Spring cleaning is now underway, especially at Skylands my home in Maine - it is growing busier there as we prepare for the coming season of entertaining.
Cheryl and Gretchen, who help me care for Skylands, are in the process of cleaning the shelves and washing all the precious crystal and china I store in my butler’s pantry - beautiful pieces left there when I bought the home, as well as my own antique and vintage collections. It’s a tedious chore, but an important one that's done every year around this time - I host a lot of gatherings during the summer months. I can't wait until my next visit.
Enjoy these photos.
Off the kitchen is my butler’s pantry, where I store many of my formal and special dishes, glasses, serving platters, etc. Each shelf is emptied one by one and each piece is washed by hand in this room. Do you remember my Wedgewood Drabware? On the counter are some of my cups and saucers in the distinctive olive-colored glazed earthenware. Also ready to wash – antique brown transferware and pieces from two Ginori sets left at Skylands by the Leede Family.
Gretchen measures a fresh piece of freezer paper to line the shelf. She also uses natural rocks to weigh it down.
Each column of four shelves is slightly different in size, so Gretchen measures for one shelf and then cuts four pieces to the same dimensions. She’s also using my Martha Stewart All-Purpose scissors available at Michaels.
The shelves are well-dusted.
And then covered with the freezer paper.
Each piece is perfectly cut to fit.
This is Ginori china in the Amalfi pattern. Richard Ginori Amalfi or antique rose is an example of the classic Ginori rosebud design that was originally commissioned by the House of Savoy in 1830. The roses are all hand painted.
These are Ginori salad plates ready to be washed.
Gretchen places a smaller bin in the sink and then carefully washes each bread plate by hand using warm water and a gentle dish soap.
Then they are placed in the drying rack.
Cheryl is on the other side of the sink hand drying each plate with a soft tea towel.
These Ginori sets are complete because we take such good care of the pieces. We keep a service for 14 in the pantry, but the entire set is a service for 24.
Here, Cheryl begins to put the plates back into the cabinet. It’s a good idea to also take quick snapshots of how the plates and platters were positioned on the shelves before they were removed, so you know exactly how to put them back.
Next to be washed – antique Theodore Haviland Limoge plates, platters, gravy boats, and terrines that were left here by Mrs. Eleanor Ford – every piece, still in perfect condition.
Here’s Gretchen preparing another shelf – this entire process takes several days, but it is nice to know everything will be ready for this summer of dinner parties.
More Ginori Amalfi on the bottom, and on the top, Ginori Italian Fruit. Italian Fruit is another hand-painted porcelain, in continuous production since 1750. Delicate fruits and flowers adorn this lovely collection, with gold borders and handle trims.
This is Chinese Export Armorial Orange Fitzhugh – very rare. It is one of the most expensive examples of porcelain exported from China from 1775 to 1850. This collection was also left here by Mrs. Ford.
Cheryl and Gretchen also tackled my large collection of Baccarat cut crystal glasses.
My Baccarat collection includes many glasses, goblets, decanters, pitchers, and more. They are all hand washed and returned to their shelves.
On the lower shelves of this cabinet – Venetian glass. These glasses have such a beautiful tint of yellow.
When storing plates in stacks, you can also use protective felt rounds to place in between each piece, so they don’t scuff each other.
On the counter are also my vintage blue, green and black Spode Bar Harbor dinner and lunch plates. I purchased them from a little housewares store right in town. They include different scenes of the area. These plates are quite fragile, but I love using them.
Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Leede left a lot of plates, and glassware here at Skylands, but I have also added my share to the collections – it is certainly a lot of dishes to keep clean. I hope this inspires you to do a little spring cleaning this weekend. Let me know your projects in the comments section below.
As many of you know I am very fond of trees. Since I purchased my Bedford farm, I’ve planted thousands and thousands of them, and I am so happy most of them have thrived.
Behind my Equipment Barn and near a grove of weeping willows is my pinetum, an arboretum of pine trees and other conifers I developed about 12-years ago. This pinetum collection has grown extremely well, and I continue to plant additional specimens every spring. Recently, I decided to replace the grass surrounding these trees with mulch. Doing this better regulates the soil temperature - keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter, adds nutrients to the soil as it breaks down, and helps prevent the growth of weeds. Mulched areas also don’t need regular watering or mowing like lawns do. Fortunately, we are able to make lots of mulch, and compost, right here at my farm. The new layer of mulch has transformed the pinetum, and it looks great.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
This is a photo from last June. Here you can see the many sizes of trees I’ve planted in my pinetum. All these specimens were planted in a grassy area, which was always well-maintained, but it took a lot of time to mow around the trees and weed the pits underneath them.
