Meet the Editors of Prime Publishing

Blair Chavis

My name is Blair and I am originally from Highland Park, a northern suburb of Chicago not too far from Prime Publishing's home base in Northbrook, IL. Since childhood, I have loved crafting of all sorts, including drawing, painting, creating decorative crafts, sewing and making scrapbooks. As a child, my mom entered me in the children's craft section of the local art festival and I was in all my craft glory. As an adult, much of that fondness for crafting has manifested into foodie-ism. I am one of those nerdy restaurant-goers that takes pictures of my food when the dish looks spectacular. I also need photographic evidence when I bake.

Most recently, I worked as a reporter at the Chicago Tribune’s Triblocal.com, a suburban subsidiary focused on hyper-local community news and making the Web hip for newspapers. I reported on happenings in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

At 18, I stepped onto the hippie-filled sidewalks of Madison, WI, to later graduate from the University of Wisconsin in 2006 with a double degree in journalism and English. Before working for the Tribune Company, I tried my hand at broadcast journalism, first at an NBC affiliate in Madison and then moved back to Chicago to join forces with Chicago Public Radio. I have covered a broad range of stories about local and national politics, immigration, housing, the environment, health care, education and the arts. I still do freelance work for various news outlets.

When I'm not working, I blog for OyChicago.com, I enjoy watching foreign and independent films and eating dessert first. I also have a weakness for Hugh Grant movies and all things Food Network.

Caitlin (Kavanaugh) Eaton

My name is Caitlin and I’m from Kenosha, Wis. I’ve tried to escape several times, but that’s another story. When I‘m not frequenting record stores in Chicago, I love to absorb the culture in coffee shops while my veins absorb some caffeine. I graduated from Marquette University with a degree in journalism and am grateful for the wonderful professors that helped me hone my writing skills.

Writing is, and always will be, a passion of mine. In college, I was the Senior Feature reporter with my school’s magazine The Marquette Journal, and I also spent a year interning at Wisconsin Trails magazine, a publication devoted to the culture and history of Wisconsin. Both are quality publications and yes this is a shameless plug.

Narrowing down my interests is near impossible, but I do have a soft spot for any craft projects or clothing that are vintage or vintage inspired. To me, nothing is more beautiful than an object that was able to stand the test of time, like my grandmother’s pearl brooch, a black-and-white photograph or a Twinkie - well, perhaps not the latter, but you get the idea.  I also thrive on traveling and visit England frequently to visit my husband's family. I’ve become nearly fluent in English slang, so if you ever need to know what it means to be shattered, what bangers and mash really are, or how many quid it takes to buy a pair of new Wellies, feel free to ask.

I’m incredibly excited to be a part of such a great team of devoted editors here at Prime. As the editor of AllFreeKnitting, I hope I meet your expectations and continue to provide you with fun and quality content!

Christine Weiher

Hey it’s Christine, the longest standing editor here. Just a little background about myself; I was born in Florida, but I grew up in Illinois and I plan on staying here most of my life, mainly because I have a large family. I have three older sisters who are all married with kids and they just keep poppin’ em out. I love my family like there’s no tomorrow and the older we get the closer we grow, there’s nothing like a sisterly bond! I’ve recently gotten married to my husband whom I’ve known for seven years before getting married. So far, it’s a great life. Our first child, which may have been a mistake, is a half husky half Shiba Inu mix puppy. I swear this teething phase better go away quickly. I scared you when I said it may have been a mistake didn’t I?

I studied Journalism at Eastern Illinois University with a minor in Sociology. There I worked for the school newspaper as well as the magazine; I enjoyed myself very much as it was about hot topics, bands and upcoming concerts and events on campus. From there I came here, to Prime, the most amazing craft and food related company. I currently work on the FaveCrafts and AllFreeCrochet sites with most of my time, but once in a while I help out on the other sites too. We’re growing pretty quickly so there’s always something new and exciting happening.

