Got A ‘Good Thing’? Send It To Martha

The contest Send Martha your “good thing:” Martha Stewart is always looking for great do-it-yourself ideas, especially for the holidays. Fans know that Martha refers to her favorite ideas or projects as “Good Things.” A “Good Thing” is a simple idea, project or technique that makes a big difference in your life - by saving time, or making your house prettier or … you get the idea. It might be a clever way to decorate cookies or the trick to ironing a monogram or a system for organizing your keys, to name just a few.

With the holiday season approaching, Martha is inviting readers of her weekly syndicated column, “askMartha,” to participate in a “Good Things” Holiday Contest.

Send in your best “Good Thing” for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or New Year’s.

No purchase necessary. Winners will be selected from entries submitted to each participating newspaper that carries the “askMartha” column. Every participating newspaper will have a winner. From the local winners, Martha Stewart will choose one Grand-Prize winner, one First-Prize winner and one Second-Prize winner.

Contest sponsors are Martha Stewart Living and The New York Times Syndicate.

Prizes

Grand Prize: An all-expense paid trip for the winner and three guests to the Disney Institute at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida for four days/three nights and, schedule permitting, an appearance for the winner with Martha Stewart on television, where the winner will demonstrate the winning idea to Martha Stewart (approximate retail value: $6,000).

First Prize: An autographed copy of Martha Stewart’s “Great American Wreaths” book and a gingerbread-house kit from Martha by Mail (approximate retail value: $89.95).

Second Prize: An autographed copy of Martha Stewart’s “Great American Wreaths” book and Martha by Mail holiday cookie cutters (approximate retail value: $69.95).

Local Prizes: A winner from each participating newspaper will receive an autographed copy of Martha Stewart’s “Great American Wreaths” book (approximate retail value: $24.95).

How To Enter

In a letter briefly describe the “how-to” idea for the project in not more than 200 words. Enclose a photo of the “Good Thing.” Include your name, address, telephone number and the name of the newspaper in which you read Martha Stewart’s column.

All entries must be your original work; must not be submitted to or published by any other publication; must be 200 words or less; must be neat; and the photo accompanying your letter must be clear, in order for your entry to be eligible for consideration. Only one entry per household.

Mail your entry to: Martha Stewart Contest, The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

All entries must be submitted to a newspaper that publishes the “askMartha” column, and such entries must be postmarked or received by midnight Oct. 14, 1996.

No correspondence will be answered. Sponsors will not be responsible for lost, late, misdirected or otherwise undeliverable mail or for the return of any entry or its condition.

Winners

Entries will be judged on or before Nov. 15 by Martha Stewart and her staff. Their decision is final.

Criteria will be: simplicity of assembly or action, inventive use of everyday materials, usefulness in daily life, beauty or quality of design. Equally weighted.

Winners will be notified by mail by Nov. 21, 1996. The Grand Prize winner also will be announced in the “askMartha” column.

Each winner will be required to execute a declaration of eligibility that the winner has complied with all of the rules. Grand Prize winner and traveling companions must release sponsors of all liability in connection with the Grand Prize trip. The declaration and Grand Prize winner’s and traveling companions’ liability releases must be returned within seven days of date of notification or an alternate winner will be selected.

Taxes are the responsibility of the winners. All prizes are guaranteed to be awarded.

All entries become the property of Martha Stewart Living. Entrants consent that the sponsors - and anyone a sponsor may authorize - may use entrants’ names, photographs or other likenesses, biographical information, statements concerning the contest or the sponsors and the contest entries without compensation for purposes of advertising, promotion and marketing. Winners grant all rights in the entries to sponsors, including the right to edit or modify and to publish and copyright them.

Qualification

Contest is open to residents of the United States and Canada except where prohibited by law. Entries must be sent through participating newspapers.

Employees (and their immediate families) of sponsors and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates and advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible. Prizes to minors must be accepted by a parent or guardian. If Grand Prize winner is a minor, the minor must be accompanied by parent or guardian.

Compliance with law

Void where prohibited by law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

List of winners

For a list of winners, available after Dec. 1, 1996, write to: Good Things Holiday Contest, Winners List, Martha Stewart Living, 20 W. 43rd St., 25th floor, New York, NY 10036, and enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.