Sew Much More

Penny Bruce is the creative force behind Denton Drapes, a couture soft furnishing business established in the UK making bespoke window treatments for the luxury residential market and providing a trade service to high-end Interior Designers. Denton Drapes’ client list includes top celebrities from the sport, film and music world along with iconic design brands like Liberty of London.

Penny has been a member of The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft furnishers (AMUSF) since 2004 and joined their Board of Directors in October 2012. She is also a member of the Window Covering Association of America (WCAA). Penny has presented training courses, written articles, and spoken at seminars on soft furnishings in the UK and USA.

In 2016 Penny was made a Fellow of the AMUSF and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Upholders in recognition of her contribution to the craft. She also received the Freedom of the City of London and in March 2017 she was named as Self Employed Businesswoman of the Year for the County of Bedfordshire. This year Denton Drapes celebrates its 20th year in business which began with Penny sewing curtains at her dining table in 1997.

Kate the Socialite runs a marketing firm that helps interior designers and window covering specialists become professional and profitable.

Kate is also the founder of Socialite | Subscribe, a place where home pros can get premade newsletters that look as pretty as Elle Décor magazine. These newsletters are completely customizable and the no-nonsense solution for home pros who don't have the time or ability to create their own email newsletters. Go to www.socialitesubscribe.com and select your industry to learn more.

Kate the Socialite runs a marketing firm that helps interior designers and window covering specialists become professional and profitable. 

Kate is also the founder of Socialite | Subscribe, a place where home pros can get premade newsletters that look as pretty as Elle Décor magazine. These newsletters are completely customizable and the no-nonsense solution for home pros who don’t have the time or ability to create their own email newsletters. Go to www.socialitesubscribe.com and select your industry to learn more.

Kevin Kise owns a workroom and is a designer for Kise Interiors. Coming from humble beginnings in Rural Franklin County, Ohio, his passion for fabrics began when at 8 his Grandmother showed him how to sew, and cook. Her beliefs were that every man should know how to fix a hole in his jeans and cook for himself. Kevin took both of those tasks to heart by going to culinary school out of high school. His dossier includes working in a Michelin 3 star restaurant, managing a fabric store and working in a commercial drapery workroom. He credits his talents to a myriad of mentors including an elderly Japanese woman who taught him the art of Japanese tailoring and fabric draping and the much loved Cheryl Strickland for whom his questions would have never been answered without the direction of her amazing forum and workroom conferences. Kevin is married to his husband, Josh, they have a chocolate lab named Teagan and live in Columbus, OH.

Kevin Kise owns a workroom and is a designer for Kise Interiors. Coming from humble beginnings in Rural Franklin County, Ohio, his passion for fabrics began when at 8 his Grandmother showed him how to sew, and cook. Her beliefs were that every man should know how to fix a hole in his jeans and cook for himself. Kevin took both of those tasks to heart by going to culinary school out of high school. His dossier includes working in a Michelin 3 star restaurant, managing a fabric store and working in a commercial drapery workroom. He credits his talents to a myriad of mentors including an elderly Japanese woman who taught him the art of Japanese tailoring and fabric draping and the much loved Cheryl Strickland for whom his questions would have never been answered without the direction of her amazing forum and workroom conferences. Kevin is married to his husband, Josh, they have a chocolate lab named Teagan and live in Columbus, OH.  

Jen Anderson is the owner and designer of two businesses based outside Philadelphia, PA.. Once Upon a Time Creation transforms your sentimental clothing into beautiful, lasting keepsakes. For the past nine years, Once Upon a Time Creation has focused on personal service and modern design to create heirloom gifts that celebrate love and family. GiGY™ has brought this love of personal design to the music industry, offering fun, customizable cases for guitars and ukuleles. Through a patent-pending system, every musician can travel in style with their personally designed GiGY™ Bag. These businesses were founded by three generations of women working together to bring creative energy to the communities they serve.

Jen Anderson is the owner and designer of two businesses based outside Philadelphia, PA.. Once Upon a Time Creation transforms your sentimental clothing into beautiful, lasting keepsakes. For the past nine years, Once Upon a Time Creation has focused on personal service and modern design to create heirloom gifts that celebrate love and family. GiGY™ has brought this love of personal design to the music industry, offering fun, customizable cases for guitars and ukuleles. Through a patent-pending system, every musician can travel in style with their personally designed GiGY™ Bag.  These businesses were founded by three generations of women working together to bring creative energy to the communities they serve.

Tammi LeNair of L'Intérieur LeNair has been fabricating couture window fashions for the past 26 years. Both a workroom to the trade as well as a retail business, her emphasis is on couture and hand detailing. In addition to being ont he Advisory Board for WFCP, she speaks to area WCAA Chapters and will be teaching an upcoming webinar for the Virtual Chapter of the WCAA. Her work has been published in various trade journals. While her business is based in Lancaster County, PA, she travels all over the country. When not in the workroom, she can usually be found eating delicious cuisine and enjoying a glass or two of wine on her backyard patio with her cats!

Tammi LeNair of L'Intérieur LeNair has been fabricating couture window fashions for the past 26 years.  Both a workroom to the trade as well as a retail business, her emphasis is on couture and hand detailing.  In addition to being ont he Advisory Board for WFCP, she speaks to area WCAA Chapters and will be teaching an upcoming webinar for the Virtual Chapter of the WCAA.  Her work has been published in various trade journals.  While her business is based in Lancaster County, PA, she travels all over the country.  When not in the workroom, she can usually be found eating delicious cuisine and enjoying a glass or two of wine on her backyard patio with her cats!

Teresa Paul, Executive Director of WCAA, studied communications at George Mason University and began her career working in restaurant publicity, first with a Fortune 100 company, and then as an account executive with one of the top restaurant PR firms in the DC area. With encouragement from friends and colleagues, Teresa launched her own public relations agency in 1998 and became the go-to firm for both profit and non-profit companies specializing in the interiors industry. Her firm represented several interior designers, as well as the NSO Decorators' Show House, C2 Paints and Mastercraft Interiors. Teresa moved with her family to Raleigh, NC in 2006 and was a stay at home mom and active volunteer until she came out of retirement in 2014 to be the Executive Director of WCAA. Teresa is an avid country music fan, has an admitted addiction to all things pumpkin spice and loves spending time at the beach. She has been married to her husband, Michael, for almost 18 years and is mom to their son Justin, who is 13 going on 25. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading and watching Justin, a second degree black belt, compete in Taekwondo tournaments.