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Martha Says Bloggers are Not Experts :: Business
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The creative/crafting/baking/party blogging world is up in arms this morning about an excerpt from an interview with Martha Stewart on Bloomberg Television.
Martha stated:
“Who are those bloggers? They’re not trained editors at Vogue Magazine. Writing recipes that aren’t tested, that aren’t necessarily very good. Or are copies of everything that really good editors have created and done. Bloggers create a popularity but they are not the experts.”
This makes me so sad.
I have been blogging for nearly five years and I have turned my little on-a-whim blog into a thriving business. Just as Martha started her empire by selling pies and writing a book, we all have to start somewhere. Since the days of planning my wedding (12 years ago) I became obsessed with Martha. Of course, I’ve always know it really isn’t Martha coming up with all of those amazing ideas, it is the incredible, creative staff she surrounds herself with. But still, I love Martha. The creative business she has built has been my biggest inspiration.
I feel like she just stabbed me in the heart.
My idol just told me I suck.
My idol just said I’m not expert and never will be.
My idol just broke my heart.
I know I’m not the only one feeling this way. There is going to be a big backlash from the very large, very creative blogging community. The community that blogs about her ideas, shares them on Facebook, pins them to Pinterest, promotes her products (without pay), buys her books, and drives the majority of traffic to her website. We’ve looked up to her. We’ve spent hard earned money to visit her headquarters to hear her speak, with the smallest hope to shake her hand. We buy her books and products. We used to dream of making it on to her show. We idolize her and hope to achieve even a little piece of what she has in the creative world.
I am so disappointed.
Are you?
October 16, 2013
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How truly sad and mean her words are to the countless women and men who daily share their gifts and talents to bless lives. I am honestly not surprised by her comment due to the fact that she has done everything she can to ‘take credit’ for all of the creativity that exists in the American homes for the past several years. She had to serve prison time due to her deceitfulness. My desire to patronize her in any form has completely disappeared with her very rude statements. I think you are very creative and have created a business that enables countless of us TKS followers to infuse a little more joy in the journey. I am sorry that she has let you down. She has let millions of highly educated and super talented women down today. YOU GO GIRL! Kim, keep showing us how smart, creative, brilliant, and amazing you & your staff are — as well as all of your sponsors and followers! She is not by any means the “Mother of All Creativity” — she is the ‘taker/user’ of hundreds of others’ creativity all labeled under her ‘name.’ I sincerely hope that many out there finally have their eyes opened to her true character — truly sad indeed.
It is so sad. I often think that creative bloggers have more innovative ideas than magazines. How many times have I opened up a magazine to see a favorite blogger’s idea copied months after the person originally posted??!?! She just lost my respect and I will be much less willing to buy her products now…you know, because I can probably just copy “a recipe” and come up with a really bad version of my own to use.
Kim, I met you thru Martha Stewart. What were we all doing in NYC at the Dreamers into Doers event if NOT showing how much we respected her, “dreamed” of achieving whatever slice of pie we deemed to mean “success” in our own lives, and hoping to gleen a bit of the magic that seemed to exist within MSLO. So many of the participants were bloggers, creators of crafts, talented artists & designers, plus event coordinators who had taken what they learned from her to develop a small business.
Her comments seemed to reflect utter amazement that ANYONE who blogs could come up with some original content, create a project, recipe or other information that others would be use. How sad:(
For you and other bloggers who put your heart & soul into your blogs & businesses, I say “3 CHEERS!” I’ll take your advice, product endorsements, projects, design & party ideas any day of the week over the “experts”. I know your coming from the same place I am – a family with a couple kids, a dog, trying to squeeze in a date night with your husband, run a business all while doing 762 other things from morning to night!
Now, you’ll have to excuse me, I have some blogs to read:)
Yes, Martha might be a guru, but when i first started designing wedding and social invitations in 2001 and was looking into advertising I was warned by several people not to go with Martha Stewart Magazine. I was told if samples were sent for editorial review there was a high probability that the magazine would use my ideas with their own twist. So I never did and I recently saw that happen to a company I worked with in Hawaii. they took her product and branded it as Martha’s. So I cannot say I am surprised, but this just re-affirms disappointment. You just really need to not focus on it and realize she’s just shunning herself. Maybe it’s a media ploy, who knows.
I became indoctrinated in the crafting world as I grew up watching the “Home Show.” I busted through to adulthood with Martha Stewart as my Fairy Crafting GodMother. She guided my creativity with her dazzling ideas and refined presentation. I bought her books and made her show an appointed time viewing affair. I wanted to be Martha Stewart. But, somewhere along the way, I lost that desire to be Martha. Too many instances where the conglomeration of the woman stood before us telling us how to do this and that all while carefully pushing her products before us. She strategically looked down her nose while she demonstrated to us how to pick it. Does this latest commentary surprise me?? Not really. And she will probably speak or do something like this again down the line. She is too much the business of craft to be bothered by the likes of us who breathe the spirit of craft day in and day out.
Can I be honest? I have noticed that once a brand/person gets “BIG” they seem to forget all the little people who got them where they are. Sorry you are disappointed, I can’t say I’m surprised, Martha has had a pretty bad reputation for a while now. If you can learn anything from it Kim, remember as you get “BIGGER” to stay small with your ego, people like a generous & genuine person.
P.S. I love some of the bloggers I have worked with, they have been very generous and willing to promote my small business.
Nobody makes it alone, something Martha needs to be reminded of!
Kim, do not lose heart and hold your head high. I follow countless blogs such as yours and the thing I love the most is that you and your blogging sisters give us inspiration and concrete ways that we can create the home, food, gifts, etc. that empires like Martha’s showcase but in real ways, for real women, with real (often tight) budgets, and under very real time constraints. You show us how to have it all; a fabulous home, healthy and sometimes not so healthy meals, and creative flair and all by living what you teach. Family first, fabulousness second. So don’t feel too bad that Martha has fallen from her pedestal. I’m not so sure she should have been up there in the first place.
Interesting! She obviously didn’t have staff help her with responses that would be good for her business/brand considering how many bloggers do promote her products and look up to her, myself included! I dubbed my blog lil mama stuart after all!
However, I think there’s truth that not *all* bloggers write good recipes and there are bloggers who do copy and don’t really create anything “new”. While on the flip side, the successful bloggers are the ones who really do work their way to make themselves experts, like yourself. And you have your business to show for it! That was one large take away from the BlogHer conference I went to, you need to make yourself an expert on whatever you are blogging about.
Thanks for putting this out there, I look forward to seeing what buzz this creates
She lost my confidence when she mentioned that bloggers weren’t trained editors with Vogue. P – L – E – A – S – E…. Have you ever seen Vogue?; (not that it’s a bad magazine) but those people don’t have real people taste. They only cater to the wealthy young ones who can afford $450 shoes and $998 skirts and dresses. The ‘middle’ loves bloggers, the ‘middle’ love people who create and the ‘middle’ believe that you can build a business from scratch. She has forgotten her roots and she has forgotten that no matter what she does or says or how much money she makes – she has spent time in prison. You don’t go there because you’re honest and forthcoming. Martha needs to say a prayer for forgiveness for being a snot.
Am I disappointed? Yes…..Surprised? NO! I realized many years ago when I attempted to make my very first gingerbread house from her magazine that she is not a good person. Having never made gingerbread, EVER, I followed her directions to the letter….the way it was worded it was one batch, PER WALL…..well lets just save that is not correct! LOL Soon thereafter I read her unauthorized biography, Just Desserts, and that was the final eye opener. She would leave out key ingredients/directions in her recipes so that no one could ever be “as good as” her! A smart business woman? Yes….but a nice person….no.
I hope the backlash is swift and hard….if she thought it was bad after she went to jail this is nothing compared to that! We can all forgive her for making an “honest” mistake….but degrading people that are just trying to be creative like she was in her early days….is in my opinion unforgivable….she had her chance to shine and it seems to me that she does not want anyone to try and do the same….
So yes, very disappointing!
Some people sit so high atop their empire that they forget about the “little people” and how they got there. If it were not for the bloggers pushing her products, sharing, pinning, following and discussing – Martha’s success would not be where it is, sad to hear that is her opinion on the very people that support her.
