Craftcation 2023 Presenters
ALANA RIVERA (SHE/HER)
After years of pushing paper around in corporate America, a soapmaking book gifted by Alana’s mom turned her world around. She embraced her creativity and launched Etta + Billie, a sustainable small batch bodycare company inspired by a love for food + drink, in 2009. Over the course of the last 13 years, she has moved from apartment to a manufacturing studio, hired and trained employees, and partnered with shops big and small all across the US, Canada and parts of Asia. Alana’s products have been featured online and in publications like Sunset, Japanese Vogue, InStyle, Popsugar, and Refinery 29. Etta + Billie is a certified Green Business in California, and Alana is a longtime member of Indie Business Network, the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetics Guild and an alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. She loves talking soap, email marketing, and the challenges of being a mother with a small business. When not in her soap lab, Alana can be found obsessing over new restaurants and recipes, honing her mixology skills, or chasing her son around the playground.
ALLISON KREFT (SHE/HER)
Allison Kreft is an artist, designer, & photographer with over 20 years of experience in the DIY, crafting & photo industries. While working to bring her own creativity to life in different mediums she also loves to collaborate with other artists and designers to help them with their vision.
Allison worked as an art director & designer for the silk-screen company Hambly Studios making unique papers and products for the paper crafting industry. She then focused on creating her own line of crafting products in addition to licensing her designs to different companies. You have likely run across one of her products at your favorite crafting or homegoods store. Allison also spent several years in the startup world working with other brands & illustrators to bring a new perspective to personalized photo books and cards.
In her free time you can find Allison pursuing her passion as a glass artist, running her kiln or in the hot shop. She also enjoys looking for vintage treasures as her next source of inspiration (or just for her colorful home).
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Allysia Holland (she/her)
Allysia is a dedicated multi-crafter. By day she’s one-half of the dynamic duo that is Dahlia Law Group LLP –Lawyers. Grown A Little Differently, based in Oakland, CA. Dahlia Law Group LLP is a two-woman owned firm focused on helping individuals, families, and businesses protect and build legacy through legacy and estate planning, probate, and litigation. Just about any other time (and sometimes in the daytime too) you can find Allysia feeding her multi-crafter heart with sewing, painting, crocheting, doodling, or teaching others and sharing the crafts that she loves!
Alyson Toone-Aguilar (She/her)
Alyson Toone-Aguilar is the teaching artist behind Make it Work Crafts based in Los Angeles. Her 10 years of experience as an apparel designer in New York City has influenced her interest in showing the world that craft is STEAM. Alyson has always been a lifelong creator. She honed her craft at Columbus College of Art and Design where she earned her bachelors in Fashion Design. Since 2014, Alyson has taught at a variety of organizations from coast to coast. Most recently she has taught workshops for Craftcation 2022, Self Help Graphics and Art, and Craft Contemporary.
AMANDA HOUSTON (SHE/HER)
Amanda Houston is an illustrator, surface designer, wife, and proud mama to 2 amazing kids. She began her career as an artist almost a decade ago, beginning as a calligrapher for weddings and special events. After discovering her passion for illustration, and teaching herself the ins and outs of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Amanda began her career as a surface/pattern designer over 5 years ago, and has never looked back. Her artwork can be found in stores such as Target, Hobby Lobby, Home Goods, and more. On a normal day, you’ll find Amanda dreaming up new collections for licensing through her agency, Pink Light Studio, or playing at the park with her kids. Amanda is thrilled to bring her knowledge of creating repeat patterns to the Craftcation community.
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AMANDA TOWNER (SHE/HER)
Amanda Towner is a maker, crafter, illustrator, and current graphic designer for the Handprint and Walnut Hollow brands. From a little kid who doodled on her walls to a designer in the footwear, greeting cards, and financial services industries – she loves working for brands that believe in creative empowerment. Amanda loves teaching classes in this role and hopes to help others discover their own creative spirit…or maybe a new way of expressing it!
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AMY TAN (she/her)
Small business owner, proud mama, and hand lettering enthusiast, Amy is the founder of Amy Tangerine, a brand fully committed to providing creatives with the tools and space to see the bright, shiny side of life. In her day-to-day, Amy makes sweet online content as well as thoughtful products designed to promote a colorful, positive message. Amy is the author of Craft A Life You Love, and launched a podcast of the same name. In March 2022, she released a book for kids ages 8 and up called Making Memories. She also teaches workshops all over the world, films YouTube videos, and consults with awesome brands including American Crafts, Avery, Amazon and more, all with the intention of building a sense of fun, positive energy and putting valuable resources out in the world for everyone to use. She loves any excuse to celebrate and spread happiness. You can meet Amy at the intersection of creativity, passion, and purpose.
ANNA JOYCE (SHE/HER)
Anna Joyce is a painter and textile designer living and working in Portland, Oregon. Her work is a joyful study and homage to color and pattern, inspired by nature.
Joyce has a BFA with Highest Honors in printmaking from California College of the Arts in Oakland, CA, class of 2000, and is the author of two books, HAND DYED (2019) and STAMP STENCIL PAINT (2015). Joyce works full time as an artist selling hand dyed textiles, paintings, and prints. Joyce also teaches artist retreats in Marrakech, Morocco on color, hand dyeing and artist sketch booking.
