Seed Package Design

Below are some examples of the new Martha Stewart Living herb and vegetable seed packages now available at Home Depot. They are available in store only, not online. Certified organic, there is a very wide selection to choose from, including carrots, various types of peppers, broccoli, several tomato types, lettuce, pumpkins and squash. Herbs include the standards. They are free of insecticides and were developed naturally in environmentally-friendly conditions. As far as I know, the garden line (including these seeds and a special line of Martha Stewart gardening tools) are currently only available in the Canadian stores. (Note the bilingual signage, common to all products sold in Canada.) U.S. stores may receive these items next year if all goes well up here!

At Home with Wedgwood

I have never met a person who has not been smitten by Wedgwood. Whether or not one collects the prized dinnerware, glassware, serving dishes and pottery is of little importance. It is the allure of the quality of the pieces that strikes the nerve of desire and admiration whenever one is presented with an example. With refined lines and majestic patterns, Wedgwood pieces are timeless, elevating the style of even the everyday dinner table to admirable heights.

The story of Wedgwood is a long one - too long for me to really get into here. It is easily researched, however. Some of the basic points of interest include its British lineage; Founded in London in 1774 by Josiah Wedgwood, a young potter who had been working in the Soho district of the capital city since the 1750s, the brand was an almost immediate success with England's upper classes. English royalty coveted the handmade and hand-painted pieces just as much as royalty from across the European continent, including the royals of Russia and France. That the name has survived over two centuries speaks to the enduring quality and beauty of the craftsmanship.

Below are some beautiful examples of Wedgwood from one of my favourite books called "At Home With Wedgwood." (Even our Martha has a line of Wedgwood dinnerware and glassware, available at Macy's, which is discussed below.) Enjoy these handpicked examples of some of my favourites.

My favourite type of Wedgwood is black Jasperware. I have a very small collection of very small pieces, including a few I bought at an antique warehouse in Scotland several years ago. They are not particularly expensive, but I adore them. Jasperware's hard, unglazed appearance took its name from its resemblance to the semi-precious stone, jasper, both in texture and color. This was obtained by adding carbonate and sulphate of barium to a semi-porcelain clay and then using a metal oxide for the desired color. Blue is the most familiar, but there are six others that are prized by collectors: pale green, grey, pink, lilac, yellow, and black. Against this colored background, a raised white decoration produced a cameo effect, as seen in the tea-cup and saucer example above.

This grey Jasperware is equally lovely. I adore the shape of the fruit bowl.
An array of Creamware plates and small tureens shows the versatility of this popular creamy colour, one of Wedgwood's most successful. With the invention of transfer printing (using an engraved plate to create a design) in the mid-eighteenth century, pieces could be decorated with some degree of standardization and speed. Extremely delicate borders with elaborate designs still had to be hand-painted.

Stephen Drucker, who was the editor of Martha Stewart Living between May 1997 and April 2001, is a collector of Wedgwood's black basalt portrait busts. Shown above is a basalt wine ewer, an exquisite example of Wedgwood's excellent craftsmanship, illustrating the neoclassical ideal of refined ornament. On Stephen's wall (shown behind the bust) is a collection of 500 reproduction plaster casts that he amassed online. Perfect framing against black linen cloth makes them come alive. Wedgwood collector James Huniford mixes pieces to achieve a modern table setting. A handmade Swedish bowl (not Wedgwood) sits atop two examples from his collection; on the bottom is vintage drabware from the 1950s in its characteristic khaki tone; sitting atop that one is a more modern example in a charming cauliflower pattern.A weekend breakfast for houseguests is an occasion to break out this set of Summery Sky Wedgwood. Its unadorned frames were made in post-war England, when the nation was just emerging from self-imposed rationing and economic restraints. The clarity of the shiny blue glaze reflects the new optimism of the period. This Craneware example is from Christine Maly's personal collection. The formula for making such a dish involves a bisque made from coloured marl (clay) and is one of the most difficult to create. Josiah Wedgwood and his son (Josiah II) experimented for nearly twenty years to perfect it at the end of the Eighteenth Century. These plates, shown above, embossed with leaves in the characteristic straw colour, are late Victorian. Many drabware motifs, such as bamboo or woven reeds, are derived from nature. Martha Stewart first began designing for Wedgwood in the late 1990s. Martha Stewart Wedgwood was sold via her catalog and e-commerce website, Martha by Mail. Examples of Drabware, Whiteware and Creamware were among her most popular offerings. In 2005, Martha and Wedgwood greatly expanded their relationship to include a growing array of designs and styles (including glassware) with distribution through Macy's Department Stores. The example above is a white cereal bowl with silver ribbon trim. Martha's most popular Wedgwood collection is called Flourish. It is bone china with a charming but not overly-precious filigree design in platinum. Against the robin-egg blue, the pattern creates a whimsical elegance.

