Martha Moments

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Let me tell you about one of my favorite blogs that quickly became a source of inspiration to me, and one that compelled me to begin my own blog.  It's called Martha Moments, and although it's no longer published, I still return to it every now & then.  My friend Andrew Ritchie, began his blog in 2006 as a way to explore all things Martha and I must have started reading it from the very beginning.  The blog struck a chord with me because Andrew touched on so many subject areas that I was interested in.  I learned a lot about Martha & her brand by reading his blog on a weekly basis.  Andrew did not limit himself to the subject of Martha, however.  He went above and beyond by discussing & showcasing many talented crafters, bakers, bloggers, designers, gardeners & collectors, that he befriended over the course of several years.  In fact, Andrew's blog became so popular that he caught the attention of Martha.  In January of 2010, he appeared as a guest on The Martha Stewart Show to do a craft segment!

Some of my favorite highlights from Martha Moments include his articles on Martha's homes.  I love going back & revisiting her former Federal farmhouse in Westport, Connecticut, called Turkey Hill.  It somewhat reminds me of the 1790s center hall colonial where my family currently reside.  The 4 acres that were so carefully & thoughtfully landscaped by Martha continue to be an inspiration to me; it is my favorite Martha Stewart home and probably always will be.  Andrew perfectly managed to capture the true spirit of this place.  Her East Hampton home, Lily Pond, is a large beach cottage that is a very nice example of the Shingle-style found throughout our Eastern Seaboard.  Andrew takes you through the early decor of this house, with lots of whites & greens, to the current deeper colors & tones that Martha seems to love.  One can't forget to mention the summer home on Mount Desert Island in Maine, called Skylands.  It is Andrew's favorite Martha home and you'll understand why if you pay a "visit" to this magnificent estate.  How wonderful it is to see the actual Southeby's Catalog listing before Martha took hold of it as its current owner.  When I look at pictures of the grounds at Skylands, again, I am reminded of where I live.  The plethora of trees, moss & ferns make for a tranquil & idyllic woodland landscape.  Go through the plans & executions of the grounds by landscape designer, Jens Jensen, and you'll come to understand what I'm talking about.  The fact that Martha has her own Skylands Stationery comes as no surprise to me; you'll notice her love for faux bois extends not only to furniture, but to paper as well.  Martha's current main home, called Cantitoe Corners, is such a beautiful home.  The interior rooms of this residence, including the Green Room and kitchens, are among my favorite spaces. 

Although I was saddened when Andrew stopped publishing, I took comfort in knowing he would leave the blog intact for all us to use as a source for referencing information on Martha.  I wouldn't be here blogging and trying to publish something nice, and hopefully inspirational to some of you, if it weren't for Andrew's blog.   I'm not sure he'll ever come to fully understand what an impact that blog had on me and how it became a driving force for my beginning Good Things by David. 

If you want to read & learn more about Martha & her brand or are interested in discovering Andrew's inimitable blogging style, I urge you to pay a visit and sift through the vast archives of Martha Moments.  I know that blog will always be a Good Thing to me and to so many people.  Cheers to you Andrew and thank you for all those years of tireless & inspirational work!

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Update: Martha Moments has resumed publishing!
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