Introducing the Design Team

I am thrilled to say that the seven talented ladies invited to join me on the Design Team from January 2014 have all accepted.

Let me introduce ourselves:

Hazel

'I'm Hazel, known in the crafting world as Craftyhazelnut. I live in Bromley, part of Greater London in the UK. I'm 66 and am married to John, who fully supports me in my obsession for accumulating (and using) crafting goodies. I've always been interested in crafting in one form or another; when I was younger I did a lot of knitting, embroidery, crocheting etc but over the past thirteen years or so have been more involved in papercrafting, particularly cardmaking, although I dabble in scrapbooking from time to time.

Three years ago I started my weekly Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenges to help me focus on making Christmas cards throughout the year - I always need a large stock by September/October as I sell to raise money for charity, particularly for Tearfund. Having successfully run the weekly Christmas challenge blog for two years, I started the monthly Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge extra blog where it's always 'anything goes as long as it's Christmas'. I have been overwhelmed at the response and decided by the end of the year that I need a Design Team, so here we are!

Deanne

My name is Deanne Clarke-Saunders. My hubby and I live in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. I’m an elementary teacher but currently not working. I have always enjoyed playing with paper, scissors, glue, and ESPECIALLY crayons and pencil crayons, ever since I’ve been a small child. I just couldn’t stop playing, so I continued by scrapbooking and card-making! I love it!!! My hubby calls me a paper hoarder. He just MAY be right, but I’d never tell him that!!! A man doesn’t need to know he’s right!!! haha!

Heather

I'm so excited to be joining the brand new Design Team for Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra. I live in Southern Rhode Island (USA) with my wonderful husband and three adorable girls. I started making cards about 12 years ago when someone introduced me to Stampin' Up! but really fell in love with papercrafting about 5 years ago. I stick mainly to card making, though every once in a while I foray off into the 'off the page' world. I thought originally that I would get into scrapbooking and that has just never happened. I am training up the next generation of paper crafters as my oldest daughter is starting to create cards on her own. And whatever the younger two see her doing, that is what they want to do. We go through a LOT of paper and tape at our house!

Helen

My name is Helen and I've been a card maker for many years. I particularly love stamping and Promarkers and my style is mostly clean and simple. I work for my local Abbeyfield Society as an activities coordinator and also teach card making workshops for Little Claire at weekends. As well as Little Claire, I'm also lucky enough to design for Pink Gem, Nutcrafters, Crafts-Too and Card Creations Plus and I'm part of the team for several challenge blogs. I love making Christmas cards and am really excited to be part of the team for Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra Challenge.

Renate

My name is Renate Valstar. I live in The Netherlands, at the westcoast near the sea. I've been married and I have a son and a daughter. I'll created cards for a few years. Starting with 3-D, now the most of my cards are made with stamps. I am very pleased that I've been asked for the DT team.

Rocky

I've been making things for as long as I can remember thanks to the encouragement from my Mum. I've tried all sorts of crafts but papercraft is my favourite. I'm a freelance demonstrator and designer based in Norfolk, England with my Husband, Son and Cat. I belong to a few design teams but this is my first Christmas one and I'm really excited to have a reason to make Christmassy projects all year round.

Rose

Hi, my name is Rose and I am married to a wonderful man that not only supports my crafty (obsession) hobby but encourages it. We are empty nester's with just our two spoiled fur babies Precious and Q left at home.

I am thrilled that Hazel has asked me to be on her design team as I love making Christmas cards all year long.

Suze

Hello! My name is Suze and I live in New Zealand.

I have been card-making off and on for a number of years since a friend introduced me to rubber stamps although I now work mostly with digi stamps. My style is mainly CAS but I'm trying to learn new techniques. I first started blogging my cards in February 2012 so that I could enter some challenges. I initially started with mainly Christmas challenges to take the pressure off at the end of the year but have since found several others that have appealed to me. Since I live on the other side of the world, so many of the challenges are the opposite season to ours which certainly makes things interesting!

I am so looking forward to this new phase of CHNC challenge extra. Please give these ladies a warm welcome.

Meanwhile, the December challenge continues here - please click on the link or scroll down to see it and join in with your entries. There are already well over 500 entries .... please keep them coming!