Discussing My Latest iPad App, Martha Stewart CraftStudio, at the Apple SoHo Store
Crafting has always been one of my passions and I have always felt that Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has some of the best crafters. Over the years, we have developed a superior line of crafting tools and kits, demonstrated crafting on my televisions shows, as well as provided step by step directions on our website and in our magazines.
I am very proud of our latest iPad app, Martha Stewart CraftStudio, as it brings one of my passions to a new, much more modern audience. All of your favorite crafting tools, from paper punches to glitter, are available at your fingertips. With it, you can make your own cards, invitations, thank you notes, and more. When you are finished, you can print at home, email to friends, or upload to Snapfish.com to be printed out professionally.
Last night, I was asked to speak at the flagship Apple Store in SoHo, New York, about my newest creation. Check iTunes soon for the free video podcast of my appearance!
You can preview Martha Stewart CraftStudio here and take a look at all of the Martha Stewart apps available here.
1 I have spoken at the SoHo Apple Store before about my other iPad apps. It's where I showcased Boundless Beauty, our first digital magazine issue as well as our Martha Stewart Makes Cookies app.
2 This was my first visit since the store's recent renovations. The store is now bigger, with a new inviting layout.
3 The theater began filling up with people before I arrived. We had a nice turn out.
4 Matt, an Apple employee who works in the theater, gave me an excellent introduction.
5 I invited Matt Stinchcomb, Vice President of Etsy.com, to interview me for the event. Matt had appeared on my show earlier this year when we featured many Etsy sellers.
6 He told me when he first tried CraftStudio, he couldn't put it down for an hour. When I asked to see something he had made, he said that he had gotten silly with it and nothing would be appropriate to show!
7 Nicholas Calloway, CEO of Happy (with whom we partnered to create CraftStudio) and Gael Towey, MSLO's Chief Integration and Creative Director, gave live demonstrations of the app while the interview took place.
8 Gael incorporated a lot of her own family photos, making cards and invitations on the spot so the audience could see how the app really works.
9 The app can pull photographs from your iPad's photo library.
10 There are add-on themed bundles you can download, and this is just the beginning. We have many more exciting ideas to come!
11 After I gave an overview of what the app can do, Matt asked me some questions from Etsy.com sellers. One seller wanted to know what I would sell if I had an Etsy store.
12 I told him about a dress I recently sewed for my granddaughter, Jude, and said I would probably make and sell baby dresses.
13 Another Etsy seller wanted to know if I ever purchase anything from Etsy sellers. I do, especially after we had some featured sellers on my show. I wanted everything!
14 As an entrepreneur myself, I not only want to educate others but provide tools to help them grow. This app is an amazing and inexpensive resource for small business owners.
15 Matt believes the CraftApp can be very useful for sellers on Etsy as well. Not only can they use it to make business cards, but they can also email a personal thank you to their customers. He even suggested included coupon codes.
16 I had Gael explain some of the tools she was using in the app.
17 One of my favorites is the glitter tool. I love to glitter and am very proud of my Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter line available at Michael's. I am especially proud of how we were able to translate it in digital form.
18 Gael demonstrated stamps, stickers, and writing with her finger. I teased Gael that her handwriting looked like a child's! She countered by using the eraser tool.
19 I then took questions from the audience.
20 A college student asked for advice on throwing parties under a tight budget. I told her what I like to do is choose one interesting cocktail to serve at my parties. Many can be found in my Martha Stewart Cocktails iPad app.
21 I suggested using the CraftApp to email out invitations, as one money saver. I also suggested to choose a simple theme, like having a quesadilla party. Recipes can easily be found on www.marthastewart.com for free, as well!
22 An audience member asked me who one of my mentors was. "You're sitting in his house," I said, explaining that I had always admired Steve Jobs, founder of Apple.
23 This man asked if it was possible to include a monetary gift so he could email birthday and holiday cards.
24 I said no, but that it's a good idea. I told Gael to write that one down!
25 Afterwards, I stopped to chat and take photos with audience members.
26 These girls and their mother were visiting from Japan. I told them about my recent trip to Tokyo.
27 This young woman went to Barnard, like I had. I was touched when she told me I was an inspiration to women.
28 Audience members were also allowed to try out the CraftStudio app on iPads and print out their designs.
29 Within minutes, people were showing me their creations. I love that our app is easy to get started with while also having some very advanced features.
