Martha Stewart posted a series of TikTok videos showcasing her holiday-inspired creations, including a bejeweled wreath and a wintery wonderland scene made of salt.
The 80-year-old founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia also shared a beautifully-detailed nativity scene she made during her time in confinement.
"You'll never guess where I made this nativity scene…"
"Get ready for a storytime," she wrote in her TikTok post.
You can see the video here:
@marthastewart You’ll never guess where I made this nativity scene…😇Get ready for a storytime #HolidayCountdown #LearnOnTikTok #TikTokPartner
On July 16, 2004, the lifestyle expert and businesswoman was sentenced to five months in federal prison after she was convicted of felony charges–including lying about a stock sale, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice–related to the widely publicized ImClone stock trading case.
After gaining insider knowledge, Stewart sold about $230,000 in ImClone shares on December 27, 2001, a day before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced they rejected the company's key cancer drug, Erbitux.
She maintained her innocence but was found guilty of lying about receiving the tip from her broker Peter Bacanovic.
@marthastewart/TikTok
It appears spending time behind bars didn't stunt her creativity.
@marthastewart/TikTok
In the video, Stewart showed off her impressive 14-piece creche that she individually shaped, glazed, painted, and fired.
"If you'd like to give a really beautiful and special gift this Christmas with a little street cred, they're all inspired by—guess what—a set I made when I was confined," she explained.
@marthastewart/TikTok
@marthastewart/TikTok
@marthastewart/TikTok
@marthastewart/TikTok
She picked up one of the nativity pieces to reveal the bottom displaying her inmate number.
She continued:
"They still have my number on the bottom. These are exact replicas of a nativity scene that I made in my pottery class when I was away at camp."
@marthastewart/TikTok
@marthastewart/TikTok
Suddenly, her nativity set was in high demand.
@marthastewart/TikTok
@marthastewart/TikTok
@marthastewart/TikTok
@marthastewart/TikTok
Stewart's comeback making up for lost time was highly publicized after she was released from prison in March 2005.
She returned to daytime television with The Martha Stewart Show, saw an expansion to her "Martha Stewart Everyday" line at Kmart, and released a couple of books–including The Martha Rules, about starting and managing a new business.
Her recent ventures include joining a Canadian marijuana company as their advisor in 2019 and starring in a new HGTV gardening show called, Martha Knows Best, which premiered on July 31, 2020.
In 2004, Stewart told CNN of her experiences while in prison:
"There is no real help, no real program to rehabilitate, no programs to educate, no way to be prepared for life 'out there' where each person will ultimately find herself, many with no skills and no preparation for living."
