LITERALLLY.

See?

A little closer, shall we?

I am hoping she shed a little of her craft karma my way.

I’ll need it because she said she’d be reading all of our blogs. YIKES.

Really, Martha? I hope you were being kind. Because, wow, the pressure. Princess Cupcake is really going to have to step up her technique knowing that this cultural icon may lay eyes on our projects. FYI: I WILL pass-out if she ever posted a comment. Guaranteed. Can you imagine?!

The right side of my brain has been creatively inspired by Martha Stewart for as long as I can remember, and the left side has been intrigued by her multi-media empire for almost as long. Getting invited to blog live from the show is nothing I could have ever imagined for a bucket list. Being able to share it with two of my best buds, was the cherry on top. A memory that I’ll keep with me forever. And thanks to this new age of facebook and twitter, it was like having all my friends and family along for the ride. WAY cool.

My take-aways from this awesome experience are:
1) Martha is the consummate professional, perfectionist (duh) and endearingly personable. And she has impeccable taste in footwear.
2) Martha is 70 – and you would never, ever, in a thousand years, believe it. She is gorgeous. Even more so in person. It is as if time has frozen for her in her 30′s.
3) Her staff – which was quite large – was friendly, precise, and empowered to get things done. It was a well-oiled machine, down to arranging the audience by color. No one was loafing, and everyone was smiling. With the exception of the guy who kept telling all of us to stay in our seats. He might have been a little annoyed with all the “documenting” we were trying to do.
4) I was surprised that there wasn’t a Martha store that the set fed out to. You know like at Disneyland after you go on a great ride, it exits into the gift shop? Seems like a great opportunity for us to continue to invest in all things Martha Stewart, if even just a t-shirt so I don’t have to make my own. And if not a store, a display of Martha through the years. That would’ve been fun for long-time fans to visit.
5) The unexpected benefit was being awarded new friendships. I met some amazing fellow bloggers that were among my group. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is not the LAST time I’ll see you girls!
6) The excitement was intoxicating. I can only liken the withdrawl I feel today with the day after my wedding. Incredibly satisfying, but a bit of an empty… “hmm, what to plan now?” I’m confident that it’s rude to ask for a repeat invitation, but really, can I come back Martha? Can I? Please?

Enough about me, here’s how the day went from start to finish. Sorry, it’s a bit long, but I have loads of photos to share too. [Read more...]