New Reporter Bios

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How about we all get to know some of our new reporters? I promise these are in no particular order (just how they popped into my email inbox). So please read these bios, visit their blogs, and give these fabulous ladies a great Craft Critique welcome!


Nicole Seitler : Webmaster and Digi Specialist

My name is Nicole Seitler. I’m a 31 year-old work-at-home wife and mother to two beautiful children. I’m originally from Florida, but now I live with my family in beautiful Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

I discovered the art of rubber stamping when a girlfriend sent me a pack of handmade baby thank you cards after my daughter was born. I had never considered myself to be a crafty person before, but rubber stamping really appealed to me and I fell in love. Since then, my passion for all sorts of handmade things has exploded. Now I knit, stamp, scrapbook, sew and even quilt. What a blast it's been! Then one day, I stumbled on to the wonderful world of Digital Scrapbooking. I now have my own digital scrapbooking shop, Sugarplum Paperie. It's a dream come true! But one of the main reasons I'm here on Craft Critique is that my husband and I are rather geeky and know a bit about web design. So, I'll be lending a hand here not only as a "digi reporter," but as webmaster, as well. I'm honored to be here!

Susie Zeigler : Fabric Specialist

I'm a lifelong crafty-person. I tend to make fiber-art things that involve needles, hooks, or thread. If your Grandma knew a particular fiber craft, chances are that it's on my list of things to make. My crafty interests are in quilting, embroidery, crochet, light sewing,and some knitting. Papercraft and gooey-gluey things do not tempt me quite as much, but I've been known to try those too! I am a once-and-future elementary school teacher, but I've been home in the far northwest suburbs of Chicago with my 2 school-aged children avoiding housework for more than a a decade.


Katie Renz : Staff Reporter

Hi, my name is Katie Renz and I live in Bellingham, WA. with my husband of almost 15 years. We have an 8 year old son and twin 2 year old boys that keep us busy.
My sister was the one that introduced me to scrapbooking years ago. I really enjoyed it and have dabbled in it for the past 7 years. It wasn't until we decided that I would stay home full time a little over a year ago with the twins that I began to focus on my papercrafting. Within this past year my hobby has become a full time obsession. I have recently joined the blogging world as well and have enjoyed this avenue for meeting as well as sharing my passion with people from all over the world.
I am excited to be included in Craft Critique's vision. As a craft enthusiast I have always enjoyed reading what other people's experience and opinions were about products that I was thinking about using myself. I am looking forward to sharing my opinions and thoughts with all of you.


Sara McKenzie : Staff Reporter

I'm Sara McKenzie, living in the suburbs west of Boston, Massachusetts with my two standard poodles, Truman and Margaux.
I've been doing crafty things as long as I can remember! It started with sewing and knitting, and grew from there to include every kind of needlework, ceramics, polymer clay, jewelry-making, stained glass... You name it and I've tried it! I've found a long-lasting interest in the artistic use of rubber stamps, and have created a business based on my passion for crafts, called Sara Jane's Studio. I teach classes locally, and am developing online tutorials as well. Happily, I make books, boxes, jewelry, cards, journals, home decor, and anything else that can be fabricated from paper or cardstock, fiber, embellishments, rubber stamps, ink, and a little glue.


Nancy Beyer : Assistant Vendor Coordinator and General Craft Specialist

I am Nan. A survivor of many challenging events. Lover of: Pugs, Starbucks, Cubs, technology, magazines, stickers, my home, embellishments, traveling, scrapping, plain M&M's, fabric, photography, art, sewing, history, reading non-required books, movies, cropping events, basically all things crafty, words, writing, Antique Safari's, finding new crafting vendors and "things", shopping, talking to friends, Gossip Girl and my 4 channel television, Procurement, and all things anglophiley(lover of British STUFF). I live in the Chicago 'burbs with my Pug, Aine (a.k.a. Britannia Aine Grainne Sasha or B.A.G.S.).


Mary Chong : Staff Reporter

I'm Mary and I'm a professional graphic designer in the medical communications field and reside in Ontario, Canada. I have been married for 18 years to a wonderful man who understands (tolerates) my addiction to paper, and have no children, leaving plenty of free time for scrapping! I have been published six times and won first place in the Craft Critique 2007 Celebrations contest with my "GaGa Over You" round mini book album in a box. An active blogger, I have 3 paper-craft related blogs running simultaneously. I also keep busy teaching rubber stamping and scrapbooking at my local scrapbooking store and am member of the stores design team.

I think there are many great and not-so-great products out there and as a consumer, it is important to make an informed decision and spend your money wisely. The world of crafts changes with each season, you have to keep up with trends and products if you want to stay current as a paper crafter. As a staff reporter with Craft Critique, I hope to give readers a fun, informative, and unbiased user review that you can count on. So scrap on, and I look forward to seeing you on the site!