Sock Monkeys by Juannie Kronenberger of Spongie's Whimsicals.

Introducing Juannie Kronenberger the creator and artist of Spongie’s Whimsicals: “I strongly believe there is a lot to be said about being able to be creative. Sometimes I feel we get so lost in technology and commercialism that we fail to see how much happiness we can create on our own.

“I guess I am an old-fashioned girl in many ways. I believe there are some things that are already great and don’t need to be new or improved or replaced,” Kronenberger said.

Juannie is a graduate of the Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and mathematics. Born in Newfoundland, Juannie grew up in Nova Scotia. After college she and her husband, Clint, moved to New Jersey, then to Florida, where they spent 28 years owning and operating a bicycle business. In 2002 they decided to semi-retire and relocated to Bowling Green, where they purchased a 14-acre farm. Their move to Bowling Green was prompted by many great visits over the years and enjoying the beautiful country roads for bicycling, she said.

“The people are great! We love this town! It offers all the amenities of a bigger city without all the craziness,” she said.

“All of my creating takes place in a very overstocked craft room in the basement of our home. I totally engulf myself in fabric and supplies and let the creative juices flow. All of my creations are unique. No two are ever alike as I’ve never really liked to duplicate. Each has its own special look and characteristics. If you know me, you know my creative thoughts never stop. The pride, happiness and enjoyment in the doing is what keeps me motivated,” the artist said.

The Kronenbergers are also currently working on their new business endeavor, Spongie Acres Bed & Breakfast, which is slated to open October. Spongie’s Whimsicals & Gifts will be located within the bed and breakfast, where she will showcase her artistry as well as other local artists’ works.

“The main emphasis of my artwork is handcrafted toys, primarily, the old-fashioned sock monkey. As a child, we lived in the country with not a lot of sports or activities to busy ourselves with. So we had to get innovative and create our own pastimes,” she said. “My mom always made our clothes, so instinctively, I picked up on the sewing and knitting. I spent many hours creating doll clothes out of old bits of fabric left from numerous things my mom had made. There was no shortage of craft supplies in our home and I got much enjoyment out of seeing just what I could create.”

For many years while the Kronenbergers were in business, she did not have time to continue her crafting, but was reacquainted with her love of crafting in 2007 after recovering from breast cancer. Her sister invited her to participate in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer in British Columbia, Canada. Part of their enrollment fee was to raise $2,000 each.

“We put our heads together, and along with my mom and my sister, we started on a crafting adventure that brought back all the creative crafting ideas of our youth. It was a shared passion of the three of us that has continued on since our charity walks,” Juannie said. “My mom lives in Nova Scotia, my sister, in British Columbia, and we have found that sharing our crafts and ideas are one more way to keep our family bonds tighter. Each of our creative ideas sparks and reignites the others. It truly has been and is a great experience.

“The old-fashioned sock monkey is an icon for old and young alike. I decided to take this simple handmade toy and give it a modern twist. I have created monkeys out of practically any kind of sock and given them all unique personalities, with as little as a simple embellishment or an elaborate outfit,” she said.

“I’ve created many categories, including the Diva Collection, the Sporty Monkey, the Long-Legged Crazy Eyes, Just For Baby and many, many more. I also do custom monkeys. The enjoyment I receive is seeing the smiles on peoples’ faces when they first come up to my booth and see my creations. It’s a great feeling to know that I have sparked a memory from someone’s past that has brought a smile to their face. It is also fun to hear the stories of how their moms or grandmothers had made them a sock monkey and how much it had meant to them.”

As well as the creating, Juannie Kronenberger enjoys the outlets where she showcases her works and mingles with fellow artists. “I have enjoyed doing the many craft shows and festivals throughout the state,” she said. She participates in the Farmer’s Community Market on Nashville Road in Bowling Green on Saturdays and her work displayed in some local galleries, including The Gallery on the Square in Franklin. The Christmas shows are her favorite and soon her sock monkeys will be showcased at her Spongie’s Whimsicals Gifts.

Her future plans are to continue to grow her sock monkey family. She will also be introducing a few other lines of crafts to display for sale in her gift shop.

“My hopes are to one day offer workshops for kids to learn how to make crafts from yesteryear,” she said.

You can see Juannie’s works at the Community Farmers Market in the Old Mall Shopping Center, The Festival on The Square in Franklin on Sept. 15 and the Bowling Green International Festival at Circus Square on Sept. 29. where she will be representing Canada. Starting in October you can visit her gift shop at Spongie’s Whimsicals & Gifts at Spongie Acres Bed & Breakfast. They are at 610 Matlock Road in Bowling Green. You can contact Juannie by email at spongieswhimsicals@gmail.com, by phone at 270-535-3368 or like Spongie’s Whimsicals on FaceBook.

“I truly believe that ‘Happiness is found in simple things.’ My creations are simple but they create happiness. My slogan is: ‘old-fashioned monkeying around, remembering the way life used to be,” she said.

About the author: Ronnie Jaggers is a seasoned sculptor, fine artist and master crafter. Her work can be seen on ChiseledFeaturesStudio.webs.com. She reminds other artists “Trust the beauty of your art, for if you see the beauty, others will too.” To be considered for the featured artist, call Ronnie at 791-3505 or email ChiseledFeaturesStudio@yahoo.com

About the author: Ronnie Jaggers is a seasoned sculptor, fine artist and master crafter. Her work can be seen on ChiseledFeaturesStudio.webs.com. She reminds other artists “Trust the beauty of your art, for if you see the beauty, others will too.” To be considered for the featured artist call Ronnie at 791-3505 or email ChiseledFeaturesStudio@yahoo.com