Before I started here I didn’t do much in the crafting world. I used to scrapbook in my high school years but that was the extent of it. Now that I’ve been here for a while, I’ve somehow learned to crochet six scarves, I’ve made two flower girl baskets for my wedding, I’ve made three no-sew blankets and my next attempt is to make a clay ornament which, by the looks of it, seems pretty easy. I’m learning new things every day while working here and I’ve come to realize that Michaels and Hobby Lobby are my two new favorite stores. A fun fact: I’m absolutely obsessed with cookies - I have an addiction and that’s a problem, especially with Oreos. I swear I’m going to turn into one one of these days.

Jenny Benoit

Hi, I’m Jenny. I was born and raised in Wilmette, a suburb just north of Chicago. I graduated from Missouri’s School of Journalism with a Bachelor’s degree in Magazine Design and a minor in Textile & Apparel Management; I’m happy to finally be out of Cardinals territory and back in the Windy City! While at Mizzou, I worked as a contributing student writer for the Columbia Missourian daily newspaper and Vox Magazine.

Before joining the team of editors at Prime Publishing, I spent four years working in the veterinary field as a receptionist, while simultaneously freelance writing for an online shopping community to satisfy my need to write (and to shop!). Although it was a joy spending my days playing with animals, it is incredibly rewarding to finally spend my days writing.

Despite growing up just outside of Chicago, there’s a lot I don’t know about this great city of ours. I love discovering new restaurants, finding the latest and greatest fashion deals, and taking in live music wherever I can find it. I tend to also get lost in bookstores for hours on end (don’t even get me started on the recent closing of Borders); magazines have, and always will be, my literature of choice. I’m in heaven when the latest issue of Real Simple arrives in my mailbox!

Aside from the white scarf I knitted during high school and the occasional dinners I attempt to make here and there, I still remain a bit of a newbie to the crafting and food communities. I am excited to join the team at Prime Publishing, and I can’t wait to learn a thing or two about crafting and cooking!

Jessica Farris

I’m Jess, a native Memphian who shuffled up to Chicago for college at DePaul University. As a bonafide southern gal, I was raised with a fierce love for barbecue, homegrown veggies, and pretty much anything that’s been battered and deep-fried. My family of artists inspired my slight creative streak and a desire to absorb as much as possible. I love to cook, craft and create, and I draw inspiration from Chicago’s impeccable art and culinary scenes.

I’m finishing a degree in English, anthropology, and Arabic studies. As such, I do a great deal of writing about literature, social issues, and global cultures. I speak a bit of French and Arabic, which I learned primarily from a summer spent living with a Moroccan family in Fez. After that incredible experience, I went on to intern at the Memphis Commercial Appeal, writing articles on art, weddings, and women’s interests for three different publications. When I made my way back to Chicago, I joined the 2011 mayoral campaign and worked for Dr. Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins. Whenever I can, I enjoy volunteering at local humane societies and homeless shelters.

Now, I’m thrilled to be a part of the team at Prime. When I’m not blogging about my favorite craft and food trends or writing exciting articles, I enjoy running marathons, reading Charles Dickens, listening to folk music, and learning interesting new words like “bdelygmia.” As a self-proclaimed nerd, I am a lover of dinosaurs, rollercoasters, superheroes, gerbera daisies, hiking in the Tennessee hills, and generally amazing experiences. In the immortal words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.”

Jessica Nichols

My name is Jessica, and I’m a daydreamer and a fidgeter with a short attention span. For this reason, I knit, crocheted, and journaled my way through all my college classes to keep from falling asleep. Is it any surprise that I now edit for craft and food websites? Cooking and crafting have been parts of my life since I was a little girl. Before I had left elementary school, I could cross-stitch, sew, needlepoint, bake, rug-hook, and create a distressed paint finish. When I was 16, I learned to knit and crochet, spent a few years knitting only rectangular objects, and finally learned to make useful, 3-dimensional things about a year ago. I love crafting, and I respect anyone who can make something both functional and beautiful with just their own two hands and a little creativity.

Before I came to Prime Publishing, I worked as a freelance editor for Reputation.com for several months. I only recently graduated from the University of Illinois (I-L-L…..!), where I majored in World Literature and minored in German. I worked as a writing tutor at the Writers Workshop and as a copy editor for the Daily Illini, where Julia, another of our editors, was my first copy chief (it really is a small world after all!). I am also extremely proud to say I was the treasurer of October Lovers (and don’t laugh because it’s the second largest club on the UIUC campus!).

