The Gilded Edge is owned and operated by Kay Stanis in Wisconsin, USA. Artist, designer, and teacher, Kay Stanis, is an internationally known Master Craftsman, Certified and Graduate Certified Teacher of the Embroiderers' Guild of America, Inc. (EGA) and Kurenai Kai Traditional Japanese Embroidery. She exhibits her needlework widely and is juried into Fiber Forum which has ongoing exhibits in galleries and museums throughout the United States. Her embroideries have received numerous awards and have been shown on the covers of Kurenai, Inspirations, NeedleArts, and NeedlePointers. She is the recent recipient of EGA's Diana Grossman Memorial Award for Excellence in Needlework and won a Judge's Choice award.

Kay has studied internationally: in Paris at the L'Ecole de Broiderie D'Art (Lesage), at The Royal School of Needlework in England, and was invited to Japan to study with Master Saito at Kurenai Kai. Her travels are always interlaced with textile exhibits and workshops with internationally known teachers in both the US and abroad. Her most recent travels being Australia, China and Scotland. She teaches and lectures on silk and metal embroidery in the US and abroad for the American Needlepoint Guild (ANG), EGA, South Australia Embroidery Conference, Embroidery 2000 (New Zealand), and independent groups. Kay has written correspondence courses for EGA and served as chairman of their Teacher Certification Committee.

Kay is a frequent member on the faculties of national seminars: American Needlepoint Guild, Callaway School of Needlearts, Embroiderers Association of Canada, EGA national and regional seminars, Koala Conventions, and many independent groups.