30 Hannah Milman, SVP and Executive Editorial Director of Crafts, and Alex Peruzzi, VP of Retail Merchandising, were an integral part in this app.
31 Alex stopped to show me what a fellow audience member, Anna, had made with the app.
32 Here I am with Anna and her creation.
33 It was very rewarding to see what people made in the app. If you have an iPad, I urge you to check it out!
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Martha, I don't even know what an iPad app is, but that didn't keep the Blog from being interesting. I like crafting, I just can't afford to do it, not like I'd like to. Anything I do, or make, is done from mostly scrapes I have around the shack*. *What I live in.
I like the picture of you in photo #1, and you looked great in orange in the other peictures.
Gloria G!!!
Posted by: Gloria | July 27th, 2012 at 12:16 am
Please post photos of your recent trip to Tokyo!
Posted by: Dougie | July 27th, 2012 at 2:14 am
I would love, love, love to see your apps in a Kindle format!!!
Posted by: Liz Phillips | July 27th, 2012 at 6:18 am
I love your CraftStudio app Martha! It's addicting when you start playing around with it. Wonderful idea to be able to send monetary gifts with the cards. I agree with the young lady who went to Bernard, you are a great inspiration to not only women but anyone who wants to better themselves and their surroundings. By the way, you look beautiful as always!
Posted by: Cindy F | July 27th, 2012 at 8:28 am
GREAT app. I downloaded it the first day it came out, and did create some great cards within a matter of minutes. Really! Please include template sizes other than the three you already have (horizontal, vertical and square), as I'd love to be able to produce calling cards (business card size), etc. Also, cannot wait to see more options in the way of themes. Thank you.
Posted by: Gretchen | July 27th, 2012 at 9:19 am
Martha,
You look great in orange! I'm so excited for your progress with the various apps you have on the ipad. Congrats! Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | July 27th, 2012 at 9:59 am
Hi Martha. Thank you so much for sharing this delightful, inspiring blog about you and your fabulous crafters at MSLO! I have bought many great craft items from HSN especially for my nieces who love to make craft items! You do have the best crafters I have ever seen on your TV Shows and Hannah Milman and you have always been my favorites even though I love all of the others, too! This presentation at the Apple SoHo Store was fantastic and every photo is superb! All of the audience members sure did enjoy it and I'm sure your sales will go much higher! You looked so wonderful and happy! How nice to see some of your MSLO partners especially Hannah and Gael! Can't wait to get an app of this presentation! Sure hope you have a great day and weekend up in Maine again! Gosh, only one week until your birthday! Off to see The Daily Wag "An Itch to Scratch"! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | July 27th, 2012 at 10:26 am
Hi Martha,
Your company certainly has some really great apps and the Crafts app looks equally wonderful. It looks like a lot of fun to use - I’m sure it will be a big hit. I almost didn’t recognize Alex Peruzzi without his signature sweater and with a new ‘do’. I like watching him on HSN when he demos crafts – he’s a whiz with your craft tools. Thanks for sharing this blog and I hope you have a great weekend. Trish
~
P.S. I saw the pretty little dress you made for Jude – it’s on Alexis Stewart’s blog entry for 7/5/12 and is the last picture. Her blog is great and I pin a lot of her pictures. She is an artist with food! The link is over on the left of this page (The Blog of Alexis Stewart) for anyone who hasn’t visited it yet.
Posted by: Trish | July 27th, 2012 at 11:01 am
How very wonderful all of these apps are! And, simply so much fun!
Posted by: Sherey | July 27th, 2012 at 11:44 am
Hi Martha,
I just blogged about adding your 3 drawer flat file to my studio space at home. I love how perfectly everything fits, especially the watercolor paper. Until I found your furniture, storing that paper was my biggest challenge in that room.
Thank you for your innovative design & for making well-made functional furniture available to artists and crafters!
Posted by: Carol | July 27th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Love your Craft Studio App. I got it on the last free day, and I'm addicted. It is so fun to play and play. I love making cards and sending, just for any reasons and to personalize with photos. Great IPad App. Great job Martha. I hope Apple appreciates what you add to their products.
