Fall at Our Home

The colors of autumn are truly starting to come alive here at our home.  These photos were taken just this morning:

New Cookie Issue Arrives November 1

A new Martha Stewart Holiday:  Cookies special issue will be hitting the newsstand shelves on November 1st. This will be the third special cookies issue under the holiday magazine title. 

No cover art is currently available.

November Living Arrives

It seems like the fourth quarter issues of Martha Stewart Living are arriving at a fast pace.  The November issue was on my doorstep this afternoon.  I've always considered the November issue to be the kick-off to the holiday season and it never disappoints me. 

The beautiful issue (again, noticeably thicker than issues earlier in the year!) is full of wonderful articles that will not only inspire your homemade Thanksgiving; but serve as 'comfort reading' as the weather begins to cool down and we spend more time inside. 

Here's a little bit of what you'll find in this issue:

Breakfast for a Bunch:  Just plan ahead and scale up with crowd-ready dishes like baked french toast or a delicious yogurt parfait with granola, raspberries and candied ginger. 

Welcome All:  Make extra room for family and friends this holiday season with affordable accessories and MSL's simple strategies so more can be merrier!

Harvest Pies:  Refined or rustic, make the most out of the season's apples, pears, and quinces with delicious recipes for Thanksgiving desserts.  With two recipes for every fruit, there are twice as many ways to indulge in fall's sweetest flavors. 

Branching Out:  Remake the traditional family tree.  Try celebrating your heritage with one of the six striking ideas found within the pages of this issue.  Photos, silhouettes, and even baby spoons result in displays as original as your relatives!

A nice touch for the month of November is a special pet section.  Flip the magazine over and you'll find another full cover with Martha's Chow, GK grinning at you.  MSL devotes a special section of the magazine to man's best friend, including good things and great finds for the dog in your life, along with party ideas for your pets, cozy collars, leashes and beds.  Plus, pet questions are answered by Marc Marrone in "Ask the PetKeeper."

New Product: Martha Wrap

Update:  This post was updated on Thursday, 10/7

Martha Stewart is doing a soft launch of a new grocery product, "Martha Wrap," a parchment lined aluminum foil. 

Martha has always demonstrated using parchment under a tent of aluminum foil to prevent the transfer of any metallic taste onto food.  This product combines the insulation of foil with the nonstick protection of parchment in one easy to use roll. 

Used for roasting,  baking and steaming, this product is oven safe up to 420 degrees and is also freezer safe.  Martha Wrap is thicker and up to five times stronger than regular foil which makes it resistant to tears. 

Martha Wrap is currently only available at Safeway stores at a price point of $4.99 per 40 ft roll. 

I think this is a great product idea and hope that wider distribution will be available later this year or early in 2011.

The Holidays at Home Depot

My dear friend, Elaine was shopping in her local Home Depot and came across  a nice selection of holiday decor from Martha Stewart Living.  Ornaments, trees, wreaths, lights and more will be available this year. 
She was ready with her camera when she ran across the collection.  Take a look at what she found:

It's nice to see Martha Stewart Living holiday available once again!

A Call to Action

As a member of the Human Rights Campaign, I receive weekly partner emails from HRC's President, Joe Solmonese.  This was his letter this week: 

This was a tragic week for our community. In a chilling reminder of how difficult life can be for LGBT teenagers, we learned of a number of bullying and harassment-related suicides across the country. Over the course of just the past few weeks, four teenagers have taken their own lives because of ruthless tormenting based on their real or perceived sexual orientation. Among them are: 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University who took his own life after his roommate and a friend secretly recorded him in his dorm room with another man and broadcast it on the internet. Friends and family remember him as a talented violin player who they thought would have a full and rewarding life. We also recently heard about Seth Walsh, 13, who liked fashion and talking with his friends on the phone; Asher Brown of Texas, also 13, who was only in 8th grade; and Billy Lucas of Indiana, 15, who was not out as being gay, but was perceived as gay by many of his classmates. And these are just four of the many kids taking their own lives. In just the past year, seven students in one Minnesota school district took their own lives, including 3 gay teens.