ANNE WEIL (SHE/HER)
Hi Everyone! I’m Anne Weil, the creative voice behind Flax & Twine. I love making beautiful things and showing you how to make them, too. I love natural materials used in unusual ways. But, really, I love anything creative that makes me sing OOOOHHH inside. I am the author of the books Knitting Without Needles and Weaving Within Reach. At Flax & Twine, you’ll find fiber, tools, and DIY Kits to weave, knit, crochet or stitch your way to a happy handmade life.
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CARA COREY (SHE/HER)
Cara Corey is a fiber arts instructor, who loves to help beginners build their confidence in knit and crochet projects. She started her career as a journalist, but eventually decided to follow her heart and become a maker. Her love for chunky yarn and rope led her to specialize in home goods like blankets, baskets, and poufs. After nine years of crafting and teaching workshops all over the San Francisco Bay Area, she went back to her Midwestern roots. She now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she is the program support coordinator for the Marine Mills Folk School. She lives with her husband, Mike, two kids, and a LOT of yarn.
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CARI WHEAT ROBERTS (SHE/HER)
Cari Roberts is obsessed with the deep generational history of crafting, of women gathering in community to make beautiful things with their own hands. Sometimes out of necessity or financial reasons, sometimes just for fun or to spend time together, and quite often as a political act. She learned hand embroidery from her mom and her mom’s mom and it fills her with Love, Calm, & Joy to use her two hands & humble materials to preserve memories with just needle & thread.
Event producer by day and running The Stitch Sitch as a creative side hustle – Cari slows down and returns to the quiet of repetition, concentration, and meditation found in mending & hand stitching. Out of this quiet nearly always emerges a story, stitch by stitch, as a reminder of her own history and heritage. She cultivates monthly crafty gatherings and finds Every Single Excuse to thread (see what she did there?!) stitching and crafting into the lives of those around her.
She’s recently moved back to her desert roots in Tucson where she helped turn AZ Blue in 2020, and where she and her good-natured husband and sweet old dog Alice plan to raise a herd of alpaca and as many chickens as they can cram into their backyard.
CHRISTY NELSON (SHE/HER)
Christy Nelson is the owner of Makit Takit, a craft studio in Lincoln, Nebraska. For the past several years she has made it into the space of her dreams and she can’t wait to see what is to come! Her store includes a splatter room, drop-in crafting, a full service yarn shop, and a sewing studio.
Christy loves to try just about anything crafty and has way too many unfinished projects. Her hobbies of choice mainly deal with the fiber arts (knitting, weaving, embroidery). Christy also spends her time doing strategic planning for her business and for others. She also can’t pass up an opportunity to welcome people to Lincoln. In 2022, she started Makit Together, a grown-up craft camp. Christy loves to travel, she has two mostly grown children, a professor husband, and you’ll likely meet her “Makit Mom” at Craftcation.
DAVE CHAREST
Dave Charest is Director of Small Business Success for Constant Contact, the online marketing leader trusted by millions of small businesses. In his role, Dave acts as an educator and an advocate for small business leaders, marketing professionals, and nonprofits by providing them with practical marketing advice that can help them achieve their goals. He is a dynamic leader, speaker, creator, and award-winning marketer who strives to inspire small businesses by simplifying the complex world of online marketing.
DAWLINE-JANE ONI-OSELEH (SHE/HER)
Dawline-Jane Oni-Eseleh is a first generation Afro-Caribbean visual artist and arts educator who lives and works on Ohlone land (Oakland, CA). Her work explores memory, history, and personal narratives.
A New York native, Ms. Oni-Eseleh attended The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, and has exhibited her work in spaces across the United States and internationally. Her illustration work has been featured in The LA Times, ProPublica and Teen Vogue.
DEBRA WEISS (SHE/HER)
Debra beautifully melds function and form in her fine art and her garments. Her playful process remains intuitive and inventive as she aims to capture the beauty all around her.
Inspired by the beauty of nature, I favor organic shapes, colors and textures in both my functional garments and fiber structures. The soft and supple quality of textiles have always moved me. Throughout my practice I gently manipulate fabric through stitching, knotting, appliqué and layering. Time slows and I work intuitively. I find myself making connections between the years of life and the layers of fabric. As we change and grow we remain ourselves only different, so does the fabric with each puncture of my needle.
Elise Michelle Nelson (she/her)
Elise’s life was deeply impacted when she connected with the online handmade community. As she became more involved with her community and started recording what she thought were easy step-by-step tutorials to help her clients, she realized that what came so naturally to her was difficult to others. The creatives in the community kept asking for more and more help & suddenly Elise found herself becoming a teacher & coach for tech-challenged makers who just needed help from someone with a bit of patience so that they could stop feeling so tech-scared and stupid.
Since then Elise has helped hundreds of creatives to understand & utilize analytics, websites, & social media tech to reach their audiences and grow their ecommerce businesses. Not only has she had the opportunity to see businesses increase revenue, but she is especially proud to be the cause of maker’s “happy dances” as they conquer aspects of their business they felt were impossible.
Elise has seen with her own eyes how utilizing the right technology at the right time can skyrocket a business into success and it is her mission to help as many makers as possible realize the power of tech.
