ABOUT EMILY

I’m an optimistic person who loves my family and friends fiercely. I’ve been married to my husband, Matt, since 1999, and we live in north Texas with our adorably ridiculous dog, Rambo. We’re proudly known as “Aunt Emily and Uncle Matt” to more than our 12 immediate nieces & nephews - but to over 60 children of our cousins, close friends, and chosen family. We are honored & delighted to a be part of of their lives.

I serve as Coordinator of Communications and Media for Grace Presbytery, and am open to creative and consulting projects in my spare time. Previously, I spent 14 years self-employed supporting congregations, nonprofits, small businesses, and artists nationwide with their branding, communication, and website needs. Before that, I worked in the paper crafts industry as an educator, marketer, and product designer. I was on teams that launched products at Target, Hobby Lobby, and QVC. I filmed pieces for the DIY Network and advocated for creativity through my writing, teaching, and media work in the U.S. and abroad.

EMILY'S INSTAGRAM

z reading

READING

z cook

COOKING

z craft

CRAFTING

z upcycling

UPCYCLING

z gardening

GARDENING

z thrifting

THRIFTING

PERSONAL SOCIALS

HOBBIES + INTERESTS

READING: I am an avid reader. I typically read between 100 and 150 books a year. 

COOKING: I love cooking. Fun fact, the more my stress level increases, the fancier my cooking gets (until I hit my breaking point and it's pizza palooza). It's a delicious creative escape.

CRAFTING: My grandmother raised me crafting constantly. I started my first business (Em's Gems) in the 4th grade, sewing my own line of Barbie clothes, designing the packaging, and selling them on consignment to a local shop. I also worked in the craft & hobby industry for 8 years. I still craft regularly and sometimes host Sunday Crafternoon gatherings in my home.

UPCYCLING: My husband & I turn trash into treasures by reupholstering, repurposing, and reimagining salvaged furniture pieces.

THRIFTING: Matt and I also regularly scout estate sales & thrift shops looking for antiques or other funky finds.

GARDENING: I look for unusual vegetables and herbs to grow. Always trying to eat the rainbow.

READ BANNED BOOKS & FIGHT CENSORSHIP

It’s important to read banned books and stand against censorship as a commitment to the health of our communities. When books are restricted or removed, we lose access to voices that challenge us, broaden our understanding, and reflect diverse experiences. Protecting the freedom to read preserves the exchange of ideas that strengthens democracy and nurtures empathy. Support the librarians, educators, and advocates who work to keep information accessible—especially for those whose stories are often pushed aside. Create your own book sanctuary using the handout I put together to help explain the cause. The Librarians film is especially timely because it highlights the fight to protect knowledge amid rising censorship and book bans. It underscores the essential role libraries play in preserving truth and defending everyone’s right to read and think freely. Find a local screening or support the film.

"Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around. "

Stephen King

"You were born an original, don't become a copy!"

Coco Chanel

"The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can."

Neil Gaiman

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."

Vincent Van Gogh

"There's nothing we can't do if we work hard, never sleep, and shirk all other responsibilities in our lives."

Leslie Knope

"At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can."

Frida Kahlo

"Do what you need to do and enjoy life as it happens."

John Scalzi

"Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you."

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

"It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do."

Jane Austen

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."

Audrey Hepburn

"Your struggles might even lead you to your strengths."

Katherine Center

"Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the way we expect."

Luna Lovegood

"Fashion you can buy, but style you possess. They key to style is learning who you are, which takes years. There's no how-to road map to style. It's about self-expression and, above all, attitude."

Iris Apfel

"At this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when every day is a matter of survival, I don’t think you can help but be involved."

Nina Simone

"Sometimes it takes a long time to sound like yourself."

Miles Davis

"I don't care what you think of me, unless you think I'm awesome. In which case you are right."

Miss Piggy

"Find out who you are. And do it on purpose."

Dolly Parton

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not."

Kurt Cobain

"It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression."

Mr. Rogers

"You can do anything you want. This is your world."

Bob Ross

"There is always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it."

Amanda Gorman

"A little nonsense, now and then, is relished by the wisest men."

Willy Wonka

BOOKS READ IN 2026 TO DATE

BOOKS READ IN 2025