Martha's second most popular pattern is called Garland in Moss. Also bone china, this collection features a classical and formal design with trim in gold.

There are two volumes that any collector of Wedgwood must have. The first is called "Wedgwood - The New Illustrated Dictionary." A large, hardcover book, it is the 'bible' for all Wedgwood collectors, filled with information and pictoral examples. Its last printing was in 2007 and it is sadly out of print, but it can be found at online auction sites, such as eBay. The second, called "At Home With Wedgwood," is a smaller volume but includes the more modern designers of Wedgwood patterns, including Vera Wang, Martha Stewart and Barbara Barry, as well as the more historical and collectible collections of the past. It is still currently available.

Martha on Charlie Rose

Martha Stewart was on Charlie Rose last night. In the half-hour interview, Martha reveals some of her new goals and discusses what "being Martha" is all about. She talks about her daughter, Alexis, her views on marriage, becoming a billionaire again and taking Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia to new heights of glory. She also mentions plans to further expand her brand on an international level. Indonesia, Brazil and Turkey are three of the latest countries to receive the Martha Stewart brand. Click here to watch the interview. (If you cannot find it on the main page, search "Martha Stewart" to isolate the footage. Also be sure to check out Martha's past appearances on Charlie Rose: 1995, 1997 and 1999.)

MarthaStewart.com Evolution

Read, Write, Web has written a great synopsis of the design evolution of marthastewart.com, tracing its development over the last three years. The online magazine did a review Martha's website in 2007 when it relauched its 2.0 version, which was able to host new blogs and photo-sharing software, along with chat forums and recipe swaps. Read the full review here.

I also wrote a history of Martha Stewart on the web, which you can read here. It is a full history of the development of the website, as well as some of the satellite sites that the company set up to promote some of its brands.

Below are images of the main page of MarthaStewart.com, the first from the summer of 2005 and the second from March, 2010. Quite a bit has changed in those five years:

In 2005, the layout was blocked by category with a lefthand menu dividing the site's content into three main categories: Magazines, Television and Shopping. On the right and along the bottom are galleries of the company's brands and magazines. The prominence of the new television show, "Martha" takes center stage while a small banner of external advertising is located at the top of the page. Corporate and contact links are located along the very bottom.

In 2010, the site has the feel of an opened recipe box with tabs along the top featuring the core content areas of the company: Food, Entertaining, Holidays, Weddings, Crafts, Home & Garden, Pets, Whole Living, Community and Shop. (The additon of Pets, Whole Living and Community reflect the evolution of the brand and the site's expansion.) Martha's new personal blog has lots of prominence on the site and a changing gallery of main images and topics keeps the reader interested and focused. At the bottom is a series of 'bests' including gardening and cooking tips, crafts for kids and the best TV moments. Also note the much more prominent location of external advertising on the site, which has generated millions more for the company since 2005.

Martha Moments Contests

All right, everyone, it's time for a good old-fashioned contest. In fact, I hope it will be the first of many contests to come at Martha Moments. To facilitate contest entries I've created a sub-site for Martha Moments called Martha Moments Contests. Here, details about the various contests will be posted as well as the entries to help get other potentially-interested contestants excited about the competition.

The first contest is about your favourite outdoor plant. It can be a tree, a flower, a shrub or even a vegetable but you must explain why you love it in 150 to 200 words. The winner will receive a copy of Suzy Bales' "The Down To Earth Gardener" - a 200-page book by one of my favourite garden writers. And the clincher is that author Suzy Bales will be judging your entries and selecting the winner herself!

Please submit your entries to dreamboat7@hotmail.com with the subject line: Martha Moments Contest. All of the entries I receive will be posted on the Martha Moments Contests page for others (and Suzy) to see. The winner of the contest will receive the book with free shipping. (Note: Entrants outside the U.S. and Canada are welcome, but if a winner from outside North America is chosen, a shipping fee will be charged. Please consider this before you enter.) The contest closes April 30th and the winner will be announced on May 5th. Good luck!

