A Brand New Start! Announcing the new AMAZING Crafting Products Creative Team!!!

Today is a great day - and the perfect time to introduce our brand new AMAZING Crafting Products Creative Team! You may see some familiar faces as some Mold Putty Alumni have returned to INSPIRE and AMAZE you.  Also, in our metamorphosis, the creative team has expanded to include a diverse range of creating: which include experts in food arts; indie arts/crafts; R/C hobbies and modeling.

In a couple weeks, a call will go out for our next group of "Guest Designers" - and this could be YOU! Are you creative, inventive and love AMAZING CRAFTING PRODUCTS??? Then we want you to apply... even if you aren't a BLOGGER... you can still apply. We are looking for creatives from all walks of life and all areas of discipline - as long as you have the ability to take amazing photos and create incredible projects that show your love for Amazing Crafting Products.

Please give a warm welcome to our AMAZING ARTISTS! You want to make sure you follow these creative rising stars. Don't forget to follow our blog via email or through networked blogs so you don't miss a single installment.

Creative Team Leader

Susan M. Brown {sbartist}

Innovative...Imaginitive...Inspiring! These words best describe our new Creative Team Leader. Amazing Mold Putty has revitalized her creative mojo – making creating fun again with limitless possibilities. Susan is a true believer that the creative process is an evolution and a product of lifelong learning and loves to teach and share her knowledge with others – making her the perfect leader of this dynamic team of creative individuals.

During the daylight hours... Susan is a graphic artist working in the fast-paced printing industry. A native of Chicago, Susan has lived in Florida most of her life – yet remains a city girl at heart and resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with her husband of 20 years.  For as long as she can remember, Susan loved making things and this is still true today. She’s painter at heart, and loves to learn new things considering herself a “technique junkie”.   {Proud AMP Alumni}

“I truly enjoy the creative process and experimenting -  to discover all the uses a product may have, in or outside the box... and giving a new creative life to something headed for the trash bin. Mixed-media fuses all of my interests; whether I’m making collage or assemblage, dabbling in photography, sewing, stamping, scrapbooking or using a bit of everything. I “embrace the unexpected.” I love to make dimensional things, something that pops-up, not just flat on the page…using materials in new and unexpected ways.”

Meet our Core Team of Designers...

 { in alphabetical order }

DeeDee Catron

I’m a 25 year old mama and wife. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Design. I am the Marketing and Artistic Director for Viva Las VegaStamps! and the Owner/Creative Director of UmWowStudio. By day I design stamps and by night chipboard, in between I create artwork and memories of, about and with my small beautiful family.  {Proud AMP Alumni}

Michelle Frae Cummings

Michelle Cummings is a mixed-media artist, instructor and Freelance writer. She lives with her husband, Brian and son Dyllan in sunny Southern California. Michelle has always been crafty growing up as her Mother sewed and painted in oils while her Grand Mother made beautiful ceramics. She has vivid memories as early as Kindergarten regarding her art skills, dreaming up stories with illustrations to match. In High School she won the Poseidon award for both Fine Art and Ceramics.
Michelle went on to Jr. College where she studied more painting, drawing and fashion design. Since then, Michelle has painted sets for local play houses, created costumes, designed store front windows, taught at local scrapbook stores, public groups, and sells her art locally and online. Michelle is an organizer of a popular scrapbook/altered-art group, and belongs to various craft groups in her town.

Michelle’s passion is color. Whether she is painting with it, sewing, wire wrapping or planting it in her garden, she’s content. It’s how she expresses her dreams and inspirations. Creating with her fingers is therapeutic and energizing at the same time. Her style is past, present and future. Meaning she enjoys revamping past idea’s into current trends. Michelle's other interests:
Jewelry making, wire craft, gardening, art card making, blog swaps, cooking, baking, reading, sewing, music, photography, being in nature, amusements parks, visiting new places, sharing creative ideas with friends, entertaining, flea market/garage sale finds, dreaming of new things to make and teach!  {Proud AMP Alumni}

Michelle Galpern

Michelle Galpern is co-owner of Simi Cakes & Confections LLC, master mold maker specializing in food grade molding, international instructor, manager, cake decorator, and sugar artist with a background in jewelry mold making with her father since she was 12 years old. She enjoys painting, sculpting, and photography and adapted her skills to the sugar art world when her daughter, Sidney, started her bakery in 2010. When Sidney needed pieces molded for her cakes, Michelle knew there must have been a food grade material available to create the pieces she needed. She came across amazing mold putty and started molding more and more. As she and Sidney traveled to teach across the country the students asked for more of their custom molds for classes. The business is now worldwide. Michelle has taught mold making and cake decorating at Florida ICES Days of Sharing and cakes shows and shops as well as assistant to Sidney and she has written for the Edible Artists Network Magazine. Tweet @Simicakes | Our BLOG | www.simicakes.com

