Bethany DeLong
Thanks for the wonderful opportunity! After several years of being out of the "crafting" loop I came back strong by including my love of sewing, clay, paper craft, graphic design, and photography with the readers of my blog "Mother of the Munchkins" that covers everything from my humourous take on parenthood, to my freelance writing and continuous research into the WAH (work at home) field. I am self-taught and approach my crafting with humor and realistic expectations.
While I'm not afraid to try anything new and I am a huge fun of Polymer clay and have sold many pieces over the years as I continue to grow with the medium. Currently I'm re-teaching myself to sew using a machine after years of sewing exclusively by hand. Many years ago I hand sewed and sold bears; today I'm hoping to do the same, minus the hand part as such enormous projects are torture on the hands. I also love collage work and like to incorporate such in my graphic design using Photo Impact software both on my blog and for the creation of web pages, which is also a small, but productive side business that I immensley enjoy. My next road is to make clothing both for my children and myself.
I am currently entrenched at home fighting the good war against the gimmes and the I-don't-wannas. I blog recklessly, as all mothers of children under the age of six should, and have been working on that "supposed" great American novel, times a dozen, when not being distracted with crafts, graphic design and my weekly column, Mother of the Munchkins published in the Daily Advocate.
Peggy Redwine
Experience
I mainly crochet and have for the past 14 years I have even written some patterns though they are not published. I have one I would be willing to offer for free if you need it. I have done some ceramic painting with acrylic paints. I also know how to make reed woven baskets though just on a simple level. But if you need someone to look up and write about a particular craft that someone is not writing about let me know and I will research it. Like I said though crochet is actually my strongest craft.
Bio
I am 54 years old and a mother of 2 boys,one is 34 and the other one is 20. The 34 year old has a wife and two kids. I used to work full time until 2 years ago when I had a terrible car wreck that left me with a bad right leg. When I healed I heard about ChaCha and started working for them in October 2006. I enjoy doing crafts primarily crochet, ceramic acrylic painting, and basketweaving. I have done a little bit of knitting and tatting but still learning on these. I used to sell my crocheting some years ago and used to crochet 4 to 12 hours a day.
Susan Bowman
Experience
I have been doing crafts for many years from my home. I have been in a juried craft shows, meaning they judge your work before you are accepted to participate. It is time consuming and involves many hours of work, which I love. I am very artistic and love to create. It is actually something I am good at and have made money doing this from home. Lately I have been more into taking orders and making my crafts for family and friends instead of shows. I worked for 5 years as a floral designer for a local florist. I learned many things while there. I am able to do florals for Weddings, every aspect of it, and all other occasions you need flowers for, right down to funerals. Sadly that is the quickest way to make the most money in the floral business. Also, everything I learned at the floral shop is very helpful when doing arangements in silk. It all works the same way as if they were fresh. I do silk arrangements such as centerpieces for holidays and special occassions. I also paint ceramics. I have learned how to pour, clean and fire my own ceramics and then paint them. Handcrafted from the beginning. (Dollar stores are killing us) I take great pride in my work and am very fussy about quality and perfection. I know I am not perfect but I do try in my crafts. I do crafts with kids. There are so many things to list. But since it is Christmas I can give you these examples of the things I make on my own and with my family. I make tons of bows by hand, wreaths, small decorated Christmas trees, gift baskets, centerpieces for tables, homemade garlands for my home from fresh greens I cut from around my house. I actually had ladies stop at my house to ask me where I bought it. I make ornaments for the tree, I paint ceramic pencil santas and snowmen this time of year. I decorate straw angels. A joke a few my other crafty friends and I have is " Martha Who" Anything Martha Stewart can do we can do better and cheaper. Well, we think so. :)
As this Blog progresses through out the year there are so many different things to do to keep it interesting and moving along. January is by far the slowest month and most dreary. People tend to be misserable and looking for things to do. Different cheerful winter crafts will be listed. Then we move into February and Valentine's Day and so on. It just keeps changing and moving along. I have something for every holiday and season and special occassion. The possibilities are endless. I am really excited about this and can't wait to get started.
Bio
My Name is Susan, I am a stay at home mom and wife with 4 beautiful children and a wonderful husband. I have been doing crafts for over 10 years from my home. I have participated in many juried craft shows in the past. I was a Floral Designer, in a busy flower shop, for 5 years.
Jodi Alderson
Experience
I am going to start by telling you what I DON'T do: I don't paint with great detail. I don't sew (yet). I don't crochet (yet). I am not into stamping (very much) or scrapping (very much).
However, I do stamp, scrap, sew, and paint. I just don't know much about those. I love to knit most of all, but I also love to make little crafts from time to time. I have a few projects in the works (a knitted blanket, some cinnamon applesauce ornaments, a no-sew knotted blanket, a candycane wreath, etc.). I am one of those people who sees something in a magazine or in a store and decides it's a better idea for me to make it myself and make it more personable.
Bio
I am a wife and a mother of one (19 months old and very sick and weepy right now). Currently, I live in Fort Worth, TX with my family and our dog (a little peekapoo), although I am originally from the Great White North as my husband so lovingly calls it (I grew up in Michigan). I have been crafting nearly all my life, picking up most things from my mother. I used to incorporate many of my crafts into my lesson plans when I taught in small private grade school in Illinois and plan to do much crafting with my daughter when she's a little older.
