Meet Jowilna Nolte, Cricut ambassador in South Africa

27 October 2021

This feature on Jowilna Nolte is part of a multi-story series on women in Cricut in South Africa for Women's Month.

With more than 20 years of experience, Jowilna Nolte has a career that spans all of the paper industry. From crafts and design to retail and wholesale to teaching, Jowilna did it all. Passionate about all things craft, she makes the creative journey uncomplicated. Jowilna believes that everyone is creative, and that they just need to nurture that creativity inside of them. 

We interviewed Jowilna to gain a better understanding of her own journey, and what brought her to Cricut. Here is what she had to say.

Jowilna Nolte, Cricut ambassador

I grew up with creativity — taking art lessons and just constantly drawing, painting, and playing. Creativity has always been a huge part of my life. After studying Pastoral Phycology and Counselling, I started working part-time in a stamp shop importing craft rubber stamps from America. It wasn’t long before working for them permanently. My addiction to quality products started here.

Traveling abroad to trade shows like Paperworld in Germany and CHA in America gave me vast insight into paper crafts. A whole new world opened up as I met and got to know some really amazing people in the industry.  One of my biggest dreams came true at age 30 when I became a magazine editor (on crafts, of course). This bucket list item was hard, but the rewards were simply amazing.

Local magazines and online sites published my creative work extensively, as well as international publications like Somerset Studios, Take Ten, and Catch Up. My love for publishing and sharing ideas, tips and techniques shifted me onto another career path — my first book published in 2008. My second book, Scrap-boek, was the fourth bestselling book in South Africa. It sold out within a month of being published in 2010 and warranted a second print run.

Scrapbooking and crafting has been a natural extension of my love for card making and stamping that also accommodates a passion for photography.

These days, I design for various companies to share my love of paper, ink, and, of course, Cricut, to inspire and educate others in this wonderful journey. I teach a few in person classes here and there, but I can feel a definitive shift in my crafting. I see how it impacts not only my own life, but also the mental health of people around me and in the world.

Like an old flame, Cricut rekindled my love for uncomplicated crafting. I remember getting my first Cricut, but it is my Cricut Maker that has totally stolen my heart. And as for Cricut Joy, well, it really is my DIY best friend, enabling me to craft anywhere and anytime – even in the midst of a chaotic life.

Jowilna Nolte
Jowilna Nolte, Cricut ambassador in South Africa

My motto is really simple – Don’t sweat the small stuff when it comes to crafting. It has to be quick, easy, and fun!

Creating can be a wonderful journey and therapy making sense of things where life cannot. I have tuned my life into this philosophy.

Jowilna Nolte

So many wonderful people who God placed across my path in the crafting world, opened doors and gave me opportunities. Without them, my passion would never have become my purpose. And for that I am so very grateful.

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