EMILY (gutman) benson (SHE/HER)
Emily Benson has been sewing for as long as she can remember- at an early age she’d play around on her mum’s and grandmother’s machines, making self-drafted purses for all the stuff she never carried around (she was 7, she didn’t have keys!). Upon discovery that her high school “Fashion Design” class was more like “Intro to Sewing” she got her teacher’s blessing to run her own prom-dress-making business out of the classroom while everyone else made pajama pants. She now holds a degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising and is fascinated with the technical aspects of pattern design, which led her to launch her own sew-at-home pattern company, Mighty Femme Patterns. Emily loves to teach others to sew, and is constantly trying to lure her friends into her basement/sewing studio to make fun projects (it’s not as creepy as it sounds).
When she’s not sewing, Emily can usually be found in her kitchen whipping up incredible meals that she will serve you along with a napkin she made herself.
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erin sarpa (She/her)
Erin won her first poster design contest at 8 years old. It was for the local library and her primary inspiration was the grand prize – a coupon book of McDonald’s french fries – she was very motivated.
Erin opened up a little agency right after receiving a BS in Graphic Design at SJSU, because what’s better than no experience and no money to launch a business? Turns out she has a gift for bringing people together and solving problems in a beautiful way. The agency delivered award winning content and design for all of the BIG DAWGS in Silicon Valley, provided jobs for super talented moms who wanted job flexibility before it was a ‘thing’, and launched a lot of promising young interns into the real world of design. Erin loves design but her favorite part of the job is helping other creative types find their light and make it shine brighter.
Erin continues to eat french fries and obsess about art. When she’s not tweaking type or finding creative new uses for the eff word, she’s outside hiking or golfing.
faye weiss
Faye Weiss is a vintage-inspired maker of all things with needles and thread based in Flagstaff, AZ, who enjoys sharing her love of fiber arts with others through teaching and pattern design. She learned to knit at a young age and has spent more than a decade teaching knit and crochet classes. Feeling ready for something new during the chaos of the pandemic, Faye taught herself to sew and discovered the magic that is making your own clothes and lingerie. She can’t wait to help you gain the confidence and skills to create your own handmade wardrobe. When away from her home studio, Faye can be found cooking or traveling with her husband and three (spoiled) rescue dogs.
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Gabriella Layne-Avery
Gabriella Layne-Avery is a Content Strategist & Creative Director who helps brands build engaged online communities using the power of strategic storytelling on social media.
Kickstarting her career as a contributing editor for fashion and lifestyle magazines, Gabriella brings a unique, editorial-style approach to storytelling on social media that she’s used to lead the content strategies of leading online communities including PR Girl Manifesto, Epic Fab Girl, and Black Bride Magazine.
Known for coining the term ‘sustainable social media,’ her life’s purpose is to help visionary and creative business owners who want to change the world work smarter, not harder to create strategic content that sells their brand stories in style.
HANNAH BARTELT
Hannah Bartelt is the granddaughter of Walnut Hollow founder, Dave Ladd. Immersed in the wood crafting world her entire life, she has always had a knack for creating with wood surfaces. Since 2015, she has supported and uplifted the virtual Walnut Hollow community on social media. Her current role, Category Brand Specialist for Walnut Hollow and Handprint, makes her your go-to girl for wood surface and wood burning questions. She dabbles in wood burning techniques such as line drawing, hand lettering, and personalizing functional items.
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holly marsh
Holly is the founder of Ecommerce Arcade, where you can level up your ecommerce game with strategy, design, and heart. She specializes in the Shopify ecommerce platform, as well as Klaviyo for ecommerce email marketing. She is an illustrator and branding designer, and has a decade of experience selling products online and in-person.
Holly springboarded into services after spending 10 years at the helm of her handmade business named Marshmueller, a line of accessories for babies and kids using colorful and quirky fabrics.
Holly lives in Astoria, Oregon (yes, where they filmed The Goonies!) with her husband, two children, a geriatric Pomeranian, and a rambunctious tuxedo kitty. On any given day, you may find Holly nerdin’ out- playing board games with her family, drawing, playing video games, gettin’ woo-woo with tarot and astrology, or squeezing in a round of golf.
She prefers pie over cake, but won’t say no to cake (unless it has coconut).
HONEY GRACE LOPEZ
Honey Grace Lopez is a NeuroTransformational Coach, Yoga Teacher, Holistic Chef, and the Founder of Nourish. Honor. Play.®, a Whole Being Self-Care approach to coming into authentic alignment with your truest self. Her workshops and retreats are dedicated to supporting you in becoming more resilient in the face of stress, discovering and walking your heart-led path, and falling deeply and joyfully in love with your whole self so that you can take on even the hardest of challenges and move confidently in the direction of your wildest dreams.
JANET LEBLANC
Janet LeBlanc is an accountant, financial educator, and the founder of Paper + Spark. Since 2014, she’s been designing bookkeeping templates and educational content to help makers, handmade sellers and creative entrepreneurs get more confident about running the financial side of their business. She’s passionate about empowering more women to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams by more completely understanding their financial responsibilities as a business owner and actually feeling GOOD about their money.
Jennifer Heuertz
For as long as I can remember, I have been an artist. I have never been satisfied with sticking to one or two (or five) mediums, and love learning new techniques. The last few years I’ve become obsessed with digital art, watercolor, and, thanks to Camp DHL and Craftcation, block printing, gelli plate printing, and pyrography. I fully believe that “we create, therefore we live,” and it happens that I also live to create.
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JENNIFER PERKINS
A self proclaimed ADD crafter, Jennifer Perkins is a Jill of several different crafty trades. One minute she is making candles from crayons the next she is collaging with a 70’s Sears catalog. The constant theme through those creative endeavors is her love of kitsch, color and all things vintage.
