2015 in Photos
Remembering 2015 with the best of HerKentucky's photos and experiences.
Saint Matthews in the snow
A Maker's Mark latte
Actors Theatre of Louisville LobsterFeast
UK vs. Cincinnati at the Yum! Center
Mint Julep fixin's.
Garden & Gun + Original Makers Club Derby Brunch
Jim Beam American Stillhouse
Mural, Downtown Louisville
Billboard, Downtown Louisville
Original Makers Club Summer Supper + Shoot
Original Makers Club Summer Supper + Shoot
Tomatoes and basil from my St Matthews backyard.
Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris and Master Taster Elizabeth O'Neill toast a whiskey barrel.
Downtown Louisville from River Road
Maker's Mark Distillery.
Statue of Alice Geddes Lloyd, Alice Lloyd College.
Tobacco barn, Magoffin County KY.
Jennifer Lawrence Hometown Hero Banner, Downtown Louisville.
Louisville Public Art Installation.
Make-a-Wish day at Keeneland.
Breeders Cup 2015 program.
Churchill Downs from Millionaires Row.
King Louis XVI, Downtown Louisville.
My Kentucky-themed Christmas tree.
The Best Kentucky-Themed Gifts for Grads and Newlyweds!
When your friends and loved ones are undertaking new beginnings, the best gift is a little piece of home!
It's the season for new beginnings. College and graduate school graduations are wrapping up, high school graduations are just around the corner, and pretty soon, you'll be attending a wedding every weekend. With these wonderful accomplishments come cross-country moves, new starts, and lots of changes. This year, why not send your loved ones out into the world with a little piece of their Old Kentucky Home to remind them of their heritage?
I wear my Maya Brenner Designs Kentucky pendant with everything. Seriously, I go for like a week at a time without taking it off. I love the symbolism of keeping Kentucky close to my heart. This would be a fantastic gift for a recent grad or bride who's moving to a new state, starting a new career, or simply loves the Bluegrass State!
This Hand-Embroidered Kentucky Pillow from UncommonGoods is pretty high on my own must-have list. It's such a gorgeous and unique way to celebrate all of the unique aspects of your home state! I love the way our friend Allison gets a new embroidered state pillow each time she moves for her husband's work. (He's an NFL player, so they've moved a little bit, but Kentucky will always be their home!)
This Richwood Creations "State Silhouette" Cutting Board is almost too pretty to use, but it certainly makes an elegant piece for newlyweds or for the professional school graduate who wants to add a sophisticated flair to a new home.
For most Kentuckians, no matter where we live, the Bluegrass State will always be home. These etched-glass coasters proclaim that sentiment tastefully.
For the graduate who's looking to furnish a new office, a Kentucky-themed clock makes a stylish statement. This one from Green Leaf Art adds a fun and tasteful touch of the Commonwealth to any space.
Here's to new beginnings and celebrating your roots!
Shop Local Kentucky Interview and Giveaway!
Happy Friday, y'all! I hope you have big plans to enjoy the weekend and celebrate Kentucky Bourbon, whether it's served in cocktail, a dessert, or a savory treat!
Today, we have a Bourbon Heritage Month present for one lucky HerKentucky reader, courtesy of Shop Local Kentucky. We sat down with Rick from Shop Local Kentucky with a few questions about their initiative, and he kindly offered a gorgeous reclaimed bourbon barrel necklace embossed with the outline of Kentucky. What a great way to celebrate the Commonwealth! Here's what Rick had to say to us:
HK: Tell us a little about the mission of Shop Local Kentucky.
SLK: Shop Local Kentucky is an initiative to 'Keep the Grass Blue' by promoting local shopping and independent business owners across the Commonwealth. While Kentucky have had several successful localized 'Buy Local' programs, business alliances and campaigns, this will be the first statewide grassroots local shopping awareness initiative.
HK You’re starting off by selling SLK merchandise, but what’s coming next?
SLK:. Right, The Kentucky Shop is the funding mechanism behind Shop Local Kentucky. This effort has completely funded the intiative through year-end and gives us a way to plug local makers and artists in with our Kentucky following via the e-commerce store. Through the store we have paid out nearly $6,000 in sales to these local business owners since first opening one month ago. Further, we have raised over $1,100 for the Toy Chest Childrens Charity of Kentucky through a charity T-shirt sale.
However, that is not the full extent of Shop Local Kentucky. In the fall we have an app for Android and iPhone coming that will connect locally owned, independent businesses to the Kentucky customers who seek them out via geolocation services. In other words, you open an App on your phone, it locates you wherever you may be in the state, whether Bowling Green or Pikeville, then it shows you Shop Local Kentucky businesses within a given radius. There are a few more bells and whistles like exclusive coupon deals (think groupon for locals), a searchable directory and a reviews service. If you are a business interested in becoming a Shop Local Kentucky business - Click here to sign up for more information.
HK:Your Instagram is a must-follow! Where do you get those gorgeous shots of Kentucky?
SLK:. Our Instagram account, which is nearly 10,000 Kentuckians strong, is a place to highlight the Commonwealth's beauty through the lens' and phones of folks from across the state. 60% of the photos are user content driven with #ShopLocalKY and the other 40% are original content. It's a fun way to look at the state from each individuals' different point of view. Once we get the app going, we plan to highlight Shop Local Kentucky businesses on the platform. You can follow us at @ShopLocalKy.
Someone once said to me “People from Kentucky are obsessed with being from Kentucky.”What’s your favorite thing about the Bluegrass State?
SLK: The cliche answer... Fall in Kentucky. However, I think the overarching pride we as Kentuckians take in our state is unparalleled and trumps the changing leaves any day. There are so many great initiatives, blogs and people out there right now all with one goal - Make Kentucky look awesome in some fashion. You really don't see that sense of ownership elsewhere.