Sites of the week

Currently In My CD Player:
Fall Out Boy {Infinity On High} with #7 on repeat

Last Movie{s} Watched:
The Departed {so good!!}
The Breakup {B-}
Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby {full of cheesy, yet funny, quotes, but baaaaaad!}

What I’m Wearing:
White tee, blue jeans, gray sweatshirt and red OU flip flop slippers…where’s the runway???

Favorite TV Show:
CSI {the original one}… Hello Nick!!!!

Last Time At a Restaurant & What I Ordered:
My friend, Brandi, and I went to Cheddar’s yesterday. We chowed down!!! Onion Rings, Salad, Croissant and Chicken Pot Pie {we split all of it, as if that’s any
concession}.

Book I’m Reading:
Light on Snow by Anita Shreve {nevermind the fact that I have been ‘reading’ it since Christmas}

My Favorite Indulgence:
Iced Caramel Macchiato {with whip cream and lots of caramel sauce}…what calories??

Latest Thing That Made Me Happy:
Ellie’s laugh…it’s contagious!

Latest Thing That Made Me Not-So-Happy:
The bleepity bleep that pulled out in front of me yesterday and nearly {I’m talking inches people!!!} caused a 45 mph T-bone accident. I just about threw up it was so close. However, I have the bestest guardian angels ever {and brakes, apparently}!

What I Am Looking Forward To Most This Year:
Ellie’s baptism and first birthday {and all the other firsts that are coming our way}, the new catty {or should I say, ‘catties’}, winning the lottery {stay with me here, folks} and not moving {we’ve moved every year 3 years in a row…aaack!!!}.

This isn’t a “tag your it” type thing {and, please don’t use it that way}, but if want, feel free to copy and fill in the blanks as you see fit.

Wow, what a thrill to be the first featured stamper on Jen’s website!! I was taken aback and yet so honored to be asked to do this! Jen is a neat lady and her work is totally inspiring. For a Dirty Dozen girl to ask little ol’ me to do this is very exciting, so I hope you enjoy my work as well as hers.
Well, my name is Susan Liles (susiestampalot on SCS) and I ‘m a rubber stamping addict. I have been married to the love of my life, Eric coming up on 8 years in April, but we have been together for almost 10, I guess! Wow! I have been a stay at home mommy for three and a half years (the BEST job in the world) to three wonderful girls—Shelbie is 14, Lindsie who is 6 and Audrie is 3. Before that, I was in banking for sixteen years and held almost every position you can have inside a consumer banking center (Bank of America—the bank of the Northern Hemisphere!). We live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of north Texas, but I am originally from Houston and lived in Katy for quite a while after that, before my family relocated here in 1979. I am very close to my family—my mom (Linda L Bien on SCS) lives 20 minutes away, and my twin sisters live 10 and 30 minutes away—yay! So we are always getting together to have a little fun!
As long as I can remember (I’m 40 years old, so it’s getting a little fuzzy), I have been into arts and crafts. I started drawing animals and cartoon characters and even made up a few of my own at a very young age and winning various art contests! I started sewing when I was six and made all my own Barbie clothes! My mom and I would always have a craft going and I remember making several different Christmas gifts together every year using a variety of mediums. As I grew up (the eighties—remember all that “country cutesy” stuff?), I was mostly interested in Tole painting, then discovered my love of scrapbooking in 1994 and still keep that up on a regular basis, going to various retreats every year and hanging out with my best friend at her Creative Memories workshops every now and then.
I was first introduced to stamping at a Stampin’ Up party at my sister’s sister-in-law’s (at the time) almost 8 years ago. I thought it was OK, but wasn’t really into it. My true thought was, are you kidding me? Color in a stamp on the rubber with markers to make one image! That’s insane! So as we all do at those in home parties, I felt obligated to purchase something! It took me FOREVER to look at the catalog and pick something out (it’s a bit overwhelming for a newbie stamper!). I finally chose a Fourth of July set, some black ink, and a scrubber pad. Looking back—who makes Fourth of July cards? It was the dumbest set I think I could have opted for! I think I used it one time!
Then, about 3 or 4 years ago, I was asked to another SU! Home party and FELL IN LOVE!!! I loved everything about it and all the possibilities (and challenges) that stamping held. Plus, I had a great demo. Looking back at my gallery on Splitcoast (which I also used to think was a waste of time—hahaha!!), boy, I have come a long way! I don’t sell SU!, but after I got my mom hooked (teehee), she became a demo and I support my habit through her.
So about 70 stamp sets, a TON of various other stamps (I LOVE the $1 Michael’s stamps), ribbon, and all the accessories later (yes, I still own Star Spangled Day), here I am, still in love with the craft. In fact, it has taken over a section of our bedroom in which I call my craft “studio”. I love all sorts of papercrafting and have even gotten into selling cards and gift items to my friends and at some shows. Stamping and scrapbooking are my all-time favorites, though. I don’t know that I have found a particular “style” of my own, but I do like my cards to be clean, layed out well, and not over-embellished. I hope to just get better and better at what I do, maybe even become a Dirty Girl, like my friend, Jen, here and someday be published in a ma-ga—zine!!!! (said like Mike, from Monsters Inc.!)
Come visit me on my blog at www.susiestampalot.blogspot.com! I have made many new and very talented friends who also dabble in this great ink-filled world. I would love to get to know you, too!!

Finally the day has come to introduce i{heart}2stamp’s very first Guest Designer! I am proud to introduce to you, not only a very talented stamper, but also a friend of mine…

Susan Liles

Go to the Guest Designer tab on the top of the page to see the exclusive projects she has done for i{heart}2stamp or simply, click HERE.

Stay Tuned…
Saturday there will be a tutorial!