Jennifer started her creative career as a jewelry designer but has worn many hats through the years including television host, brand ambassador and craft magazine editor. She has done ad campaigns for Michaels, been a guest on the Rachael Ray show multiple times and had her work featured in magazines ranging Better Homes and Gardens to Elle. Most recently Jennifer is working on her 4th craft book.
Jennifer lives in Austin, TX with her two kiddlets, husband and zoo of 7 pets. If she’s not crafting she’s at the thrift store.
Jennifer PRIEST
Jennifer Priest is a prominent digital marketing strategist, educator, and Pinterest traffic expert specializing in helping online business owners get more results from the assets their business already has. Jennifer’s experience as an etsy shop owner, online course creator, blogger, influencer, and social media manager give her a unique understanding of the challenges of running and marketing a digital biz, which she brings to her work with bloggers and online businesses alike.
JESSIE KATZ GREENBERG
Jessie Katz Greenberg is a crafter, content creator, and craft educator currently located in NYC with her husband, 2 cats, and 2 hermit crabs. With 10+ years as a graphic designer and packaging director, she loves incorporating her design & typography skills into the crafts she’s been obsessed with since childhood, especially upcycling and embroidery.
Jessie became the Artist Community Manager at Spoonflower in 2022 where she spends her days collaborating on content, events, and opportunities to help Spoonflower Independent Artists grow.
Check out Jessie’s engaging craft videos @jessiekatzgreenberg on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest.
Jill Bates-Moore (SHE/HER)
Hi, I’m Jill! I’m a Show Me State native magic seeker, in hot pursuit of awesomeness at all times. I keep my Super SHero Toolbox packed with wicked wit, warrior spirit, creative brain, common talk, and a sprinkle of cheerful disposition. Apart from my husband of 18 years, my primary loves are cake, bourbon, yoga, and power tools (which absolutely includes my sewing machines!).
Professionally, I’ve been a practicing lawyer since 2002, primarily in litigation. My business partner, Allysia Holland, and I co-founded Dahlia Law Group LLP in 2015 in order to put some of that creative litigation energy into making and protecting people’s legacies. Our practice focuses on Legacy & Estate Planning, Probate, and Civil Litigation from a specific perspective: The law is a tool for service. There’s no reason its power shouldn’t be transparent, accessible, and affordable to regular people.
JOAN GOODSPEED (She/HER)
Joan Goodspeed is the host of Break + Remake, a sewing channel on YouTube. If you need help sewing plus size clothing or need beginner tips, this is the show for you. When not working on youtube Joan is a costume professor and professional dyer.
kate kryder
Kate Kryder (She/Her) is the owner of Wild Cabins Unlimited. She’s also an artist, activist, and champion of locally-owned businesses. Her mission and business plan are focused on shopping small, supporting other women-owned businesses, and enhancing community-level economies.
She has always been a creative and dabbles in many crafts and mediums. Kate started making cyanotypes to decorate her bespoke airbnbs and fell in love with the art. This is Kate’s third Craftcation and she couldn’t be more thrilled to teach this year!
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kathryn harris
When my husband and I were dating, he bought me my first camera and told me to follow my dream. Fifteen years later, photography is still my greatest passion.
After shooting weddings for over a decade, I pivoted my focus on lifestyle and brand photography. Connecting with people and capturing their stories is my favorite thing in the world, and the greatest compliment a client can give me is that I make him/her feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Huntington Beach, CA is where I call home. When I’m not working, you can find me waiting in the carpool line at pickup, creating a new dish from leftovers or soaking in a bubble bath, glass of wine in one hand and a good book in the other.
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"katie mac" macavoy
Katie Mac is a maker, marketer and Mama living in Atlanta with her husband, two kids and maniacal dog. She started her professional career working for large corporations like IBM and Rolling Stone Magazine before finding her niche working for and with small businesses. She believes in shopping small, eating local and always roots for the underdog. Her love languages include tacos, sarcasm, travel, and flavored potato chips. She’s a self-proclaimed foodie-in-training, developed a love of cooking from her (healthy and not at all weird) obsession with Gordon Ramsay and loves to try new and adventurous foods.
When she’s not wearing the many hats in her role as COO + Director of Digital at Dear Handmade Life, you can find her crafting all the things with her mini-me daughter, watching soccer and The Office reruns with her teenage son, binging ALL the true crime with her husband, cheering on her beloved (and newly crowned National Champion) Georgia Bulldogs and (2021 World Series Champion) Atlanta Braves and squeezing in as much time with her girl gang as possible.
kelly affleck (She/her)
Kelly of Tomato Tomato Creative, helps kids and adults alike unlock their creative selves with, DIY craft kits and creative workshops. Her workshops are based on the process of art and creative exploration to boost one’s own inspiration.
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kerry burki (She/her)
Kerry Burki is the author of Tend To Your Vibration: Learn how to use nature, breath, thoughts, imagination, and energy to get unstuck and into the flow of life. She helps people create more intuitive, creative, magical, and impactful lives. She also teaches about the law of attraction at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. Kerry lives in Arizona with her husband, two kids, and numerous pets. She loves people, art, mystery books, and decorating her home. Learn more at www.kerryburki.com.
kirsten rowe
Kirsten Rowe is the founder and owner of Craftiful Studio, a Portland based craft studio offering craft kits, workshops, and events. Before opening the studio in 2018, Kirsten spent 20+ years in the Corporate Tech world while trying to figure out how to turn her passion for crafting into a career. Kirsten loves doing lots of different types of crafts but considers her real talent to be making accessible community and group crafting experiences.
