Main Stage Stars

Norma Vally
A seasoned veteran of television home-improvement and widely known as the Toolbelt Diva, Norma Vally started swinging a hammer well before any cameras were rolling. For over a decade, she honed all aspects of her hands-on approach to home repair in her family’s home-improvement business. Now, Norma’s media career boasts her own home improvement book series Norma Vally’s Fix-ups (Wiley), four seasons as host of Discovery Home Channel’s Emmy nominated series Toolbelt Diva, a radio show on Sirius Satellite by the same name, and is a sought after public speaker. This Renaissance woman has appeared on a multitude of talk shows and national news programs including The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CNN and MSNBC. Norma has also appeared in a variety of publications including Family Circle, Women’s Health, People, Woman’s Day, Glamour, The L.A. Times, USA Today and The New York Times. She is a columnist and contributor to various press and website outlets including Better Homes and Garden Remodel and Tibesti. Norma founded Chix Can Fix, a website and product line devoted to empowering women through do-it-yourself. A native Brooklynite, Norma now splits her time between coasts and travels regularly preaching her motto, Go Fix, YOURSELF!, internationally.
Find out more about Norma and Chix Can Fix at www.normavally.com.

Allyce King
Host, Designer, Author
Allyce is the "original" Creative Chick at DIYStyle. She is a recent graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, MO with a BFA in Fashion Design and Product Development. Allyce has been sewing, crafting and making "unique things" since the age of six. Her first love though is Paddy, her VERY spoiled Yorkie, who thinks he can go everywhere with her (and sometime does—he's a regular at the fabric store)! She adores fashion, sewing, designing, draping & patternmaking, drawing, scrapbooking, and (in limited doses) the outdoors. Always creating, Allyce continuously comes up with more sewing and creative project ideas than she can possibly execute! Now that she has completed her first Fashion Collection, she's ready to find her place in the fast paced world of fashion design. Allyce writes for several magazines, and is the co-author of the book My Style, My Place, published by Krause Publications. She is also the co-designer of the DIYStyle pattern line from McCall's Patterns. Allyce continues to add her many ideas and direction to the Creative Chicks team and DIYStyle.

Jan Saunders Maresh
Jan Saunders Maresh is a nationally known journalist, television personality specializing in sewing and home decor. As a Certified Staging Professional (CSP) (www.stagingtraining.com), Certified One-Day Decorator (www.onedaydecorating.com), a Certified Instructor for The Dewey Color System (www.wemakecoloreasy.com) and a Live Green Live Smart Certified Trainer – clients, sellers, and Real Estate Agents receive the benefit of her cutting-edge training, her professionalism, and the 30 years of design experience. Jan is also the best-selling author of 15 books; her most recent titles are Home Staging for Dummies (Wiley, 2008) that she co-authored with Christine Rae, the president and founder of the Certified Staging Professionals, Sewing for Dummies and Sewing for Dummies, Second Edition (Wiley, 2004) (www.wiley.com).

Jenny Hart
Jenny Hart is the founder and creative director of Texas-based embroidery design company, Sublime Stitching. In 2001, Jenny introduced embroidery patterns with pinups, tattoos and robots on her self-made website, and Sublime Stitching sparked a new revolution in embroidery design. Jenny has since become an internationally published artist and illustrator, and an award-winning and top-selling author of multiple titles on embroidery for Chronicle Books.

Before launching Sublime Stitching, Hart first received international attention for her fine art and portraits in embroidery which have been exhibited and published throughout Europe, South America, Mexico, and Japan. Her work has been featured in publications that include SPIN, Real Simple, Rolling Stone, Vogue (Italy) BUST, ReadyMade, The New York Times, Entrepreneur, The Wall Street Journal and others. Hart's hand-embroidered portraits are included in the collections of numerous celebrities including actress Carrie Fisher, Laura Dern, comedian Tracey Ullman and Elizabeth Taylor. Jenny's embroidery work has also appeared on the cover for The Brak Show DVD (Adult Swim) and inspired collaborations with rock bands including The Flaming Lips, The Octopus Project and The Decemberists.

Jenny has appeared on television programs airing on DIY, HGTV, E! and The Style Network in the US, Canada and Europe. She has been a featured speaker at SXSW Interactive, Pecha Kucha, Maker Faire, Summit of Awesome and Bumbershoot. Her career as an artist and entrepreneur has been the subject of academic papers and recently published books including New York Times' columnist Rob Walker's, Buying In, Grindhopping, and Boss of You. Jenny is also a featured designer in Faythe Levine's craft documentary HandMade Nation and the accompanying book. Since 2008 Jenny has penned a business column, Crafting a Business for those curious about her experiences as a one-woman startup.

Jenny lives and works in Austin, Texas, where she is a founding member of the infamous Austin Craft Mafia, the original group that inspired an international network of Craft Mafias. Despite a hectic schedule, Jenny still finds plenty of time for embroidering. She runs Sublime Stitching full blast, but couldn't possibly do it all without this small and wonderfully dedicated staff (and stitchers like you)!

JIll Manoff
ALIVE magazine's Fashion Editor and stylist since 2004, Jill Manoff's influences run the gamut from Vivienne Westwood and '80s metal bands to Alexander Wang and Christophe Decarnin. When not busy working with designers as Saint Louis Fashion Week's Fashion Director, she also plays freelance stylist, with projects ranging from ads for The Scholarshop, lookbooks for Greedy Genius sneakers and Bakers Footwear catalogs to R&B artist Ginuwine's latest album cover. She is blessed with many job perks, including attending NY Fashion Week seasonally, delivering morning fashion segments for local news stations, writing about "all things fashion" and interviewing "Us Weekly-type" celebs--from Nick Lachey to Paris Hilton--are among her favorites.

Angela Ortman - STLwinegirl
"A hospitality professional, trained in San Francisco, striving to share exceptional food and wine with Saint Louis and the Midwest, making the world of food and wine more approachable and accessible for everyone!"

STLwinegirl Angela Ortman is a hospitality professional whose passion in life is food and wine. A St. Louis native, Angela was fortunate to spend four years in San Francisco improving her food, wine and service knowledge. She worked her way up from simple cafes and corporate restaurant chains to employment by some of the Bay Area's top restaurants, including Mobil four- and five-star restaurants, Michelin star rated locations and with James Beard award-winning chefs. Angela then advanced to management of the food and beverage outlets in top luxury hotels such as the St. Regis San Francisco and the Ritz-Carlton Saint Louis. She is a certified sommelier and an expert in guest relations. Her knowledge also includes spirits and cocktails. Angela is not only a guest services professional with five-star demeanor but is also a fun-loving individual who enjoys hosting an exciting, entertaining event.

STLwinegirl specializes in food and wine pairings, In Home Tastings, classes, local events, corporate functions, special occasions, client entertainment, art functions, wedding celebrations and more. She is dedicated to spreading her love and passion for great wine and flavorful, seasonal food. She is committed to using a wide assortment of foods and wines of the world as well as supporting the local industry. STLwinegirl only uses products that are available at local retailers for clients' easy accessibility.

STLwinegirl Angela Ortman was named a "goddess of wine" by Sauce Magazinein the July "Ones to Watch" article. She has also been featured in St. Louis Magazine, on KSDK Channel 5 as a food judge for the Taste of St. Louis Competition, and in the Daily Sauce email blast for events around Saint Louis.