I’m always on the lookout for unusual and exquisite pieces to decorate my homes.
Recently, my housecleaner Carlos took on the task of cleaning and polishing three antique brass trays that I purchased during my last trip to Florida. These trays were timeworn, dull and dark in color, but I knew with a little work they'd shine beautifully. Brass is a strong, corrosion-resistant alloy made from a combination of zinc and copper. With its bright golden color, brass has long been a favorite material for home furnishings and decorative accents. Cleaning brass takes time and a lot of elbow grease to complete, but now these pieces are shimmering once again.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
Like any metal, brass can become dull and tarnished over time. Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that forms over brass, copper, silver, aluminum, magnesium, neodymium, and other similar metals as their outermost layer undergoes a chemical reaction, many times with the air. This tray is heavily tarnished now, but I knew it would be beautiful once it was cleaned up.
For cleaning, I have long used Wright’s Copper and Brass Cleaning Cream. It comes in small and large sizes. For this task, Carlos also gathers soft rags, rubber gloves, sponges, an old soft-bristled toothbrush, and some water. I always tell my team to collect all the needed supplies first, so it saves time hunting them down later.
Wright’s all-purpose cleaning creams come in a paste like this and is easy to apply with a sponge or soft rag.
After removing any dust on the tray, Carlos starts by gently rubbing small amounts of cream into the tarnished edge. Carlos wears rubber gloves to protect his hands from becoming black from the dirt and tarnish.
Look closely – one can already see the difference. The cream almost instantly changes the entire appearance of the piece.
Here’s another look – the left is still undone, but the right is looking much better. Carlos coats the piece’s edge with cream and lets it sit a few seconds. The brass starts to brighten as it is rubbed.
Carlos also applies cream in the crevices. Tarnish ranges in color from a light yellowy gold to almost black, depending on how long it has been allowed to develop. In addition to using soft sponges and rags, one can use cotton swabs to apply the cream to tight spots and crevices when cleaning.
Carlos uses the soft-bristled brush to rub all these tight spots. It may take a little longer when cleaning a piece with more intricate designs, crevices, or indentations, so be patient.
First he goes in one direction, and then in the other, so it is left as clean as possible.
On this side, the edge is looking excellent compared to the darker untouched center.
Carlos then wipes the edge carefully until all the cream is removed.
And then he wipes it again with a damp cloth to ensure every bit of cream is gone. One can also rinse the piece carefully and thoroughly, so there is no trace of cream left. This piece is too large for my basement sink.
Again, the edge is wiped thoroughly right away with a soft absorbent cloth to avoid any water marks.
The next step is to clean the center of the tray. Carlos rubs more cream into the piece using the sponge. Whenever polishing metals, be sure you use a product that is specifically made for the type of metal being cleaned.
He takes the soft-bristled toothbrush and gently rubs the flat areas to make any stuck tarnish is removed.
It’s looking much brighter and much shinier. Always avoid using highly abrasive scrubbing cloths, metal-bristled brushes, or steel wool; these will scratch the surface of the brass.
And here it is all finished. Brass items require regular dusting to maintain their shine and to prevent a buildup of tarnish. A more intense cleaning is required when the brass looks dull in color.
Here is another view. I am not yet sure where this piece will end up, but I am sure it will look great.
Here’s another tray with a similar design pattern but in a rectangular shape.
I love how it glistens now that it is cleaned and polished.
And here is a round tray without any colored designs. It looks so beautiful. It’s always so gratifying to get these tasks checked off the list. What are you cleaning up this weekend? Share your comments with me in the section below.
Every day is a grooming day here at my Bedford, New York farm.
I have always been a firm believer in regular brushing and bathing for all my furred friends. My gorgeous dogs - the French Bulldogs, Creme Brûlée and Béte Noire, and my Chow Chows, Empress Qin and Emperor Han, are groomed and checked for ticks and fleas every afternoon. Their faces are also wiped thoroughly. And, if it's muddy outside, they also get their feet washed, so they don't track any dirt inside the house. Sharing a home with any pet is a huge responsibility - it requires time, knowledge, and commitment to ensure every animal gets the best possible care.
