Martha Stewart - Martha Stewart is the nifty "Queen of How-To" in the area of arts and crafts ideas for the home seen in books, videotapes and her own publication "Martha Stewart Living" magazine. She also hosted her own TV program MARTHA STEWART LIVING TELEVISION/SYN/1993-2004 a half-hour weekly informational series that offered tips on cooking, decorations, gardening, home improvement and renovation. Books by Martha Stewart include Entertaining (1982), Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts (1985), The Wedding Planner (1988), Martha Stewart's Gardening: Month by Month (1991), Martha Stewart's Christmas (1993), Martha Stewart's Menus for Entertaining (1994), Holidays (1994), and Martha Stewart's Healthy Quick Food (1997). Before becoming a guru of the kitchen, garden and other home improvements, Martha Stewart was a fashion model (1959-65); a successful stockbroker (1967-73); a celebrity caterer (1973-84) to such show business icons as Paul Newman and Beverly Sills; a Lifestyle consultant for K-Mart (1987+); the founder and editor of Martha Stewart Living magazine begun in 1990; contributor to Lifestyle tips on TODAY (1991-97), CBS NEWS THIS MORNING (1997-2001) and Westwood One radio (1997-2001). At the conclusion of many of her creative demonstrations, she looked at her finished product (for example, a restored antique chandelier; a deep-dish pie; or huge wicker basket filled with plump, perfectly ripe fruit) and gave her trademark catchphrase "It's a good thing!" 

TRIVIA NOTE: On July 16, 2004 Martha Stewart was sentenced in federal court in New York to five months in prison, followed by five months of home confinement for her involvement with an insider trader fraud transaction in 2001 (she lied about a stock sale).

"I want you to know that I am innocent -- and that I will fight to clear my name. I simply returned a call from my stockbroker. ... The government's attempt to criminalize these actions makes no sense to me," Stewart said in an open letter to supporters last year. "I am confident I will be exonerated of these charges."

After receiving her sentence, Stewart said "Today is a shameful day. It's shameful for me, and for my family, and for my beloved company...I'll be back.''  Troy-based retailer K-Mart, which sells Stewart's Everyday Brand line of products offered their support saying "We look forward to continuing our mutually beneficial and successful relationship with MSLO (Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia)." In 2003, Cybill Shepherd portrayed Martha Stewart in  Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart, an NBC movie of the week that described her rise to the top of her field as the "Queen of How-To."