Colors

Looks like wallpaper could be making a comeback...

Shine!

Hip to be Square

This is one of the kitchens, but I liked the color and the square tiled walls.

So many squares!

Ideas from Martha for "Master Bathroom Project 2008" (or 2009, or...)