Jennifer Schaerer
For almost five years we’ve had a group of four incredibly talented ladies share clever tips, amazing projects, and inspiring ideas with us in every issue. As our Paper Crafts Pros, Alisa Bangerter, Wendy Johnson, Kim Kesti and Susan Neal have also been in touch with you on our blog and as instructors at our Creating Keepsakes Conventions.
Although they’ve been right alongside us during the growth and change at Paper Crafts, Alisa, Wendy and Susan let us know several months ago that they are ready to take flight toward new adventures in the paper crafting universe and will be stepping away from their commitments to the magazine. As Founding Paper Crafts Pros you’ll still be able to find them teaching, creating, and sharing this hobby that we all love so much, and we know they’ll remain close within the Paper Crafts family.
So we sat back and really thought about what our paper crafting community needed and wanted from a group like this. We came up with a wish list of style, skill, and personality traits and then compiled a series of challenges, from writing an inspiring blog post to creating an instructional video clip. Finally, we reached out to the community of your favorite card designers and asked several of them to participate in our top secret mission.
Each editor worked with the group on a specific challenge, and then we all evaluated the projects together. Boy oh boy – was it ever a fun ride! There are so many talented designers and we really had a difficult time narrowing down the field. As it turns out, we couldn’t settle on just four. And we found ourselves referring to them as the “new group of go-to gals” during the process, so…
Starting next week, we’ll be introducing you to our SIX new Paper Crafts Go-to Gals! Each Tuesday and Thursday for the next three weeks – right here on our blog – you’ll get to meet them one by one. To their credit, each one has had to keep this absolutely mum for over three months. Can you imagine? Not one of these women will ever be accused of not being able to keep a secret!
The identity of Go-to Gal #1 will be revealed on Tuesday!
We’d love for you to join us as we toast Alisa, Wendy and Susan for their dedication to Paper Crafts over the years, and welcome the new group of Go-to Gals to our magazine family.
Cheers!
Jennifer
28 comments
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July 2, 2009 at 4:49 am
Kathleen
I can’t wait to see who it is—I do have some guesses, but I’ll refrain from starting rumors! ;0
July 2, 2009 at 6:16 am
StampinCathy
This is really exciting and I know they will be so inspiring too!
July 2, 2009 at 6:21 am
rae
You will be greatly missed Alisa, Susan, and Wendy; I have long admired your contributions to PC magazine! Best wishes in your new papercrafting ventures!
Looking forward to meeting these ‘Go to Gals’!
♥rae
July 2, 2009 at 6:33 am
Thespoena McLaughlin
We’ll miss those gals, but like they say all things change. Good luck to them in the future. Can’t wait to find out what inspiring ideas the “go-to gals” bring us! Welcome!
July 2, 2009 at 7:06 am
Angela
That’s great actually – to have a rotating group of designers. There are just so many great and talented people out there, and allowing a variety to share their ideas and creativity is awesome! Farewell to the others, but congrats to the new group.
July 2, 2009 at 8:06 am
Carol (ScrapMomOf2)
Thanks outgoing gals, and welcome to the incoming! OMG, I want to be a “go to gal”!! I cannot wait to see who these ladies are!! How fun!!
P.S. Keeping a secret for three months . . . I’m not sure I would have been able to do that!!
July 2, 2009 at 8:13 am
Jingle
How exciting! New opportunities for the girls we love and new girls to love! I can’t wait to see who you are bringing into the fold!
July 2, 2009 at 8:20 am
Lori R
This sounds exciting!!! I can’t wait for the reveal!!
July 2, 2009 at 8:37 am
Nicole
I cant wait to meet the new go-to-girls. I;ll check the blog bright and early Tuesday morning.
July 2, 2009 at 9:11 am
Davinie
How exciting! I can’t wait to see who they are!
July 2, 2009 at 11:57 am
Shari
Thank you for your service ladies – and especially for the ways you have strengthened this industry and the inspiration you have provided for us – the aspiring artists.
~Shari R.
