Go-to Gals

What is a Paper Crafts Go-to Gal? So glad you asked!

In early 2009 we set out to find a few fabulous paper crafters to replace our departing Paper Crafts Pros. To read more about our fun selection process, please click HERE. As it turns out, the pool of talent was so impressive, we couldn't just settle on four people - read below to meet our six Paper Crafts Go-to Gals.

These designers are representatives of the Paper Crafts name and share their projects and talents in the pages of our magazine, on the World Wide Web and in person at various paper crafting events. We're proud to call them cherished friends, and hope you won't think twice about "friending" them on Facebook, sending them an email at gotogals@papercraftsmag.com, commenting on their blogs and joining their threads on message boards.

Teri Anderson started scrapbooking when she was a teenager. Paper crafting came after she moved to a small town where she didn't know anyone. It was at the local scrapbook store that she stumbled upon a book on card making with scrapbook supplies. The bug bit and the rest is history. Teri has served on design teams for Art Declassified, SEI, Wordsworth and Paper Love Designs. Besides paper crafting, Teri loves to spend time with family and friends, going to the beach and taking pictures. She also loves attending concerts. She's been to more than 50. The highlight was seeing the Rolling Stones with her father. Teri also has what has become a small hobby - working as an extra in the movies. She's been one three times. Click HERE to "friend" Teri on Facebook.

Maren Benedict reluctantly joined a monthly card making club at the request of a friend almost three years ago and has yet to put the paper trimmer and ribbons down. When she is not teaching night classes at the community college, she is crafting into the wee hours of the morning. She temporarily hung up the middle school science hat a few years ago and spends her days taking care of three energetic boys. Paper crafting provides her with some femininity that is lacking in her testosterone-filled home. Click HERE to "friend" Maren on Facebook.

Kim Hughes currently resides in Arizona although she's  originally from New York and has lived in six different U.S. states. She has a 12-year-old son, a 10-year-old daughter and a four-year-old Doxie. Art has always been a huge part of Kim's life. She discovered scrapbooking about 10 years ago, and became serious about the industry in 2006. She's been fortunate to make her hobby a profession, and has worked with multiple manufacturers, stores and magazines through the years. She's dabbled in product design and hand-illustrated over 50 stamp sets, but found her true passion lies in paper crafting. Kim loves adventure and never backs down from a challenge. Click HERE to "friend" Kim on Facebook.

Kim Kesti is a self-proclaimed paper crafting addict. Her favorite thing to do is retreat to her cozy craft space and dive into new projects. She describes her style as bright, bold and a little bit funky. Kim started playing with paper when the scrapbooking craze was in full swing and was entered into the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame in 2005. After accumulating quite a bunch of supplies, she turned to card making and altered projects to get more mileage from her stash. Since then, paper crafting has become her first love. In addition to paper crafting, Kim also enjoys knitting, hand stitching, photography and organizing her scrappy space. She loves pedicures, hot sunny days and cuddling with her toddler Eloise. She lives in Phoenix with her husband Keith and seven older children (Harrison, Sophie, Clara, Ethan, Meghan, Christopher and Tristam). She feels very blessed in her life and considers being a Paper Crafts Go-to Gal a "dream job". Click HERE to "friend" Kim on Facebook.

Betsy Veldman is a small town girl who loves to paper craft. She has a history of design education and has always had a job doing something creative. From home decor to floral designer, she is now happy to be home with her children, doing what she enjoys most -paper crafting. Patterned paper and stamps are her two biggest paper crafting loves. When she's not playing with her paper and stamps or teaching classes at her local scrapbook store, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. As a family they love to ride bikes, play at the park, go geocaching and eat out whenever possible (less time cooking - more time paper crafting!) Betsy and her family live in a small town in Northwest Iowa. Click HERE to "friend" Betsy on Facebook.

Jessica Witty always starts with the fact that Witty is her married name. (Hey, it’s a lot of pressure having such an adjective for a name!) Previously a script editor for an internationally broadcast radio ministry, she got her start in the design arena by submitting a few cards to Paper Crafts’ Stamping Royalty Card Contest. She’s still pretty incredulous that her first two publications have led to designing for Paper Crafts, Emma’s Paperie and various manufacturers. Her design inclinations lean toward clean and simple with a less-is-more philosophy. Creating cards and projects in her at-home Texas studio (which her husband insists on calling “the dining room”) happens alongside serving in her church as a mentor (i.e. friend!) to high school girls, training for half marathons and antiquing junking. (Her favorite finds are always letters, numbers and punctuation.) Did we mention that she also raises three children ages five and under?! Click HERE to "friend" Jessica on Facebook.