About Brittni
Hey! I’m Brittni Mehlhoff.
As a former high school art teacher and someone who has been making things with her hands since childhood, I really enjoy sharing accessible (and useful) DIY projects, home decor ideas, and room makeovers. I’ve established myself as an industry expert in DIY and home decor projects, having taught over 1,000 students about the topic of DIY projects and tutorials through my Skillshare course. And have been creating DIYs in all categories on Paper and Stitch for over 15 years.
I left my job as a high-school art teacher, to pursue Paper & Stitch full-time way, less than a year after starting the site. And I can’t imagine doing anything else these days. My Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art, from University of North Florida, has come in handy many times. Especially with my BFA concentration in painting and drawing, given the various DIY art ideas and techniques I’ve shared over the years.
But my upbringing is probably what led me to doing what I do today. My grandmother was a quilter and I would sit for hours with her at her sewing machine when I was young, just soaking it all in. And my mom would make all of my Halloween costumes and do cool flower arrangements at home. Eventually, I started helping with the Halloween costumes and the flower arranging too.
I still make costumes for my son each year to carry on the tradition. And flower arrangements as well.
All that to say, making things has always been a big part of my life and my family’s life. Even if I wasn’t sharing decor tutorials and other DIYs here, I would still be doing them in real life. Making things with my hands will always be a part of what I do.
About Paper and Stitch
Over the last 15 years, I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing brands, like Etsy, Amazon, ScotchBlue, Martha Stewart, Whole Foods, FedEx Office, and Sherwin-Williams just to name a few. And have received accolades from popular design sites and shelter magazines across the globe, like being one of the best design blogs according to Domino magazine.
In addition to a cover story with Good Housekeeping, Paper and Stitch has been featured inside the pages of Inside Out, Uppercase, Country Living, Woman’s Day magazine, Mollie Makes, COUCH, Fresh Home Ideas magazine, and Family Fun magazine.
Additionally, Paper and Stitch has been featured in multiple books, and has produced content on many premiere, high-traffic design and DIY sites including HGTV.com, Bobby Berk, Elle Decor, Bon Appetit, Apartment Therapy, Domino, DIY Network, BuzzFeed, Better Homes and Gardens, Emily Henderson, and many others.
- Featured in The Handmade Marketplace, 2nd Edition: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and Online by Kari Chapin
- Featured in Packaging Your Crafts: Creative Ideas for Crafters, Artists, Bakers, & More by
F.A.Q.
How do you pronounce your last name? Mel-hoff
I’ve seen your blog name written several different ways. Which one is correct? Paper and Stitch.
Where do you live? I live in Southern California. I was born in California and finally moved back in 2020. I’ve moved around plenty in my adult life though – living in in Seattle, WA / Jacksonville, FL / and Atlanta, GA.
How would you describe your style? Organic modern with a little bit of eclectic, mid-century.
Didn’t you use to run an online gallery? Yes. I started the exhibition site back in 2008 (at the same time as the blog) and after 5 years of promoting artists and makers in that space, I decided it was time to move on. Now, I focus all of my time on this blog and freelance styling work. If you need a shopping fix though, I curate all of my favorites from around the web each week on the shop page.
Still have a question? Email me anytime here: brittni(at)papernstitch(dot)com
