Craft
Designer, Product Development, Project Coordinator
Craft Kits, Games, and Toys
What I do
Craft project ideas: Development of craft projects to be used in kits, books, and classes. Give me
raw materials, and I’ll come up with dozens of project ideas. I think outside any box.
Photo samples and prototypes: Make samples of craft projects which appear in books, catalogs, and on
craft kit packages.
Display samples: Make samples of craft projects to be used in displays, at trade shows, and in stores
to promote craft books, kits, and art materials.
Invention: Development of games, toys, and activities. (I have many products available for licensing.)
Brainstorming: Facilitator and contributor to brainstorming meetings.
Experience in a Nutshell
Scroll down, or click on link.
Invented Pattern Blocks Games Set for HearthSong catalog.
Creative contributor to award-winning Klutz books.
Christmas Window
Klutz Knitting Paper Stained Glass
Potholders and Other
Loopy Projects Quilting
Squashing Flowers, Squeezing
Leaves Sun
Paint
Tissue Paper Flowers Window
Designed Toy Parachute for Sarah’s Silks.
Painted wooden
animals for photo samples for Paint-A-Kits
packaging by Pamela
Drake, Inc.
Portfolio
Specialty toy catalog, known for quality craft kits.
Developed: Pattern
Blocks Games Set
Playing boards, dice,
spinner, cards, and instructions (wooden pattern blocks sold
separately).
Developed 5 games to play with Pattern Blocks.
The set has been a strong seller since 1999.
Creator of: Catalog Photo Samples
I make projects from established craft kits which are photographed and
shown in the catalog.
Shown above: Brick-By-Brick Construction Sets (above right), I painted this carnival booth
(above left) to demonstrate the use of Octa-Clips© (plastic hinges that clip onto cardboard
to make play structures).
Publisher of activity
and craft books, with easy instructions, and a dollop of silliness.
Creative Contributor to: Squashing
Flowers, Squeezing Leaves
A craft book and
flower press all in one.
Developed dozens of craft projects which appear in the book.
See above light switch plate, and leaf monster sun-catcher.
Managed crafters who made display samples for the book and trade shows.
Organized photo shoots for step-by-step illustrations.
Conducted focus groups with children.
Awards: Canadian Toy
Testing Council Three Stars Award, National Parenting Publications Gold
Award, Neighborhood Toy Stores of
Top 10 Pick for Science &
Technology Toys, DiscoverySchool.com Award of Excellence.
Creative Contributor to: Tissue Paper Flowers
Bouquet of flowers in
a book: tissue paper, pipe cleaners, instructions, and templates.
Conducted focus groups with children.
Managed crafters who made over 2000 flowers for the book and trade shows.
Posed as a hand model for photos, showing step-by-step instructions.
Tested and fine tuned flower making process.
Awards: Canadian Toy
Testing Council Best Bet Award, Quill & Quire Books for Young People
Bestseller, National Parenting Publications Gold Award, Parent’s Guide
Children’s Media Award.
Creative Contributor to: Window
Decal paint, and
patterns.
Managed crafters who made display samples for the book and trade shows.
Made display samples.
Awards: Creative
Classroom's Teacher-Tested Tools and Toys,
Approval, DiscoverySchool.com Award
of Excellence, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Award,
Today’s Toy Test Winner, Parent’s
Guide Children’s Media Award, Canadian Toy
Testing Council
Best Bet Award.
Creative Contributor to: Christmas Window Art
Decal paint, and
Christmas patterns.
Two full pages each are devoted to my icicles and Christmas lights patterns.
Managed crafters, who made decals for the book and trade shows.
Made display samples.
Award: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
Creative Contributor to: Potholders and Other Loopy Projects
Weaving loom, loops, and instruction book with ideas for projects.
Wove many potholders.
Recruited 12-year-old girl who came up with the idea of this stuffed chicken!
Designed a picture frame to make with a potholder which appears in the book
Managed crafters who wove display samples for the book and trade shows.
Creative Contributor to: Sun Paint
Photo-reactive paints
(like blueprints), three scarves, and craft ideas.
Managed crafters who made display samples for the book and trade shows.
I created this one with knitting needles.
Made display samples.
Award: Oppenheim Toy
Portfolio Gold Award.
Knitter for: Klutz Knitting
How-to knitting book,
complete with yarn, knitting needles, and instructions for projects.
Organized several knitters, & together we made many scarves and projects which appear in the book.
Award: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
Platinum Award
Creative Contributor to: Quilting
A quilting primer, including a simple method of using (challenging) triangles, on
specially printed fabric.
Sewed patchwork quilts, potholders, wall hangings, and sachets for photographs which appear in the book.
Created the design game: Triangle Twirling.
Creative Contributor to: Paper Stained Glass
A color-by-number
book.
Illustrated and developed project ideas.
Creator of: Trade Show
Display Samples
Craft projects from many Klutz books are made up and displayed at trade
shows across the country.
Coordinated artists and crafters to help me make samples for
the following books: Fairies (see
photo),
The Fabulous Book of
Paper Dolls, Looney Pops, The Body Book, Gelly Rings, Anklets Kit,
Clifford Window
Natural fiber dress-ups and toys in the
Waldorf tradition.
Designed: Silk
Parachute
Parachutes are 22” diameter. Made of china silk and gauze.
Available through Magic Cabin Catalog.See
link listed below.
Timeless quality wooden toys and crafts.
Creative Contributor to: Paint-A-Kits
These beautifully
packaged kits include wooden animals, paints, and a brush.
Painted small wooden animals in a whimsical manner, which were used for display at trade shows, and
photographs on the packages of the following kits: Paint-A-Lizard, Paint-A-Fish, Paint-A-Snake,
Paint-A-Kitty,
Paint-A-Dino, and Paint-A-Croc.
Awards:
Resources
Felix the Cat & Rufus MacGillidcuddy (lion): Plush advisory committee.
Creative Team: Recruitment and coordination of local artists and crafters, who assist me with the
above activities.This resource gives the client a diversity of imaginative solutions, a smorgasbord
of talent styles, and a quick turn around for large projects.
Keeping connected: Belong to a rich community of kids, who I play with weekly, and are instant focus groups.
Networking and Mentoring: Eager to connect with other people in the field, to see how we can help one another.
About Me
Holding my Golden
Lego.
Background: Abundant background in arts and crafts. Quick and bold to learn new media.
Experience in toy sales, education, marketing, management, organizing, and display design.
Interests: Nature, gardening, photography, nutrition, learning styles, reading, children’s literature.
Creativity: Great problem solver. Child-like curiosity and enthusiasm! Synthesize diverse ideas and
materials into new concepts.
Hobby: Make useful things from recycled goods, thrift store finds.
Move ideas to reality: Assignments are finished on time. Detail oriented. Resourceful.
Links