January 27th, 2012

Have You Ever Been to a Spa Party?

Recently on my television show, we set the scene for a spa party.  Where most parties are about turning up the energy, a spa party is all about dialing it down.  It’s a really great idea for a bridal shower, a teen party, or a girlfriends’ get-together.  A spa party could be entirely a do-it-yourself event with homemade treatments that you and your guests perform on each other, or you could hire professionals to service your guests.  At our party, Susan Ciminelli, owner of the Susan Ciminelli Day Spa and Salon in Manhattan,  brought a team to pamper us and to teach us about skin care.  Sara Carey, the editor-in-chief of Everyday Food, shared a delicious shrimp Caesar salad recipe from our new cookbook, Everyday Food: Light.  And my makeup artist, Daisy Schwartzberg demonstrated how to apply a full makeup routine in under five minutes!  To find out what makeup she used, click here.  To find out more about how to throw a spa party, click here.

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1 Doesn't the audience look relaxed dressed in their comfy cotton robes, which were a gift from Cotton Palace? They're the exact same ones you'll find at the best hotels and spas. http://www.cottonpalace.com/401test.html

2 And don't you love their soothing gel eye masks? These are from Dream Essentials and they make a great party favor! http://www.dreamessentials.com/product-37/solace-gel-soothing-eye-mask

3 We turned the potting shed on set into a little spa. Susan Ciminelli, from the Susan Ciminelli Spa and Salon in NYC, brought her team to pamper our party guests, who were actually members of our studio audience.

4 Here I am getting a hand massage from Susan Ciminelli while sipping a carrot, ginger, and grapefruit juice. Healthy juices are so easy to make if you have a juice extractor. There are delicious recipes in the Feb. issue of Whole Living Magazine.

5 Joey Kola joined the party and waited for a massage while Katy Carter soaked her feet in chamomile bath in preparation for a soothing reflexology session. Katy loved her beet and apple juice.

6 Meanwhile, Mila Yelnikova gave Ali Carter an aromatherapy facial, which is very relaxing. It gets the blood flowing, increases circulation, helps balance the body's energy, helps the body heal itself, and helps to unblock blockages.

7 Joey still waiting!

8 Katy and Ali's mother, Lisa Carter, relaxed while Marina Polyakova preformed reflexology. Different points in your feet affect different parts of your body. For example, you can work the foot to miraculously cure a shoulder problem!

9 Funny Joey laughing it up with Katy - I don't think he minded waiting one bit!

10 At long last, Joey was given an expert massage from Susan Ciminelli.

11 Joey was in heaven! Susan's spa http://www.susanciminelli.com/ offers several different kinds of massage and many at 30, 60, or 90-minute intervals.

12 The audience then turned their attention to the crafting area, where...

13 I'm taught Ali and Lisa how to make bath fizzies, a combination of citric acid, baking soda, and cornstarch, which, when combined with water, fizzes up. http://www.marthastewart.com/271871/bath-fizzies

14 The powdery mixture is scented, tinted, slightly moistened, and pressed into ice-cube trays, where they dry at room temperature. Gently pop out the cubes and store them in glass jars.

15 Mila and Marina looked on with great interest.

16 Here we are mixing. Ali made lemon fizzies, I chose lavender, and Lisa wanted peppermint. The scent is obtained from essential oils. The tint from a bit of food coloring.

17 Thumbs up for Joey's massage!

18 Now here we are gently removing the cubes from the silicone ice cube trays.

19 We prepared these jars of bath fizzies for Lisa, Ali, and Katy to take home and enjoy.

20 A lovely portrait - Ali, Lisa, me, and Katy

21 The audience really enjoyed that segment!

22 To help demonstrate how to care for one's skin, we pulled audience member, Meredith Bailey Wynne. Susan began by washing Meredith's face with a milk cleanser, never soap! Soap dries out the skin.

23 Also, just as soap scum builds up in the bathtub, it will also build up on your skin.

24 Susan also made a mask by mixing plain full-fat yogurt with honey and some crushed up bee pollen, which she applied to Meredith's face.

25 The lactic acid in milk softens the skin and honey, a humectant, attracts moisture from the air to the skin. Honey also naturally kills bacteria. This mask is very soothing and can be used one or two times a week.

26 Kisha Pippins-Fields and Sara Harris showing off their moisturizing gloves

27 Jamie Stuiso – tres chic in her shower cap

28 Karine and Rafael Mendez

29 Karine Mendez's shower cap looks just like a cupcake!

30 My makeup artist, Daisy Schwartzberg, demonstrated how to apply professional looking makeup in just five minutes. You can watch that video, as it's posted below.

Watch Daisy's Five Minute Makeup Routine here:

January 26th, 2012

Get Organized With Martha Stewart Home Office Supplies!

