When Brooke Tuttle Ulrich was growing up on her family’s
alfalfa farm in Holden, Utah, she was a typical farm girl and—she says—never
wore shoes. She did some coloring and drawing; she dressed her cats up in doll
clothes, but maintains she never thought she had a creative side at all.
Today, that creativity has burst forward resoundingly, as she
is a bright star in the world of Internet bloggers on craftwork, design,
renovation and restoration, and more, as well as for saving money in the
process. Her blog “All Things Thrifty” draws more than a half-million viewers
each month, and she boasts nearly 80,000 followers on Facebook and a like
number on Pinterest. Clearly, Brooke is a not only a product of the digital
age, but a key component of this medium in empowering individuals in their home
life.
It’s true that, as is the case with all three of our homecoming honorees, this 2016 Young Alumnus of the Year’s work is all about improving
the lives of others. All Things Thrifty’s goals are to inspire and equip readers
to tackle their own projects confidently, to provide easily understood tutorials,
and to share information to positively impact readers’ lives.
As a Sterling Scholar in art at Millard High School, where Brooke
also excelled in track and field and on the drill team, she first started to
realize what she calls her “visual brain” when she painted a mural on the
school’s weight room wall. But, it was her career goal to teach communication
and advise a dance group at a school somewhere. A scholarship to SUU set her on
that path, with suitable courses and extracurricular work as an SUUSA leader, a
Presidential Ambassador and a member of the Waukeenyans. She was granted her
bachelor’s degree in 2004 and stayed on to earn a master’s degree in corporate
communication in 2007, and while a severe ankle injury ended her dance dreams, she
did teach communication both at SUU and at Dixie College.
She met and married her husband Dan while at SUU and
had the couple not decided to buy a home in St. George in 2009, her destiny may
well have been what she had earlier planned. What came to pass, however, is
indeed a charmed confluence, as she thoroughly enjoys being a largely
stay-at-home mother to her four children and, also, conducting her own satisfying
and rewarding career as well as exercising her creative gifts.
It all began when she surveyed her new house, which
she termed “beige” from top to bottom. Despite having put the family savings into the down payment, she decorated the
home herself through her imagination, her artistic talent and an eye for
stretching a dollar. Soon, it was “by-bye beige.” Her brother, Court,
encouraged and coached her to share her progress with online photos and “All
Things Thrifty” was born to almost instant popularity, spurred by her ample
network of friends.
Although she is
quick to credit her husband, a multi-talented craftsman, for his abilities in
creating whatever she can imagine, her talents have made her a frequent guest
on many Salt Lake City television feature programs, and landed her a spot as a
Home Depot trainer hosting Do-It-Yourself workshops all over the country,
including teaching women how to use power tools. Virtual workshops over the Internet
are now in her portfolio and she sees video as the prime tool for the future.
She has shown a marvelous ability to adapt with the rapidly changing digital
world.
Other
partnerships of Brooke’s include Proctor & Gamble, Better Homes &
Gardens, Rust-oleum and Shaw Carpets. A current tribute to her abilities
and success has come with her being featured on the current cover of Welcome Home magazine.
In all that she
does, Brooke Ulrich embodies that true Thunderbird spirit borne of an
experiential education. Knowledge, ability and vision, coupled with a desire to
aid others, are the mainstays of her success.
No comments:
Post a Comment