Some Favorite Good Things
If you haven't done so already, please follow our new Instagram page @MarthaStewartGoodThings and check out our newest web site MarthaStewartGoodThings.com.
When we started these platforms, one of our goals was to provide a central location where you could find all those wonderful tips, lessons, and simple solutions you've come to love over the years. We launched them along with my 98th book, "Martha Stewart's Very Good Things: Clever Tips & Genius Ideas for an Easier, More Enjoyable Life," published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - I hope you have your copy! Over the last several weeks, so many of you have followed us and commented on how much you enjoy these ideas and inspirations. Here's a round-up of some of your favorite Good Things in January. We're posting Good Things every day - original and personal hints from me, our team, as well as many classics, so be sure to visit often and sign up to get these clever hints sent directly to you.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Thanks to all of you who have shared thoughts on our Good Things platforms about all you have learned from my television and radio shows, in our magazines, and on our web site. Do you remember when I first started using the “it’s a Good Thing” catchphrase? It was back in the early 90s… I continued to use it on a very regular basis to call out solutions and projects that were simple, smart, and sensible. And I still use these tips and come up with new Good Things every day.
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- Here’s a quote from one of the winners in our Sweepstakes book giveaway. Do you know how to fold a fitted sheet?
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- So many Good Things are found in “Martha Stewart’s Very Good Things: Clever Tips & Genius Ideas for an Easier, More Enjoyable Life.” Everyone should have a copy. Inside these pages are many of my best good things – the original tips and tricks for the home to make life easier, more fun, more delicious, and more efficient.
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- One of the top Good Things last month was this one – how to keep the rainy day messes contained. Fill a tray with gardening stones or pebbles to create a pleasing and purposeful drainage layer. Place the tray near the door and put wet, muddy boots there to dry as soon as you get home.
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- Here’s another popular one – earl grey tea and apple cider. By steeping the floral tea in the warm, fruity cider, you’ll bring out the best of both flavors.
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- Here’s a fun wintertime Good Thing for the children. Just take sand castle pails and build a frosty kingdom fit for the neighborhood snowmen!
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- This is an easy dessert Good Thing. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, then assemble store-bought sorbets, ice creams, and frozen yogurts in layers (freezing between flavors) to make this impressive, icy treat!
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- Are you making Valentine’s Day cookies this weekend? If so, try these thumbprint cookies and give them a special upgrade by overlapping the indentations in the dough to create space for jam hearts.
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- This instant bathtub caddy Good Thing is also a big hit. It is made of a wood board from any local hardware shop. Place it across a clawfoot tub for storing soaps, washcloths, and even fragrant flowers.
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- Houseplants don’t always need to live in pots! This living wreath, covered in sphagnum moss and a variety of ferns, is an innovative way to spruce up a front door or any wall.
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- For the shower, instead of just one curtain, pick up two decorative shower panels and hang them both – two will be prettier than one.
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- When entertaining, gather assorted glass bottles and vases and give the insides a few coats of white matte spray paint to create a faux porcelain look. They’ll look so beautiful with cut flowers.
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- Here’s a tip for leftovers — cut down and cook up any remaining meat and veggies into a hash. Add in complementary flavors (there’s apple in this turkey and sweet potato hash), some stock, wine, and/or cream, depending on the desired consistency, and voila! An entirely new and flavorful meal!
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- When making waffles, keep batter at room temperature, and avoid peeking under the lid while it’s cooking. Once the steaming ceases, your waffle is done, but don’t put it on the plate just yet. Toss the waffle back and forth between your hands a few times so more steam can escape, reducing the risk of sogginess… it’s a Good Thing.
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- Instead of making one cheesecake, why not try making desserts in individual jars – easy to prepare and very portable. Top the cheesecake filled jars with layers of raspberry preserves and graham cracker crumbs to create delicious treats that are ready to go.
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- I always remind everyone who works at my farm to bring all the tools and supplies they may need to a project. For cleaning jobs at home, gathering most-used supplies in one convenient bucket will save lots of time looking for items later.
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- If you and your children are still making Valentines, use a stencil and some paint to embellish muslin bags to fill with treats. For something more custom made, cut the desired shape out of freezer paper, run the iron over it to keep it in place, and paint.
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- The trick to making great veggie kababs is to line skewers with vegetables that have similar cooking times. Though traditionally grilled, kebabs can also be made on a stovetop grill skillet, or even in the oven. Just make sure to soak wooden skewers first.
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- Do you remember this one? It’s my stainless steel bar. I now have one in my Collection at Macy’s. I use this to remove any odor from my hands after handling onions, fish, garlic, or other pungent foods. Do you know why it works? When you touch stainless steel, the molecules in the steel bind with the sulfur molecules on your hands and transfer the odorous molecules to the metal. These bars are available at kitchen supply stores, but in a pinch, one can also rub their hands on a stainless steel sink.
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- And, if you love meringue whip some up, add it to a piping bag, and spell out whatever you want to say to your beloved this weekend. Happy Valentine’s Day. Have you come up with some of your own good things? Share them with me in the comments section below. I’d love to hear them.
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