Happy Birthday, Martha!

(via Martha Stewart)

Today is  a special day in the story of all things domestic and lovely: it's Martha Stewart's 71st birthday!

(side note: who do I have to kill to look that good at 71?)

I write about Martha often, and extensively cite projects and ideas from her many forms of media, on this blog because I'm continually inspired by her talent, her tenacity, her good taste and her business acumen. She has built a worldwide brand based exclusively on her vision of "the good life," though that life may be purely aspirational for many of us.

Without Martha Stewart and her creative teams, how would we ever know how to create our own...

...gingham folding screens?

...magpie-inspired necklaces?

...elaborately carved Halloween pumpkins?

...or too-pretty-to-eat buches de Noel?

(all via Martha Stewart)

Whether you love or hate her personality or aesthetic, her impact on the world of cooking, decorating, crafting and decorating cannot be denied.

Happy birthday, Martha Stewart. Without you, the world might be a little bit uglier, a little less organized, and a lot less crafty.