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22 Feb
Color and Design, dopamine dressing, Fashion, Lifestyle

Wear Happy Color 2022 (The challenge that started before “Dopamine Dressing” was a thing)

Who is Ready for WEAR HAPPY COLOR 2022 on March 1? This March will be the fourth year of Wear Happy Color! This whole movement started as a challenge for the sewing community back in 2019 with Sew Happy Color, and eventually broadened to all crafters and wearers of colorful clothing! To get yourself ready for this year's challenge, take a look at what people did in the past couple of years by browsing the hashtags: #wearhappycolor2021 #wearhappycolor2020 #sewhappycolor #sewhappycolor2021 #sewhappycolor2020 #wearhappycolor Or my previous blog posts: Wear Happy Color 2021 Wear Happy Color 2020 Sew Happy Color 2019 In the pre-COVID...

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04 Feb
Fashion, Lifestyle

What I Learned About Myself on Project Runway

I am a reality star and a fashion designer. I never in a million years thought I would say either of those phrases, much less together! Yet, here I am: Bravo's Project Runway season 19 designer, Katie Kortman. But how did I get here? Sewing, Dancing and Instagram When I was in my 20’s I’d dreamed of being a fashion designer, but they didn’t have that major at my university, so I decided to major in painting. My paintings were often inspired by dresses I was designing in my head. Some of my work even had tiny dresses that I’d made...

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Katie Kortman's desk with list of 2022 goals on the wall
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31 Jan
Lifestyle

My 22 Goals for 2022

A new year usually means new year's resolutions for many people...but I like to do things a little differently. Since 2018 I've been setting goals in January that will bring me joy, and the list is full of accomplishments that will NOT make me feel bad or guilty if I DON'T achieve them, but rather enrich my life in an awesome way, like icing on an already delicious cake. Business Goals Set aside 1 day per month for accounting: this one is important as a small business owner! I love doing the creative aspects of my business but the financial...

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23 May
Fabric Painting and Design, Fashion, Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Mixing Prints for the PRINT MIX CHALLENGE!

This month I hosted a challenge on Instagram called the #PRINTMIXCHALLENGE ! It was all about how to mix prints and wear them together. I have a section of my book dedicated to this as well if you'd like your own guidebook to wearing color and prints! Each week Andrea Jones and I gave a different tip and included photos during the week showing how we apply that tip to pairing prints together! The 4 we covered in our IG challenge were:

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03 Mar
DIY Sewing, Fabric Painting and Design, Fashion, Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Wear Happy Color / Sew Happy Color 2020

A week ago I came out with my Book "Wear Happy Color: A Guide to a Colorful Wardrobe." I made this book because last year I held the first "Sew Happy Color" challenge and this year I wanted to give everyone something they could use beyond just that month, and without needing Instagram. I have plans for a bigger hardback book, but until then, I hope this guide helps more people explore the color in their closets! This year, I wanted to open the...

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07 Nov
DIY Sewing, Lifestyle

DIY Reusable Period Underpants, Panties, or Knickers!

I posted this photo yesterday on Instagram and my feed and DM's blew up with everyone talking about their periods! That is AWESOME! I spent the first 5 years of having my period totally embarrassed, never talking about it to anyone (not even my best friends). I don't want my two daughters to be as embarrassed as I was, and I want to give them the best tools to make it easier to live with. When I found out about these kits to make your own Reusable Period...

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24 Aug
Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Exploring Iceland in a Camper Van!

That's me. I'd just climbed a glacier with ice axes and crampons. Like a BOSS. Of course that called for big jumps and happy dances! If you follow me on Instagram you know that my husband and I recently took a 7 day trip to Iceland in August. I posted our daily journey in my stories which will be available to watch in my "Highlights" (on instagram) very soon! I wanted to talk about it here as well for those that don't navigate the 'gram as...

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08 Aug
Fabric Painting and Design, Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Kid Art— to Custom Bedding with Spoonflower

Have you heard the latest and greatest? Spoonflower-- the company that lets anyone become a fabric designer (like me!)-- now let's you design your own bedding!! What?!?! I have about 1,001 ideas for my own bedding, but for this (sponsored) collaboration with them, I am going to show you how I took my son's drawings and made him the bed of his quirky little dreams. The Backstory: My son was supposed to be sharing a room with his little brother who is 2. It wasn't...

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13 Sep
Lifestyle, Uncategorized

HELLO!

  Hello World! I am Katie Kortman. I crave visual stimulation and when I can't find it around me, I create my own. My goal is to help others do that too. I want you to see how much fun it can be to try something new, to make something in a surprising color or pattern, or to put paint to paper even if you're not sure what's going to come off that brush or if it will even look good. What's the point if we never take risks or try something new? It can be so invigorating to let go...

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