Natural Beginnings:

Hi, I’m Katy, the girl behind RustiKate. I grew up in the country, in a rather modern pioneer fashion, freely wandering meadows and forests in pursuit of adventure. I climbed trees with my brothers and mountains with my Dad. In the summer, I sat outdoors and painted with my Mom, and ran and played with our goats and chickens. In winter, we chopped firewood, stoked the woodstove, and read book after book. Early on, I bruised my knees and elbows a lot; to be honest, I still do. My siblings and I splashed in lakes, rivers, creeks, and mud puddles; we cared for animals and slept in the loft of our log house in the woods. I fell in love with nature back then, a love that I will never lose.  From such a "low tech" and some might say "wild" start, imagination, creativity, and appreciation of the simple, come naturally. To this day I marvel at the simplistic, the genuine, organic, the rustic. I see great worth in the rough, rugged, as well as the frail, unwanted, cast off, and broken. They have character, a story, and their own kind of beauty. There is much value in creating and recreating, adding little bits of beauty and joy to the world. Through RustiKate, I hope in some small way to encourage, inspire, and motivate you, by what I create and share; that you, in turn, can, in your own special way, do the same for others. May your creative nature bloom and grow!

Digging Deeper:

In the process of becoming, I’ve worn a lot of hats. I was a magazine stylist, seamstress, how-to expert, tatting instructor, and photographer for MaryJane Butters' publications (such as "MaryJane's Farm" magazine, "MaryJane's Stitching Room," etc.). After the high-paced creative publishing world, I taught needle tatting across the country for over ten years. I penned a book and short story while also performing missionary, humanitarian, and rehabilitation work. Later I transitioned into working and studying natural farming methods (Organic, Permaculture, Biodinamic, and Korean Natural Farming), then went back to school for a degree in Occupational Therapy. Today, much of my time and energy is directed toward my family, raising my daughter, and renovating and maintaining our home.

*To learn more and discover the answer to Frequently Asked Questions, check out the “FAQ” link here and at the bottom of this page.