Living with Living

How do you live with your collection of Martha Stewart Living magazines? How do you organize them? My collection of MSL goes back about 11 years, inclusive, with several very early issues (prior to 1996) and all of the special issues. I don't collect Weddings, but occasionally buy it on the newsstand if there is something intriguing in the issue. I have all of the Baby issues and most of the Kids issues as well. As you can guess, storing them appropriately is important to me. It is the only magazine I 'collect' with any zeal and I value each issue, even though I have very definite favourites: favourite years, favourite issues, favourite covers, favourite articles. My collection resides in my living room, ironically enough, on a large wall shelf in sturdy cardboard magazine holders:

I keep them all in order of appearance, but there are other ways of organizing the mulititude of issues. Many of my fellow collectors keep them very differently. Storing them seasonally seems to be the favourite among friends. They've espoused the virtues of keeping the issues grouped by season and theme. Chief among those virtues, is the ability to locate seasonal recipes really quickly. Simply reach for the "holiday" magazine holder for ginger breads and holiday baking recipes or holiday decorating tips. Reach for "fall" when it's time to get ready for Halloween and for decorating, "summer" when you're looking for outdoor entertaining ideas and grab "spring" when it comes to gardening. I've also known some people who keep the issues with Martha on the cover separate from the rest of their collection:

FALLHOLIDAYMARTHA ON THE COVERSUMMER

I only recently started collecting Everyday Food magazine and have picked up a few of the special "Good Things" issues on the newsstands - the ones that pertain to the home. I keep these in the kitchen on a white shelf, simply stacked, one on top of the other. I like the graphic effect of the striped spines against the stark white lacquer and they're very easy to reach for.

I don't often tear out the little recipe cards contained in the magazine, but I have done it a few times. I don't generally cook from the magazine, to be honest. I read it for other reasons, primarily decorating, organizing, design and graphic inspiration and gardening. But there are a few recipes that have warranted clipping them out. I keep them all in a recipe box with a few torn-out pages from Everyday Food containing recipes I use frequently. I tend to make the side dishes and desserts most.

Feel free to share your own 'Living' habits with me!

UPDATE: A reader suggested I turn around my magazine holders to show off the spines of the magazine. I took the advice and like it much better!

Farewell, Paw-Paw

Martha's longtime companion Kublai Khan Paw Paw Chow Chow Chow passed away on April 12th. He had been a part of Martha's life for thirteen years and now rests on her Bedford property.

"In addition to taking part in television commercials and several national print ads, he has been part of numerous photo shoots and is a familiar face on my television show, in my magazine, and on this blog. Paw Paw’s veterinarians, Dr. Thomas Marsh of Fairfield, CT and Dr. Marty Goldstein of South Salem, NY also admired his easy-going nature, and caring for him was never a chore. Even in his final days, Paw Paw just stopped eating and drifted off to deep sleeps, where he now rests peacefully, and, I’m most confident, quite happily. I will miss him, always."

Below is a photo I took of Paw Paw at the Good Things Event in New York City in 2006. I was amazed by how well-behaved and docile he was, especially with all those people around him, fawning over him like he was a king. He'll be missed by Martha, but also by those of us who came to know him as Martha's loveable sidekick.

Kings should be so lucky!