Posted by: Sandra Sealock | July 27th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Been thinking I need an Ipad. You are convincing me with your craft ideas! I love your glitter the very most! Oh, the comment from Gloria G. goes right to my heart. There are still so many great crafts that can be made from little or nothing for those on a tight budget. Keep thinking hard Goria! Have you ever made outdoor twig scarecrows from apple wood branches? That is on my list for fall decorating. I will post the photo this fall when I get it done at
beckyredbarn.com. Love your grace and style, Martha!
Posted by: Becky | July 27th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Hi Martha I have a hp Tablet. I wish I could get your apps. on it. Is there some place where I can go to get them on? Please can you make this happen.
Lisa Quartana
Posted by: Lisa Quartana | July 28th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
Love love your CraftStudio App. Thank you Martha
Best wishes xo
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | July 29th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
I'm getting ready to open an Etsy store and have been trying to design a business card...it's been a rough time. I took a creative break to read some of your Living magazine on my Kindle and I was so excited to see that you launched an app like this. I started to think to myself that this is just the thing I needed to help with my creative block I was having. I quickly got on my iPhone and looked for it. When I didn't find it I got online and saw it was just for the iPad.
Why just the pad and not phone as well? Have you even thought of launching a website like your iPad app for those of us who can't really afford an iPad, but love to create and craft? As a marketing student I know that limiting yourself limits the creativity. I do hope you eventually open the wonderful idea of CraftStudio to the rest of the world. On another note, I'd like to say how you inspire me in so many ways. From all of the ideas you think of and create to not letting the world kick you down in a dark hour and rising back up. All of the love you have for the little things, because those are what make the world special. Thank you for inspiring me and so many others, Ms. Stewart.---------------Amanda Stewart; Louisville, KY
Posted by: Amanda Stewart | July 29th, 2012 at 8:08 pm
Dear Martha,
You constantly amaze and inspire me. I just love everything that you are a part of. I agree with some of the other comments about how you organize and design things so well (and I know you have good team members to help too), but you are the marketer, seller, advertiser, etc. YOU - Martha Stewart. Your name and what it represents just exudes quality. Also agreed with the comment that hope Apple appreciates everything you do to help with their sales. I think of all of the places I see your name and your products and I just cannot believe what a complete and total sucess you are at everything you do. You really do astonish me. Your mind must be constantly going and going. I have been watching you for years (even through the difficult ones) and you have really built a true empire. I was glad to hear that you think of yourself as a teacher because you are and probably the best. I don't think there is a subject that you are not well - read in, familiar with or just plain an expert at. Thank you too for caring for all of our animals and our environment. I don't know what kind of reward you might get for all you do, but I sure would like to know. Lifetime achievement maybe? In summary, you are probably the most intelligent and capable woman I have ever heard about. I would love to meet you some day. By the way, the black wedges were adorable on you! Martha, you are a 'Good Thing!'
Renee
Posted by: Renee Townsend | July 30th, 2012 at 4:56 am
Please get some android apps!
Posted by: Joe | July 30th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Fantastic app ! Lovei it can't wait for more themes.
Posted by: Robin Reid | July 30th, 2012 at 11:54 pm
I originally thought this was lame. But then, for five bucks what can u lose. My six year old twins, one of each, love this. Keeps them occupied for a long time while encouraging creativity. The big one likes it, too. Birthday invites. Hmmmmm. If u ave children of any age buy.
Posted by: Chris | July 31st, 2012 at 10:55 am
Martha stewart I love your work and inspire to produce great work like your self one day. I customize glass im just starting, I just customize not blow glass. I would love to learn from you on how to make my small business bigger... Thank you for your time...
Posted by: Ramone Washington | September 13th, 2012 at 1:17 am
I've purchased the app and was very pleased with it. I bought a bunch of themes and when my laptop crashed and need to be replaced, I was able to get the app back, but the themes are gone. How do I go about getting them restored. I called iTunes and they were unable to help.
Posted by: Sue | November 5th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Please start introducing Android apps. I have been waiting since the day your cookie app was launched and I am pretty sure there are many bakers and crafters out there who are using android tablets and mobile devices.
Posted by: Ginny Chan | November 10th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Is there any news on an Android app ? ? ? Only for a crafter on the move it would be such a bonus..... Please Martha .fo us a favor as well...
Posted by: Gill | January 12th, 2013 at 7:37 pm