I’m not a blogger, but a blog follower and even I think Martha was out of line. The blog’s I follow, share not just their ideas, but who they are and they are so much more relatable to me. And you know what, sometimes I make a recipe and it doesn’t turn out perfect, but that can happen to a “name brand” one as well. And it’s not a big deal, you file it away and make changes for next time or toss it. It doesn’t stop me from following the blogger though. So, don’t stop what you are doing, keep on keeping on…: )
So disappointing… as I just wrote on Facebook, every blogger I know is creative, talented, hard working and amazing. Obviously she does not have a clue or care about what bloggers do. Shame on you Martha
Yes, I am very disappointed with her short-sighted, irresponsible comments. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you 🙁
I thought the Same thing Tina!
TOTALLY!!!! Belittling those who look up to her, support her, buy, use and promote HER products.
Not cool Martha. Shame on her!
I have promoted her products as a blogger- who does she think is using her products to craft?? Bloggers. I think the only reason one would downplay the blogger is if one felt bloggers were a threat to one’s success (i.e. I’m sure it’s getting harder to come up with original content with some many creators out there creating).
Very dissapointing to hear Martha Stewart discredit and brush off what so many bloggers have done and accomplished in this industry. I am not a blogger but I am an avid blog reader of the TomKat Studio and many other party, home, and mommy blogs. I have seen and put to good use, so much creativity from bloggers; much of which has later been taken (or stolen) and capitalized on by big companies such as Martha Stewart Living. For example, the first time I saw tissue paper flowers and pom poms was years ago on a party blog (whose name I can no longer recall). Several months later, Martha created a pom pom tutorial and shortly after that began selling them as kits. I’ve seen this happen over and over again with so many other ideas. Creativity gets circulated in the blogosphere long enough for companies like Martha’s to notice, make a product out of it, and capitalize on it. Bakerella (a blogger) created a cake pop empire that sparked books and practically an entire new industry. To pretend that only “experts” in the field of “lifestyle” can create is ignorant and egotistical, especially when Martha is riding on the coat tails of so many other creative people, whom’s ideas she lends her name to. When I read your article, I thought about all the stories I read of so many bloggers’ amazing experiences at the Martha Stewart’s headquarters, to whom she opened her doors and made believe that she believed in them and wanted to empower them, when in reality she was just seeing them as vehicles to drive “popularity.” It is very disappointing. Kim, I hope you and your amazing team keep doing what you do and don’t let anything stop you.
Oh, Kim I feel the exact same way. I have loved Martha as long as I can remember, and back in high school (before the days of DVRs!) I used to record her show to watch when I was done with school and work for the day. It literally made my stomach hurt when I watched that part of her interview yesterday 🙁 The expert at anything, including good old Martha, was once a beginner. Such a shame.
I’m extremely disappointed. She’ll probably come out later and say “Oh, I didn’t mean *all* bloggers,” but the damage has been done. Unless you’re in the “upper echelon” like Macy’s and Ralph Lauren, then the rest of us just don’t know what we’re talking about. It’s so, so unfortunate that she shared such damaging words to a community that’s always been inspired by her.
Some of the best recipes, party ideas and crafts I’ve come across have come from blogs. Shame on Martha for not embracing this community!!
Kim, I love your ideas!!! Brought your ideas into my clinic in Brazil. We treat children with cancer, and sometimes we have events and I allways use your ideas (children day, mother´s day, christmas….) children love them. So, thank you for sharing your ideas and make other people´s life easier.
Gosh. Her comments are just so mean-spirited. I’ve been a Martha fan since high school (well over 15 years and through her prison sentence), so the arrogance isn’t surprising. I don’t know that she realizes that these bloggers–those she punched in the gut–are such big fans. And who says bloggers aren’t experts–other than Martha? Honestly, when I need a recipe or a party idea or inspiration for decorating my home, I turn to my trusted blogs, and not Martha’s site or books or show.
Yeah girl! 100% agree!!!
Urgh….I totally agree. I cannot help but think the fabulous,smart,creative team around her is saying…”girlfriend,you just bit the hand that feeds you…” . How. Could. She. Be. So. Rude.
I really don’t get it.
I hope this gets more traction. She needs to take a serious long, hard look at herself and her empire in the mirror and realize what putting down the ‘little people’ really does.
Blown away! Can’t believe how big her head has gotten! Seems she was so busy name dropping, she has forgotten what it is to be a middle class citizen or someone just starting out. She wasn’t an expert when she started out. And what makes her an expert now? Does success equal being an expert? Very rude and demeaning to the many people out there that looked up to her. Martha Stewart, I will think twice now before I buy one of your products!!
What an unfortunate comment. Who says that bloggers are not experts? True, some are just following what everyone else is doing, but many bloggers, you included, are absolutely experts in your fields. Recipes ARE tested, style that IS cutting-edge, crafts that ARE novel and accessible to the every day reader.
Very disappointing, but somehow I am not surprised.
Oh Kim. I can see why you feel a bit spurned by her words. But if I can offer you a wee bit of encouragement: there are a ton of bloggers and creatives who have turned to you for inspiration, have pinned and posted your accomplishments and have shared your artistry with their friends…much in the same way you have done for Martha. And you have garnered and nurtured a growing following without a massive team of creatives doing the work for you. Martha’s success is entirely in her Omnimedia brand. It’s not her. It’s a workforce of marketing gurus, abused artists, and a butt load of money. She may have started out in a smaller way, but that’s not what the Martha Stewart brand is now. It’s an idea factory filled with brilliant people who churn out inspiring things that we can’t help but credit Martha for because it’s filtered through her brand. She does have an impeccable standard and I’m sure she could host a kick ass party, but lady, so can you. Her words only hold as much weight as you give them. And I don’t really think they’re her words to give. And really this is a hugely missed opportunity for her. She could have turned this into advice for others in the business of being creative…but instead severed a large part of her fan base. And right now she probably has a team of PR specialists helping her clean up the mess. You don’t need Martha to tell you you’re worthy for you to be worthy. You have proven you have your own chops. I look forward to your next post!
But dont forget the video is edited… taken out of context or the words that came after… be proud of your business and inspiring others. You don’t need Martha to tell you you are an amazing woman. Martha hasn’t invented the word amazing! 😉
Kim, I am so proud of you for making a statement. I know this decision might not have came lightly, especially since your comments are unknown on how they might be perceived. Still, you stood up for yourself and all of us. Here is the dealio, you are many peoples “Martha”. Your work has inspired me from the beginning and your story is one I can relate to. Sorry your heart is broken, but thank you for being a voice for us all!
Holli – HoneyBash!
Last I knew Martha had a blog….need I say more?
One word: ewe.
Kim, I’m so glad you shared this and spoke up. As a blogger I feel the same way. I have looked up to her, used her products, recipes and crafts. It hurts my heart to hear her say this about the countless people who have supported her, her business and her brand. It’s not something she can easily recover from.
I wholeheartedly agree. I posted about this today too on my blog, One Artsy Mama. What a shame that someone who started as a female entrepreneur herself has turned around and insulted those of us who are attempting to do the same and to share our creations with the world in the hopes of inspiring others. Shame on you, Martha.
I think she broke a lot of hearts today. I remember when her old show was just starting out along with crafters like Lynette Jennings and Christopher Lowell, those were three shows I had to watch all the time….. The attitude she displayed in that video towards bloggers was really shameful, considering she wasn’t an expert when she started out, considering she “uses” these bloggers to promote her materials and considering she has people working for her she doesn’t write a blog and do all the crafts and html, marketing etc. that most bloggers do themselves. My theory she doesn’t like the competition that bloggers bring to her. Putting others down to make herself look good will back fire on her. I already unliked and unfollwed all her social media and I already deleted all her pins I had on pinterest. As for all the bloggers across the globe, I think you all rock and should keep on crafting, cooking and DIY’ing weather anyone thinks your an expert or not!
I have not been a fan of Martha’s for many years. My sincere advice to you is to be true to yourself. You don’t need the Martha Stewarts of the world to be your guidance or mentor. You have enough talent to stand on your own two feet and excel at what you enjoy and what you’ve built on your own.
Kim, I totally thought of you when I saw that interview! 🙂
It’s so sad. and It’s obvious that she is out of touch even with her own company as her company contracts a PR company that reaches out to many bloggers to help promote her products and work on campaigns. Who does she think is buying much of her product? Who is she marketing her brand to? The Creative world. She clearly is out of touch, and that is so sad.
Everyone starts somewhere, even Ms. Stewart. People gain expertise and experience in a field by doing.
I’m not surprised. She probably envies people like you because she has a whole team to do the job you are doing. Unfortunately jealous is a very ugly trait!
I love your blog, your work, and everything you share and offer to us all.