Depending on the size of each planting, its pit can be three to six feet in diameter or even larger for very old, very large trunked specimens – they require a lot of work to keep nicely manicured.
Most of this collection includes pine trees, but I have also included spruces and firs, as well as other evergreens.
Last December, I decided to fill the grassy areas with mulch to cut down on maintenance.
So, while the ground was still frozen, the outdoor grounds crew brought in lots of mulch and spread it all around the pinetum. Do you know the difference between compost and mulch? Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed over time, while mulch is the layer of organic materials used as a protective cover.
Here is Phurba spreading a three to four inch layer of mulch on one end of the pinetum. Over time, it will suppress weed germination, retain moisture, and insulate the soil.
The entire area looks so different covered with mulch.
The crew works as a team – transporting the mulch from our back field, dropping the mulch in various areas, and spreading it evenly under and around the trees.
Mulch varies in composition but is most commonly made from organic material such as leaves, wood chips, grass clippings, peat moss, pine straw, or bark chips – I love the rich brown color.
With this organic mulch, heavy soils are better equipped to hold water and resist compaction – reducing erosion and runoff.
Here is one side already well covered with mulch – what a transformation.
Using these materials is a wonderful way to beautify the gardens and to give back to the earth.
Once trees are mature, they need little maintenance except for regular mulching and removal of dead or diseased branches.
This is a Pinus wallichiana, which was planted about five years ago. It is a slow growing dwarf Himalayan pine with long, thin needles. The six to eight-inch long needles form downward clusters that give the tree a feathery effect.
This short shrub is Pinus strobus ‘Blue Shag’, commonly known as an eastern white pine cultivar. It is a dense, globose form that typically only grows to about four feet tall. Its short, blue-green needles in bundles of five are quite soft to the touch.
Callitropsis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ or weeping Alaskan cedar, is a slender, strongly weeping form that grows to as much as 35-feet tall. It has widely spaced ascending to horizontal branches with flattened sprays of blue-green leaves.
I add more specimens to this collection every year – some are very rare and slow growing, but I love the variety of plantings I’ve amassed.
Others have grown quickly and have added such nice texture to this ever-evolving space.
Picea orientalis is a medium to large tree that commonly grows up to 50-feet tall. It has a dense narrowly conical form, and horizontal to upward sweeping branches and drooping lateral branches.
I am so pleased with how it looks – these simple changes can make such huge impacts on growing trees and plants, while reducing water use and labor. How do you top-dress your gardens? Share your comments with me in the section below – I always love reading them.
I can't wait to hear what you think about my new Martha Stewart Lifestyles Collections inspired by each of my four well-loved properties - Bedford, Skylands, Lily Pond and New York City's Perry Street. I love them all, and I know you will too!
Earlier this week, we celebrated the launch of my new line with a party at our New York City headquarters. More than 300 friends, business colleagues and partners, as well as members of the media, attended the event to get a glimpse of select items. Our own EVP Design Director at Sequential Brands Group, Kevin Sharkey, also joined me in a special Facebook LIVE - I hope you caught it, but if you didn’t, just click anywhere on this highlighted link to watch. These collections include home furnishings and accessories, gardening tools, apparel and footwear, crafts materials, pet supplies and kitchenware - and we’re adding more and more products all the time. I am so proud of what we've developed and designed - everything is created to encourage more beautiful and more functional everyday living.
In a previous blog, I shared behind-the-scene photos of our preparations. Here are some photos from our event. Enjoy.
I’m thrilled with these four Lifestyles Collections. At this party in our studios, we introduced vignettes like this one to show what each of my homes means to us in terms of design, development, and beauty. This is my Lily Pond Collection, inspired by my seaside “cottage”. I am so pleased with these garden furniture pieces – they are pretty, sturdy and available at TJ Maxx. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
Here is our bar crew getting ready for all our guests.
We offered several wine selections from the Martha Stewart Wine Co., including a 2017 Marquis de Bacalon Bordeaux Blanc, a 2017 Racine Cotes de Provence Rose, a 2017 Le Vassal de Mercues Cuvee le Dueze Malbec, and a Georges Vigouroux Hommage Blanc de Blancs. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
Many of the tables were adorned with small bouquets of roses from my collection at BloomsyBox.com. My collection offers three bouquet options – small, medium, or large. Through my subscription program, you can order a monthly delivery of beautiful, fragrant, fresh-cut roses – for yourself or as a gift.
