Introducing the 2024 Inspiration Team

Candi VanDerWerf 

Hi, I am Candi VanDerWerf  and I am the Inspiration Team Leader for 2024.  I live in a small town on the banks of the Mississippi River in NE Iowa.  I live with my sweetheart; Tom and our pup; Fletch.  We have four grown children ranging from ages 24-30 and recently added our first grandchild.  Like many I started in scrapbooking and have transitioned to mostly Card making.  I love all things Brutus Monroe, my favorite things are stencils, Pearl Aqua Pigment, Fairy Dust Embossing Powder and Fallen Snow/Unicorn Horn Glitter Glazes.  You can find me usually in my craft room on the weekends.  Besides cardmaking, I love to watch movies, bake, listen to music and read.  

Follow Candi:

Instagram: @sugarcards

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SugarCardsbyCandi 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sugarcardsbycandi/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SugarCardsCandiVDW/ 

Blog: https://sugarcardsbycandi.blogspot.com/ 

Jessica Vittek

Hello! I am Jessica, and I have been paper crafting for over 20 years. My aunt got me started with this hobby, and we have been enjoying it together ever since. I am a veterinarian by day and love animals- but paper is my other passion! I love purple and anything with glitter! I live in Ohio (less than an hour from the Brutus Monroe store!) with my husband and our 4 furbabies (2 dogs and 2 cats). I feel blessed to be able to share my love of this hobby with crafters from all over!

Follow Jessica: 

Instagram: @purple_puppy_papercrafting 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@purplepuppypapercrafting-j9075 

Blog: https://purplepuppypapercrafting.com/

Lisa Newman

Hello! My name is Lisa Newman, I live in Northwest Iowa.  I am pleased to announce this is my second year as a member of Brutus Monroe Design Team.  Many, many moons ago, I did A little scrapbooking and card making, however, at that time I had other interests. 

When Covid reared, its ugly face, and we were pretty much homebound; I knew I had to find a hobby. It was then, I purchased a huge craft haul and that was the start of it. I started simply with stamping and a cheap set of markers. I created cards using pattern, paper, and die cuts. I came across the set of alcohol markers and did a little experimenting, and started to love the blends. Gradually, I transitioned to Copic markers. I started to get obsessed with all the cute stamps. Stamping and coloring brings so much joy to me and truly puts me in my happy place.

Follow Lisa

Instagram: @lisa.newman.560

Danielle Dunlop

Hi, I'm Danielle Dunlop and I live with my husband Tanner and dog Blink on Saba, a 5 sq mile Dutch Caribbean island. We have a small restaurant that keeps us busy, but to keep my sanity I love to make cards. I have always been creative, and started scrapbooking in 2001, but since 2018 card making has been my main creative outlet. I’m thrilled to be on the Brutus Monroe team, the stamp designs and stencils are amazing and I love the different mixed media products! If I'm not creating, you can find me with our dog somewhere near the ocean. I lived my entire life close to the ocean and I can't imagine it being any other way.

Follow Danielle

Instagram: @danielledunlop21

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danielledunlop21 

Lori Wolfe

I’m Lori. I’m a retired physician who lives in northeastern South Carolina. My husband and I have three grown sons and one granddaughter. We live with our two Australian shepherds and our Ragdoll cat.

I’ve loved art from an early age. One of the first things I remember asking for as a present was the Crayola 64 crayon box with the sharpener on the back. I still love all the colors! I’ve been a card maker since 2018. When I’m not making cards, I love to go to the beach, crochet, or read.

Follow Lori

Instagram: @coast_2_coast_cards

Blog: https://coast2coastcards.blogspot.com/ 

Walter Zemrock

I'm a finance professional by day and avid paper crafter by night living in the suburbs of Boston, MA.  I'm also a dog dad to two beautiful rescues - Sophia and Baxter. Paper crafting is a meditative yet creative way for me to take a break from days filled with spreadsheets and analysis. My favorite crafting style is working with vintage elements to create cards, journals, and mixed media projects.  My favorite Brutus Monroe crafting goodies include the Chroma Mists, Chroma Glaze, embossing powders (especially Gilded!), and stencils.  When not crafting, I enjoy cooking, reading, long walks with the dogs, and spending time with family & friends.

Follow Walter:

Instagram: @zemstones.by.walter

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zemstones.by.walter

TikTok:@walter_z_74

Blog: https://zemstonesbywalter.blogspot.com

Sarah Wyles

Hey everyone, my name is Sarah Wyles. I live in the south but was raised in the Northwest and miss it. I have 4 kiddos, ranging from 7-19 and man are they goofy! I love having all of them around and watching all the funny things they do and with how different they are. I love every bit of it! When it comes to crafting, I love to scrapbook, make cards, play in my art journal, and just play with pretty things. I love the outlet that crafting gives you and the fact that I can keep things nice and clean or get down and dirty with mixed media! I started as a scrapbooker, moved to DIYing, memory journal, mixed media, and cards! I love it all! Outside of crafting I love to read, listen to music and be outdoors as much as I can be!

