October 18, 2007 | Where I Confess My True Feelings for Martha Stewart
Some of you may know that I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Martha Stewart. I used to have a subscription to Living, and made a few attempts with some of the recipes. They don't usually turn out for me. There's key information missing, or I've had to go to 3 different stores to find the right ingredients, or they simply just don't work. While I love the design and layout of the magazine, I gave up long ago on the recipes and stopped my subscription. My feelings towards Miss Martha have been pretty lukewarm ever since.
A month or so ago, I heard about her new line of cookware. I eventually took a look online after a friend sent me a link. It's not that she's come up with anything new, but she's applied the Martha aesthetic to it. Melamine bowls in fun color palettes. Cast iron pots in that lovely turquoise color. Cake mixes and decorations in pretty packaging. After looking online I immediately started adding things to my kaboodle wish list.
This past Saturday I was able to see the whole Martha kitchen line in person and I regret to say, I fell in love. Not necessarily with Martha herself, but with every turquoise colored kitchen item I could find. In particular, a kitchen timer. It's brushed metal, with a turquoise knob, but it has this vintage feel to it. It's perfect. I came SO close to buying it, but eventually put it back because the boyfriend's voice wormed it's way into my brain saying, "But we already have a kitchen timer." So I wandered around the kitchen section at Macy's a little while longer, returning to the little timer a few times, and then left the store thinking I'd just add it to my wish list. It would figure that it's one of the only things in the Martha Stewart line that is NOT available online. Ah well, it's probably just a sign that I really didn't need a perfect little vintage kitchen timer.
So, my feelings towards Martha now? Maybe a little bit more warm than lukewarm, however I'm not going to renew my subscription to Living anytime soon. But you can bet I'm going to be giddy as a little girl if I receive anything from the Martha Stewart line of kitchen stuff. ESPECIALLY if it's a particular kitchen timer.
no no no don't ever trust Martha! I too have been sort of wondering about her new stuff at Macy's, but luckily I already spent enough on her CRAP when I lived near a K-mart when her stuff was there. That was about the only store near me with housewares etc, so I got quite a few things there over the years.
Some of the Martha things I bought because I really liked them, some because that's what I needed and it happened that the Martha brand was the only thing available. But over time I realized her stuff was lower quality items than K-mart had had and at higher prices. Even if her Macy's stuff is better, I'd still be leery. I still have a lot of great stuff from that K-mart... and none of it is Martha Stewart.
A few of the things I quickly realized were poorly designed and I eventually replaced them. (Like a spring-loaded percolator that sprays hot water and coffee grounds on you when you open the lid! great idea!) The rest broke or wore out way sooner than they should have. I have one thing left I never got around to replacing - it's a summer blanket that is now the rattiest thing you ever saw - more of it unravels and "pulls" every time I wash it. It's the newest blanket I own and looks like the oldest.
AND there is another turquoise kitchen timer out there too!...
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?navCount=12986&&pushId=EAT_COOK_GADGETS&id=770397&parentid=EAT_COOK_GADGETS&&navAction=jump&search=true
I'm no shill for Anthropologie, I just happened to buy this a few months ago and love it. If it had been Martha Stewart brand it probably would have broken and stopped by now... of course while something with delicate timing was cooking, because that's how Martha does ya.
Yeah I get your love/hate thing with Martha - I'm still lured a little myself now and then and I'll try a recipe or craft idea, but she got enough of my money!
i just saw the name of this post. LOL. i think my head just tilted back from laughing so hard.
Your post cracked me up today. Just made me giggle. I hope you get the timer. You really should have it. Call it a gift to yourself for stopping the subscription! yeah, that's it.
I must get the pretty new Martha plates. MUST!
dude..i just looked through this month's issue of LIVING and it sucked big time. i ripped out a few things and that's it. I don't normally rip anything out in her magazine-so it goes to show you how much i think it sucked!
if only i was getting married this year...i would have totally registered my heart out!
wow, you have a lot of will power! when i find stuff that i really REALLY liked, i buy it (if it's a reasonable price, of course).