In preparation for a new documentary about her life, we share some of Martha’s favorite moments.
Provided by: Netflix / Getty Images / NBC
Martha Stewart needs no introduction. Whether you know her from her TV shows, magazines, books (all 100 of them!), her business empire, or her friendship with Snoop, we all know who Martha is. Masu.
Since publishing her first book, Entertaining, in 1982, Martha has been teaching us ordinary people how to live life – how to find beauty in things big and small and improve our everyday lives. And not only does she teach us how to clean grout, bake the perfect cake, and set a beautiful table, she teaches us what it’s like to live life on our own terms. He showed it to us. Through hard work and unflinching style, Martha was America’s first self-made millionaire, becoming a cultural icon in the process.
You don’t see much of Martha folding fitted sheets these days, but in honor of the Netflix documentary Martha, we’re sharing some of the best tips and wisdom she’s collected over the decades. From business advice to baking tips to learning how to garden, we hope you enjoy your time with Martha. It’s very good.
brains for business
“If you don’t open your mind, you won’t be able to achieve great success.
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Martha Stewart built a business empire by combining her expertise in cooking, decorating, and hospitality with her visionary business acumen. Starting in the catering business in the 1970s, she expanded her lifestyle brand into a media powerhouse, launching Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 1997 and overseeing all elements of the business. In 1999, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO) went public on the New York Stock Exchange, making Martha America’s first female billionaire.
“The more we adapt, the more interesting we become,” Martha once said. And in fact, in her case, she is more successful. Another important belief that Martha lives by is the importance of constant learning, and by extension, teaching.
“If you’re an entrepreneur, you really have to take the reins and ride the horse.”
“As people get older, and we get older from the moment we’re born, I think it’s very, very important to learn something new every day,” she once said in an interview with Maria Shriver. Told in conversation. “In reality, it’s important to constantly add to your body of knowledge so that you can have interesting conversations and actually teach new things to other people.”
icing on the cake
“You mean the pie isn’t perfect? Cut it into wedges. Don’t panic, stay in control.”
To sum it all up, the core of Martha’s success is her aptitude for teaching. Modern terminology might call her an influencer, but Martha is always telling us how things are done, and we learn it. Let’s try baking.
Sure, some people learn baking from their parents, but how many of us learned baking from Martha?
Related article: Martha’s 8 Best Bread Making Tips of All Time, According to Readers
martha tip
Use cocoa instead of flour when buttering the cake pan for chocolate layer cake. No more white lumps of flour.
From masterpiece pies to attention-grabbing cakes and everything in between, Martha’s contributions to the art of baking are vast. What did Martha teach you to bake?
art of entertainment
“When you entertain, it’s about more than just the food. It’s important to create an experience that everyone can enjoy.”
The book that launched Martha’s career, Entertainment, was published in 1982 and created the first book of its kind for hosting gatherings large and small.
“I’ve been hosting holiday parties since about 1980, when I lived in Westport, Conn., and wrote my first book, Entertaining,” says Martha. “It’s great to meet so many people in a friendly atmosphere.”
martha tip
When hosting a dinner party, be sure to include a menu for each guest. This is a very important personal detail to me.
Nowadays, social media gives us creative hosting tips and tricks, but back in the day, Martha owned the space. There’s a reason so many influencers are called modern-day Marthas. Her way of thinking about entertainment, like her way of thinking about most things, was (and still is) completely ahead of its time.
around the house
“Your home is your story. Every item, every choice, tells a story about who you are and what you value.”
Martha is at the center of it all, home. While some may think of their home simply as a place to exist, Martha encouraged us to think of our homes as the center of a beautifully lived life and, in fact, an expression of ourselves. “Home is more than just a place to live, it’s a reflection of who you are,” she says.
martha tip
Functionality is key. Every item should have a purpose and every room should have a story. The best designs are created that combine practicality and beauty.
She also showed us that you can be the ultimate housewife while still working other jobs. “It’s a lot of work to take care of a home, family, kids, and then do everything else,” Martha says. “And that’s what I was trying to do when I wrote my first book. And then I kept writing books. I was so happy that I was able to find my voice about home.”
“Design is in the details. Cherish each one. Your home will feel timeless, as if it’s been here for decades and will continue to be stylish for decades more.” You should.”
For decades, Martha has been giving us inspiration to make our homes a haven, from inspiring us with trend-forward interior design to ways to make housework more fun. I did.
in the garden
Courtesy of Martha Stewart
“I think that putting some serious time, thought, and effort into gardening might make me a better person.
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The story goes that when Martha was only four years old, her father gave her a screwdriver and taught her how to use it to dig up weeds between pavements. Within hours, she had cleared the entire trail and a lifelong passion for gardening took root.
martha tip
Using sharp pruning tools not only makes the chore easier, but it also gives you a cleaner cut, which helps your plant recover faster. A clean cut means less damage from disease, insects, fungi, and extreme weather.
Her first real foray into her own garden was at Turkey Hill in Westport, Connecticut. So she started with two acres and gradually expanded to six acres. It gave her what she calls a “college education” in horticulture. She continues to create endless acres of landscaping on properties ranging from a lily pond in East Hampton to a sprawling estate in Bedford, New York, to a beautiful haven at Skylands, her vacation home on Mount Desert Island, Maine. I did.
“Whenever I find a beautiful and strange plant, I always buy it.”
“My advice to novice gardeners is to go to the nursery, find something you like, and just start digging and planting,” says Martha. “It is inevitable that you will make mistakes, and I often do, but you can learn from them and always dig the plant out and start again.”
What is cooking?
“Once you get through the changes, you’re done. That’s what cooking is all about. You keep discovering new ingredients, techniques, and flavors. It keeps you alive and curious.”
Martha credits purchasing her home, Turkey Hill, with shaping her into the person she is today, and cooking beautiful home-cooked meals was part of that trajectory. She learned to cook from her mother and expanded on that knowledge by starting a catering company in the 1970s. In a way, it all started with cooking. It is a timeless legacy, as evidenced by the thousands of recipes published on this website.
martha’s tips
Martha’s cooking style has inspired millions of people. Her approach emphasizes freshness, quality ingredients, and a fusion of classic and innovative approaches to cooking. They are characterized by curiosity, a desire to learn, and an appetite for delicious creations.
“I’m really happy to be able to offer my customers delicious food that I made with my own hands.”