I now live in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where I’ve spent nearly my entire life. In my free time (when I’m not knitting or crocheting of course), I like growing vegetables, biking, and walking dogs at the local animal shelter. I’m also a huge nerd, and I spend a lot of time at the library, checking out B movies, knitting books, sociological studies, yoga videos, and wedding magazines.

Julia Litz

Hello, my name is Julia and I am from St. Louis, although I recently moved to the Chicago suburbs. Despite my location change, I still love my St. Louis Cardinals and Rams, much to the chagrin of my friends and neighbors.

I recently graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (go Illini!) with a degree in Advertising and a minor in English.  During those four years, I was an active member of my sorority, dabbled in a variety of random activities and found my home at The Daily Illini.  I started as a copy editor at The DI and worked my way up to Copy Chief. Last year, we were even named the top student newspaper in the state by the Illinois Collegiate Press Association!  Despite the ridiculous hours (5 p.m. to about midnight three nights a week, 2 p.m. to about midnight on Sundays and 5 p.m. to 7:30 on Thursdays), it was a great experience and taught me a lot about time management, organization and the value of black coffee.

I love to travel, especially overseas.  Some of my favorite trips have been to Italy, Greece and Israel.  I would love to go to Africa and see elephants (my favorite animal) in their natural habitat.  When I'm not on the go, I love just sitting on my couch and watching reality shows on Bravo for hours at a time.

Karisa Tell

My name is Karisa and I'm a self-taught renaissance woman crafter. I've dabbled in almost every type of craft, from crocheting and sewing to scrapbooking and origami. I rarely craft anything the “right way” because I don't have the patience to learn how to interpret patterns, and I operate under the belief that anyone can be a crafter; all it takes is a little confidence with a dash of passion.

I graduated from Marquette University with a degree in Writing Intensive English and a useless minor in Speech Pathology. Being an English major has allowed me to cultivate both my coffee addiction and my distaste for comma splices. While I was at Marquette I occasionally wrote for the campus newspaper and magazine. I also wrote and performed an editorial celebrity news segment for the campus television station every week, and my roommate and I hosted our own radio show called Desperate Roommates.

In my free time (when I'm not crafting, that is) I love writing for my personal blog and reading other people's blogs. My goal in life is to have a reason to purchase a brief case, and then to actually purchase one. If that never comes to fruition, my alternate goal is to witness someone slipping on a banana peel.

Kelly Spence

After nearly two years of editing police and public safety magazines, working with craft and food content is more than a little refreshing. As I've always been artistically inclined--and hungry--I knew right away that Prime Publishing was the place for me. Though my former position did afford me a variety of interesting experiences, including but not limited to shooting a sniper rifle and driving a police-package Dodge Charger at 120mph down a rural Indiana highway, I somehow found that writing about holsters and rifle lights wasn't exactly my forte. Shocking, I know.

Before my days of correcting the grammar of America's finest, I attended the University of Illinois where I studied English and Creative Writing. When I wasn't stressing over papers and drowning in chapters of Austen, I enjoyed exploring the wealth of quirky vintage and thrift shops in downtown Champaign and visiting the art theater, which I sadly discovered too late in my college career. Fortunately for my thrifting and movie-going obsessions, I recently moved from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where I grew up, to the fair city of Chicago proper, where vintage shops abound and all the best indie flicks are within walking distance.

If I'm not scouring the shelves of Goodwill, I can probably be found snuggling my cats to within an inch of their lives, dancing unabashedly at one of Chicago's small music venues (I am positively addicted to live music), or pouring glitter all over everything. I've always enjoyed crafting, especially jewelry-making, and would love to start my own line some day. I am also an avid doodler and dream of writing and illustrating children's literature. Gyo Fujikawa's “Oh, What a Busy Day!” is my absolute favorite. Though I've never been much of a cook (I ate a lot of SpaghettiOs in college), I'm hoping my time at Prime will spark some culinary inspiration!

Kirsten Kwon

My name is Kirsten and I'm a recent graduate of The University of Kansas. Rock Chalk to all my fellow Jayhawks! While in Lawrence, I studied journalism and received my degree with an emphasis in news and information.  To clarify,  no, I don't know anyone named Dorothy.

