Julia Chupik

Owner, Operator

I am an owner and operator, together with my husband Glenn, of The Paper and Ink Boutique. We have been married for 27 years since meeting while working in the grocery business. Through these years, I have raised two fabulous children – Breanna and Daylen, while working in a variety of retail positions. In a past life, I was Manager of Scrapbooker’s Paradise and when it closed I could see a huge gap in Calgary’s paper crafting community; so, in 2017 Glenn and I began the process of opening The Paper and Ink Boutique. After a crazy, whirlwind of a year we were able to open to the public on August 24, 2018. Being a small business owner is challenging but I love it. The hardest part is probably that I don’t get enough creative time for myself – but is there ever enough creative time? What I love about The Paper and Ink Boutique is that I get to share my love of all things to paper and ink with like-minded people and that is truly a joy.

There is no possible way for me to pick one favourite paper craft over another but I will say that Art Journaling has become very important to me as I have used it as an expression and escape from difficult emotions. Art Journaling was a key coping tool through my cancer journey. I am happy to say I am now in remission but creating in my art journal has remained. I am inspired by Tracy Scott, France Papillon, Dina Wakely and hundreds of other paper artists to break out the inks, stamps, paints and more to create pages as much as I possibly can. I truly enjoy sharing the techniques in my monthly Art Journaling Class and love that every day I get to look at and touch the most beautiful and inspiring crafty goodies I feel this industry has to offer.

Glenn Chupik

Owner, Operator

Some couples may not find running a business together to be ideal, but Julia and I chose to chase this dream of owning our own business and we have no regrets. Julia and I have been married for 27 years. We have a daughter, Breanna and a son Daylen. Dakota, our Top Employee of All Time, has been with us for 14 of these past 27 years.

Running this business with my amazing wife has been fulfilling and inspiring. We have met and continue to meet so many incredible people. I am thrilled to meet and help all of our crafty customers as they show their excitement and passion for the products we bring in. Sometimes, I am the only guy in the room but I am truly okay with that because I have a huge appreciation for the people who come and shop with us. I see the boost we give people in providing something so fun and important to them and I feel we make a difference in people’s lives. That is really what it is all about isn’t it?

I bring my passion for creating to the store by designing, and building things that support our community of crafters. I repurposed used pallets to make the store fixtures and have even designed my own crafting tool called the Glennding Tool – yes, that’s a thing…look it up on our online store, I am sure you will love it.

I am rewarded daily in my work as Julia and I continue to build a network of positive relationships and friends. These will last a lifetime and we take huge pride in knowing that some of our customers have found lifelong friendships by meeting in our store. We also work hard to support local charities through our Crop for a Cause Events, Food Drives and other give back events. Ultimately, we are working hard to create a positive and happy place in the world and thanks to our customers and supporters, we are making it happen. We could not do this without all of you.

Heather Fischer

Assistant Manager

I have known Julia and Glenn for quite some time and am thrilled to call them friends and support their amazing store!  As the Assistant Manager, I am getting to know all the inner workings of the store. Ideally, with me in this role and with the support of the Craft Consultants, Glenn and Julia will be able to take some well-deserved time off once in a while.   I also create Take & Make kits and teach in-store workshops.

I’ve been crafting forever, always loved paper crafts in some way or another.  My first official leap into card making was a heat embossing Christmas card class in the late 90’s and I’ve been addicted since then.  Heat embossing continues to be one of my favourite techniques...I have at least 60 jars of powder in my collection. I’m an avid card maker, scrapbooker and enjoy finding ways to utilize my products and craftiness into home decor.  

I have a mild addiction to scrapbook paper, I’m always drawn to that first and I’ve been known to buy my boys clothes to coordinate with a specific paper collection for the perfect pictures for layouts! 

I’m very fortunate to have a craft room where you’ll find me at some point almost daily.  Creating is a true passion and I love to share knowledge and ideas through classes and spending time with like-minded crafty peeps is the best! 

Nancy Bianchini

Creative Team Manager and Craft Consultant

As Creative Team Manager, I oversee the delivery of the Classes and Take & Makes.  If our Creative Team was an orchestra, I would be the Conductor and they make my job really easy by continuing to design extraordinary projects that customers really want to create. My personal goal for this job is to fund and build my craft hoard; so far, so good.  Professionally, I love sharing my knowledge and supporting crafty educators in showing, sharing and teaching their latest favourite creations. 

 I have been crafting for as long as I can remember. My first scrapbook page was about my dog – it was an 8 ½ x 11 page and I used decorative scissors to crop the photos!  Yikes!  As far as paper crafting goes, I struggle to choose a favourite between card making, mixed media and scrapbooking.  That would be like choosing a favourite child.

 In my life, I work at fostering positivity and kindness.  I value laughter and even when times are tough I am good for a joke and a giggle.  Life does get “real” sometimes but I find a sense of humour to be an important part of keeping going.  This has created a bit of trouble for me at times:  I have been reprimanded twice at different jobs for my loud and obnoxious laugh and I am great at embarrassing my teenagers with it.  Thankfully, those who know me best feel that it is contagious and unique in a good way.

Nancy Mason-Nichol

Craft Consultant

I am the first store employee at The Paper and Ink Boutique and quite obviously – I am the other Nancy that works at the store. I have an eclectic work background of advertising, day home, office work and retail including teaching classes and working at Scrapbookers Paradise and as a Department Manager at Michaels.

I started card making in 1992 and thought it would be a good idea to make my own wedding invitations - 200 embossed - before heat guns were a thing. We used an iron turned upside down, propped up on the ironing board with an old towel and an unbent paper clip to be sure the paper touched the iron to melt the embossing powder from the back side of the paper!