I am especially proud and happy to tell you about my new line of Martha Stewart Home Office, with Avery sold exclusively at Staples.  These exciting products are made by Avery Dennison Corp. and there are hundreds of items from binders and accessories; to journals and notebooks; to labels, tags, and bands; to sticky notes and note tabs; to filing systems; to dry-erase decals; to Stack+Fit™ desk accessories.  Plus, these products come in really great colors that coordinate beautifully with other Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery products.   You’ll find new ways to keep your home office orderly, organized, and great looking.  So, visit a Staples near you or shop online!  Shipping is free until 1/28!

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1 This is the cover of our new special issue all about organizing. It's filled with wonderful ideas. The labels in this pantry, by the way, are Brown Kraft Labels and Chalkboard Labels from my Home Office line at Staples.

2 This is the Staples in Mt. Kisco, NY, not too far from my home.

3 My Home Office line fills one complete aisle, front....

4 And back!

5 Of course, my picture is printed on a giant label!

6 And speaking of labels, there are so many different kinds to choose from.

7 Make sure clothing always gets returned to its rightful owner with these no-iron clothing labels. They work with many fabrics and are durable enough to withstand multiple washer and dryer cycles.

8 Personalize your household storage containers with chalkboard labels.

9 Just write, erase, and write again. The removable labels stick to most smooth surfaces and peel off cleanly. They're great for glass, plastic containers, metal boxes, toy bins, and mud-room storage.

10 Brown kraft labels are a lovely alternative to white labels. They make a great label for plastic containers and bags, glass and metal jars, and storage containers.

11 Kraft paper makes a wonderful label for spice jars, small gifts and favors, and even potted plants.

12 Identify the contents of your food containers with pre-printed kitchen labels.

13 These labels will stay on in the freezer and the microwave and are removable after one dishwasher cycle. They're great for labeling plastic or glass food storage containers, freezer bags, or gift jars.

14 Keep your storage containers organized with dry erase labels. Just write, erase, and write again.

15 Dry erase labels are perfect for labeling clothing bins, holiday storage boxes, and other seasonal items.

16 These removable color-coding labels are ideal for many of your organizing needs. They come in a variety of colors, perfect for use on task managers, planners, and notebooks.

17 Colorful metal-rim tags with color-coordinated baker's twine add a nice finishing touch to gift jars, bags, and boxes. The metal rim won't tarnish, and it helps keep the tags from bending.

18 X bands are a great substitute for rubber bands. They're perfect for bundling folders and loose items.

19 Durable ElastiNote® Tags repel moisture, so they're great for a variety of uses. Use them to tag luggage, identify flower pots, or label water bottles.

20 Adhesive metal bookplates are an elegant way to label and identify binders, document storage boxes, or pockets.

21 They require no hardware to apply and work beautifully with other Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery products.

22 In the filing section, there are many file folders, accordion files, and pocket files to choose from.

23 Small accordion files are perfect for storing coupons, receipts, and gift cards. Hook the elastic band through the cut out on back side to help keep the lid open while working.

24 When not in use, the lid helps keep contents secure.

25 File folders are great for sorting and organizing everyday paperwork. The beautiful colors and patterns coordinate with file folder labels, color-coding labels, binders, and notebooks from Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery.

26 Stack+Fit™ desk accessories are part of a unique system that lets you mix and match accessories to fit your space and storage needs, from jewelry boxes to crafts stations.

27 You just build to your specifications.

28 Stack+Fit™ desk accessories come in brown, blue, and white.

29 Create your own organization system by stacking multiple boxes. They're made to stack perfectly.

30 These shagreen pockets can hang in a variety of places with either the built-in adhesive or grommets and included push pins.

31 Their stylish finish makes them pretty enough to use in the kitchen, office, or near the front door.

32 Shagreen Pockets are available in blue, brown, or....

33 White.

34 The Dry Erase section offers several choices of decals to use throughout the house for messages, shopping lists, and task planning.

35 Pre-printed dry erase weekly planners come in two sizes. Keep everyone's schedule up to date with this pre-printed weekly planner. Use dry erase markers to make quick changes and additions.

36 This pre-printed dry erase sheet gives you quick access to measurement equivalents. It includes extra space for notes that can be easily erased and written again.

37 Adhesive transparent pockets are great for holding papers and other items. Peel and stick them inside a cabinet or on a door for a convenient place to store phone lists, schedules, bills, calendars, and takeout menus.

38 In the Binder and Accessories section, you can design and build your own personalized planner or project binder.

39 You can fill your binder with coordinated dividers, zipper pouches, and pockets for stylish, functional organization.

40 Binders come in blue, brown, red, and black.

41 Sheet protectors come in clear or blue in one, two, or four pocket.

42 Notebook dividers come in assorted colors.

43 Make sure you always have NoteTabs and sticky notes on hand in your binder with these hole-punched inserts.

44 Notebooks in a variety of vibrant colors and sizes have plastic front and back covers and double-coil bindings that provide durability.

