Sew Cute by Katie Opens!

Congratulations to our Bluegrass Etsy team member, Katie Bertrand of Sew Cute by Katie.

Katie recently opened her own alterations and sewing shop on Main Street in Middletown (Louisville, KY) and was featured in the Courier Journal weekly shopping report.

Katie is hosting a special Open House this Saturday, January 23 from 10 am - 1 pm. Stop by to see some great ideas for gifts and sample some SweetieCakes cupcakes while you shop!

Sew Cute by Katie's normal hours are: Wednesday 1 - 5 pm, Thursday 12 - 5 pm, Friday 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday 10 am - 1 pm. She also makes special hours by appointment.

Be sure to check out her shop and support our Bluegrass etsy team members!


If you can't make it to the open house, you can always visit her Sew Cute by Katie etsy shop online.

Feature Friday: Angela Latham - Spool of Plenty

Today we feature the sewing skills of Angela Latham of Spool of Plenty. Angela has lots of knowledge and tips about etsy forums and chatrooms and is a great help to our Bluegrass etsy team. She has traveled a great distance to attend our team meetings. We are happy to have her!


How did you first hear about etsy?

My sister in law in Florida told me about etsy.

Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!

I don't know that I could pick a favorite! I really Enjoy sewing and embroidering right now but I dabble in other things too on the side.


How did you get started as a designer?

My Grandmother was always sewing and quilting so I guess I picked it up from her. I took some classes in High School and went on to graduate from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design. Now that I am a stay at home mom, I use my free time to make things to put in my shop and give out as gifts.


What inspires you to create?

Colors and Fabrics. I constantly have ideas for all kinds of things bouncing around in my head! Sometimes it can get overwhelming!

How long have you been a member of Bluegrass etsy and how did you hear about the team?

I think I signed up for the team in September of 2008. I was on the etsy team page when I saw there was a group in KY. I have been to two team meetings now and it really helps me stay motivated.

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

Do what makes you happy. Make your own unique style and stand out!


Anything else you would like to add?

Shop Local when you can to support small stores and the Handmade world!



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Thanks Angela for letting us learn a little more about you!

To see more of Angela's creations, please visit her Spool of Plenty etsy shop here!

October Team Giveaway: Part 2

Our lucky winner of the first October giveaway from Whimsy Beading is Linda K of California. Congratulations Linda. Kelly and Joey will be in touch with you when your prize ships!

We are so excited to announce Part 2 of our special giveaways for the month of October! This too-cute giveaway is generously donated by Angela Latham of Spool of Plenty.


Personalized Burp cloth and Bib set - valued at $12

You choose the bib color and the fabric to customize this prize! SpoolofPlenty will contact you with the details when you win!


How to Enter?
To enter, please visit Angela's Spool of Plenty shop. Come back here to leave a comment and tell us what you like about Angela's shop. If you tweet about the contest let us know for another chance to win. If you post this contest at your blog, leave a comment with the link for yet another chance to win. Finally, if you are not already a subscriber to our blog, enter your email in the subscribe box for another chance to win. Just let us know that you have become a subscriber.

This contest ends on October 31. We'll post the winner here, so stay tuned! Good luck to all and thanks for playing!!

Feature Friday: Toni Johnson of Vernon Ave

Today we feature the talented Toni Johnson of Vernon Avenue. If you love handbags (and what woman doesn't?) you need to check out her work. Toni was recently featured in the Autumn issue of Haute Handbags!

How did you first hear about etsy?

I found it on the internet about 3 years ago.

Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!

I have been making things and being creative for as long as I can remember. I love art classes as a child and grew into it naturally. My Mom gave me the freedom to be creative and paint murals on the wall, have a purple mohawk and "redesign" my clothes too. So, it has been ingrained into my everyday life. Maybe the purple mohawk was not the best idea but it was an outlet. I love to paint, draw, bake, sew and pretty much anything I can get my hands on.


How did you get started as a designer?

See above! ha! I started in high school making my own purses and changing my clothes to my liking. Then I moved on to design school.

What inspires you to create?

Travelling and seeing new places inspires me. Also, the history of handbags. I like to go back and look at the different cultures and learn about all different types of bags.