Kim, you are a phenomenal source of inspiration for me and so many others. It’s heartbreaking, yes, but “don’t let the turkeys get you down”, okay? Regardless of who inspired you, you have built an incredible business with your own creativity. You are my first stop for party and printable design and I thank you for that. I get so many compliments at my events from using your designs. May we never forget where we came from.
Xox!
This makes me so sad. I too am terribly disappointed at her lack of understanding this creative world we live in today. Talent is talent, period. There are many “experts” who are self taught and although being an editor at a high profile magazine is quite an accomplishment, starting, maintaining and growing a business organically is as high of an accomplishment. I think it’s unfortunate she can’t spread the love for how this very strong and passionate community interacts with her, her brands, consumers and each other. Much love to you Kim, and others like us who have big or small creative businesses!
Xo!
Kristen Forgione
THE LifeStyled COMPANY in sunny Arizona!
Disappointed, but we know “The Blogging Community”, knows that we are the natural talent behind it all!
it is sad she would make those statements and i don’t even have a blog! she has always been somewhat of an hero/icon to me as well and it’s disheartening when someone we want to emulate shows their “true colors”. that being said, if i remember correctly, a lot of her recipes from her first book were never really tested properly or even at all. her book didn’t get the best of reviews. while we have let her become the “authority” on all things creative and domestic, she has lost touch with those of us in the trenches of daily life. when i discovered your blog a couple of years ago, you, kim, took over martha’s spot as my hero/icon. you are doing what i want to be doing full time, instead of just dabbling and helping friends out. keep on doing your amazing work! you are a rock star! 🙂
Sorry. Not a Martha fan. She was not trained either. And her daughter also blogs. I would much rather read what you, Kim, and the other bloggers have to say than ever read what Martha says. You have a wonderful site and should be proud of what you have accomplished. More power to you, Kim!
This is truly sad. I like you have always admired her. I have every book she has written. Like the others stated before me, it’s all the people around her that make “Martha Stewart Living.” I have found more joy learning from you and other bloggers so much, I hardly look at all the magazines I subscribe to that come in my mailbox. Most are filled with advertisements and things that don’t interest me. I hope she really doesn’t feel this way and totally misspoke. We can hope, right? I think you are awesome, so don’t fret over Martha. Keep sharing your wonderful talents because we are surely sharing them!
I think her biggest mistake was not acknowledging that there are many good, professional style blogs in addition to many that are poorly operated with inferior information. I would imagine that it is to these she was addressing her comments. She is far to smart and savvy to intentionally insult good products such as Kim’s. She tends to be direct and abrupt which also makes her unflattering comments worse. I am not supporting her comments at all just suggesting she was not necessarily addressing all.
Too not to. Lol
Interesting comments by Martha considering the fact that her first cookbook was under fire for the very same reason of untested and irresponsible publishing. She of all people should show some humility as a ex-felon. She is a shameless social climber who humiliated her husband for years and could not understand why he left her. Her many hissy fits on the set are legendary!
I think once a bit** always one!…. I’m not sure why anyone is surprised -she is cut throat and believes herself and her brand to be ” it” . i believe she would never believe anyone is better than her or more original or creative. She certainly started a movement ( ill give her that credit) with baking, crafting, homemaking, and blogging for heaven’s sake! But one reason I believe blogs and their content are so attractive to people is that those crafts and projects and recipes are way more attainable and realistic than MSL’s ever were or will be. Blogs are current and social media is most definitely the future… She may be a tad threatened and she spoke in poor taste. She is old news, and in my opinion never had a thing on Ina! 🙂
I used to follow her a lot too until at one point she said something that I didn’t like and stop patronizing her. Stopped watching her shows, stopped buying her stuff and stayed away from making any of her recipes. I also once asked in one of her recipes what can be substituted with the wine in her cake recipe… I cannot believe the answer that was sent to me. She or any of her staff replied that it cannot be substituted with anything else!
So to this very day, I have been Martha Stewart free!
Wow this is really something to think about… First… she stepped into the scrapbook business and took away business from small business and my once owned scrapbooking store by only selling only to Michaels, now she insults the blogging world. I promote her specialty metallic paints from Home Depot all the time… no pay just loving the product. Not anymore! Will look be looking for a different product. What a shame…or should I say shame on her! Funny how she turns to bloggers thru some Social advertising companies and now we aren’t professional… hmmm won’t apply to anymore of those campaigns.
I agree with everything everyone else has posted. I’d also like to add she mentioned Macy’s (seriously?) as an expert. Let’s be honest Martha, it’s just because you sell products through them. Not because they are actually worth anything. Furthermore, would Pinterest be what it is today without bloggers? Nope. I’ve had better luck with recipes from mom blogs than her recipes many times over! Go team bloggers!
Oh wow! I did not see that interview but I feel your pain. She was also a big inspiration for me, but something has just changed… 🙁
It’s a vague word, “bloggers.” There are thousands of bloggers! Saying that they’re not “experts” is wrong. Because the truth is, you can’t know. Martha hasn’t READ every blog ever made. There are bloggers with huge blogs and bloggers with small ones, but they all have started out just as Martha has and have just as much potential to build a huge business like she has. Besides, what qualifies you to be an expert? Just because someone hasn’t had 20+ years of experience with crafting, designing, writing, cooking, etc. doesn’t mean that they don’t know what they’re talking about.
Goes to show you .. Be You.. define You and Never Idolize a human .. Not anyone unless in my opinion God. Btw Martha in my opinion could use a touch of class and be humbled. fyi I’ve been following you since you started Blogging and enjoy your talent and knowledge stay blessed!
MS has very few “selected” blogs on her blog.
Ohmygosh …. there are so many millions of blogs. How & why MS would say what she did is crazy-nuts.
Her fave (??) blogs are not that great. I’ve seen them.
Your blog is so much, much better Kim. Really.
I didn’t listen to the video – nor do I have any desire to. I am not a Martha follower – never have been. Some of the ideas that come from her company (notice I didn’t say from her…) are, yes, good – dare I say some are even great. But I subscribe to more blogs than I have time to read and THOSE are where I find my inspiration. My Pinterest is filled with pics of incredible, stunning, wonderful, creative projects all of which I would put up against anything “Martha” ever did any day. If Martha actually took the time to pay any attention to the crafting world, she might learn a thing or two. Like the fact that there are countless crafters out there who blog to share their talents in order for others to glean from their imaginativeness – not to be recognized for who they are or make a buck because their name is on the packaging. In short, Martha’s just jealous.
You rock Kim……don’t listen to Martha…..her business is hurting and she just wants any sort of attention. I love the blog world and all the great ideas I have gotten from wonderful people like yourself and many others I follow! Your better than Martha!
Heart broken… We all stood by her side, defended her, even when she went to prison! I planned my workouts at the gym around getting to watch her daily show– they always handed me the remote at the front desk as I walked in! My sentiments are the same as your’s. We ALL start somewhere. When I encounter someone is who is truly great at something I aspire to be good at, I try to spend as much time with them as I can. I learn just through observation– watching how they handle issues, creative challenges, how they deal with adversity. I just let it all sink in and pretty soon, I find myself thinking like they thing and reacting like they would react given my situation. Great leaders lead this way– just through example– not by turning around to all of their die-hard followers and telling them how they don’t measure up.
You are wonderful. I also am guessing you are really much nicer than Martha. You may not have a staff but you do wonderful things!
Not all bloggers are experts in their professional field and only a handful are able to make a living like you and me doing what we do. A long time ago Martha was just a girl with a small catering business and a dream. She was not an expert but look at the empire and brand she has built and become.
I’m certain that bloggers are a threat to her business in a way. Before blogging came around she was the content queen sharing recipes, decorating tips and hints using her website, magazine and show. Now bloggers can do something similar without all the expensive upfront costs and technology required to build a community. Heck, for literally no money you can livestream a decorating show to an audience of women who are interested in learning from you and not Martha directly. I’d be threatened too.
Look at it this way, she views you and I as real competition and I think that’s actually a good thing.
Jessica
P.S. Just found your site through Pencil Shavings Studio. Loving it!
Well said!
My thoughts EXACTLY!!!