45 These soft journals are perfect for journaling and planning. The ribbon page-marker and interior storage pocket help keep you organized. Durable ivory journal pages are made of acid-free archival-safe paper.

46 Jot down reminders or make a shopping list easily with this note pad. The magnetic strip on the back lets you hang it on the refrigerator or other metal surfaces. Quickly tear off notes to take on the go.

47 The 'Good Things' notepad has a tip from me on each sheet.

48 Have you had your walk today?

49 UltraHold Sticky Notes are a fast, convenient solution for quick messages, reminders, and to-do lists. UltraHold helps them stick and stay put until you're ready to remove them. Keep them by the phone, on your desk, or in the kitchen.

Watch some of my organizing tips from our special issue in this clip from the Today Show:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

January 25th, 2012

Saving Money Around the Home

Recently, on my television show, our friend, Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC’s Mad Money, paid a visit and shared some money-management and investing tips for 2012.  After listening to his smart ways for managing money, I shared with Jim, a clever way to make an affordable, personalized coffee mug.  Hosanna Houser, from our TV Craft Department, came up with this idea of applying decorative stenciling to a paper cup lookalike called “I Am Not a Paper Cup” ceramic thermal mug, a TV giveaway from Décor Craft.  I really like these ceramic mugs with their silicone drinking lids and I asked the TV crafters to personalize mugs for my Bedford farm crew, thinking that this is a perfect way to cut down on use of disposable paper cups.  I then started to think about other easy and common sense ways of saving.  No one likes to throw money away, but so many of us do on a daily basis by not being cost and energy efficient.  I’d love to hear about the simple ways that all of you save.

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1 Here I am on set with Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money. I was teaching Jim how to stencil his name on a porcelain cup for drinking his green tea.

2 These clever porcelain cups are a product of Decor Craft Inc. (DCi). Designed by James Burgess, these cups are insulating double-walled ceramic and have silicone lids. Beverages stay either hot or cold for quite a while.

3 The matte finish of the ceramic makes stenciling names or designs a breeze. You just need adhesive stencils, a foam pouncer, and craft paint - all Martha Stewart Crafts products from Michaels!

4 To discourage the use of disposable paper cups, I decided to make personalized drinking cups for my entire Bedford staff. But, I really feel that DCi needs to change their packaging to something more eco-friendly.

5 Betsy riding Ramon was thrilled to see her cup.

6 Ryan striking a pose in the greenhouse

7 Gelbu and Dolma in the stable ready for their coffee break

8 Susie and Maureen enjoying an outdoor break

9 Wilmer, Pete, and Phurba take a break from mulching.

10 Gyurme likes his cup.

11 As do Chhiring and Mike!

12 Maria and Laura are very happy, as well.

13 Now the house staff can refill their personalized drinking cups with water, tea, or coffee. Instead of using bottled water, which gets costly, we use these large jugs of water, which are washed, sanitized and re-used many times over.

14 You can save money buying things in bulk, like these cotton bar towels, which we use over and over again in the kitchen. They're inexpensive, very absorbent, and wash well.

15 We just received a new shipment.

16 I also order the small washcloth size for drying hands. I discourage unnecessary use of paper towels.

17 Recycling is the law in many places and that good practice begins in the kitchen.

18 You can shave quite a bit off your electric bill by turning off lights when you leave a room. The most energy-saving bulb of all is one that's turned off.

19 Keep thermostats low when not at home. Programmable thermostats are a really good idea and can help save quite a bit with fuel costs.

20 If you have a fireplace, close the damper when you don't have a fire burning. An open damper is like having an open window, allowing heat to escape in winter and cool to escape in summer!

21 In cold weather, storm windows and storm doors really help to keep a home cozy.

22 In autumn, the screens are replaced with the storms and are stored in the basement in these compact units.

23 Every window on each building is numbered and every storage slot is labeled accordingly.

24 And every screen and storm window is also labeled and is stored in its corresponding slot. This way, there is no confusion when making the seasonal change.

25 Also, for places like the basement, where lighting is purely utilitarian, we have switched to energy saving bulbs. These are especially efficient in my laundry room, where the lights need to be on for long periods of time.

26 When the heat or air conditioning is on, I post reminders everywhere!

27 You can save quite a bit of money by making your own pet food. We package meatballs made of lean ground round. We steam brown rice and combine it with organic frozen vegetables. We also poach fish filets.

28 These healthy foods are combined at mealtime and Francesca, Sharkey, and G.K. love every morsel!

29 All vegetarian kitchen scraps are fed to the chickens. This cuts down on feed costs and provides lots of good nourishment.

30 My chickens love their varied diet and they lay amazing eggs.

31 We use a lot of composted mulch at the farm on all of the garden beds.

32 I used to buy mulch by the truckload, but now we make it ourselves, using all the organic matter from the farm. Making your own compost is fun and rewarding, even in the tiniest of backyards!