July 2, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Malia Leuck
Woah, way to go secret go-to gals, i would find it very hard to conceal my excitement. Congratulations. And success and happiness to those who are leaving, have fun!
July 2, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Heidi Van Laar
Great big thanks and good luck to Alisa, Susan and Wendy! You will be missed!
Can’t wait to find out who the new girls are!
July 2, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Ann
OMG, I can’t wait!!!!
July 2, 2009 at 3:59 pm
gramiemac
Alisa, Wendy and Susan…to be honest I just found this site about a month ago…as I’ve been reading older postings you ladies has done an extraordinary job…I’m really liking this magazine…as I go threw the archives I know that the new Go To Gals will do a fabulous Job….
GOOD LUCK IN YOUR NEW ADVENTURES!!!!
July 2, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Kelly
I know you all will miss Alisa, Wendy and Susan more than we will, and that’s A LOT! Good luck to all of you in your new ventures!
Closing a door often results in opening a window–Fantastic new plans for PC! Looking forward to the change {although I don’t know HOW you can IMPROVE the magazine}!
Thanks for your hard work that lets us all play!
K
July 2, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Sue Neal
Thought I’d drop in and say thanks for all your kind words. It’s been a grand adventure and a pleasure to contribute to such a great magazine.
July 3, 2009 at 4:04 am
Freebie Friday – Fourth of July Traditions « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] Card Creations, Volume 7, announced the Top 20 in our Gallery Idol contest and welcomed six new Go-to Gals to our Paper Crafts family. Like I said, it’s been a busy couple of [...]
July 3, 2009 at 6:59 am
Lynn Ghahary
Well since my birthday happens to be July 3rd we always have a combined birthday and 4th of July party to celebrate and my mom’s house! There’s nothing better than getting together with family and friends for a good ol’ fashioned barbeque and some time in the pool. Thanks for the chance to win and Happy 4th of July to you!
July 7, 2009 at 8:05 am
Kay Wallace
Looking forward to meeting our new “mentors!”
July 13, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Welcome Go-to Gal, Kim Hughes! « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] Kim just isn’t enough! So please join me in welcoming Ms. Kim Hughes as the next Paper Crafts Go-to Gal! Kim Hughes’ style is cute and fun – just like her. The first time I met Kim was at the 2006 [...]
July 13, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Welcome Go-to Gal, Kim Kesti! « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] apron card we’ve all been adoring so much recently. Kim has the distinction of being the only Go-to Gal that was once a Paper Crafts Pro. I’d like to think that she’s the cheer captain, and she’ll [...]
July 14, 2009 at 4:04 am
Welcome Go-to Gal, Maren Benedict! « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] you get published in the pages of our magazine, but you can jump from first-timer to rising star to Go-to Gal in just a few short [...]
July 21, 2009 at 4:03 am
Welcome Go-to Gal, Jessica Witty! « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] you all enjoying meeting our Go-to Gals as much as we are enjoying introducing them? Tuesdays and Thursdays have taken on a whole new [...]
July 23, 2009 at 4:06 am
Welcome Go-to Gal, Teri Anderson! « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] now for the last of our big reveals – please welcome Paper Crafts Go-to Gal, Teri Anderson! It’s been a long, secretive journey, but like any good Paper Crafts soldier, [...]
August 13, 2009 at 4:04 am
With the Pros Wednesday – My Creative Process « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] you’ll be hearing from all the new Go-to Gals in the coming months, I though it would be fun to share a little bit about my creative process, a [...]
August 28, 2009 at 3:27 am
Guest Blogger: Susan Opel from Paper Crafts Magazine « Creating Keepsakes Blog
[...] one of our Go-to Gals at Paper Crafts magazine, we can always count on Kim to create simple and cute cards like this one. [...]
December 15, 2009 at 4:04 am
Happy Christmastine’s Day! « Paper Crafts Connection
[...] for the changes in our columns, you already know about our shift from Ask the Pros to Dear Go-to Gals. But we’ve also re-launched the Joy of Card Making column as Go-to Sketches starting in this [...]