When I read the headline on what Martha said, it literally broke my heart for you and all the talented women and men whose blogs I follow AND enjoy! It brought tears to my eyes and I felt hurt for you and all the talented people who pour their hearts into their work. I have not been a fan of Martha’s for many years…thought she was very overrated even then. I find more inspiration from people like you and the others that I follow that I ever have from Martha. It always hurts when someone you admire steps on your heart this way and shame on her. If I remember correctly, it was just a few short weeks ago that she tweeted that Apple should run to her house to fix her ipad that Steve Jobs gave her personally, while the rest of us have to go to the Apple store for the assistance we may need. Must be nice to be so self absorb and live on that high pedestal….the only problem with that is, that one often falls off that high pedestal….I hope she bruised that big ego of hers!
She feels threatened, so she “dismissed” those who she feels may (and do)threaten her queen bee status. If she wasn’t worried, she’d have celebrated all of the creativity on blogs, the inspiration blogs give and share with others rather than trying to belittle blogs to try to make herself appear better than. Can’t figure out why she couldn’t just be gracious. She has an out of control ego and more money than any one person needs. Wonder if she has any true friends or just people around her that just feed her ego? Then there’s her Match.com desperation on the Today show.
I’m not sure where she gets off saying that bloggers are not experts. Bloggers are experts in REAL LIFE and are far more relatable than she will ever be. I guess it has been a long time since she had little ones to tend to, a dinner to get on the table, and a house to run without a full staff to make it happen. I follow many blogs for party planning, crafting, food/recipes, etc. and their ideas are far more reasonable for a person who doesn’t have creative team to make the “crafts” or cook the recipes. I don’t know many Moms and/or working women who have the time to make her complicated recipes that have 20 ingredients and 18 steps. Or who can spend hours making just one piece of the often complicated crafting project she has on her website and in her magazines.
As for her products, I haven’t been a fan for some years now. I was a fan when I first got into crafting because I felt that her name stood for quality. However, I quickly learned otherwise. Does she put her name on quality products, yes. However, I felt for a long time that they are overpriced for what they are and I really don’t buy them much anymore. Maybe someone should start an Facebook petition for Macy’s, Michael’s, and other stores that sell her products to not sell them anymore. Nothing gets a person like Martha Stewart’s attention faster than doing something that will affect their bottom line. She might need to be reminded that because of the power of social media (facebook, twitter, bloggers, etc.) her comments are more heard now than ever before!
Kim, keep your head up and keep doing what you are doing. I discovered your blog about a year ago through pinterest and have been following it ever since. Your ideas and recipes are for real people who live normal lives.
She is right in some regards. The world is full of bloggers and some are self indulgent and without talent, however there are others that are genuinely creative and not just loading up everybody else’s creative outputs. You have to admit there are a lot of images and ideas that do a cycle through blogs. There are no new ideas under the sun but there are clever people who interpret and reinvent. Martha and her crew do this.
Where does one go to editing school? I thought editing came about from doing the hard slog of being an underling who rises through a company/ies and learns from others along the way.
Moral: never rate a person as a god because they are never that good and don’t try to mould oneself in their image. They’ll always disappoint.
I think its comments like this or any controversy that even though it seems upsetting at first, it actually helps us become stronger and better at what we do. Plus look at all the new content we have to blog about. So Martha just gave us more to write about and get passionate about.
Awwwww, Kim!! I’m so sorry that she said that!! Seriously???? Wow!!!! So unbelievable!!!! Oh Kimmy, hun! YOU are WAY BETTER than her!! So much better!!! If you had your own big staff and tv show, I be your numero uno fan!!
Sweet heart, you keep what you love best and we support you 200% Forget what that B***** said (sorry, it’s so upsetting!) But YOU ARE WAY BETTER THAN HER!!! and a lot beautiful than her for sure!! Keep up what your doing because we will ALWAYS support you!!!!
Love ya sweet pea!!!!!
Here’s my thoughts on this, let’s see if I can write this so it makes sense.
Several years ago, reality shows began popping up on television. Critics said it wouldn’t last, “real” stars and producers, etc., would stick their noses up and refuse to acknowledge. It was becoming real competition for scripted television and a threat to their profits (actors, producers, etc.)
Fast forward to know, when the programming of every major network seems 50% reality TV, not to mention what’s on all the cable channels. TV stars, movie stars, “real” producers and directors, etc., had to realize that this new entertainment wasn’t going away, so they eventually embraced it and begin getting involved themselves.
To me, it just feels like all of these one time “domestic queens” and people like Martha were more one of kind and were kind of monopolizing the area of home decor, parties, food, and all things domestic. They were the “go to” in those areas. But in recent years a new breed of “domestic goddess” has emerged in the form of bloggers. They may not be trained “experts” in the field, but they are real mothers, dreamers, home cooks, party planners, etc., and are more relate-able and in many time fun that those who are highly paid “experts”. I feel like these people, including Martha, are seeing this new competition and maybe a decrease in their own incomes because people are turning more to bloggers, and are getting defensive, “lashing” out at those that “threaten” them.
It just feels a lot like that whole reality transition, and pretty soon they (including Martha) will realize it they will serve them better to work with the bloggers than to hurl insults and cut them down.
It’s disappointing that she would speak this way. And I’m sorry that it’s hurting you so much — I totally get it. However, for me, my idols are becoming the bloggers that I follow, who inspire me everyday — just by living their lives — to be a better mother, wife, friend. People just like you, who are mom’s, wives, dreamers, believers, entrepreneurs, smilers, inspirers…. Please know that me and the thousands of women (and men) who look up to you as our inspiration don’t even think for a minute about what Martha said. If something works and is good enough for your family, it’s good enough for me to try for mine.
So thank you for being my party expert! You do beautiful work and you inspire thousands. That’s expert enough for me!
Well said! I’ve always loved Martha too. I’m disappointed in her and I don’t even have a big blog like you!! Your blog is AMAZING!
Kim, I discovered your blog a few years ago and fell in love instantly and have been following your company ever since. Keep your head up and keep moving forward with the same determination that got you where you are now. It’s a shame what Martha has said about bloggers; it really shows that she has forgotten where she came from.
A quick lesdon on why we should never idolise mere humans!!!! Never wish to be someone else, never be jealous of someone’s success or fortune and never put someone else down. Above all be humble we are all born into the world naked we all die and go to dust. Be humble in all you do. One very narcissistic character is Martha.
Id hope all those bloggers and online stores stop stocking her products. Which many have made in china on the label!!!!! Boycott martha!!!
i’ll always strive to do what martha does, not who she is.
keep plugging along 🙂
If you run a home, a family, work in or out of a home, cook or make it from a box, you too can be a Martha Stewart! If you found your niche and perfected it you too could be Martha Stewart or Suzy Jones or Deb Smith, Martha White, Betty Crocker etc. If you had people behind you to market you, to sell every inch of your soul, you too could be like her. Anyone that runs a home is an expert, anyone that works whether in or outside the home is an expert and you too can write about it if you want to and people will read it. Martha is wrong here—these recipes are tested, by the home cooks. These “experts” are out there writing and doing. They aren’t editors of Vogue; they are better than that, they are the backbone of America. The people that put dinner on the table, that keep the businesses going and they know how to get things done the old fashion way; THEY WORK FOR IT EVERY DAY. Get into the real world Martha Stewart, bloggers are the ones that are buying your products….uppps sorry your profit margin just went down.
Now am I wrong…. I didn’t think Martha went to culinary school??? Did she??? If NOT than “HOW” can she say she’s an expert?? This is how she started out, correct?? She is going to have a TON of hate mail coming her way, lol. Watch out Martha… Would this mean she’s an EXPERT in trading stock since she went to prison.
This was quite a snotty and elitist comment …she needs to remember her background, when she was a caterer,cooking “untested” concoctions in her home kitchen.
Tastemakers, personality brands and people that have lovely taste are..Bloggers! I doubt she has a following of twenty year olds (I am much older:)…the new generation looks to these people for ideas,home decor fashion,parenting,food its endless really!
Lets face it yes Martha is smart…she is old school and frankly I find her boring. Times are a changing and the whole Blogger culture is here to stay.
She is a mean person for saying that. Doesn’t she know it’s better to be kind.
No. Not MS.
Kim,
I know this is very upsetting. But, you are an expert in your own right and not matter what ANYONE says, you own your expertise and no one can take that away from you.
AND, what everything Martha says is NOT GOLD. I would give more attention to it if it came from your own mother. But Martha is only a person, only human, with her own imperfections like everyone else. Please don’t put anyone on a pedestal. And do what you do..which is inspire, create and encourage thousands and thousands of people everyday.
