Kathy Peterson

Kathy Peterson's story is truly one of rising from rags to riches, except it has a bit of a twist: she uses rags to make crafts rich with originality and uniqueness. Kathy, of Tequesta, Florida, has turned her beloved hobby into an exciting career, and has convinced Piper, her 8-year-old black and white Shih Tzu, to model for her.

Her video Pet Crafts, inspired by her dog Piper, is one of five how-to Town & Country Crafts videos she has on the market. Others include how to make Victorian designs along with designs with angels and Santas.

Very much a country girl, Kathy was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She started working in television in the 1970s as a production assistant for PM Magazine in Nashville. When the show relocated to West Palm Beach, she moved, too, and became one of the show's producers. In 1983 she went out on her own and became an independent writer, director, and producer.

After producing over 1,000 videos for her clients, Kathy decided it was time for her to fulfill a longtime dream of producing her own show. It proved to be a good move; in less than three years, Peterson has started appearing on TNN, HGTV, and the Discovery Channel, who taped Peterson and her craft ideas for the show Home Matters with Susan Powell, which will air in September. She's also the spokeswoman for a 15-store chain, Crafts & Stuff, as well as a craft columnist for a national publication, Professional Crafter. Many publishers have taken an interest in Peterson's work. Better Homes & Gardens, Krause Publications, and Designs Original, have asked her to submit different items for their publication. Kathy is more than a local celebrity; she has turned her unique talent into a business. Articles about her and her crafts have appeared in such newspapers as the Sun Sentinel, the Palm Beach Post, and The Jupiter Courier, just to name a few.

In her Pet Crafts video, Peterson teaches viewers how to make simple and creative crafts for their pets. Her dog, Piper, is on hand to model her work. A pet placemat, a hat, a collar with lights, a puppy heart, and a very handsome pet tuxedo, guaranteed to make your kitty or pooch the talk of the town, are just some of the things she teaches you to do.

Kathy Peterson and her dog "Piper"

Recently Peterson was nominated as "Crafts Designer of the Year," and plans to write a how-to book about crafts. She still takes on production jobs and, along with her many television appearances and columns, keeps very busy. Kathy enjoys her hobby, so it is not really a job. On the porch of her Tequesta home, she has a table full of antique lace and other discarded or overlooked materials which Peterson turns into true gems that can accent your home and last a lifetime.

We here at The Pet Tribune are particularly excited that Kathy will now be joining us regularly with a how-to column about crafts for pets, "Critter Crafts."

Although it seems that in the computer age we generally are getting away from working with our hands, there is a certain respect for those who do hand-made work. There is a timeless beauty in homemade decorations, pottery, and furnishings. Through her work, Peterson is taking us back to a more civilized and peaceful time, when we took pride in making things for ourselves and when homemade gifts were truly received with a sincere gratitude. Not only can our home be full of interesting things we made for ourselves but also now we can express our love to our pets with our own designs and gifts that truly come from the heart. Kathy's column in The Pet Tribune, "Critter Crafts," is a must read.