Living The Martha Collective Our team of experts shares beautiful and delicious ways to make the most of the month. By Jennifer Davidson Jennifer Davidson The senior editorial director at MarthaStewart.com since 2022, Jennifer is a seasoned editor with over 20 years of experience writing and editing fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle content across multiple platforms. Prior to joining Team Martha, she was the associate editorial director at RealSimple.com for three years, and editor-in-chief of TotalBeauty.com and theFashionSpot.com for eight years. Before joining the digital world, she produced lifestyle segments for national television shows, including the Today Show, The View, and Good Morning America, working with celebrities and brands, such as Vogue, Marie Claire, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. Jennifer received a B.S. in Advertising and Communications from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Communication. Editorial Guidelines and Melissa Breyer Melissa Breyer Melissa Breyer is the editorial director at Martha Stewart. She has been a writer and editor in digital lifestyle media since 2007. Prior to that, she worked in print, writing for magazines and editing books. She joined Martha Stewart in 2023 after nearly a decade as editorial director for the award-winning green living site Treehugger. Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 4, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Sarah Carey Reveals the Secrets for Buttery, Flaky Pie Crust Ryan McCallister Talks Fall Gardening Tasks Gabrielle Santiago Shows How to Create a Peaceful Holiday Table Thomas Joseph Shares Easy Holiday Feast Upgrades Darcy Miller Personalizes a Party to Celebrate Martha Welcome to The Martha Collective, where our experts—familiar faces to long-standing Martha fans—share their most inspirational entertaining, food, decorating, and gardening ideas. Sarah Carey is the food content director for Martha Stewart Living and a freelance food editor, recipe developer, and food stylist working in NYC. Previously, she was the food director for Martha Stewart Living Magazine, and the editor-in-chief of Everyday Food. You can see her thousands of fun and informative cooking videos on the Everyday Food YouTube channel. You might be surprised that I use the food processor because I often advocate making things by hand. But for pie dough, the food processor is a life changer. Johnny Miller Pie Crust Tips For a Buttery, Flaky Dough Every Time I really love to make pie, and I am quite good at it. In fact, many people would say they consider me an "expert." To that I respond, it’s all in the crust. Want to know my pie crust secrets? Well, they aren’t secret, nor are they, technically, mine … they are just lessons I have learned along the way, and I want to share them with you this holiday season. Read Sarah's Tips Corinne Mucha Ryan McCallister has been the head gardener at Martha Stewart’s 150-acre Bedford estate since 2011. He has appeared alongside Martha in numerous television segments, including Martha Gardens and Martha Knows Best, and in the pages of Martha Stewart Living magazine. I always leave about an inch or so of the plant’s stem above the ground when cutting it. That way, I know where the plant is growing and don’t mistakenly cut into it during other chores like bulb planting. Ryan McCallister 8 Fall Gardening Chores You Should Never Skip Fall maintenance is an essential part of gardening. It’s a time to clean up garden beds, evaluate what is still growing, and decide what to replace, divide, and move. Fall cleanup consists of many things, such as deadheading, pruning, mulching, fertilizing, leaf cleanup, dividing, bringing tender plants inside, and planting. I’m sharing a few tasks I do around Martha’s garden every fall—and the things you should make it a point to do in your garden. You'll thank yourself come spring once it's time to awaken the garden from its winter slumber. Read Ryan's Tips Gabrielle Santiago Gabrielle Santiago is the owner of the Los Angeles interior design studio Gabrielle Santiago Design. As an interior design expert, she brings a transformative dimension to her work, blending psychology with design principles to evoke specific emotions and behaviors within spaces. To create a harmonious dinner atmosphere, strategic seating arrangements are crucial. Martha Stewart How Your Seating Arrangement Can Create a More Peaceful Gathering Navigating family gatherings, especially during an election year, can be challenging when differing opinions come to the forefront. Here, I'm offering some essential tips for crafting a welcoming atmosphere that encourages positive interactions while subtly discouraging tension at the holiday table. By thoughtfully designing your seating arrangement, you can significantly influence the overall tone of your Thanksgiving feast. Read Gabrielle's Tips Corinne Mucha Thomas Joseph is the resident test kitchen expert for the Martha Stewart brand, with a passion for the science and story behind food. He was awarded the 2017 James Beard Award for his digital video series, Kitchen Conundrums. When it comes to stuffing, I consider myself a maximalist. 7 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Holiday Dinner Martha Stewart Over the years, I have roasted hundreds of turkeys, mashed pounds upon pounds of potatoes, and made almost every version of pumpkin pie one could dream up. If you are a purist and love the classics, don’t change. But if you’re looking for a little inspiration and some flavor upgrades, then perhaps you might include a few of the ideas I'm sharing and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal that's more flavor-packed than usual—it might become your new usual. Read Thomas' Tips The leading expert in all things celebration, Darcy Miller is the bestselling author of Celebrate Everything and Our Wedding Scrapbook, and the founding editor of Martha Stewart Weddings. The way I see it, whether you’re throwing a party for someone or just having a few friends over, you want the event to be memorable and personal. Darcy Miller Here's How Darcy Miller Personalized a Party to Celebrate a Martha Milestone Most parties have the same ingredients: guests, food, décor, and whatever other extras matter to you, from music to favors. What makes each party special is how you choose to fill those categories. Having worked with Martha for over 30 years, I was there for the launch of many of her books. For the lunch to celebrate her 100th, I wanted a meaningful afternoon for her. It was not a big party, just an intimate lunch with a few friends who have been by Martha’s side for decades. Read Darcy's Tips More From The Martha Collective How to Make Caramel—It's Easier Than You Think Darcy Miller Shares the Most Stunning Wedding Gown Trends for 2025 Martha’s Head Gardener Shares His Tips for Growing Perfect Dahlias Every Year 9 Ingredients to Keep on Hand for Quick, Last-Minute Appetizers—No Recipe Required How to Turn Any Fruit Into Jam In 45 Minutes—No Canning Required 9 Food Scraps You Should Never Throw Away—and the Best Ways to Use Them Sarah Carey’s Favorite Ice Cream Desserts Will Sweeten Your Summer Darcy Miller Shares How to Throw a 'One Big Idea' Birthday How to Harvest Peppers the Right Way, According to Martha’s Head Gardener How to Eat Summer Tomatoes—Thomas Joseph Shares His Favorite Ideas 10 Composting Tips That Will Keep Your Soil Healthy, According to Martha’s Head Gardener 6 Summer Flowers Martha Grows Year After Year, According to Her Head Gardener Martha’s Favorite Bulbs to Naturalize for an Informal-Looking Landscape, According to Her Head Gardener 6 Ways to Decorate Cakes and Cookies With Flowers How to Plan a Well-Rounded Spring Garden—Plus 6 Flowers Martha Grows Each Year, According to Her Head Gardener How to Stake and Cage Tomato Plants, According to Martha’s Head Gardener Darcy Miller's Organizing Tips Turn Party Supplies Into Décor Why Carnations Are Kevin Sharkey’s Favorite Flower—Plus 4 Elegant Ways to Arrange Them Easy, Low-Commitment Ways to Add Color to Every Room of Your Home Bake It, Don't Buy It: 6 Treats That Are Better Homemade 1 of 7 Was this page helpful? 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