Follow Sarah

Instagram URL: @mother0froyalty

Blog URL: http://scrappinmylittleroyals.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook Page URL: https://www.facebook.com/scrappinmylittleroyals 

Pinterest URL: https://www.pinterest.com/mother0froyalty 

YouTube Channel URL: https://www.youtube.com/@sarahwyles/ 

TikTok:@sarahwscrappin

Jen Schoolcraft

Hi!  My name is Jen and I love to create!  In 2017 my mom showed me the magic of heat embossing and I've been hooked on cardmaking ever since. I love the creative process, learning new things and pushing myself out of my comfort zone.  On a personal note, I live in beautiful Arizona with my husband, three boys, two dogs and one bearded dragon. I'm a medical coder by day and am lucky that I get to work from home.  I've got the best canine co-workers!  I'm super excited for the opportunity to be on the Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team and I hope that I can inspire you to make pretty, crafty things!

Follow Jen:

Instagram @jennlesschoolcraft

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JenleeCardmaking

TikTok @jenleexo

Blog https://www.jenleeschoolcraft.com/

Samantha Reed

Hi My name is Samantha.  I reside in the "Sunshine State'' with my wonderful soulmate. I discovered cardmaking while browsing through some local shops. Who knew that patterned papers and embellishments could bring such joy into one's life? I embarked on a papercraft journey and I am hooked! I consider myself a tactile person which is why I love creating with textures and dimensions.

Follow Samantha

Instagram: @samiamcards

Blog: https://samiamcards.blogspot.com/ 

Dana Tatar

Hi! I'm Dana Tatar and I currently live in Ohio with my husband and two teenage children. What started as a love of scrapbooking for me has expanded to include mini albums, mixed-media pieces, and art journaling. I'm greatly inspired by song lyrics, quotes from my favorite authors, and pop culture references. When I'm not creating art, I enjoy baking, reading, and spending time in my garden with my family and basset hound, Peach. You can follow my blog at datatar.blogspot.com and find me on Instagram @danatatar.

Follow Dana

Instagram: @danatatar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheyCallMeTatarSalad

Blog: https://datatar.blogspot.com/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@danatatar881  

Sara 

Hello Everyone! My name is Sara, Sara Scraps on most social media platforms. I'm so happy to be joining the Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team! I am 44 (super close to 45) years old, and have been happily married for 25 years. My husband and I have 2 boys, ages 23 and 17. We are also pet parents to 3 dogs…or as I like to call them, my 3 other children. I have been scrapbooking as a hobby for over 20 years and have been a YouTuber and scrappy content creator for about 8 years. I love to teach and interact with all of my subscribers and members on my YouTube channel and hope that you will all come and say hi!

Follow Sara

YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@SaraScraps 

IG- @sara.scraps

FB- https://www.facebook.com/sara.scraps.9 

FB Group -  https://www.facebook.com/groups/rediscoveryourstash/ 

Najala 

Hello, I am Najala and I am honored to be part of Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team 2024. I live in El Paso Texas with my husband and 3 kids, and 3 wonderful dogs. As you’ve probably heard from many other crafters as well, I too started crafting with scrapbook projects, then ventured into a variety of categories such as mixed media arts, Tumbler cups, Cricut, T-shirt designs, sewing, spray painting art, and the list goes on. Some of my favorite Brutus Monroe products are the Aqua Pigments (OMG), stencils, and of course the stick and stamp mat. My craft room is also my spa room getaway room and frequently my secret spot to watch Golden Girls. During my free time, I'm rather crafting, occasionally training my service dog, or laughing, playing, and spending time with my family.

Follow Najala

IG:@segurascrafts

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seguras.crafts

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@segurascraftings

Blog: https://www.segurascrafts.com

Annie Collins

Hello  Friends, my name is Annie Collins and I have been crafting all my life. I started at 4 years old sewing with my mother. My passion for crafting and sharing continued to grow over the years. I love paper crafting the most. I live in sunny Florida with my fantastic family. My husband, our 3 children, son in-law, and 2 grandchildren.  I can't wait to share some projects and be inspired by all of you.

Follow Annie

Blog: https://littlewingscreates.blogspot.com/ 

Instagram: @anniec09

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anniec09 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/acollins01/

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/AnnieCollins09

Angie Valle-Peters

Hi! My name is Angie Valle-Peters. This is my second term designing for Brutus Monroe, and I am delighted to be a part of this amazing group of artists. I live in Miami, Florida with my two sisters and our pup Lily. I am an attorney by trade but my passion is crafting. I began my paper crafting journey with scrapbooking and transitioned to card making several years later. I love to crochet, read, and I recently began gardening. My favorite Brutus Monroe products are the Alabaster Glitter Glaze and the monthly dies. 