I have read a few of these blogs and I don’t recall any that have claimed to be “experts” at what they do. I have tried several of the recipes I have found on these sites and have often changed them to suit dietary needs as I need to make my cakes and cookies gluten free. They may not be I am sure that every blogger has made these recipes at least once.
To all the bloggers out there Than you and Keep Up the Good Work.
Don’t Take Her Comments To Heart. You obviously Have A Great Following, And Do A Fantastic Job.
But I Do Somewhat Agree With Her, Most Bloggers Aren’t Experts. They Haven’t Been To Culinary School, Etc. It Starts Out As A Hobby. The Blogs With Continual Good Info Thrive. A Good Chunk Of Recipes I Have Pinned Have Not Been Good. Now I Rely Heavily On Positive Comments From People Who Have Made The Item.
I find it really sad that you would get your feelings hurt over this. She may be your “idol” in terms of her lifestyle genius but what you really love and idolize is who you THINK she is. Her brand, if you will, is what we all love and try to emulate. I agree that what she said was not very nice nor very professional. It’s very sad when a strong, independent woman who is very aware of the fact that she is an idol, mentor and leader puts her followers down in any way. Imitation is the best form of flattery after all. You (and many others) are strong, beautiful, smart and successful bloggers who obviously know what we as readers and emulators 🙂 want. She is not your husband nor mother. Don’t let her get the best of you. Your better than that. Keep your head up.
Martha got lucky. That’s it. She was funded and marketed. She’s a blogger herself, gone corporate. Plain and simple. The bloggers I read do test their own recipes, they are experts in their craft, and are NOT accepting credit for other peoples work. They are not only expert crafters, bakers, etc…, they are also expert self taught photographers and self taught experts in website maintenance and marketing….way more than Martha could hope to be with all her minions. Martha has lost sight of her creative origins and has gone snob, corporate, inside trader. I am happy to say that I saw the changes in her early on and stopped following her long ago. No hard working blogger who is earning an income sharing what we all love and appreciate should bother feeling the least bit offended on her account. You just keep doing what you do because we love it! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have hundreds of pinterest pins to track so that I can delete and boycott every single pin and product that leads to miss high and mighty Martha. Funny that she doesn’t realize she just insulted most of her audience. I truly hope that her reported earnings this year reflect it. That is all….
I’m not going to say that I don’t like what she does but I will say that my inspiration to do fun things for the kids of my community didn’t come from her it came from blogs like yours or Catch my Party, AFOMFT, Kara’s party ideas etc. so we are real and awesome!!! and we make real people happy!!
After 8 years of thinking about blogging and selling my cake shoppe I finally did it. Two blog posts down! Lol in any case people were coming to me for decor ideas, cake advise etc so I took the plunge and now trying to develop myself as a so called “expert!”
Maybe we qualify a different term then!?
I love blogs – love to share ideas, inspire others and help! And learn!!!
There are some women who genuinely want to inspire, rise you up, but sadly I find many want to conspire and bring you down 🙁
Carry on! You are great at what you do!
Kim,
You know who you are & know that it is enough. Do not let her negativity define you, let it strengthen you. You got this!
Martha eventually realised the fact that her biggest competitors are simple people that have not spend thousand or even millions on business capital to become successful in their own right. All from the comfort of their homes. They don’t need to sacrifice time away from their kids and families to be successful entrepeneurs. Her business is in serious trouble and will cost her millions to ‘fix’, thanks to Bloggers that has taken over the Creative Industry domain. “Martha your time is up!”
Does she think she has something to lose to promote “those bloggers.” Some of her crafts aren’t even tested. Read here for example from a blogger: http://cosmocricket.typepad.com/cosmo_cricket/2012/09/going-nuts-over-acorns.html?cid=6a01053717ab71970b017744e00946970d#comment-6a01053717ab71970b017744e00946970d All of the blogs I follow have actually tried the project, recipe, etc that they post about.
omg so sad to read this i folow matha fron more than 13 yeras ago as you said hours of eding…of seaching ideas from her point of view ….this is really sad ….:(
I dont know whether to laugh or scream. What is dear Martha thinking? I know that she has her minions scour blogs to find the trends and latest DIY ideas. How interesting since we are all idiots who can’t bake or write. The part of me who wants to laugh is not suprised. The part of me that wants to scream is dissapointed and disgusted. She’s getting too big for her britches…..
Dear? No way.
For what it’s worth I don’t think she’s referring to your type of blog. Yours is marketing for your business and sharing inspiration and creative ideas. You are an expert in your field, you know that. That is not dependent on your blogging though. And you don’t need Martha’s validation for that.
I think she failed to note that while yes some bloggers only recreate things other people have created, that others generate original material. Are those recipes tested to the extent Martha Inc can afford to do? No. And any blog reader should be aware of that and accept the limitations of the medium and method.
I do not have a blog, not yet anyway = but I do have to say this, that I have 37 years of experience in most of the things that Martha has some one else doing, on her show. My daily work consists of baking, sewing, knitting by hand, upholstery,animal grooming, hairstylist, confectionery, catering, and the list goes on, and I do everything physical without the help of others. Right now I am busy with a wedding cake and later I start a 21st cake. So there Martha, you ain’t that much of an expert. Now you lovely bloggers are my inspiration, that is why I have subscribed to sites/blogs like yours. AT LEAST YOU HAVE A LIFE. So to blazes with Martha who works hard using everybody else’s brains and hands.
It sounds like Martha is threatened by successful bloggers. All those companies she mentioned uses others creative ideas to fuel their company and Martha is the same way. Martha needs a creative team to come up with things. A good majority of bloggers run their site alone and are super successful without a team of so called “experts”
I used to think she was the most awesome creative person in the world. I realized later it was her & her team. I have always admired her & have seen her as an inspirational person.
How dare she throw all bloggers into one group of copycats! Untested recipes?! Mijn are tested! My printables were created by me! My photographs are taken by me and my daughter.
Could it be jealousy?! If blogs existed back when she started maybe she wouldn’t of become so famous. With a blog you don’t have to be a business expert you simply can post. Creative blogs have shown me some of the most incredibly talented people that I probably never could if seen had it not been for blogging.
Dear Martha,
You do not have the monopoly on creative media!
Sincerely yours,
Teresa Henderson
A long time admirer that is seriously disappointed.
I watched the video and I don’t think it was that sensational. I think when she said “blogger” she was talking about the millions of blogs that just rehash things others created and not coming out with original content. I’m sure it is scary for her to have blogs out here eating away at the advertising content in her magazine and television shows because many advertisers have switched to putting ads on youtube and blogs where it is cheaper. If recipes from her magazine are copied and given on a blog for free it would be irritating to say the least. I doubt she was talking about blogs like yours (and hopefully not mine LOL!) when she made this content which was taken out of context and can be edited to make her look bitchy. I’m sure anyone who did not watch the video thinks it is worse than it is.
I wonder how many “Bloggers” have provided inspiration for her ideas.
I wondered the same!
Shame on her. The blogging world is what MADE her world. I’m not a blogger, but I can imagine the tireless hours you gals go through in front of your screens to make it happen. Kim, your business is awesome, and your ideas are representative of who you are, not who Martha is. Thank you for making style accessible for everyone!
Let her live in her own small little world. She hasn’t had charge of her company for years….it’s a shame.
Wow. What a completely rude and thoughtless comment! Apparently, she has forgotten where she came from. Sounds like someone is feeling threatened that all of us tacky and uncreative bloggers are a source for finding inspiration. Most people would love that others are feeling inspired to create, regardless of where they find it. Pretty sure some of her people keep an eye on the blogging community to spot new trends in crafting/cooking to help them come up with ideas. Oh Martha, Martha, Martha… get over yourself already!!!!
Just because someone takes Zumba, it does not mean they are a dancer. Just because someone makes their kids birthday cakes, it does not mean they are a cake decorator. Just because someone has a blog, it does not make them an expert at whatever they are blogging about. That is like someone who takes pictures of their kids and family vacations for fun calling themselves a photographer. That thought process – the over-simplification of any job – is insulting to those who have put in the time, training and real work experience to become a professional at whatever they do. So – if one gets paid for blogging and makes a full-time living at it then yes, they are a professional and the general public, advertisers and sponsors must regard them as experts for that to be the case. But the vast majority of bloggers do not fall anywhere near this category. I think that’s probably what Martha is referring. It doesn’t mean they don’t have the potential to be – but they aren’t viewed (at least in the large, public eye) as professionals or experts…yet. And, please – the blogging world didn’t “make Martha’s world” – she was around years before anyone in the entire world could put their (often sub-par) ideas and opinions online.
