Exciting new crafting business venture

International craft expert Stephanie Weightman to split time between Create and Craft and new business venture

• After 17 years at Create and Craft, the award-winning and influential presenter, designer and product developer will transition from her day-to-day role
• Stephanie will continue as a consultant at Create and Craft, supporting the business and making regular guest TV appearances
• Stephanie will devote more time to her new crafting business venture and the launch of a new product range – launching exclusively on Create and Craft imminently

Crafting legend and current Craft Influencer of the Year winner, Stephanie Weightman will soon devote more time to an exciting new crafting business venture and transition from her day-to-day role at retailer Create and Craft, while remaining an integral part of the business.

After 17 years with the business as Managing Director of Innovation Hub and Ikan Papercrafts, the esteemed guest TV presenter, passionate crafter and designer Stephanie will be going back to her entrepreneurial roots. With the extra time and space the change in role gives her, she will concentrate on launching her own crafts range, playing to her strengths of creating and innovating products. The new range, which whilst complementing the award-winning Tattered Lace brand, will be designed harnessing Stephanie’s unique handwriting. It will be launched by Stephanie herself and be exclusive on Create and Craft later this year, forming a permanent part of the retailer’s offering.

Stephanie will continue to be involved in the strategic roadmap of developing innovative new products as well as continuing to make regular guest appearances on the TV channel.

Since joining Create and Craft in 2004 after running her own business, Stephanie’s crafting expertise and enthusiasm has been instrumental in helping to shape the brand, developing many of its best-loved products and signing some of the UK’s largest craft suppliers.

Stephanie has played a key role in driving forward Create and Craft’s latest developments, in particular, the recently founded in-house ‘innovation hub’. As Managing Director, she led a team designing new and exclusive products for the business. She also helped to work on content for Create and Craft’s new brand ambassador, Keith Lemon, who was brought on in Autumn last year to front its marketing and appeal to a new, younger breed of craft consumer.

Jamie Martin, CEO, Ideal Shopping Direct said: “Stephanie is a much-valued colleague whose crafting knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm is second to none. She’s been a key player in our business since day one, forging strong bonds with our customer base, our business partners and her team. While Stephanie won’t be as involved in the daily running of the business or gracing our screens quite as much as she has, we’re delighted she’s remaining part of the Create and Craft family and are excited to be supporting her brilliant new range of products. We believe strongly in giving our team members the space they need to pursue their creative interests and we’re really happy Stephanie is able to take this next step in her career while still staying close to our business.”

Stephanie said: “From as far back as I can remember, crafting has been my passion and way of life and I’ve enjoyed living and breathing crafts every day at Create and Craft.  While it has been an amazing journey so far, I couldn’t ignore my longing to build something of my own again and to focus more on my creative side. I’m excited to be launching my new range and it’s made even better by having the support of the business behind me and still being involved with my team. I can’t wait to share the range with all our customers and fans on Create and Craft soon!”

About Create and Craft TV: Create and Craft, part of the Ideal Shopping Direct Group – the No1 direct retailer in craft in the UK – is an award-winning multi-channel craft retailer. Create and Craft broadcasts live on TV and online in the UK and US to more than 70 million homes. It offers paper craft, jewellery, sewing, cake decorating and knitting products. Create and Craft won GOLD in seven categories at the 2016 International Craft Awards including Best TV Shopping Channel for Crafts, Best for Quality, Best for Customer Service, Best Website and Best Online Shop.

About Ideal Shopping Direct: Ideal Shopping Direct Limited is one of the UK’s leading multi-channel home shopping retailers, selling via its TV channels and the internet. It is a vibrant company with a team of 600 based in Peterborough selling a range of general merchandise; everything from products for the home and garden to kitchen and technology through to health and beauty and craft buys. Its flagship TV channel is Ideal World (Sky, Freeview, Freesat and Virgin) supported by three other channels – Create and Craft (Sky, Freeview and Freesat), Ideal Extra and Create and Craft Extra (Sky/Freesat). In July 2018, the business was acquired by Aurelius Alpha Limited, a subsidiary of Aurelius Equity Opportunities.

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