Brenda’s Crafts » Artisans

Brenda L. Miller of Myerstown grew up on a grain farm in Womelsdorf and learned German paper-cutting, or scherenschnitte, at 14 from Claudia Hopf, a well known crafter, during a mini-show on a friend’s porch.

“You’re limited only by your imagination. I do 300 designs. People still ask for things I’ve never considered.”

Miller’s cuttings include a Civil War series and 18 historic lighthouses developed from photographs. Her simplest motif takes an hour; her most complicated, a Noah’s Ark, takes 10. There are laser-cut imitations on the market, but Miller cuts with scissors and a surgeon’s scalpel.

“I used to be offended when people thought my work was laser-cut. Now, I take it as a compliment. This craft is not going to end on my watch.”