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LAURA LAMBERT
Laura Lambert is a content creator, Cricut Crafter, and Etsy shop owner based near Nashville, TN. She is wife to Matt, Mom to Henry and Hallie, and dog-mom to her favorite “good boy”, Flynn. Early in 2020, while everyone was learning to live differently, Laura found joy in Cricut crafting. After receiving a Cricut for Mother’s Day, she quickly became hooked and began to share her projects on TikTok. 10 followers turned to 10,000, then 100,000, and now over 350,000 people show up at her virtual crafting table as part of the Happy Crafting Crew. Thousands of comments shared the unifying voice that they “just weren’t creative” or that they hadn’t taken their Cricut out of the box for fear of messing up. Thus, the mission of the Happy Crafting Crew is simple: “If I can do it, you can too”. We are all designed to be creative, but sometimes we just need a little reminding.
Laura’s specialty is teaching custom SVG creation through tools such as Canva, Procreate, and Inkscape. She runs an Etsy shop called Happy Crafting Crew where she sells her own designs and custom apparel. Laura’s passion is to equip people to find their creative voice and use it well. Follow her on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube as @itslauralambert, or shoot her an email to connect at itslauralambert@gmail.com.
Lauren Woods
I love to make things. Anything. Even when I don’t love making something, I still love that I made it. Strange but true.
I started budgiegoods in 2011. I’ve always been drawn to embroidery and cross stitch, but the kind of modern and unique designs I really wanted to make were hard to find – so I decided to create them myself. After years of trying to find my place in other people’s businesses, I finally found where I belong. Well, actually, I created a place for myself where I belong, right here in the world of makers and crafters — and I’ve never felt so successful.
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LINSEY MARTIN
Hello my name is Linsey Nichol from Nichol Designs Macramé. One way I enjoy expressing
creativity and connecting to community is through the textile art of Macramé. Macramé is believed to have originated with 13th century Arab weavers. The Spanish word macramé is derived from the Arabic migramah believed to mean “ornamental fringe” or “embroidered veil.” veil.”
I found Macramé was a way to stay present, a kind of moving meditation. It calmed my mind and really helped me get through some tough times during this pandemic. As I continued on my creative journey I realized I was ready to explore the idea of teaching others the craft of Macramé. This year everything finally aligned and I successfully offered my first three workshops in the Sacramento area. It’s been a blast to teach and bring others together in a creative way.
By working as a group to create macramé it can be a vital way to discover how social interaction can play a part in finding creativity. And building community. Have you ever thought about exploring your creative side?
MALLORY WHITFIELD
Mallory Whitfield is the founder of the Badass Creatives Marketing Accelerator and author of the books “How to Make Money at Craft Shows: Art Market and Craft Fair Tips & Tricks” and “We Are the Weird Ones: Embrace Your Weird for a Kinder, More Inclusive World.”
Mallory got her start as an entrepreneur selling her handmade clothing and accessories at craft shows way back in 2004. As an Adjunct Professor for Tulane University’s School of Professional Advancement, she taught and developed classes on digital marketing. Mallory has appeared on stages across the U.S. as a speaker, actor, and drag performance artist. Her favorite costume moments include dressing as Cher, David Bowie, and a cassowary, the world’s deadliest bird.
MArgaret edwards
Hi, I’m Margaret. I started The Posh Olive back in early 2016 and have loved being able to work from home, where I can be with my dog, and husband. We live in Snohomish, Washington, where I run our growing business by myself. A former flight attendant, I launched the business after developing a recipe for the best lotion ever – complete with magnesium and mango butter –to soothe my dry skin at home. The Posh Olive was born. My vibe is trendy, with fragrances blended in-house, and I am humbled at how much it has grown from very small beginnings, when I only sold a couple of jars of cream to friends and neighbors, in just a few fragrance choices, to what it is today. Currently, my products are sold in homes across the country, both on and offline.
MARISA LYNCH
Marisa Lynch is a Los Angeles based blogger and author of the book “New Dress A Day” published by Random House. When she’s not sifting through vintage bling at the flea market, you can find her scrolling through Instagram while waiting on line at Starbucks (say hi @newdressaday), behind a sewing machine with Dua Lipa playing on Spotify, or hanging out with her newborn son, doing late night feeds with episodes of Succession keeping them company.
She’s been featured in the NY Times, Glamour, and on Anderson Cooper, but her most beloved moment was when Rihanna called her vintage Harley Davidson t-shirt badass.
Marjorie Sarah Cottrell
Marjorie Sarah Cottrell is a writer, astrologer, mom of two, explorer and creative small business entrepreneur with a personal motto of: learn. create. share. Her lively practice includes individual chart consultations, couples’ readings, astrology reading events for small groups, workshops, research, and writing centered on introspection, motherhood, paradox and more.