Enjoy these photos.
We’ve had several days of mild, spring-like weather here at my farm. This is a photo of the upper Linden Allee between the horse paddocks. At the end is the carriage road leading to my home.
Because of the warmer temperatures, a lot of the snow and ice have melted. There is still quite a bit on the roads, but one can now see the grassy winter fields. The ground is also pretty wet from all the saturation.
And, with wet ground comes lots of mud. Here’s Empress Qin with muddy front legs and paws after her daily walk around the property – they must be washed and dried before going back to my Winter House kitchen.
Carlos brings the dogs to the grooming area in the basement, where there is a prepared plastic bin of room temperature water waiting.
Qin is considered a medium sized dog, but too big for all her feet to be washed at once, so Carlos does two paws at a time – first the front.
He carefully washes all the dirt and mud off one by one. This is also a good time to make sure any small pebbles or gravel did not get lodged in between the pads of her feet.
Always have the towels nearby, so each paw can be wiped quickly and thoroughly after washing.
When it’s time for the Frenchies, all four legs can fit comfortably in the bin of water. Creme’s feet are also quite muddy – look at the water.
That looks much better, Creme Brulee.
It may not be the most fun to get their paws washed, but I am sure all my dogs feel much better after it is done, right Creme?
My massage brush is made with soft natural bristles, which remove shedding hair and debris. The round rubber comfort pins massage the skin.
Creme Brulee loves being rubbed and massaged with this brush – she stays very still on the table.
Brushing and massaging also help to stimulate natural oil production, leaving the dog’s coat smooth and healthy.
Emperor Han is next. Han loves the grooming table and will jump up on the table himself. Carlos is brushing underneath Han, making sure to get his armpits, stomach, and inner thighs where mats can form.
A Chow Chow has a thick double coat which should be brushed often to remove all the dead hairs. Another distinctive feature of this breed is the curly tail. The tail has thick hair and lies curled over its back.
When brushing, it’s also a good idea to hold the coat with one hand, while brushing with the other, so the hairs are not pulled – this makes it a more enjoyable experience for the dog. During this time, Carlos inspects the skin for any scratches, irritations, or signs of allergies.
Lastly, using a damp cloth, Carlos wipes around the eyes and face.
Qin is so comfortable on the table. She is a champion show dog, so she is very accustomed to this grooming routine. Carlos brushes her arms and paws. It is important to brush down to the skin to ensure any mats that have formed are completely removed.
Look at all the fur removed after just a few strokes. And, do you know the difference between hair and fur? Actually, hair and fur are chemically indistinguishable. Both have the same keratin composition. The primary difference between hair and fur is simply the word usage. Fur is the collective term used to describe the hairs on any mammal other than human.
And look, another special trait of the Chow Chow is its blue-black tongue. Chow Chows come in five colors: this red, which can be light golden to deep mahogany, black, blue, cinnamon, and cream. Both Han and Qin are red Chows, but I’ve also had black Chow Chows. Qin is smiling at the camera.
After grooming, the dogs are let out once again. Here is Creme Brulee out in the courtyard behind my kitchen.
Bete loves to roll and stretch on a towel inside – it must feel nice on her stomach.
Here is Han taking a break after his grooming session. The Chow Chow’s large head with broad, flat skull and short, broad and deep muzzle is proudly carried and accentuated by the big ruff and pronounced scowling expression.
Here are all my freshly groomed canines – happy, and once again guarding their domain, or patiently waiting for a visitor to play with them. I’ve been away on business the last few days, but I’ll see you very soon my dear doggies.