Marilyn Weyman Kegg

Marilyn Weyman Kegg has been making things out of anything that comes to hand for as long as she can recall. She especially loves to put things together, sometimes when they weren’t meant to be that way! Color attracts her like nothing else can. She has many types of paint and she knows how to use it! 

**Marilyn is being too modest - We have been artsy friends for many years and she is a fantastic mixed-media artist who dabbles in many creative media. I can't wait to see her amazing creations :)

Carole Lassak

Carole Lassak - In addition to paper crafting Carole enjoys a variety of handcrafts and fiber arts, including jewelry making, needlepoint, crewel, knitting, crocheting, beadwork, and lacemaking. She regularly travels abroad to study the art of handmade bobbin lace. She incorporates mixed media techniques to create unique jewelry and paper art pieces. In addition to her “real” job as Communications Manager at Delphia Consulting, her “fun” job is working with the Create & Craft team on a variety of creative endeavors. Carole holds Tombow Techniques Basics and Zutter Bind-it-All certifications. Her design team memberships include Sakura Hobby Crafts (Apr. – Sept. 2011), Amazing Mold Putty (Oct. 2011 to Mar. 2012), and The Robin’s Nest (Jan. – Jun. 2012), and Arnold Grummer's Paper Making (July 2013 to date). Her favorite food is sushi, especially sea urchin. “I think any piece of raw seafood on a pillow of rice would delight me.”  {Proud AMP Alumni}

Lonnie Sexton

I was 7 years old playing with my toy cars and my father noticed I had some Hot Wheels semi-trucks without trailers. He asked me where the trailers are and I answered disappointed “They don’t make them. I wish I had one…” He replied “Come with me son, bring one of those cars we can take the wheels off.” And walked out the back door to my grandpa’s shop. I quickly chose my least favorite and rushed out the door. Each part he made he would show me what was done and explain why. Within 20 minutes, a finished working hot wheels semi-trailer and my brain would never think the same way again.

Since that day, I have always been a creative problem solver. Much of my work experience has been around technology and engineering. I am currently in the Oil and Gas industry leading a diverse team of Satellite Techs. We provide service to oil and gas drilling operations. I commonly travel North America for tradeshows around sat and wireless (cell) technology. I love to race 1/8 scale off-road R/C’s and build custom r/c crawlers for fun. Inventing something that didn’t exists before or did, but I made it better brings a gigantic smile to my face. Sometimes I bewilder myself, “how did I just do that?” and just stare at this beautiful thing that wasn’t there before. As simple as it maybe, I’m amazed it’s here, and these hands did it… *Shake my head in disbelief*! 

Experience: Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Technician, Mold/Casting, Thermal-Vacuum forming, Scale Models, Remote Control & Automation, Video Game Design, Graphics Design, Video/Animation, Engineering Procedures, Photography, Satellite communications, Remote access and IT.

I am honored and excited about the opportunity to share ideas, projects and promote a great product. Let’s mold something together! 

** Lonnie is a long-time Amazing Crafting Products fan and his "EarthRoamer RC ATV" is featured in the 2013 May Edition of RC Driver Magazine; a four year labor of love that is completely custom fabricated with many pieces and parts hand-made using Amazing Mold Putty and Amazing Casting Resin. We are very excited to be expanding to new areas of the creative arena... and it will be nice having a guy around, too :)

Isabel Villarreal

Isabel Villarreal is a painter, crafter & designer living with her 2 dogs in South Florida. Isabel was raised in a bustling household by parents who passed their passion for creating onto their 5 wildy imaginative children, and nurtured the sometimes ridiculous results. Isabel spent her post college years traveling, fringe flittering and learning a variety of crafts including clothing design, jewelry design, sewing, wood working and graphic design. After years of creative rambling, in 2005 Isabel established an internet company featuring her own original dark-meets-cute inspired clothing designs. Several years later her dogs would inspire her to create a line of pet items with a music culture twist. Visit RuffStuff HERE.