In college I worked on The University Daily Kansan newspaper as a correspondent, general assignment reporter and student life reporter. I love keeping up with global news and hope to one day travel around the world - or at least to Australia.

I'm currently living in Chicago (the city that will forever be number one in my heart) and I love meeting new people, eating at new restaurants and seeing live music.   Beyond that, my time is spent hanging out with friends, reading magazines like Spin and Nylon and adding to my constantly growing music library.

While I'm relatively new to the crafting world, I'm confident that as I spend my days finding great projects to add to our sites I'll eventually become a crafter myself. I'm excited to be working with a fun group of editors and hope I continue to produce content you'll want to read! 

Maggie Kmiecik

My name is Maggie and I was born and raised in the great city of Chicago, where I still currently reside. For years, I worked and now live in Andersonville, where I spend most of my time browsing boutiques, loitering in cafes, and trying new menu items. Because I drive quite a distance to work everyday, I try to bike everywhere else and I love being in a neighborhood where I can walk everywhere.

I'm a (fairly) recent graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where I majored in English Literature and minored in French. During my time there I was lucky enough to study abroad in the south of France, an experience that just reinforced a love of everything French in me. My life goal is to end up living by the Mediterranean. Professionally, I've done a lot of freelance work writing for various websites and blogs. I most enjoy writing about fashion, design, and shopping, as I have a pretty severe shopping addiction.

I love finding new and interesting designs for both store bought items and crafts to make at home. I'm guilty of thinking I can make anything I see. I have been proven wrong many, many times, but I keep trying. I dabble in all crafts and will try anything once, but I have a bad habit of abandoning projects. My work space is filled with boxes of beads, scraps of fabric and assorted papers. Working with these amazing crafting and cooking sites is only enabling my bad habits. I'm hoping my time here will motivate me to finish projects.

Maria Nerius

What can I say? I craft in paradise! I'm Maria and I live in the Sunshine State, which is the perfect climate for creativity. I didn't really grow up crafting like many; my mom was a crafting genius and let's just say I was a creative klutz. However, after I married my childhood sweetheart I moved to a very small town where there wasn't a job to be found, so I started hand sewing Christmas ornaments to sell at outdoor craft shows until I could find a real job. That was 29 years ago and I guess that real job is just going to have to wait while I enjoy the job of my dreams. I can't add two numbers together, but I can make just about anything! I also have to live around a syndrome called fibromyalgia and crafting makes it much easier to overcome any limitations I face. I thought I was going to have to give up crafting and working when diagnosed 15 years ago and was happily doing the dance of joy when I discovered that creativity can overcome any obstacle life throws at you!

I love scuba diving, and it has taken me around the world! I use all that color, peace, and happiness of the oceans in my creative adventures. I have 4 not-so-silent partners in my studio (two basset hounds/two dachshunds), which I've dubbed "DogHouse Studios." My true center is my husband, Ken, who can build anything and has the most magical sense of humor. We love doing home projects like our amazing swim spa patio, a beautiful orchid garden, and a koi pond to die for! I'm into Sci-Fi and am the proud owner of one of the first i-Pads (just like Star Trek!). I'd love to retire to Hawaii someday, but until then I'm happy traveling the globe with my best friend and discovering that creativity is the best universal language in the world! I'm old fashioned, kinda corny, and love sharing my joy of craft.

Matt Kaplan

The child of displaced Bostonians in the fertile heartland of America, my food tastes and interests have always been wide and varied. Growing up watching a myriad of cooking shows, and anxiously awaiting the delicious concoctions my family would create in the kitchen and on the grill, I have always had a love of good food and tasty meals. Some of my favorite ingredients to cook with are garam masala, kale, butternut squash and fresh garlic. I also make a mean mustard salad dressing and my refrigerator pickles have been described as "otherworldy."

I pride myself on being quite the adventurous eater. I have dined on venison with hunters, snacked on fried cricket, cooked soup with freegans and licked ants in the Australian rainforest. These days, I am living in Chicago, tending to an indoor herb garden and cooking up big batches of rice and beans, chili and curry. I have a deep passion for fresh food and good cooking, and I hope to share my love and expertise of tasty healthy cooking on FaveHealthyRecipes.com!

