Member Interview

Who are you?  Katie of BlackStar.

Please tell us a bit about yourself. 

My name is Katie and I'm a landlocked, transplanted Yankee that lives in middle Tennessee. I've been self employed most of my adult life, from landscaping to working with my husband on his construction crew. We specialize in historic restoration.

I have 3 shops on Etsy ~ BlackStar (jewelry), BlackStarBeads (deStash) and BlackStarVintage (empty but someday will be my vintage shop). My shop is named after the BlackStar Line, a steamship company started by Marcus Garvey, who was born in Jamaica and immigrated to Harlem in 1916. My husband also has a construction company. Yep, BlackStar Construction. We spent a lot of time in Jamaica; a place I hold dear to my heart.

How did you learn about Etsy Project Embrace?

A friend of mine told me about Etsy Project Embrace. I was looking for a street team or two to join. I checked out the blog and the thread on the Etsy forums and liked what I read. My mom lost her battle with cancer, 10 years ago this past March. I joined the team the week of that anniversary.

What is your favorite item in your shop at the moment?

My favorite item in my jewelry shop right now is this necklace:

I love old trade beads and fossils. I rarely list jewelry with either one of those in my shop because I keep them all for myself.

What is your favorite possession, and why do you cherish it?

My favorite possession is my mom's recipe box. The recipes are written by hand. It's amazing how many emotions and memories are held in those handwritten cards.

What do you collect?

I collect so many different things. Right off the top of my head: rusty bits, shells, fossils, rocks, feathers, driftwood, vintage beads, old mason jars, heirloom seeds, crocks, old tools, glass insulators. The list goes on.....

Where would you like to be and what do you hope to be doing ten years from now?

Ten years from now, I'll have my nail apron on because we'll be building yet another house. This one will be up on Monteagle Mountain. It's where we're planning to live when we retire. I think I'll be a full time gardener, in between trips to any and all beaches.