** Isie is someone I consider to be a resin guru. My first "Amazing Crafting Adventure" was at her house on one of our designated craft nights {my first pour turned into a pink frozen tongue - LOL}. She is close personal creative friend of mine, a talented painter as well as an impeccable handmade artisan. She is favorite in the local Indie Craft Show Scene in South Florida and has so many unique ideas to share. I'm so excited to have her join us.

Rachel Whetzel

I specialize in creativity and mixed media art through thrifting, up-cycling, re-purposing and new design. I have had the privilege of being published in several Stampington Publications, and am a contributor to Seth Apter’s newest Mixed Media book, “The Mixed-Media Artist: Art Tips, Tricks, Secrets and Dreams from Over 40 Amazing Artists” slated to be published later this year. I am the owner of A Year in the Life of an Art Journal and Monday Mugshots! I am: Thrift junkie. Free Spirit. Believer. Artist. Photographer. Mom to boys. Rust Lover. Worm Farmer. Blogger. Creative Soul. Rule Bender. Spider Saver. Coffee Drinker. Cream Lover. Chook Farmer. Goat Milker. Sailor Mouth. Music Listener. Phone Talker. Garden Grower. Beek. Mess Maker. Risk Taker. Chewy Mom. Gritty Gramma. Good Intender. You can find me on line - BLOG: http://www.MineToThine.com | FACEBOOK: http://Facebook.com/RachelWhetzelArt.   {Proud AMP Alumni}

Meet our Amazing special Guest Designers...
 { in alphabetical order }

Jessica Baker

Hi, I am Jessica Baker a/k/a Jess B. I am a mother of 3, a wife and die hard crafter living in the Midwest. My styles have evolved throughout the years from flat to mixed media to 3D Altered designs.  I love getting my hands dirty; touching all kinds of paints and textures. Steampunk has bolted gears into my heart.  I dream, daydream, and vision many designs that I will create.  Most times I am working on three projects at one sitting.  I wish I could say that I have an organized craft room but I would be lying. I love challenges and discovering new materials.  I am honored and privileged to be a part of this design team.  This product is Unique and user friendly. Take this journey with me and let’s think outside the box together.

Brenda Lee Burfeind

My name is Brenda and I blog at createbyburffrau.blogspot.com. I am a papercrafter, jewelry maker and an all around crafter.  I love creating one of a kind pieces and Amazing Mold Putty has allowed me to be very creative in all sorts of ways. I look forward to sharing more of my talents with you!  Creativity is a State of Mind and if you can dream it, you can create it.  {Proud AMP Alumni}

Monica Edwards

Hi my name is Monica Edwards and I am a mother of 2 and avid crafter! I love all areas of crafting, but what I love most is inspiring others to create through my projects. I consider myself to have a  touch of mixed media, vintage, yet also have a fun and whimsical side to me. I currently work at the Kennedy Space Center and could not see myself working anywhere else!  I am looking forward to growing as a crafter as I meet so many different ladies along the way.  {Proud AMP Alumni}

Sandra Strait

I’m a self-taught artist, who has lived in the Portland, Oregon area all my life. My artistic career started some time ago, in the 50’s, when I discovered the cool texture crayon creates on wallpaper. I’ve seldom been without some kind of drawing or coloring tool since then, even though my parents discouraged further experiments on the walls. I believe this is why I’m always looking for that perfect combination of pen, paint and paper! I’ve worked with oils, acrylics, watercolor pen, pencil, scratchboard, knot-tying, markers and stamps. If the walls were removed in my house, the art journals would keep the roof propped up. A couple of years ago, I became interested in zentangle-inspired art and have created well over 200 tangle patterns, with some of my tangles and patterns appearing in Sandra Bartholomew’s “ Yoga for ‘Your Brain’ ”. I regularly review product for Shoplet, Exaclair, Stillman & Birn, and Daycraft. My strongest suit is drawing, especially Zentangle-Inspired art. But I’m an experimenter. My brain doesn’t spark until my hands start creating. I like being as surprised as everyone else by my results, and most of my instructions come from reverse engineering something that sort of ‘grew’ ". To follow more of my work in Amazing Mold Putty, zentangle-inspired art, and daily links to tangles, tutorials, and giveaways please visit my Life Imitates Doodles blog HERE.


Please take some time to get to know these fantasic artists and show them some love. You can CLICK each of their names to visit their blogs/websites. We look forward to seeing what they create... prepare to be AMAZED!!!

** Annotations by Susan, Creative Team Leader