A few years later, I discovered scrapbooking. Then, in 2012 I took a few online classes in mixed media canvases and I was hooked. I didn’t have much spare time for artsy stuff then but have recently taken it up again, mostly in the form of art journaling. I think this is now my favourite medium and I currently have three different themed journals on the go.

A fun fact about me: I sing in a women’s a Capella chorus called Rhythm of the Rockies. There are around 65 of us and we have competed internationally in Hawaii, twice in Vegas and last fall in New Orleans where we placed 17th (out of 600 choruses worldwide). This is, part of the reason why I haven’t had much time for art until recently.

I live with my husband of 28 years, Earle, our rescue dog Sadie and our old fat cat Tess. Our adult daughter, Jesara, is in Heaven.

I am excited to be working at The Paper and Ink Boutique in such a fun, creative environment with great people. I look forward to meeting all of you.

Laureen duBois

Craft Consultant

Hi.  My name’s NOT Nancy, but I’m thrilled that Julia and Glenn still hired me! I’m Laureen and I’m one of the Craft Consultants who shares Dakota’s role of happily greeting you when you come into the store.  I’m actually a Chartered Professional Accountant by trade, but crafter at heart.  My role at the store is the perfect culmination of my love of the crafting industry, my business and HR talents and desire to help others.  My first love is creating cards, but being surrounded by so many talented creators at the store has already nudged me into other art forms which has been an added bonus to being at the Boutique.  I love to talk to our customers about their crafting passions and being part of such a supportive and talented crafting community, not to mention being surrounded by beautiful papers, stamps and handy tools!  I will confess that my nerdy accountant side still gets her fix with creating the odd spreadsheet here and there, as well as organizing the store inventory, both of which also bring me joy. 

I’ve always loved art in some form or another.  Whether it was drawing cartoon characters when I was young, to making my wedding invitations and table centers in my 20’s.  I shudder thinking about the first evolution of my cards 10 years ago, but that’s all part of the creative journey, isn’t it? 

I am very blessed to have an amazing family who supports my crafty life and lets me escape into my craft room whenever I am needing my “fix” (when we’re not at a baseball diamond, volleyball court or on the golf course!).  I am still waiting for my husband, Erick, to make ME a hand-made card (I would pay to watch that happen!), while my teen daughter does an amazing job despite it not being her passion (yet!).  Unless there’s some strong affiliation to sports, our younger teen son won’t be asking for my crafting stash anytime soon. Our sweet Labradoodle, Oscar, can usually be found laying far too close to my chair in my crafting room, with some tape runner remnants or die cut pieces stuck in his fur. 

I am thrilled to be working at the store with Julia and Glenn as amazing employers, a talented, kind and fun group of co-workers and wonderful customers. If I can be grateful for Covid-19 for perhaps one thing, it was that it gave me time to reflect on what makes me happy and that we only get one chance at this life so why not take a risk and try something new?  I’m so glad I did. So when my son asks if I have to go to work in the morning, I say “No, I get to go to work in the morning!”.  That says it all.

Breanna Chupik

Craft Consultant

I am Julia and Glenn’s daughter and have been supporting their venture from the very beginning! When they first told me that they were thinking seriously about opening The Paper & Ink Boutique, I was so thrilled! Before the store was even open, I was sitting with my mom in the kitchen for hours entering, labeling, and organizing all the inventory that was arriving on our doorstep!

I have 7 years retail experience from working as a Cashier at Superstore. I worked in the veterinary industry for 5 years as a Registered Veterinary Technician. After working nights for 4 years, I decided my life needed a change and started working full-time at The Paper & Ink Boutique as a craft consultant!

Growing up, I wasn’t very artsy but having the influence of the store has got my creative juices flowing and I am eager to learn more about card making and getting crafty! 

Elizabeth Jeanson

Craft Consultant

Hi, my name is Elizabeth one of the newest members of the Paper and Ink Boutique’s CraftConsultant team.

I have been crafting for many years and like to dabble in a bit of everything; wreath making,sewing, crocheting, watercolor painting, scrapbooking, cards, and the list goes on. Over the past two years by watching demo’s and taking classes through the Paper & Ink Boutique I have learned new crafts,mixed media, journals, albums, and tags.

My three children are all grown up, four if you count the 8-year-old 125 lb. furry kid Louie and I am still catching up on my scrapbooks. Recently my husband helped put together a well-organized craft room, just for me (My happy place) and he is delighted I now have a job that supports all my crafting addictions, I mean hobbies.

It is a dream job to be able to work at what you enjoy along side great co-workers and to assist like-minded crafty people. I am incredibly grateful for Glenn and Julia for taking me on as part of the team and look forward to seeing you in the store.

Cassandra Millward

Craft Consultant

Interested in art from a young age I was always drawing or coloring or painting and took art all through school. I started in paper crafting with a love of stamping in card making and scrapbooking. During the first years sons’ life I took a break to spend time with him. When I could find time, I took a variety of classes to nurture my creative side.  I did everything from art classes to cake decorating to making homemade soaps and lotions.

During the last 5 years I have had some medical issues and found that I once again returned to my love of paper crafting as a form of therapy and expression and creativity. My style had vastly changed due to how much has changed in paper crafting over the years and new skills I had learned. I still love to bring some stamping into my art but now find myself loving the mixed media style, playing with the bold colors of alcohol ink and the soft watercolors. I enjoy creating my own backgrounds, embellishments, and household décor. I am an avid learner of new ink and paper techniques, especially if it involves something goopy, and once I have had a chance to play with any new product I love to share this knowledge with others.