Oh Martha Stewart

It's true, I read Martha Stewart. My mother started subscribing to it in the 90's and used to save them for me. I think she even still might have them stashed away in the house somewhere. They occasionally made her mad, when they highlighted collecting something she already collected, like vintage bottles. She would exclaim, "You know, I could have been Martha Stewart and made millions of dollars!" Possibly true, if she had been an insane type A ambition obsessed creature like Martha. As a daughter I'm glad she's not. But Martha Stewart has always had a place in my heart, as way back when she appealed to my diy spirit. Back then very few people embraced crafts other than the quilting/birdhouse-building crowd. When she became a big name people would often say You're Such A Martha Stewart! as a compliment when they received a handmade gift.

These days I recognize that her level of polish is not for me, nor was it ever really, but the photography and styling in the magazine is perpetually inspiring. I still remember an issue that showed birds gripped by hands. And many of her recipes have been made, experimented with, and insinuated into my repertoire. But the September 2012 issue has a truly special craft in it—printable iron-ons illustrated by Nina Chakrabarti, who created "My Wonderful World of Fashion". The kookiness of the artwork delightfully undermines the trompe l'oeil ("fool the eye" in french) aspect to wonderful effect. I am seriously honestly considering making one of the purses. I desperately need a tiny canvas purse.

Top photographs by Johnny Miller, courtesy Martha Stewart
Bottom image by Nina Chakrabarti, courtesy of Amazon