Melissa Conner

As those who are close to me know, I love cupcakes, little things, fluffy dogs, DIY projects, and Johnny Depp…and not necessarily in that order!

Hi! I’m Melissa and I’m so happy to be part of the Prime Publishing team! I am a lover of all things creative, from scrapbooking to cake decorating, knitting to origami. I love finding new ways to use old things and coming up with cost effective ways to decorate my little Chicago apartment.

Prior to working at Prime, I spent four years in book publishing, where I specialized in craft and puzzle books…so I feel right at home here! I have always tried to surround myself with creative people, and I think I hit the jack pot at Prime!

I am a graduate of Northern Michigan University, where I majored in English Literature and minored in public relations and Native American Studies. While in college I did some freelance writing for various on and off campus publications, including the NMU alumni magazine and a local Native American newspaper.

When I’m not working, crafting, or baking, I’m browsing old book stores, watching Mad Men, or fostering my love of creativity on my personal blog, The Hob-bee Hive. I dream of one day opening my own bookstore/coffee shop/bakery combo...or starring in a movie with Alan Rickman…whichever comes first! 
 

Nina Hoffman

Hi, I'm Nina! Born and raised in suburban Chicagoland, it's hard to imagine living anywhere else. From time to time, my husband and I fantasize about retiring to Colorado, but that is a long way away. I spend most of my free time with my children, who are 4 years and 2 years old. I love to cook and bake, and so do they, so it's pretty much a daily family affair at our house.

I grew up in a house where both my parents cooked, and not just the usual meat and potatoes fare...from a very young age, my siblings and I were exposed to more eclectic meals including Indian curry, Spanish paella, homemade Chinese food, and more. I credit my parents with instilling in me a love of not only eating food, but making it as well. Since I definitely consider myself a foodie, working on food websites and publications is a natural fit for me. 

Rachel Bernstein

Hi, I’m Rachel and I’m one of the newest editors here at Prime Publishing. As a scrapbook addict and a baking enthusiast, I really feel like I’ve found the perfect place to work. How many people can say they spend their days immersed in amazingly creative craft projects and mouth-watering recipes? I am so excited to call this my job.

I’m a true Midwestern girl. I grew up in St. Louis and have lived in the Chicagoland area for the past seven years. I graduated with a journalism degree from Northwestern University (go Wildcats!) and I have a love of all things media. I’ve worked for newspapers, magazines, an advertising agency and a TV production company. I guess you could call me a Jill of all trades. Before coming to Prime, I produced documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery Channel and Biography Channel. They tended to mostly be about crime, so if you’re curious about biker gangs or mafia kingpins, I'm your girl.

Some of my favorite things in life are travel, chocolate, trashy TV shows (I'm not afraid to admit it!), trying out new restaurants, and puppies. Anytime I see a dog in my neighborhood, I have to stop and pet it. My friends think I'm slightly obsessed, but I just can't resist the cuteness. Now that I work at Prime, I get excited whenever I come across dog sweater patterns, because what's cuter than a puppy in knitwear?

I'm excited to discover more interesting and unique craft projects, and of course share them with all of you!

Sarah (Hetland) Kennedy

Hi, my name is Sarah and I hail from the Chicagoland area, and also Wisconsin, which I try to forget about, and Texas which I love to talk about! I graduated in Journalism from Columbia College in Chicago. I pretty much feed off my addictions of caffeine and chocolate and I’m known for random information about things no one else cares about. I crave all things creative: writing, film, TV and of course cooking!  I have always considered myself a foodie, often forcing my friends to try new dishes.

I recently left the city for the 'burbs (for some insane reason) and I’ve found myself cooking more than ever before. I often throw caution to the wind, making up my own concoctions - if it tastes good I go with it! I’m known for my willingness to try everything food related at least once, and I pretty much adore all food. My favorite items to cook with are rice, fish, curry, chicken, asparagus and creating strange but highly tasty stir-fry dishes.

I love learning and talking about food every day and enjoy all the interesting people we come across in the food blogosphere. I’m super excited to be part of this amazing team of food editors here at RecipeLion.com.