So, is everyone ready to get this party started? We certainly are!
One of the most important parts of our company and its success is our design team and the talented women it contains. They are each selected because of their unique abilities and the different ways they can showcase products. This year we are making some big changes and building an even bigger team of people to bring you MORE content throughout the month, rather than just concentrated within a standard release week. With that being said, there are a few team members that you have come to love that are not necessarily listed below as part of our "core" team, but they will be continuing with us in new, exciting roles that will be announced later on in this blog series. SO don't panic!
Today I want to focus on the core group of women that will be sharing projects with you each release. There are many new faces which will quickly be counted among your favorite contributors. And of course we have our tried and true ladies, who you have already loved as part of the Papertrey family! Without a doubt, this year's team will truly be one of the best in the business. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with them and share their incredible talents with you each month.
I have asked each of the ladies to share their favorite project from the last ten years, so you would have a little eye candy today! I loved seeing what each of them selected! It's like a trip down memory lane. I hope you enjoy taking a look at them as much as I did.
Without further ado, here is the 2017 Design Team!
Betsy Veldman has been with us for several years and it has ben amazing to watch her grow. Back in the day when she just created cards, I knew she possessed something magical and urged her to dip her toe in product design. She has taken the entire industry by storm with her innovative kits and continues to wow us with her paper crafting projects. Betsy works pure magic with products and always does an amazing job coming up with creative, out of the box ways to showcase them. I am so excited to have her continuing on the team, and to see what she has up her sleeve for this year!
Dawn McVey is joining us for another season, which is an amazing blessing with the health struggles she has had the last few years. Releases wouldn't be the same without her bright pops of color, her seemingly effortless layering and of course her creative color combinations overall. Not only is Dawn an amazing contributor with her projects, she also has a way with stamp design. Most well known for her clever and thoughtful sentiments, as well as her floral set, we are looking forward to more of both from her in the coming year. Dawn's sunny disposition lights up the entire team behind the scenes and we are so glad to have her join us for another year.
Heather Nichols wins the prize for longevity! She was a member of our original design team that began ten years ago! How do you even begin to express gratitude for someone so dedicated! Heather has been another member of the team that has been a treat to see her growth as a designer over the last ten years. Although, even with all of that growth, she still stays true to her love of KRAFT!!! Heather has a unique style that is all her own, it's simple at it's core, with a touch of rustic flair. You can always recognize a Heather Nichols project or product instantly! One of the things I admire about Heather is the way she is always looking to broaden her horizons with classes and additional learning, experimentation.
Keeway Tsao is new to the team this year, and we couldn't be more thrilled! If you are unfamiliar with her work, you are in for a real treat! Her style is truly effortless and she definitely has a signature look that will leave you feeling inspired. I most appreciate her coloring skills, she is a magician with markers for sure. You will find lots of white in her designs, which gives her colorful creations a crisp backdrop that totally makes them pop. I am so looking forward to her contributions to the team this year and think all of our customers will look forward to each and every on of her posts!
Laurie Schmidlin joined us for the last few months as an interim member, but we are pleased to have her on board as a permanent part of the team! Our customers have already let us know load and clear that they have loved seeing her work the past few months. Laurie has an incredibly elaborate style that I envy greatly. She has a keen eye, right down to the last detail. I have loved seeing the color combinations she has put together and can really appreciate the effort she puts into making each creation unique and inspiring.
Lizzie Jones will also be joining us for another amazing year! Her clean and simple style has earned her hundreds of loyal followers, myself included! Not only does she bless all of us with her inspired paper crafts, she is a phenomenal product designer. She also has a special talent for stitching with felt and has shared some amazing projects in that area over the years! One of the things I love most about Lizzie is her sense of humor. There have been so many times that she has made us laugh behind the scenes and she is a true joy to have around! So thankful we get to see more from her in the coming year!
Michelle Leone is a designer I have always admired, especially with her regular contributions to our monthly Blog Hop. I cannot even begin to express how excited I was when she accepted our invitation to join the team. Her thoughtful, clean and simple style is so inspiring. She has a way of adding just that special touch, a unique finishing detail that brings her projects to a whole new level. I'm so thrilled that she will be working with us in this capacity, and I know all of our customers will love getting to know her better too!
Melissa Phillips is back and better than ever for another year on our team! Her signature style is recognized throughout the industry as hers alone, and it is a huge honor whenever she works with any of our products. She has perfected the shabby chic look to perfection and can use pink in ways you could never imagine! One thing you may not know about Melissa is that she is AMAZING with throwing our one-liners that will make you laugh out loud. I can't count the number of times behind the scenes that she has made us all smile. What a treat it is for all of us to get to work with her again, and even more of a treat for you, the customers, who get to be inspired by her artistry every month!
Stephanie Gold is known for her submission to our recent Star Search video contest, and now she will be a regular contributor here on the team! She wins the award for being most enthusiastic after receiving an invitation to join the team! That enthusiasm paired with her talent and creativity will quickly make her a strong member of our team. One of the things I love most about Stephanie's creations is the unique pairings she comes up with. Something shabby-chic, paired with something modern, bringing opposites together and making them look like they were meant to be. That takes a special eye, and Stephanie certainly has it! It's going to be a great year with her on the team!
Wanda Guess is another new member of the team, but surely not a stranger within the paper crafting community. Wanda is one of those designers that just has it all. She is able to execute several different kinds of styles and really excels at showing off the versatility of a product. She has a special talent for putting patterns and colors together, which I have always admired. I can already tell that Wanda is a hard worker who always puts her all into everything she does. To have her on the team is such a huge honor and I know her creations will always inspire me as well as all of you this coming year!
So there you have our main Design Team for 2017! I have a feeling that it is going to be an incredible year, and YOU, the customer will get to reap all of the benefits!
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!
Now that the team has shared their favorite projects, we want to see YOURS!
Go through your photos or your actual projects and select the one Papertrey project that you are most proud of. Share it with us in the Inlinkz list below and you will have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate! Only one project entry per person please.
For an alternate/additional way to win, leave us a comment about what your favorite Papertrey product is from the last ten years. We will also randomly select a winner from the comments for an additional $25 gift certificate.
You have until 7am ET, February 21st to add your photo and/or comment. Winners will be selected that morning and posted on a special "Celebrating the Past, Present & Future: Winners" post the next morning, 7am ET, February 22nd. We can't wait to see your projects!