As many of you know, I also hosted a special Facebook LIVE to unveil these collections. Here, Kevin and I show a sample of the elegant bedding from my Skylands Collection. If you missed the broadcast, just click on the highlighted link above.
My friend, Chef Pierre Schaedelin from PS Tailored Events, and his excellent team, prepared all our small bites. This is wild caught shrimp from our partners at True North served with cocktail sauce.
This area is my Bedford Collection. Bedford is my country farm in Westchester, New York. It includes lots of products for the kitchen and dining table. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
Our new floral dinnerware collection is available exclusively at Macy’s – this set is so perfect for spring. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
The pattern, filled with violets, looks so charming with the gold colored flatware and gold colored rabbit salt and pepper shakers.
The flameless candles are available at QVC. The special engineered flame moves like a real candle and can be turned on and off with a remote control. My daughter loves these candles and has many around her home.
These porchetta sandwiches are made in partnership with my friend, Pat LaFrieda. Look for the porchetta on his web site – it is so delicious. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA) https://bit.ly/2YbdNqQ
These wonderful faux chocolate rabbits are perfect for Easter. Also available on QVC, you can get several and line them up on the mantel. The idea for these was developed after I painted plastic rabbits a dark chocolate brown – they look so good, you just want to take a bite.
Here, we also display lots of our beautiful kitchen gadgets available at Macy’s. On the left are packets of my new coffee made in partnership with Barrie House, located in nearby Elmsford, New York – you’re going to love this coffee. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
We also offered guests affogato with my espresso blend. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
And remember my 71-inch tree decoration avaiable at QVC. These can be used inside and out and can hold plants, flowers and even pumpkins in the fall.
These burgers went so quickly. They’re made with my own burger blend from Pat LaFrieda. https://bit.ly/2JpOrSP
My shell planter from QVC is used here to hold ice and bottles of wine from Martha Stewart Wine Co. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
This Perry St. Collection is a mid-century modern collection that includes a lot of soft, pastel colors. The curtains are available at Macy’s and includes sheers, velvets, metallics – all eight feet in length. This chaise lounge was inspired by a piece of furniture in my daughter’s apartment.
The furniture is ready to assemble and comes to you in the mail – just screw in the legs. It’s so easy. The furniture will be available at select home retailers, so look out for it.
Pillar candles are also available at QVC – every kind of color and style.
This is sockeye salmon from True North served with miso butter.
On the bar cart in our Perry St. Collection – bar pieces from Macy’s. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
If you’ve watched my appearances on QVC, you’ve seen my popular Apparel Collection – so comfortable and stylish. And, I love these pink dog coats, and the elegant dog bed behind it – it is the perfect dog bed for any corner of your home. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
This is the Martha Stewart Cricut Machine – crafters love this machine and it’s available at Michaels. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
My Skylands Collection is inspired by my home in Maine – I call it classic elegance. This vignette displays a sample of our beautiful bedding from Macy’s. Wonderful toppers, sheets and blankets in a gorgeous natural and palette of colors. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
This garden ornament is from QVC. It is made of a fiber resin and is so light and easy to carry. It can be used indoors and out. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
Another bite – grilled ratatouille and bulger salad. The recipe comes from my new book, “Grilling”, which will be released next week. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
Here is another arrangement of roses from BloomsyBox.com. I love this line of gorgeous flowers – all the arrangements have been tested in my homes and look so stunning from the moment they arrive. And look out for more flowers – I will be releasing other types of flowers soon.
All my shoes are fashioned after shoes from my own closet – I love these shoes available at Aerosoles.
Here I am standing in front of my wall of gardening tools and supplies in this fun green color. I have tried everything myself, and all these work excellently. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
This is the Hori Hori, which comes with a handy and protective leather sheath. This Japanese stainless steel knife cuts through weeds, small branches and more. It’s a true gardening essential. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
Wild Alaskan Dungeness Crab – another flavorful hors d’oeuvre made with crab from True North. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
Here I am in one of our kitchens with “me”. We placed these “Martha” stand-ups in various locations, so guests could snap pictures and share “stories” from our party and launch on social media.
And here I am with Kevin Sharkey in our Bedford Collection kitchen. I am so excited about my Lifestyles line – I know you will love everything! And we’re constantly coming out with more and more, so be sure to keep visiting this blog and my Instagram page @marthastewart48 for announcements. (Photo by Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA)
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