Lisa Leonard started her hand-crafted jewelry business when her boys were very little so she could have the flexibility to work and spend lots of time with them. Eight years later, she continues to create unique, custom keepsakes that have been featured in several national magazines and are worn by celebrities. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and meant to be treasured.
Contact:
Web: www.lisaleonardonline.com
Twitter: @lisaleonard
Lisa McCue is one of today’s most sought-after illustrators. In the past 30 years, Lisa has illustrated more than 175 books for children, and has written and illustrated the bestselling Quiet Bunny books. In addition to Quiet Bunny, McCue has created many of today’s most recognizable children’s book characters, such as the world of Corduroy, Cork & Fuzz, and Fuzzytails. She has received numerous awards for her work, including many awards for Best Book of the Year, CCBC Choice Books, and the Junior Library Guild Premium Selection. Many of Lisa’s books have also been selected by the Society of Illustrators for the Original Art Show, featuring the best art in children’s books.
Lisa’s artwork appears on many licensed products—including fabrics, greeting cards, gift tins, wrapping paper, clothing, puzzles, home décor, and a number of plush toys fashioned after her popular characters.
Contact:
Web: http://www.lisamccueillustrator.com
Lizzy House is a lover of many things. Among these things are: sea salt, Mountain Valley Sparkling Water, farmers markets, traveling, sleeping, quilting, petting her cat Finn, giving people presents, tweeting, making things out of office supplies, Vince Guaraldi, Powells Books, the Legend of Zelda, ribbon, and cake. Not yet listed, but not to be forgotten, is her extreme love of printmaking, which led her to seek a Bachelor of Fine Arts on the subject.
A well-known textile designer, Lizzy, uses her know how, enthusiasm, and love of sharing to bring you the e-book, How to Enter the World of Textile Design, “In hopes that it will help you accomplish all that your heart desires in the quilting industry.” Lizzy can usually be found writing lists, sleeping on airplanes, cracking herself up, or planning parties.
Contact:
Web: http://lizzyhouse.typepad.com/
Twitter: @Lizzyhouse
Lori Beitler and Susan Pestrichello founded Stitchuary after their interest in knitting took them to the New York Sheep & Wool Festival, a place that piqued their curiosity in “yarns from local farms.” To begin, they compiled a list of breeders and independent farmers from across the United States to bring hard-to-find artisanal yarns to a broad audience of knitters who might not otherwise have access to these products. Stitchuary.com, an e-commerce site, was then created so knitters could attain breed specific small–batch yarns year-round. At Stitchuary.com, knitters can select yarn to purchase by region, breed, yarn weight, color, blend, and more.
Contact:
Web: www.stitchuary.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Stitchuary
Twitter: @stitchuary
Marilyn Scott-Waters loves making things out of paper. Between 2,000 and 7,000 visitors frequent Marilyn’s popular website each day, http://thetoymaker.com, downloading more than six million of her easy-to-make paper toys. Her goal is to help parents and children spend time together making things. Her first self-published book, The Toymaker: Paper Toys that You Can Make Yourself, was a bestselling paper toy book on Amazon.com. The book sold out two print runs, and was picked up as a series by Sterling Publishing in 2010. Marilyn is the creator of the paper toy craft book series The Toymaker’s Christmas: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling, 2010), and The Toymaker’s Workshop: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling, 2011). She is also the co-creator of the fully illustrated middle-grade nonfiction series, Haunted Histories, forthcoming from Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. Ms. Scott-Waters illustrated The Search for Vile Things (Scholastic), and created paper engineering for Pop & Sniff Fruit (Piggy Toes Press). She was also recently featured on Career Day a nationally syndicated program for children produced by Entertainment Studios. She is represented by Jamie Weiss Chilton of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, http://andreabrownlit.com. Marilyn lives in Costa Mesa, California, with her husband and fourteen-year-old son.