So many of you love my Martha Stewart CBD line of Wellness Gummies. First there was my 'Citrus Medley' made up of Meyer lemon, kumquat, and blood orange. Then the 'Berry Medley' featuring red raspberry, huckleberry, and black raspberry flavors. The third variety I released was a 'Harvest Medley' of pomegranate, concord grape, and green apple Gummies. And now, my newest offering is a delicious 'Tropical Medley' of Alphonso mango, coconut, and pineapple - available later this month! You're going to love it just as much as the others.
Last week, while on a business trip to Florida, I celebrated the new Martha Stewart CBD Tropical Medley CBD Wellness Gummies with a launch event at The Colony Hotel Palm Beach. I hosted an intimate cocktail and dinner party with Canopy Growth CEO David Klein. The hotel's East Garden was transformed into a tropical oasis complete with swaying palms and gummy-filled citrus trees - all arranged and decorated by New York-based event producer and designer Chris Hessney, of Hessney & Co. More than 60 attended the event. It was a great success and so much fun - I hope you all saw the photos on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48.
Here are more images from the great day and evening, enjoy.
The tropical themed event was held in The Colony Hotel Palm Beach‘s East Garden, its largest outdoor venue at 2700 square feet. It was the perfect space for our seating plan and decor. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
The Colony Hotel Palm Beach is located in the heart of Palm Beach and has been an exclusive guest getaway since 1947.
Our team packed gift bags for all our guests attending the event. Each bag is filled with an assortment of Martha Stewart CBD products including the newest Tropical Medley CBD Wellness Gummies.
The entire event was brought to life by New York-based event producer and designer Chris Hessney, of Hessney & Co. and his hardworking team. Here’s Chris helping with the set-up.
Here, Hessney & Co. producer, Dominic Benevento, reviews and checks off the long to-do list.
James LeBorne, also from Chris’ team, stops for this quick snapshot. Here he is between the two long tables, each seating 30 guests.
The table scapes also featured tropical fruits inspired by the new flavors – pineapple, coconut, and mango.
The space was surrounded by palms and gummy-filled citrus trees, where guests could “pick their own” delights – these are kumquat flavored gummies.
The welcoming area featured beverage stations ready with tropical cocktails. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
Here I am with my longtime publicist and dear friend, Susan Magrino, CEO of Magrino PR. We stopped by during the day to see all the preparations.
The tables look terrific. Our guests included Palm Beach influencers, members of Canopy Growth, press, and friends. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
Here I am with some of The Colony Hotel Palm Beach wait staff. The day’s weather was a bit cloudy, and it did rain just a little bit, but it ended up perfect for our outdoor celebration.
As guests arrived, they sipped on CBD-infused cocktails from one of several stations – everyone loved them. All the products in my CBD collection are natural and made with the purest, safest CBD, derived from 100-percent US hemp. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
We planned a delicious three-course meal inspired by the gourmet gummies. Here is a copy of my menu place card.
Daphne Oz was among our guests. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
Canopy Growth CEO David Klein and I welcomed everyone to the event and talked about the success of the Martha Stewart CBD line and how it has become, in just a little more than a year, a best-selling CBD ingestible brand. I am so proud of how well it is doing. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
This is my main entre – grilled swordfish with fennel salad, salse verde, and cauliflower puree.
My friend, Charlotte Beers, also attended. Here she is with business etrepreneur, Alex Quattlebaum. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
Our meal concluded with my famous Coconut Cake recipe. Everyone devoured their servings! (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
In this photo – influencers Isaac Boots, Pippa Cohen, and Jeffrey Patrick O’Brecht. Isaac’s poodle, Davis Boots, sat on his lap throughout the entire dinner. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
And here I am with David. It was such a wonderful evening. (Photo by Carrie Bradburn/CAPEHART)
After the event, I posed with The Colony Hotel Palm Beach chefs and pastry chefs – thanks for a great dinner! Follow us at IG @MarthaStewartCBD, and look out for our new Tropical Medley on shopcanopy.com!
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