About the Book:

Award-winning garden writer Suzy Bales shares her sage advice, culled from 30 years of experience, on how to create your own garden wonderland

Suzy Bales not only gardens with the greenest of thumbs, but she imparts her gardening wisdom with a friendly, storytelling voice that is both charming and informative. Millions have delighted in her gardening columns for Family Circle, Horticulture, The New York Times, and other publications, as well as her garden spots on Good Morning America. In Suzy Bales` Down-to-Earth Gardener, she invites readers on a tour of her spectacular Long Island garden, sharing her triumphs and defeats and dispensing her invaluable advice along the way.

Laid out as a stunning visual tour-from the woodland walk around the formal rose garden to the flagstone courtyard and to the kitchen garden-the more than 150 full-color pictures beautifully illustrate the lessons Suzy imparts in the text.

Packed with the "down-to-earth" gardening secrets of the woman who has won two Quill & Trowel awards from the Garden Writers Association of America, as well as been named Garden Writer of the Year from the American Horticultural Society, this is inspirational reading for any gardener. Retail value: $32.00

Pedigreed Poultry

Today's episode of The Martha Stewart Show was all about chickens. I thoroughly enjoyed it and decided to highlight some chicken collectibles that purveyors of poultry might enjoy.

This collection of chicken prints and books is a striking vignette. Breeding fancy chickens became popular during the nineteenth century, and many books printed at the time memorialized these prized specimens. Many of these books were disassembled to remove the beautifully illustrated prints, which were then sold as individual plates, examples of which can be seen above in frames. The large diagram in the background is printed on muslin and was designed for young agricultural students. Also shown is a rooster pitcher from the 1940s and several German examples of chicken-shaped candy containers. The whimsical wallpaper is vintage.
"Chatting Peeps" made for the Fanny Farmer candy company take center stage in this collection of chick-themed egg cups. The head of a chick, possibly from the 1960s, smiles bottom left, while a Victorian ceramic hen (top left) flutters her wings.Chicken collectibles are available in many different scales and materials. Milk glass covered dishes have long been sought-after by collectors. Some of the examples above are Victorian. The two ceramic rooster creamers and the brooding-hen shaped covered dish were made in Japan in the 1930s. The miniature ceramic chickens at bottom right are postwar Japanese.Among the most charming examples of dish towels are those printed with bright, bold imagery, like this collection that depicts chickens in various styles. Some examples are from the 1950s while others are more modern. Appliqué, embroidery and printing techniques were all used to create these vibrant kitchen essentials. The Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's includes these adorable aprons with chicken and rooster motifs. The example above also has matching oven mitts and pot holders. This chicken apron from the Martha Stewart Collection is my favourite. Only $14.99 on sale! Tea towels in the same print are also available.Anyone who watched Martha's chicken show today may have noticed these charming, ceramic egg crates that were used to display some of the gorgeous examples of eggs laid by some of the exotic specimens on set. These ones are from Anthropologie: $14.00.

Pretty Pink Bouquets

To get us in the swing of spring and to provide everyone with a healthy dose of inspiration, I'm posting these lovely photographs from the Creative Mint blog, which is a fountain of said inspiration on a nearly daily basis for me. The imagery is dreamy and lush but also very accessible, usually involving flowers and craft items. For spring, there is no finer sight for the eyes.

I've selected some of the arrangements featured on the blog, all of which were arranged, styled and photographed by the blog's creator, Leslie, a Canadian now living in Los Angeles with her family. The arrangements have several things in common, most notably their palette and their delicate, diminutive scale, which makes them all the more pretty.

Enjoy these! Create your own spring bouquets and enjoy your long weekend! Happy Easter!

A lovely assortment of roses, tulips, hyacinths and apple-blossom branches.

The yellow roses and tulips add a lovely touch of lightness to the bouquet.
Beautiful wild roses and lambs ears.
Pink and chartreuse is such a lovely colour combination.

Peonies in this arrangements add to the volume of the bouquet and the lushness of the fragrance.

A small bouquet of roses in pale pinks and creams would look gorgeous on a desk, a bedside table, a kitchen or bathroom counter or on a mantel.

Lovely fresh tulips in a pretty vintage vase.