How long have you been a member of Bluegrass etsy and how did you hear about the team?

I have been a member about 9 months. I learned about them by reading stories about the street teams on The Storque.


Any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

Make what you love and the rest will come. Try not to make things "just" for money.

Anything else you would like to add?

I think etsy is a wonderful thing and it has given so many artists and people a community to thrive on on it's own terms.

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To see more of Toni's colorful and unique handbags, visit her Vernon Ave etsy shop! They make great gifts!

And check out Toni's fun posts at her HandmadeMoonshine blog.

Feature Friday: The Pink Needle

Today we feature another talented Bluegrass team member, Jessica Brown of the Pink Needle. Jessica's style is cute, whimsical and feminine!


How did you first hear about etsy?

I heard about etsy through the blogging community. I had never even read blogs until I heard about Nie's story (from the Nie Nie Dialogues) and from there I've been hooked.


Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art!

I'm Jessica :D I live in Louisville and am the wife to a man obsessed with batman and the mother to a pesky cat named Alfred Kittyworth the First. My favorite craft used to be crochet but recently I've really been enjoying sewing. There's something so wonderful about taking a piece fabric and turning it into something beautiful.


What inspires you to create?

Nothing inspires me more than to see what other people are doing. I love that so many people are taking it upon themselves to make the world a more beautiful place and I love being a part of that.


How long have you been a member of Bluegrass etsy and how did you hear about the team?

I've been a member of the BEST team for about 6 months now and I heard about the team from fellow teammate Spoolofplenty. I was in one of the etsy chat rooms one day and she told me that I should check it out. I'm so glad I did.

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

Don't give up! Sometimes it just takes a little perseverance!

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Thanks Jessica!

To see more of Jessica's creations, visit the Pink Needle etsy shop, and check out her musings about life at her blog.

To see more talented artists from the Bluegrass etsy team, go to www.etsy.com and in the search box type teambluegrass. Shop local, shop handmade!

Feature Friday: Brenda Herp - Iris in Bloom

Today's Feature Friday highlights the work of Brenda Herp of Iris in Bloom.


How did you hear about etsy?

Martha Stewart did a segment on etsy one day and I thought that would be a good thing to try. I mentioned it to my friend and she went and set up her etsy site and said it was easy to do. I found out it was so simple to do and I have loved the concept of how you can advertise your craft and meet lots of different people and artists.


Tell us about yourself and your favorite craft/art!

I have always been involved in some kind of crafts whether it be sewing, crocheting, or decorating. I got into machine embroidery about 11 years ago and I have been obsessed since. I love to mix colors and put embroidery designs together on shirts, towels, denim or whatever I can put it on. There is no limit in what you can achieve with embroidery. Everyone has an idea of what they want and it is fun to make the item and see the satisfaction when you give it to them.

I do craft shows and have a lot of customers that spread my name because of what I created for them. This gets me phone calls with special orders, etc. I have sent orders from my etsy site to Oregon, New York, Oklahoma. Positive feedback is great and that makes you feel good about your work.

How did you get started as a designer?

I would not say I am a designer, I just put embroidery designs together
with colors that fit the item I am doing at the time. Maybe I am not sure
of the question of what defines a designer.


What inspires you to create?

I get a idea of what I think a design that I have bought will look
on a item, and away I go. I love creating and working with my hands.
A lot of what I do is one of a kind and I tell my customers "you have
an original!" They like that idea.

How long have you been a member of Bluegrass etsy and how did you hear about the team?

My friend Becky Keith (she is on the Bluegrass etsy team too) told me about it. Actually, her friend Carolyn (Cowgirl Rosie) and her daughter Robin were the brain behind the team. They had the idea and went with it. I have been a member for several months. I started my etsy website, IrisinBloom in March 2008.

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

Etsy is a good source to advertise your crafts and a way to tell
everyone about what you do.



To see more of Brenda's work, you can visit her Iris in Bloom etsy shop here.

Thanks Brenda for allowing us to interview you and learn more about your etsy shop. If you are a Bluegrass etsy team member and would like to be featured on an upcoming Feature Friday, contact Kim Ries at kimberven@earthlink.net.