Through events and workshops she marries her professional event planning experience with her passion for ancient astrological wisdom. Prior to being an inspiring tour guide of the sky, she enjoyed five years as a handmade soap small business owner. She is a native of Philadelphia, PA and a graduate of Temple University. Marjorie now lives outside the city limits with her husband and children in a historic Pennsylvania farmhouse. She is a bookworm, a yogi and loves bumper stickers. Her words and ideas can be found at marjoriecottrell.com.
marlo miyashiro
Marlo Miyashiro (@imakecutestuff) is a jeweler, crafter, teacher, product photographer, and crafts business mentor at Creative Arts Consulting where she helps emerging artists find their next best step toward growing their creative businesses. She was the organizer for the Seattle area Etsy sellers team for 10 years, taught classes on CreativeLive, and is currently co-owner and managing director of The Handmade Showroom and Bezel & Kiln – two retail gift galleries established in 2015 and 2019 whose overall mission is to #elevatehandmade by showcasing highly curated collections of more than 200 artists from all over the US and abroad.
Michelle Feileacan
Michelle Feileacan is a parent, a maker, an artist, and small business owner. When she’s not running her shop, she’s at the metalsmithing bench, spending time with her teens, working in the garden, floating on the river, drawing, crafting or eating tacos. She believes that art and creativity bring joy, insight and healing and that all people can tap into creative expression. She has taught beading, sewing, block printing, photography and many other artistic and technical skills.
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MOHINI TODKARI
Mohini Todkari is a crafter, yoga instructor and software developer for maps. She loves making jewelry, sewing, henna, rangoli (sand art), clay crafts, paper crafts, i.e., pretty much all DIY. Mohini is the co-founder of BombayMade – a corporate gifting service for custom, handmade products. She enjoys designing and making personalized gifts for every person the gift is intended for.
Mohini is the founder of MohAsana – a Los Angeles-based yoga teacher, certified in breathwork (Pranayama) and Hatha yoga. She specializes in teaching beginners and those returning to yoga.
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Monica Tetteh
Monica known in the sewing community as That’s Sew Monica. Born and raised in New York City with roots from Ghana, West Africa, she took up sewing to connect to her late mother. She has a passion for sewing and the sewing community. She is one of the owners of Sewrority Wear, LLC a sewing apparel and novelty company. She hosts monthly sew-a-longs called SEWYOURVIEW and monthly in person sewing meetup called Project Sew. Her YouTube series “On the Road with That’s Sew Monica” highlights the Dallas area fabric and fashion district. Monica’s leadership lead her to form Black Makers Matter, A coalition of black makers united to bring about and implement cultural transformation in the sewing and crafting industry.
Monique Malcolm (SHE/HER)
Monique Malcolm is an author, podcaster, and product designer with bringing ideas to life. She’s the founder of Take Tiny Action, developing productivity tools and a podcast that helps people use small action steps to propel them toward achieving their goals. A frequent speaker at conferences and other events, Monique loves to motivate audiences to “not let fear have all the fun in their lives.”
She lives in Florida with her husband and son. When she’s not working, she loves soaking up the sun at the beach or hopping onto her bike for a spin class.
NACHE SNOW
Nache’ Snow is a podcaster, online educator, and maker. Through the years, she’s sold her handmade goods and digital products via various mediums (all while having a full-time job). She also loves to blog, journal, and make videos. Her website NacheSnow.com is a resource website that helps crafters, makers, and creatives pursue their passion by arming them with the best advice about productivity, journaling, and running a creative business so they can effectively accomplish their dreams.
To assist creators with this journey, she created the Life Cleanse Journal to help women focus on ten areas of their lives and take action. She also does this through her Studio 78 podcast, where she interviews everyday women doing extraordinary things; it focuses on finding, pursuing, and building your creative passion or next business endeavor.
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Natalie Keller-Pariano
Natalie Keller Pariano is a lettering artist, educator, and NatterDoodle‘s Chief Sprinkler of Positivity Confetti. She has been described as the Kimmy Schmidt of paper – colorful, quirky, socially conscious, and FUN!
After 10 years in higher education at Denison University, most recently as the Dean of Co-Curricular Design, Natalie moved to pursue entrepreneurship full-time with her brand NatterDoodle, featuring Natalie’s fresh take on wordplay and celebrates themes of joy and justice. You can find NatterDoodle’s stationery and lifestyle goods like stickers, stationery, art prints, and other giftables at more than 200 shops nationwide, as well as its flagship store and working studio in Columbus, Ohio. Her designs can also be spotted at retailers like Apple, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Ross, & Tuesday Morning.
Natalie hosts a sold out series of creative workshops or “Pen Parties” across the country at art studios, universities, and with some of your favorite brands like JetBlue, lululemon, Twitch, Abbott, and Big Lots. With a popular Instagram (@natterdoodles) known for it’s rainbow theme, knack for storytelling, and a keen eye for color, Natalie has carved out a place as an artist to watch and alongside her sidekick (rescue pup Confetticine Alfredo), Natalie is one of Columbus’ most colorful personalities and everyone’s online bestie.
WORKSHOPS:
Hand Lettered Chalkboards | Love {Yourself} Lettering | Tray Chic (workshop details coming soon)
NICOLE KLIGERMAN
Nicole is the Social Media Manager at Spoonflower, based in Durham, NC. She knows the ins and outs of Spoonflower from her 7+ years of experience there—from printing fabric, to helping develop made-to-order home products, to crafting sewing patterns and workshops, to her current happy home on the Brand Marketing team leading social! When she’s not helping to build Spoonflower’s creative community online, you can find her offline juggling crafty hobbies, kayaking on the Eno River, trying to win trivia night and dancing to local music.
