Introducing the Design Team

Let me introduce you to our design team. We differ from regular design teams in that we are made up of very new and less experienced cardmakers up to more experienced. We will also be having an uber talented surprise guest each challenge so you will see a wide range of skills and levels that anyone can relate to.

My name's Jack and I'm from Hampshire, UK. I've been making cards about 2 years now and LOVE stamping! I also do a bit of parchment craft and beading. I also like to get involved with card & ATC swaps on groups. I recently made my own blog so I will learn with you and have just taken the plunge to do my first blog challenge!

My name's Mandy and I live in Birmingham, UK. I have been blogging for about 2 years and completed some guest designer spots. I have also had several cards published in the reader pages of various magazines!
I have been making things since I was small but it wasn't until I saw a card making demo in 2002 and thought I could do that that I took up card making. I like trying different techniques and like bright and bold colours. I love taking part in blog challenges and love sketches as it gives me opportunity to try different styles.

My name's Joy and I'm in my 70's! I live in North Devon, UK. I've been doing various crafts since I was a small child including crochet, machine knitting, embroidery and model painting and only recently took up cardmaking. I like being involved in swaps and this will be my first challenge.

I'm Lisa and I live in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, with my husband Pav, our 2 little boys Morgan and Dexter and 2 cats. I've always been a fairly crafty person - I learnt to knit as a child and then moved onto embroidery. Just over 2 years ago we had a little boy, Harvey, who was stillborn. Needing something to focus on in the months following our loss, I wandered into a craft shop, found a cardmaking magazine and was soon well and truly hooked! I quickly progressed from one small craft box, to a set of drawers in the living room, to a whole craft room of my own, and I still don't seem to have enough room for everything. Crafty Cardmakers is my first Design Team position and I'm thrilled to be involved, I can't wait for the challenges to start!

Hi My name is Rachel aka Loopy, I have four amazing children and have been married to Chris for fifteen years.
I cross stitched for about two years before making my first
card using small stitched images. Once I made the first card I was hooked and switched to card crafting. I have
been obsessed with cardmaking and paper craft since and started in my bedroom on a desk,moved up to a small
shed and now this year moved to a 16 x 9 foot craft studio. I am still pretty new to the whole world of crafting
though as ill health often gets in the way. I am finding rubber stamping is my fave right now, I just love painting
the images and bringing them to life. I have to admit to being a gadget gimp and have many things I have no clue how to use. I will also admit to being a bit odd about card and paper stock, I hoard it then can't bear to cut into the special ones!

My name is Toria also known as Vicky. I live in a lovely part of the UK - Pembrokeshire, West Wales.
I have been into crafting for quite a few years now. I am very lucky as my Mum is into crafting too. I like to use a number of techniques among these are ribbon embroidery, Parchment Craft, Decoupage and stamping. But it is stamping that I really enjoy. Watercolour pencils, Polychromous pencils & Zest it Oil and Copic markers are my favourite mediums for colouring my stamped images in. I love glitter and try to add some to most of my designs so I always have my stardust clear pen near me at all times. I like quite a few stamp makers but Cute Companions, Magnolia and Katie Sue are my favourites. I am always eager to learn new techniques and improve those I already use. I also love to make miniature needle felted bears and chenille stem bears. My favourite colours are: Blue, Purple, Pink, Turquoise and Jade. It is funny how I keep coming back to these colours for my card making, but I try to make a point of using other colours if I can possible do so.

My name's Rose and I live in Ohio, USA. I am a wife, mother of 2, grandmother of 4. I have 2 really spoiled Golden Retrievers. I have been scrapbooking and cardmaking for approx 12 years. My grandchildren are my main subjects. I am a Respiratory Therapist and work at the local hospital. My scrapping style is all over the place. I love the shabby chic, vintage look, but my grandchildren are bright modern children, so I go with that style mainly.

My name's Vix and I've been cardmaking for 6 years, stamping for 5. I previously did cross stitch but the results weren't quick enough for me so I switched! I've been a published designer for encaustic art, won several competitions including cardmaker of the year for Makins clay category and had numerous cards published in magazines.

I love swaps and challenges and take part in several a month, I feel it improves your skills and gets you to think differently. I also like hooking up with craft buddies I meet around the net and have made tons of new friends. I like to experiment but they dont always go to plan lol! I also have a severe addiction to ink and dyes!

My name's Jenny and I am a 33 and live in Wolverhampton. I have been attempting to make cards for the last 3 years, but not made many as tend I to do personalised ones, so this is a good learning tool for me. I work for a government agency, about to start a new job in 6 weeks.

My name is Julie, I am 39 years young with a darling daughter who is only a darling when she is not in my craft box!! No we love crafting together (until she uses my favourite item). I have been crafting on and off for about 8 years now, I have gone through cross stitch, scrapbooks, sewing until I found card making and I absolutely love it. So much so for the past three years I have made my employers Christmas cards 1200 each year, ended up with sore fingers but got there in the end. I enjoy challenges. I hope you this site helps with any crafty problems you may have.

I'm Judie and im 39 nearly the big 40 lol , Married to Pete for 21 Years, have 3 kiddies, Claire 20 - Scott 18 - Nicole 4 (we thought we were covered lol - wouldnt change it for the world though) - We are in Devon, but come from Hampshire. I do lots of fundraising for Meningits research Foundation, as i would love to see a vacination against all strains of this wicked disease, It can kill within 4 hours and im passionate about this big time.

I love art and crafts end of , I now have a room to create in, I started making jewellery 3 years ago, I often make and sell these items now, I happened to buy a mag to make a valentines card for hubbie in 2008 so that would be febuary, and i have been hooked ever since, I have found it had to break into the docrafts site, as i dont have enough for the challenges on there, for example i entered PB challenge, this card took me all week only to be told that i must use a PB stamp !! I love to do challenges, but its hard to do when you dont have the stamps, I have done the wallet swap on there and that was good, I have also done the diecut swap as well, I havent got a fav technique, im really into trying any thing at the moment as i still consider myself a newbie, some of the cards out there are stunning it will be a while before I am in the bottom of that league lol - I think though im more of a sticking and glueing card maker not a stamper yet - Need to get my head around the copics and promarkers first.