Follow Angie

Instagram: @angievallepeters70

Donna Tuschoff

Hello all, I am Donna Tuschoff (DonnaTCrafting on Socials) and I am very excited to be a part of the Brutus Monroe Inspiration Team.  I started papercrafting about 30 years ago with scrapbooking.   Card making started shortly after but went on hold for about 15 years to adopt and raise my wonderful daughters.  Both girls are now in college so I started card making again in 2023.   We live in St. Louis, MO with our dog, Sadie and my youngest daughter’s cat, Pumpkin.  When I started back cardmaking, I found Brutus Monroe.   I love the detail of the stamps and am obsessed with the stencils and mixed media items.  I love to experiment with all kinds of techniques!!

Follow Donna

IG - @donnatcrafting

FB - https://www.facebook.com/DonnaT31gifts 

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DonnaTCrafting 

Blog - https://donnatcrafting.blogspot.com/ 

Jill Patel

Hello everyone! My name is Jill Patel. I live in Minneapolis,  Minnesota with my husband and two kids! My son is 5 and I just recently had my daughter. I have been crafting ever since I was little and have dabbled in a little bit of everything from painting,  digital illustration, crochet to papercraft. My craft room has quickly become my safe haven and I enjoy cardmaking since it's a quick project that leaves a big impact! I love working with different mediums and finding inspiration in everyday things.  Aside from crafting, I love reading and spending time with my family.  

Follow Jill

Instagram: @tinytreasureworkshop

Blog: https://tinytreasureworkshop.blogspot.com/

Bea 

My name is Bea, and I love to craft! I have been crafting since 2005 when my first child was born, and she clearly needed a scrapbook. I absolutely adore card making now, I enjoy sending them out to people and to organizations too. Coloring is my passion, so you’ll see a lot of scenes because it’s where I find the most joy when crafting. My nemesis are CAS cards, but one day I will make the perfect one in my eyes 😍 I have 3 kids, a dog and a husband. During the day I work, from home so allows flexibility, I also homeschool and proud to say we graduated our first child this past Summer 🥳 During the night and free time, I get lost in my craft room and can spend hours and hours there. My favorite color is purple, I love the beach, dogs (well, all animals really!). I have a bubbly personality once you get to know me. I love to teach, and discover new things. I can’t wait to show you my projects and I hope they serve some inspiration to get you creating too. 

Follow Bea

Instagram @creativemindjournaling 

TikTok: @creativemindjournaling 

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@creativemindjournaling

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003094517286 

Melissa 

I’m  Melissa and I live in Central Florida with my little Shih Tzu, Charlie.  I’m a mom of 3 adult children; my oldest son is 28 and in the Navy, my daughter is 25 and lives in LA - she wanted an adventure and my youngest son is 24 and lives here in Florida near me.  None have made me a grandmother yet but I’m anxiously waiting.

I have been papercrafting since my oldest was born, starting out scrapbooking.  I discovered stamping when my daughter was born, having attended a DOTS (former name for Close to my Heart) stamp party.  I was hooked!  I became a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator and did that for 10 years.  But I discovered so many other companies and products that I left the SU! box and went wild! 

I love making cards, art journal pages and my latest passion is making mini-albums.  My favorite Brutus Monroe products are mainly tools!  I love the blender brushes- they’re great for detail work and the handle is long enough that it doesn’t hurt my hand.  The stamp sticky mat is a must in my toolbox.  And I really love the foil transfer designs. 

I’m in my craft room all the time, it doubles as my home office as I do work full time but lucky enough I get to work from home.  In addition to paper craft I enjoy crochet, cross stitch, audiobooks and watching Hallmark movies.  

Follow Melissa

Instagram: @stampedbym

Blog: https://stampitscrapitshareit.blogspot.com/ 

Shalana Glass

Hello! My name is Shalana Glass. I am originally from CA, however I've called PA home for the last 30 years. I have two daughters, Aria and Kayla and a granddaughter Alaya. I am a Sr. Regional HR Manager by day and a card maker machine by night. I tapped into my creative side years ago when I began scrapbooking to preserve memories. I later found I could use the same products to make cards, GENIUS!! Card making became my new found passion!! Cards are a blessing in disguise. Automatic smile creator! I love stamping, coloring and trying new techniques. I am beyond excited to join the Design Team!! after

Follow Shalana

Youtube:  www.youtube.com/@sglass19082

Instagram: @sglass1908
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shalanaglass
TikTok:@sglass1908
Blog: https://scrappinwithshalana.blogspot.com/

Amalia Montano

Follow Amalia

Instagram @cool_cakes_and_crafts

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@CoolCakesandCraftswithAmalia1

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/coolcakesandcrafts