Nicole is a proud cat mom and auntie with a wardrobe full of me-made garments (most made from Spoonflower fabric!) sewn with knowledge passed down from her grandmother and a degree in fashion design and development from N.C. State’s College of Textiles. She loves teaching and helping people flex their creative skills, something that started when she was a high school summer camp counselor in charge of arts and crafts.
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Nicole Stevenson
Nicole Stevenson is a multi-passionate creative, middle-aged first-time mama, impostor syndrome warrior, Korean BBQ connoisseur and the CEO and creative director at Dear Handmade Life.
Nicole’s desire to help other creatives pursue their dream business and discover the joy of making led her away from her own handmade business and into teaching, consulting, running her own workshop studio and eventually co-founding Dear Handmade Life in 2007. Now, she connects, educates and shortens the learning curve for other creatives by sharing what she’s learned through the Dear Handmade Life events like Craftcation Conference, Patchwork Show and Camp Dear Handmade Life, blog and podcast. She has a BA and an MA in English and a dual “PhD” in crafting to keep your sanity and badass business skills from the School of Life.
RachAel DURAN
Rachael Duran is the owner/maker at thunder textile. Her interests include macrame, printmaking, marbling, and knitting but her true passion is working with dye. She’s a self taught dyer and works exclusively with natural fiber textiles. Whenever she’s not starting a new project or tackling a new craft she’s having fun with her husband and daughter.
REBECA MOJICA
Rebeca Mojica is an award-winning jewelry artist, instructor and best-selling author who has been designing and teaching chainmaille jewelry since 2002. She started her crafts supplies business, Blue Buddha Boutique, as very-part-time side hustle, and nine years later, the company generated $1M in annual sales. Driven by a strong desire to reach the next generation of crafters, Rebeca partnered with a toy manufacturer to create Linkt Craft Kits, the first line of chainmaille jewelry kits for children aged 8 and up. Before moving to sunny Los Angeles, she had a retail storefront in Chicago and helped produce the long-running indie artisan fair The DIY Trunk Show. Rebeca is a person with many passions, and when she’s not linking tiny metal rings, you might find her powerlifting, clumsily playing the handpan, training her cat, reading about cosmology, contemplating fractals, riding her bike or learning all she can about whatever her latest special interest is.
REBECCA INKROTE
Rebecca is a web designer and WordPress consultant for handmade business owners. She teaches handmade sellers how to expand beyond Etsy and launch their own e-commerce website.
With an art degree in graphic design, Rebecca has designed branding, print collateral, and built websites for all sorts of small businesses. She has experience building sites on a variety of web design platforms such as Drupal, Shopify, Weebly, etc., but has been focused on WordPress since 2013.
Late in 2015 Rebecca started a handmade soap business and joined several Facebook Groups for makers in business. She quickly noticed a recurring post topic brought up again and again: Handmade sellers were struggling with the tech and creating their own website!
Since 2016 Rebecca has been dedicated to empowering handmade sellers elevate and take control of their businesses with their own website. Rebecca offers an online program teaching handmade business owners how to DIY their e-commerce website like a pro as well as done-for-you website design services.
Rylee George (SHE/HER)
Rylee George is an avid DIY-er, inspired crafter, and current Product Development Specialist for the Handprint and Walnut Hollow brands. She’s always been interested in art and design, so she decided to pursue a degree in Industrial Design where she could mix her love for fine art and hands-on making and turn it into a career. She continues to learn about the wood manufacturing process in her role, and she loves to get her hands dirty when it comes to working with power tools herself. Rylee is a confident DIY-er who loves to help others feel comfortable and empowered using new tools and adding to their skillset.
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Sabrina Valdivieso (SHE/HER)
Sabrina Clementine is a sewist and small business owner based out of South Florida. She runs a small batch apparel brand, Be My Clementine (@_bemyclementine) which specializes in statement skirts designed to put your personality front and center.
Sabrina also teaches private sewing classes and workshops, and has the philosophy that creativity is for everyone and everyone is creative in their own way. You can follow along with her personal sewing projects on instagram at @sabrinaclementinesews.
When she’s not sewing, you can catch Sabrina watching kdramas, taking dance classes (current obsession: Bhangra), or reading mystery books.
sandra dotson
Sandra Dotson makes wire woven jewelry. She is a California resident and a German native. Her background is in computer science and retail sales though and is now running her business Entangled Co full time.
Sandra makes unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry such as pendants, bracelets, earrings, and much more. She focuses on craftsmanship and unique designs incorporating intricate details and weaving techniques. Sandra has been working with wire for 4+ years.
Sara delaney
SARA DELANEY’S Memaire taught her how to crochet at age seven and knit at age nine. Driven by a constant urge to craft, she spent her early years inundating her family and friends with whatever she could twist up with yarn, slap paint on, or put together with brads, school glue, and embroidery floss. After the birth of her two daughters in the early 00s she became more interested in the mechanics of her stitches and the underlying architecture of what she was creating. After successfully making two human beings, how hard could it be, really? She couldn’t be happier with the experience of empowering her students to learn in a way that is comfortable for them and reminding them that “There is NO right way to hold your hook. There is only what is right for you!”
Sara has been teaching crochet to the unhooked masses since 2006. After a decade at WEBS – America’s Yarn store she released 2 books, How to Crochet – a Storey Basics title and Design Your Own Crochet Projects. She is now running the show at One Big Happy Yarn Co where you will occasionally find her in front of the camera teaching technique-themed tutorials and Make-Alongs.