While I agree with you in that not every blogger is an expert, Martha did not word this well because she painted all bloggers with the same brush- lots of bloggers work hard, taking courses, and make money from their blogs.
Martha had no formal training when SHE started either.
Oh goodness! I wonder how her and her team are going to handle the backlash.
I have to say I subscribed to Living when I was a newlywed, and I purchased countless Weddings issues when I was planning my own wedding 14 years ago. I took many ideas from her Kids party issues years ago when I planned my kids’first birthday parties. Having said that, nowadays the recipes I cook and that my family enjoy the most are recipes from, dare I say, bloggers!!!! I look for party ideas on party blogs. Wouldn’t Martha have made use of social media an blogging if they had been available when she began her journey decades ago?
I am so sorry your heart is broken Kim. You know how much I love TomKat, you and the TomKat girls (hi Toni!!!). But I think the response to this post has been the best remedy for your dissapointment.
I will continue to look for ideas on party blogs, I will continue to make party decor by myself. I will continue to purchase products from shops like TomKat whenever I can, and I will continue to make “non-tested” recipes from “non experts”, because they are pretty darn tasty!
xoxoxo,
Wendy
I was just telling a friend last night that we all know a 20-something Martha, in 2013, would have been blogging her current styles as a model and promoting any new crafts|recipes she tried. Just because she didn’t get her start in the technology era, doesn’t make “bloggers” any less fabulous than her!
Wow. I feel bad for her. How can you look down on people like that? She started from the bottom, too, just like any other blogger! I know this is hitting you harder than most because of your love for her. I’m so sorry!
I don’t usually respond to news like this but I couldn’t help myself this time. http://bit.ly/1ark6FA
All that tells me is that she feels threatened. Why else would she bash an entire group of people she knows nothing about like that? My blog is about my life. If I’m not the “expert” on my life, I don’t know who is!
I’ve never been a Martha follower. I think that once again, she is showing the real person that she is and it’s time everyone paid attention to this!
The next time that you have a choice to make in craft products, will you choose hers and put more money in her pocket? I’ve never bought one of her products and really will make sure that I won’t now.
We all have a choice in what to read, what blog to follow, and whose recipe to try. Every time I see an “experts” name attached to something, I know that they had a huge staff that developed it and they only signed off on putting their name on it. Is that staff any more “expert” than any of us? Don’t we test recipes and work hard to come up with amazing craft and home décor ideas? And we have the added challenge of doing it in the real world, while juggling family, homes, jobs, etc.
Pay attention, this is how she really views the little people that are spending their hard earned money on her products and making her richer! I’m proud to say that I’m not one of them.
For the most part, I agree. Bloggers aren’t experts. The ones who are, become more than bloggers eventually. Now, there are experts who also blog. That’s different. What I think Martha was saying is that most of the blogging community is made up of real people, stay at home Moms, etc. But for me, that’s exactly what I like about reading those blogs. Seeing how a “real” person uses ideas that may have been done first in a Martha Stewart magazine is what I’m looking for. It provides more variety and those bloggers make her products more popular. So in my opinion, she is dead on.
I can say this – I have blogs I check almost daily. I rarely hop on Martha’s website. While her people are creative and make her look very good, I know many of those same people have blogs – I’ve come across a few. Don’t feel too bad because she stabbed her own people in the back, too. I can’t judge her heart but I’ve heard her make comments to guests on her show that are, I believe, supposed to be funny but instead come across condescending & sarcastic. She lost my interest quite some time ago while bloggers keep drawing me back. I pray, somehow, you can reach “duck” level in all of this – just let that dirty water roll right off your back. Don’t let her define you and you’re right – she’ll suffer backlash. I’m no prophet but I would bet there will be a decline in her product sales – at least for a while.
This does make me so sad. I agree with Cheryl above- she has shown her true feelings towards us all. Those that she’s using to promote her products & grow her own brand but not caring about us or giving us the respect we deserve. How can she say the recipes are not “tested”? We feed them to our families. For me- that is the ultimate test. They are not created by an army of people & then photographed by another large staff with lighting experts & prop stylists & food stylists using all of the strange things they do to enhance the way it looks in the photos & then to not be eaten. These are things we create on our own, photograph on our own & then feed to our families right after. No help & more often than not- look & taste better than most things I see the “professionals” doing. I seem to remember a while back Martha getting some backlash for her recipes in her books not turning out like they should. How is that when she has all these “trained experts” helping her? This whole thing is very sad. Maybe she’s threatened by the popularity of some of the best bloggers in the circle of creativity. People are going to them for inspiration instead of Martha now. I know I am. I visit here, or I go see Jen or Kristyn or Lindsay or Desiree. One of my family’s favorite dinners was something I printed off from Desiree. It doesn’t get any more tested than that. Some of these bloggers have bigger followings on Pinterest than Martha does. Maybe that bothers her. Maybe that’s why she’s lashing out. I feel your sting Kim- it hurts when people say things out of spite. Just know that you are doing an incredible job & you are an inspiration to so many. Don’t let her get you down.
Not surprised. Martha has always been about Martha. While I do love the ideas her staff comes up with I have never been a fan of Martha herself, and she just demonstrated why.
I agree. I used to watch her show and it was painfully obvious that she didn’t come up with any of the ideas. She may have been on her game in the beginning, but now that she is “Martha” she doesn’t seem to do a thing to come up with the creative ideas on her website. To have Martha say that just because you are a blogger you aren’t an expert is just ignorant and shows that she hasn’t kept up with the current methods of exchanging information and ideas.
Of course, I would be hurt also Kim.
Certainly I have watched her cable shows. The problem: Martha S. ego has always been way-way up there. Ms. Uppity-pants. Glad I never bought any of her books. Years and years ago, at a garage sale, I did purchase a DIY book for $2.00. One of the first. The magazines in my library were given to me. In reality, I am not one to idolize anyone. Not to extremes.
Well, I absolutely love, love & love bloggers!!! Yes I do. They have taught me so much over these years, and I appreciate them.
Can you say Martha S. is too-big-for-her-britches? Yes. You may. In her old-age she is becoming extra hurtful and mean. I (still) do not trust the woman.
Stop and think …. MS did not get sent to prison for nothing. Just sayin …..
I wonder if Martha has ever tried any of the “non-professional” craft or recipe items herself. She seems to overact regarding the subject.
My guess …. jealous of so much younger talent.
Not to mention beautiful women, who work very hard and long at their craft and also raise families.
Simply read The Golden Goose Lays An Egg by Susanna Andrews in the September ’13 issue of Vanity Fair. It will give background as to why Martha would lash out at bloggers – she is clawing to keep her business afloat. It’s apparent she’s afraid a great blogger like you will become as popular as MSLO and that would be catastrophic to her. She needs to be the “best” and she could care less who she hurts and ruins in the process, including the bloggers that use and advertise her products. Just remember, when someone feels inferior they will do ANYTHING to make themselves look superior.
She is not going to ruin anyone. She is a toothless-tiger at this junction in her life.
Remember, those you meet on the way up you also meet on the way down!
Start counting your friends, Martha.
Maybe not …. but MS arrogance is sickening. She is soooo nervy. Jeesh.
The female does not deserve the millions of fans that have made her a millionaire many times over. Who does she think bought all her products for so many years?? Us ladies!
Yes …. MS has huge homes. Giant gardens, etc. BUT …. she cannot do the labor and whatnot alone. Her staff does it all. Including cleaning kitchens after cooking sessions, etc.
I knew this all along.
Martha is entitled to her opinion. I am grateful I get to visit my favorite blogs everyday. Her website isn’t worth that time to me, but yours always is! Thanks for all you do, you are an incredible talent.
I don’t care what Martha says. She used to be my idol. Now you are my idol. I love your blog! I follow it every day! I love the recipes and all your great crafting ideas! You are as talented as Martha — if not, more so!
I think her mistake was in generalizing. Tomkatstudio is well above other blog sites in terms of creative new ideas and recipes. I have, as Martha pointed out, made many recipes from blog sites that must not have been tested, because they were total flops. Also, many do just copy ideas and recipes from other sites without giving credit where due.
I, like so many, will always look up to Martha and her genius staff of “experts”. They have set the bar very high and most bloggers have to really push to achieve such standards.
For 14 years Chris Kimball “American Test Kitchen” has set the bar way above Martha and her team of “experts” without the media blitz that Martha seems to need for her own ego boost.