To see more work from this talented Bluegrass etsy team, go to www.etsy.com and type teambluegrass in the search box.

Feature Friday: Sara Andrus of the Savvy Stitcher

This week's Feature Friday focuses on Sara Andrus, the Savvy Stitcher! Here is the interview that recently appeared at our Facebook page.

How did you first hear about Etsy?

I first learned about Etsy when I was in a gift shop in my hometown. A girl who had pendants for sale there had her Etsy site on her business card. I really liked her style, so I wanted to check out her store. I immediately fell in love with Etsy, as I already loved all things handmade!

Tell us about a little about yourself and your favorite craft/art.

I am a 24-year-old girl and live with my husband in Western Kentucky, where we both grew up. We’ve been married for almost a year now and he is very supportive of my “craft”. My favorite would have to be sewing, but I am constantly trying new things. Currently, I love making the fabric coffee cozies. They seem to be a really hot item right now and I love coming up with new designs and ways to spice them up!


How did you get started as a designer?

I have always been into crafts. I started out scrapbooking, but realized it was way too time-consuming for my taste. I then branched out to stamping and other crafts. When I went to college, my roommate taught me how to use a sewing machine and that was it! I am completely self-taught (other than having her teach me to thread the machine, etc.) and I am always looking for fun new projects.

What inspires you to create?

I love vibrant colors and fun patterns. I also love buttons of all shapes and sizes. I hope to incorporate them into my crafts more often in the future. I’m inspired every time I go into Hancock Fabrics. I will always come home with a new fabric and will have to immediately get to the sewing machine and create something with it. I have more fabric than I know what to do with!

How long have you been a member of Bluegrass etsy and how did you hear about the team?

I have been a member of the team since December of 2008. I came across the team when searching the Etsy site and decided it was perfect for me, as a Kentucky crafter!

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers?

My advice is to figure out what you have a passion for. Then, whatever medium that may be, always create what you love. Search Etsy frequently and see what is popular, then try to incorporate that into your art, but put your own spin on it. If you don’t love it yourself, you won’t stay excited about it. Don’t create something just because you think it will sell. I found that out early. If you’re excited about it, other people will be, too! Promote, promote, promote! Start a blog. Above all, be true to yourself and your art.

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Thank you Sara for the insight into your creativity and for sharing with us how you got started with etsy. Glad to hear your husband supports your crafting!

If you haven't visited already, check out Sara's super cute etsy shop!

Watch each Friday for another installment of Feature Friday!

Member of the Week- Ginny Macks Crafts

Virginia (Ginny) Wilmoth is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, and currently resides in Cecilia, Kentucky. Ginny has been sewing, kniting, crocheting since she was 7 years old, making clothes for her dolls at first, and then clothing for her siblings, the first being dresses for her twin sisters when she was only 12 years old. At about that time she also began her first quilt. Her first finished quilt was in 1964, and she has continued to make them since!

In 2002, Ginny was helping her son Norm on their farm, and riding on the back of the 4-wheeler with her dog Mickey, a blue heeler, when Mickey accidentaly bumped Ginny off the 4-wheeler and she was injured severly. She was in a coma for 3 weeks with severe head trauma, and they didn't know if she would live. Thankfully, Ginny pulled through, however she had to relearn everything. She still has minor problems with some things like finding the right words to describe what she is talking about or numbers. Some things are a little harder for her, like using the computer, but she has never given up during all this! She had rehabilitated herself while taking care of her husband who could not walk much or do for himself until his passing in 2007. It is remarkable what she has accomplished!

She continues to sew, knit and crochet. She has entered her crafts in the Kentucky state fair, local craft fairs, and bazzars and has won numerous top placing ribbons! She began creating her own patterns in 1975, and has continued to do her craft and make patterns her entire life. Ginny loves what she does, and often makes gifts for family and friends. She has arthritis, but doesn't let that stop her either. She even continues to help her son and daughter in law out on their thousand acre farm of crops and cattle combined whenever she can.

You can see all of Ginny's handicrafts in her Etsy shop, Ginny Macks Crafts.