She promises never to teach you crochet her Memaire’s way – chain until you can do it with your eyes closed and your hands behind your back. Although if you need a good party trick…
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SARAH FOELSKE
Sarah started her career in New York in 1999 as a graphic designer at Wieden + Kennedy. Sarah has spent 20+ years in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles working for brands and agencies including M•A•C Cosmetics, The Gap, Nike, Morgans Hotel Group, Laird + Partners, Sid Lee, The Drake Hotel and Bruce Mau Design.
Sarah has used her experience as an agency and brand Art Director to come up with her signature handmade paper piecework. Sarah combines both analogue and digital collage. Sarah loves working with typography and language and always has a notebook in her back pocket to record words and phrases she hears that inspire her. The combination of bold typography and beautiful images are reminiscent of her years as an art director.
Sarah has attended Craftcation twice and has never taken a class she didn’t love and returns home with a new toolbox of skills. She looks forward to meeting you and making together!
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SHANNON SQUIRE
Shannon is what you might call a craftasaurus rex. In other words, she’s never met a craft she didn’t like. Once upon a time, she owned a knit shop in Portland, Oregon, and once upon another time, she designed knitting patterns. Now, Shannon helps run an amazing dyehouse, Knitted Wit, and a burgeoning craft shop, the Craft Emporium, while teaching the crafts she loves: weaving & embroidery currently. One of her favorite things to do is to share her love of craft with others, and see that lightbulb of craftiness come on.
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SHAUNTINA LILLY
Shauntina Lilly is a performance-driven communications and diversity equity & inclusion leader with proven experience in developing strategies and programming to effectively propel objectives forward. Lilly currently serves as the manager of public relations, diversity & inclusion at JOANN Stores, a national specialty craft retailer headquartered in Hudson, OH. Lilly utilizes her expansive 13-year background in public relations to combat crisis matters, manage brand perception, and partner with influential media. Additionally, Lilly oversees the JOANN influencer marketing program and enlists content creators to garner awareness for key launches and initiatives. Within her role of D&I, Lilly has led the company’s diversity and inclusion focus from inception, and continues to successfully foster a culture of belonging and representation across a myriad of facets. In her spare time, Lilly enjoys cooking, traveling, and quality time with loved ones.
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Sienne Josselin Mascarenas Diaz
Sienne is a Los Angeles-based live-action Storyboard Artist, Illustrator, and Art Educator. She graduated with a BFA in Illustration and Art Education, and a Credential in Art from California State University, Long Beach. She’s mostly behind the scenes on live-action film and tv projects, conceptualizing beats for big ideas. Her most recent project include storyboards for Marvel’s, Dr. Strange 2, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and Chief Of War.
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STAR GREENWOOD
Star Greenwood is co-founder and Artistic Director of Mayu Silk Art, LLC. You may have seen us – our DIY silk scarf-painting experience has become a viral sensation on social media. Launching into entrepreneurship with a couple of marbling trays and a popup tent, my husband and I followed our desire to escape the confines of corporate life, driven by a passion to bring the ancient art of water marbling into the 21st century. Starting with popup arts and crafts fairs, we have expanded our offering to include DIY parties and corporate team building events, workshops and fundraisers, an online store offering bespoke and wholesale marbled textiles, and a successful business academy with students in over 30 countries.
Our mission is to bring the timeless beauty and technique of the ancient art of water-marbling to the 21st century, where art for the masses can still be a very creative, hands-on, one-of-a-kind personal experience for each individual.
Stephanie Hackney
Stephanie is responsible for US & Int’l sales of Hobbs’ craft & retail products, and for all marketing activities centered around the Hobbs Batting brand, including educating quilters and other creatives on the products Hobbs manufactures. Stephanie has shared her batting expertise through in-person lectures at most major quilt industry events, including Quilt Market, AQS Paducah and QuiltCon, and she continues to share this knowledge virtually.
Ms. Hackney has extensive experience in brand management, sales, marketing strategy and execution, and event production across a variety of industries; she’s served in numerous retail management roles; and, she enjoys giving back through non-profit fundraising.
She’s a life-long crafter who finds joy in most all kinds of making and she loves meeting other creatives and spending time creating with them.
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tabitha harper
Tabitha Harper is an artist and illustrator, studio owner, and lover of all things creative! Her driving passion is sharing the joy of creativity with kids (and the young at heart). She has taught art independently for over a decade, and has enjoyed opportunities teaching nationally for Michaels.com and Plaza Arts Online. There aren’t many art endeavors she hasn’t tried – but among her favorites are watercolor painting, printmaking & ceramics. Running McHarper Manor Studio and her online art club is a busy job, but when she’s not working you’ll probably find her somewhere outside in nature. Her crowning achievements include being mom to 4 awesome humans, 3 cats, 2 dogs, and the wife of a really cool co-studio owner.
Teresa Remple
Teresa Remple has been working with and making a living from her textile work for over 30 years. She began Texture Clothing 21 years ago and has been using sustainable fabrics and working towards zero waste since then. She became a certified life coach and is now specifically coaching makers. Teresa’s mission is to support makers, by asking open-ended questions which unlock different perspectives, so that they may realize their passions and accomplish their goals. Check out both TextureClothing.com and CraftALifeYouLove.com.
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