Your opinion is interesting Maggie. I disagree though.
In just “generalizing” thousands and thousands of bloggers can be affected from (her) hurtful words. Her facts are also inaccurate.
MS behavior and arrogant attitude is nothing less than shameful. She does not deserve to have us as fans or anything that can benefit her empire.
Her blog is totally self-absorbed & self-centered. Brag, brag and brag …. in every post. It should be called: “MS ….. all about me, myself and I.”
I can definitely see your side, don’t get me wrong! I definitely spend more time on non-MS blogs.
Am I disappointed? No. Martha Stewart has established a thriving business and is recognized the world over, yes. But she is also a raging snob, egomaniac, and let’s not forget, ex-convict. I don’t hold her up as a role model, never will.
And by the way, Martha — I’ve tried some of your recipes, and there have been several that were just really not good. My kids wouldn’t even eat your “kitchen tested” chocolate peanut butter brownies because they were so bad. So much for being an “expert.”
Ditto.
We’ll said Kim.
Kim,
Love your blog…so many creative ideas. I talk about you all the time when I take local classes here in Minnesota.
As for Martha…I miss the original Martha. The person I stumbled upon whlie writing my wedding invitations 26 years ago and she was appearing on Oprah. She had what I call an authentic holiday show back then that I believe KMART sponsored because she was being represented by them. I do believe it was still her ideas, filming was done in her kitchen and it just seemed real.
Not like what we see today or for the past several years. It’s tough for me to judge her because like so many I also looked up to Martha for many years. I however enjoy the creativity of people and it is not “her” work any longer which is why I have become a distant fan.
I do love the bloggers and you are my day brighteners. With the holidays popping up I’m so eager to see what ideas each of you tosses out.
Keep up the great work!
june
What she said about bloggers is true, she just forgot to mention all the bloggers who DO know their stuff, and put out great original content.
This is super disappointing coming from someone who many bloggers look up to. She’s simply putting herself on this pedestal that creativity is hard to come by, and it’s not! Being a blogger and visiting many blogs daily, there is TONS of creativity that people create on their own, not thanks to Martha! She is where she is today because of the support of a lot of crafters, DIYers, bakers and cooks and it’s too bad she has to belittle them without the blink of an eye!
Fotini
Well said!
Me personally I have never been a Martha Stewart fan, however my heart does go out to all of the creative bloggers that I get to see and interact with on a daily basis. I agree with you Kim when you stated that we’ve all got to start somewhere. Not everyone has a creative team working behind the scenes to make there goods look amazing and yet somehow by the grace of God, sometimes our creations look better that those in magazines!! Be encouraged Kim and keep your head up because you’re a positive inspiration to all those around you and all those on blogging land!!!
You know how awesome you are. You know how awesome your team is. Not Martha or anyone else can take any of your expertise, creativity, and hardwork away from you.
When she spoke of those bloggers who aren’t very good, she was definitely not talking about Team TomKat!
Bloggers are the voice of consumers. We need bloggers to be able to tell us their true opinions about products that people like Martha market, to let people know if its worth buying or not.
Sometimes when people or a company make a name for themselves they forget where they came from and who helped them get to the top.
Without consumers Martha Stewart and any company wouldn’t be who they are today.
What a shame!….
//hugs! You’re the best! Don’t listen to her! <3
I was so excited to get my Martha magazine the other day. Not anymore!!!!!!!! NO more subscriptions for me, Martha you screwed up. I am not a blogger but I do love to read and make their crafts.
I think the issue is that we put these people up on a pedestal and worship them. Think of all the celebrity trash that we take advice from. The fact that they can tell us how to vote, how to live our lives and judge us is wrong. You see them on the TV in jail, doing drugs, getting in fights and basically showing their butts.
Just because you come from NOTHING and make yourself into something does not mean you should make others feel bad. I canceled my magazine subscription from her. I should have known better since I had the feeling she was still a thief from her jail time, she showed NO remorse. I will not buy anymore of her products, watch her shows or follow her blog. Stick her where is really hurts, her wallet. She is a pretentious snob and thinks we bloggers are little people who can’t hurt her where it really matters. $$$$$$$$
Yeah Martha is all about herself. I guess she must feel threatened. Don’t let it bring you down!!
I think u are over reacting. She didn’t say you suck – pls don’t put words in her mouth. You are a conscientious blogger who researches stuff and puts out quality content, but the majority of bloggers do not. Don’t take it so personally. Relax.
Putting stock into what Martha says is not beneficial to you or anyone else. You’re a success because you work hard. She can’t take that away from you. Letting Martha’s words take that power away from you is not good and you shouldn’t let it. Be true to yourself and your followers. Keep working hard and remembering that no one can take your success and passion away from you except you. This is for all the bloggers and small business owners out there.
I live in the UK, so MS isn’t as big over here as it is with you guys over the pond.
Who does she think she is, who made her in charge.
I love blogging, even though I don’t blog as often as I should! But I absolutely love reading about other people’s lives, work, interests.
MS, I think you may have just blotted your copy book once and for all.
Im very disappointed. She is basically dismissing the talent of these incredible bloggers who are certainly my inspiration as a modern day mom who has cavier taste on a cheez- wiz budget. I believe the bloggers are more personable and creative than she will ever be.
She’s right that nowadays everybody can write about food but she forgot to mention that there is also A LOT of talent, real talent and creativity, out there blogging. Her words are specially hurtful given that so many of those bloggers are huge fans of her as a person and of her work. I can only think that she made an unfortunate comment from Martha, I find it so hard to believe that there’s anyone who doesn’t recognise the good, amazing work that food blogging is giving place to.
Martha Stewart has an overinflated ego. She doesn’t come up with most the ideas she has marketed. If you read her magazine, she openly shares ideas from bloggers and states that they are bloggers. How dare she now slam the very people she and her staff steals ideas from. I expect no less from a woman who has made her own business by using others ideas that are not exclusively her own. I love bloggers and applaud their astounding creativity. Kim, you don’t have to answer to anyone. It saddens me that your idol has treated you and so many others with these uncalled for remarks. I, personally, will no longer support anything Martha Stewart sells or presents. I have a subscription to her magazine which I plan to cancel now. I’m over the over-inflated ego of hers.
What an absolutely ignorant thing to say! The television and website media is full of people who are DIY’ers from decorating to cooking to crafting. The people we see posting and blogging and doing it themselves are what keep the creativeness in the world going. To make a statement like that is mean and spiteful, but then again I don’t think MS was ever a nice person. fortunate….yes….Nice….never!
My guess is Martha is threatened by the blogging world. I get more useful ideas and inspiration from the blogs I follow than I ever did when I used to subscribe to her magazine. The blog world is edging out traditional formats.
Mehhhh! Don’t let it get you down. Sounds like she is basing that off an incident…”I have a gripe about that….” Blogging is HUGE. It’s ignorant and ridiculous to say that bloggers are not experts….most business sites now have blogs…so the person blogging for West Elm and Pottery Barn are not experts?! Come on Martha. I love her products but not simply because they have her name attached to them. It’s a learning lesson that we should never make other PEOPLE our “idols”…she is not invested in bloggers or any of us as people…apparently just Ralph Lauren. LOL! so why should they invest in her? Invest in yourself with God’s guidance you’ll be just fine. They will always be naysayers…clear now that Martha Stewart is one of them.
Yes. Exactly.
Well MS daughter Alexis has a blog. Or she did at one time. Hasn’t posted since 12/12. It was fun reading her take on things. We enjoyed her advice. “Expert” or not, one can learn from all sorts of folks, inspirations. I prepared more than several of Alexis’ recipes. They were excellent! She did great food for her little ones. Then again, you have to experiment a bit to make it your own. No harm in that. Think Julia Child!
Soo, does MS (also) have a gripe w/her own precious daughter Alexis? Who knows.
Personally, I think the lady is talented. Even more so than her mama. Alexis is not a professional. Nor is she connected to Vogue. Goodness gracious …. lighten up Martha. Stop being so harsh, rude and ultimately obnoxious. Makes your behavior more mean than usual. It definitely let’s everyone know you are an old biddie. Time to retire.
Funny thing is, yes, some of us are experts. I have two degrees one in business and the other in Interior Design. Have worked for two big named designers and am now on my own. So some of us are “experts” as she would call them. I have also worked with designers that were not “formally trained” and some of them have a better eye than quite a few designers that I know.
I find it interesting that she sends her products to craft bloggers to test and review on their sites, all that free advertising for the cost of a few products.