Studies consistently show that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students are more likely to attempt suicide and face violence at school than are their heterosexual peers. In fact, in 2009, The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network surveyed 7,261 middle and high school students and found that at school nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school in the past year and nearly two-thirds felt unsafe because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Studies also show that young people having just one supportive adult in their life are more likely to thrive. It is our responsibility to make sure that the most vulnerable among our youth know that they have someone to talk to and someone who respects them for who they are. The deaths of these students are tragic because they did not have to be. Each of these young people was full of potential.

My friends, we have a crisis on our hands. We don't have the luxury of time to act. We must do something before another child takes his or her life. This week we called on Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to speak out immediately and to push every school in the nation to implement anti-bullying policies inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. We also call on Congress to pass key legislation that would work to address this issue including the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA, H.R. 4530, S. 3390) introduced by Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado and Senator Al Franken of Minnesota and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA, H.R. 2262. S. 3739) introduced by Representative Linda Sanchez of California and Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. The SNDA prohibits any school program or activity receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating or ignoring harassing behavior against any public school student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The SSIA requires that schools and districts receiving federal funds adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Both bills would ensure that schools would have a responsibility to ensure that proactive steps are being taken in order to prevent discrimination, including bullying and harassment, against students based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

The recent teen suicides are not a new problem. Sadly, this has been going on for decades. Fortunately, there are resources out there for those in crisis. The Trevor Project and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline are available 24-hours a day for those in need. Additionally, our Religion and Faith Program has provided resources and called on clergy and other faith leaders around the country to write and speak about this week in connection with both their Sabbath observances and the lead-up to National Coming Out Day.

HRC is committed to making our schools safe places. Our Welcoming Schools program provides a model of best practices for elementary schools in order to teach children respect and tolerance early on to prevent violence later in middle and high schools. Please help pass the word on about this program to anyone you know involved with an elementary school. It could save a child's life.

To learn more about the Human Rights Campaign and the important work that is underway, please visit their website at hrc.org.

A 13 Year Old Understands

Today, I was copied on a message on Facebook from our niece Kelly regarding her 13 year old son, Andrew.  I feel compelled to share part of the message: 

"He is deeply perplexed and saddened by the recent suicides of young gay men/boys and has actually witnessed such bullying in his own school. He wants you to know that he has promised to do whatever he can to stop the tormenting, or at least help ease the suffering of the victims by being a friend, and voice for them.

He has written a letter to our senator, and to President Obama asking for stronger penalties for both bullying, and hate crimes all over the world, but especially in schools and in online forums."

As I read this message, my heart filled with overwhelming pride.  Proud that Andrew stands with those that are oppressed.  Proud that Andrew rises above social conformity to be his own person (at age 13 no less), and proud that Andrew has two wonderful and loving parents who have taught him that there is no room for hate. 
 
13 years old.  He's at a period in his  life when social pressures are at an extreme, and this young man stands up and says, "enough."  His willingness to be a voice for victims of hate, his willingness to wrap his arms around those that are oppressed and let them know that they are loved, is so moving to me.  I'm so incredibly proud of him and I'm so moved by his kindness and the size of his heart. 
 
If a teenager can figure this out and understand that hate should not be tolerated, why can't adults?

New Halloween Special From Martha

Martha will be celebrating her favorite holiday with an all new original special on the Hallmark Channel, "Tricking and Treating with Martha Stewart" on Sunday, October 10 at 9pm (eastern).

The special is being described as a virtual 'how-to' guide for doing Halloween night right, from tips on sensationally spooky ways to decorate your home to decorating old pillowcases to use as trick or treat bags. 

Actor Brendan Fraser is among the guests on the show, reprising his favorite costume. 

If you're a fan of Martha Stewart, there is simply no better way to prep for the big night as she'll help inspire you to craft your own costumes, costume your own crafts and share her unique and imaginative party ideas, recipes and more.