Contact:
Web: www.thetoymaker.com
Blog: www.thetoymakersjournal.blogspot.com
Email: msw@scottwatersdesign.com
Mary Hettmansperger is a fiber and jewelry artist who teaches in the U.S. and internationally—Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Singapore. She has taught for Arrowmont, Penland, Bead and Button, Convergence, national and regional fiber conferences, at art and craft schools, and for private guilds. Mary has authored and illustrated three books: Fabulous Woven Jewelry, Mixed Metal Jewelry Workshop, and Wrap, Stitch, Fold and Rivet, all published by Lark/Sterling. Currently, Mary is working on two more books, including a new jewelry book due to be released in Spring of 2012, and an art quilt book that will be released in Fall of 2012—titles coming soon! Her work has been featured in many other books: Jewelry Design Challenge, 500 Baskets, Fiber Arts Design Book 7, the Gourd Book, Creative Scarecrows, Pushing the Envelope, Fabulous Found Object Jewelry, Teapots – Makers and Collectors, Beading with Crystals, and Creative Beading Volume 2. Mary’s creative designs have also been mentioned in magazines, including Quilting Arts, Art Jewelry, Bead and Button, Beadwork, Shuttle Spindle & Dye Pot, and Crafts Report. Mary has exhibited her work at SOFA, through the Katie Gingrass Gallery, and she is a frequent contributor to the PBS shows Beads Baubles & Jewels, and Quilting Art.
Contact:
Web: www.maryhetts.com
MaryJane Butters was instrumental in creating the present-day organic movement in America. She was chair of one of the first state-sanctioned organic advisory boards and is proud to say her first organic inspection certificate listed her as “grower #8.” Born to a large, self-sufficient family in Utah, she was raised on homegrown food and knew from the tender age of five that she would grow up to be an organic farmer. But her real passion is that of teacher. Featured in The New Yorker in 2004, a lengthy article stated, “MaryJane Butters, a natural teacher, has a gift for simplification, and makes it seem that everything she does is easy and attainable.” Those who’ve attended her non-profit Pay Dirt Farm School, now in its 14th year, all agree.
Matthew Mead is a noted style expert, lifestyle editor, writer, author, and photographer. The former style editor of Country Home magazine, Matthew recently launched his own magazine. Serving as the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the new quarterly publication Holiday with Matthew Mead (visit the website at www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com), Matthew brings with him a vast and varied experience in the magazine and publishing industry. Currently the official food photographer for the Associated Press, Matthew is a regular contributor to HGTV.com and Better Homes and Gardens publications and, as co-editor, led the creative direction of the 2010 issue of Flea Market Style magazine. Matthew has also written several books and produced countless magazine spreads and ad campaigns for noted companies such as Pottery Barn, Dove Chocolate, Target, and Stonewall Kitchen
Contact:
Web: www.matthewmeadstyle.com
Melanie Falick is the editorial director of STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books, which is part of Stewart, Tabori & Chang and Abrams Books. She is also the author of numerous books, including Weekend Knitting, Kids Knitting, and Knitting in America, in addition to serving as the former editor-in-chief of Interweave Knits magazine.
Contact:
www.melaniefalickbooks.com
Melody is a fourth-generation Idaho girl and has been an artist from the time she could hold a crayon in her hand, knowing from the age of five that she wanted to grow up and combine beautiful colorful images with her love of words. At the age of 18, Melody began to sell painted works, and in 1997 at the age of 25, she started a worldwide product design and publishing business called Chatterbox. Through Chatterbox, she authored and published 15 books, manufactured and sold thousands of products that have become collectors items, and won countless awards for product innovation. Melody’s art, products, and books have been featured on television programs and in countless magazines. In 2009, Melody stepped away from Chatterbox to start Brave Girls Club, a worldwide organization that combines art with life skills to help women create the lives they want to live. Melody now licenses several product lines in arts and crafts, books, and home decor–including an extensive gift line with Demdaco and a new fabric line with Blend.
Contact:
Web: http://bravegirlsclub.com/