I always loved her, she was definitely an inspiration to me as well, but I quit taking her magazine years ago, because 85% of it is ads, so I was paying her to read about her advertisers. I have better places to spend my money.
What a shame…………………. I guess bloggers need to quit reviewing her products for her 🙂
Unbelievable. How dare she bite the hand that feeds her. She is rude & arrogant……& don’t forget a law breaker!!!! She isn’t an honest person & I believe she is the copy cat. She has run the gamut of her creativity & it isn’t original anymore. THAT is why she attacked the bloogers. WE all can’t write a book….but we can write & produce our blogs & be in this creative world. That is what she is worried about. The many more truly creative people out there that are much more creative & talented than she ever dreamed of being!!!!
Yea, disappointing! I mean.. Sure Ralph Lauren and Macy’s are great companies..but even they started somewhere! Dont forget the little people Martha! Karis of The sunshine party studio.
This makes me sad. She is stabbing so many of her fans and customers right in the back.
I hope she apologizes and see’s how her negative comments hurt people.
There is something so real and so refreshing that you spoke your true feelings about Martha’s comment. I too am a blogger and I also feel as you do. Thank you for being so candid and sharing your feeling with us.
New and innovative ideas for entertaining, fun, creative parties, beautiful food presentation, and a wonderful camaraderie among successful women who balance motherhood and the their careers. Martha would have been more insightful if she hadn’t shown such a shallow view of bloggers. Her reign is ending.
I lost all respect for her when she broke the law and hurt so many people. Not once did she apologize to the stockholders that lost hard earned money following her because of who she is. I refuse to even buy one of her punches as I have this distaste for what she did to the general public.
Her comment was her normal ” I am the great one-you are lower than me!!!”
She really opened her mouth and inserted her foot bit time. I think her brand is going to feel the pinch more and more if she is not careful. There has got to be someone out there with investors willing to stand behind one of you to compete on a larger scale with Martha Stewart, surely. Now is the time for a number of you to gather together and start a business, a larger business. Take the leap of faith. What do you say ladies. I am in my 60 and in no way a pro in the design business, but I think now is the time to strike while the iron is hot. It sure wouldn’t hurt to work up a Privite Offering and sit down with some attorneys and investor types. I bet there have got to be some people who have worked for Martha too that have since left her company and some that would jump ship for a friendly workplace too. I mean she does rule with an iron fist, so I am told. Just saying.
Well said! She broke my hear,t too, and insulted the entire blogging community. Including those of us who have faithfully purchased and promoted her products. I felt compelled to write my own post on my blog this week, as well.
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Bloggers are such a big part of the scene these days- and she just alienated herself bigtime. I can’t say I’m surprised. Martha has always been a fan of Martha. And I’ve always edged away from her for that reason.
And now I have an excuse to not buy her goods or support anything Martha. I honestly wonder when was the last time she came up with an original idea. She started out just like us and has come so far she cannot remember her humble roots. It’s a shame that she cannot see the talent in us, that it is wasted on her.
I cant say that my heart is broken. Maybe because I never idolized her. But I think she’s made a horrible mistake by dismissing a large group of fantastically creative individuals who are directing the trendy winds at a quicker pace than magazines. I consider it motivation for all of us to be the next Martha. Because lets be honest, she’s on her way out and obviously very out of touch.
Funny how a little competition can shake even the most seasoned veteran. I am not sure what expertise she holds other than what she has learned throughout her years of trial and error….kind of like the same expertise bloggers have after years of the same. Someone’s drinking the haterade 🙂
How quickly she forgets where she started. What a shame.
What a slap in the face to all her fans, shame on her. If it makes you feel any better, when I (a very uncrafty person) need ideas or inspiration, I turn to bloggers for help…not Martha Stewart.
Truth of the matter is, Martha needs the world more now than we need her. There are so many creative people out there, who were inspired by her, and in the end she really showed that she doesn’t care about anyone other than herself. Her businesses are hurting because of bloggers and she’s resentful. Too bad she had to voice her opinion about this. She makes me sick……so does her “expert tested” food. Go away Martha……..
Like I said on another site, I go to bloggers who are REAL moms doing REAL crafts and recipes. I never go to Martha’s site or purchase her magazines and books anymore. It’s quite obvious she’s feeling a bit intimidated. You and along with so many other blogging moms are doing a GREAT job…don’t let her hater-ation negatively affect you!
Well, I don’t care what Martha says! You are an amazing blogger and everything you create is tasteful and amazing! Don’t let anyone make you feel differently. Keep up your great work! There’re plenty of us following your blog 🙂
Martha had a beginning and a learning curve, as we all do when starting something new and are passionate about. I have a degree in Hospitality Management. Spent many years as a cake decorator for Haagan Dazs in their beginning days. I have taken cooking classes. I have also owned 2 restaurants. Yet, with all that experience, I am a great fan of many bloggers. I wish I had half their inspiration and creativity. It takes time, and more time, research and replies to build a relationship with their followers to be a good blogger. Plus money to build an a site that will appeal to people so they will look at their site and become a fan who will hopefully buy something to help keep their Blog going. Bogging is a cottage industry that anyone can do but only dedicated, creative people will be successful at. Martha should be proud of how many sites promote her. Unfortunately Martha is only seeing competition that will make her staff work harder, be the cutting edge, and get going on being even more creative because now by looking at many bloggers her competition has just become very hard to keep up with. I truly admire and enjoy seeing what ideas an unproffesional (Martha’s words) can come up. Many times because they think outside the box. Don’t be hurt by Martha, wear it as a badge of success that you have Martha on the run, and that she had to stoop so low as to critisize bloggers otherwise why say anything if not threatened.
Kim I’m with you on this! Martha is so wrong which also shows just how in the dark she is about blogs and the 1000’s of talented brilliant women behind them. What a slap in the face. She should be supporting all us little gals out there instead she’s tearing us down. You think you have an idea of someone and the type of person they are then they show you how wrong you are. The blogging world needs to give her a lesson or two what and who they are! Sad she put it out there but I’m sure that’s what she believes and only touched on her true opinion of all us little people. stay calm and keep on Blogging! Kim your the best!
First I want to start by saying that the http://www.thetomkatstudio.com is a fantastic, entertaining and creative blog. With that said, I’m not surprised by Martha’s comment, as I love the team and creativity that she is surrounded by, I personally do not see much as a role model on her.
I’m of the notion that there comes a time when we should throw in the white flag and let fresh, new, raving, talented, inspiring “experts” replace the old, outdated, has-been, lack of luster, and age-restricted ‘want-to-be-experts’ down the road! Will the real expert please stand up, http://www.theTomKatStudio.com and team!! I vote you as the real, transparent experts!! Excellent talent and blog!!
I recently just started Blogging. May be I come from a culture where criticism from our seniors are treasured and valued, I happen to agree with Martha. She is just speaking the truth. Your blog is extremely beautiful. But for every one of you talented blogger out there, there are hundreds of thousands of bloggers like me, who are no expert, who are not creative (at least no now). I don’t feel insulted at all even Martha is talking about me. You don’t have to feel stabbed because I am very sure Martha didn’t say you were one of us. She did say there are some great Bloggers out there. She said that!!!! So you are one of those she admires. In my culture, there was always a saying, “Don’t just take other people’s tags and sit down on their seats.” This means when someone is pointing out certain people doing certain bad things, don’t identify yourself with those people because you aren’t the one they talk about. You have a gorgeous blog, and Martha wasn’t talking about people like you. It’s true there are a lot of blogs out there that aren’t very good. Mine is one of them. But I don’t mind. If I feel I am good, I will never improve. I love Martha’s honesty. This is the kind of teacher I always love, honest, always telling me the truth even when I suck. I will never learn to speak English if not for teachers like Martha.
I too have been a Martha fan since I was a teen (I am now 48), but over the years have heard her comments not only against bloggers, but against other wonderful tv personalities that are also creative in their own ways. So sad that someone has to take others down to either make themselves feel better or show their true colors that they are intimidated that someone else is great at what they do. I wonder if she thinks she is the first to string popcorn for garland. That said, I still admire how she started and where she is now.
Come on-from a professional standpoint, Martha is absolutely speaking the truth. Blogging is the equivalent of self-publishing and self-publishing does not make you an expert even if you make money doing it. If you are an expert, you can sell your book ideas to publishers and get your books published. Some bloggers are experts in this regard, but most are not. It is similar to the requirement of publishing research in peer-review journals.