Jenny Sanford making her mark

First lady Jenny Sanford sought to trademark her name after she was thrust into the national spotlight after her husband, Gov. Mark Sanford, went missing in June and later admitted to an extramarital affair.

Jenny Sanford's trademark, according to the July 2 filings, is intended for items sold by an online retailer bearing her name. The merchandise listed on the filing includes clothing, mugs, "other household items," stickers, decals, notepads.

Covering the politics of the Lowcountry, South Carolina and the nation.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has not approved the trademark, asking her in September to provide more specifics about the merchandise she plans to sell.

The cost of the filing is $325.

Attempts to reach Sanford were unsuccessful Friday.

But the trademark filing could indicate plans for a more public profile for Sanford. After asking the media to respect the privacy of her family during her marital difficulties, Sanford has begun re-engaging with the public on her own terms.

The first lady appeared in a Vogue magazine spread, is penning a book due to be published in April and recently launched a Web site, jennysanford.com.

She will conduct an interview with ABC News' Barbara Walters, who last week said that Jenny Sanford is among "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" Walters names and interviews in a TV special that airs in December.