"I find that something I look at is a great opportunity for ideas." - Martha Stewart

OCTOBER 8, 2004

What happened?

Martha Stewart has been one of America's most influential women of all time. If I could only bake, style, decorate, and create as well as she does, I'd have it in the bag.

Everyone has bad days, and for Martha, that day was October 8, 2004. This was the day when she began her prison sentence at Alderson Federal Prison Camp for lying to investigators about stock sales.

Was this good or bad?

She was doomed for failure after being in jail, and everyone knew that we had seen the last of our domestic hero. However, somehow Martha was able to come back - perhaps even bigger than before - with a totally new set of enterprises from TV talk shows to weddings and crafting supplies.

The way that she was able to conquer what would be the end for most people, and use it to push herself even harder is amazing. I can only hope that if I ever make a mistake like that, I could come back as strong, and with as much grace as she did.

What influence did this have on the world? A nation? A city? Your existence?

I actually remember the time while she was on trial. It was a pretty scandalous event; the world's mother-figure had faltered. I believe that her sentence enabled her to rethink her life, and turn it around in a way that she would have never been able to do without it. The fact that the whole world got to watch this wonderful turn-around is amazing. This is inspiration that anybody can re-gain their credibility after a mistake.

As for me, this makes me incredibly excited because I consider it a personal goal to be the next Martha Stewart (no big deal). (; But seriously, design, cooking, fashion, decor, and crafting are all my favorite things, and I would love to be able to have even a small sliver of success with these things.

Do you appreciate this event? Do you loathe it?

While I think it is unfortunate that Martha was incarcerated (and that she broke the law in the first place), I do think she used it to re-evaluate her life like many people are unable to do. The fact that she still has her name on everything from dog beds to dishes and carpet tiles says something. I think she has gained that credibility she lost with her time in prison, and we are now seeing an even better Martha Stewart.