I figured maybe I should update a few pictures since the last ones were over FIVE YEARS AGO! So here is a pretty current picture of my kids and my little granddaughter, Riley.

A lot has happened in the last five years, but I won't bore you all with the details. In more recent news, I went back to work at a hair salon. The name of the shop is Pur Bliss Salon in Roseville. If you need a new stylist, leave a comment here and I will get in touch with you!

Have a great day!
Susan

Well, hello there! I have not used this blog in quite a few years, but I decided to resurrect it from the dead! For those of you who are not on Facebook, I thought this might be an easier way to find out about my classes and other info. If you are on Facebook, you ca check out my Facebook page, Q Designs Susan Porter, Paper Arts Instructor. https://www.facebook.com/paperpaintink/  Come and visit me there and be sure to like my page so that you will be following me and receive notifications when I post something new. Also, share my posts if you have friends who might be interested in Paper crafting with us. And friend me on Facebook if you have not already! I don't have enough friends!

Check out the classes I have currently available to my right. See if there is one that interests you! More classes will be coming soon!



I have mentioned to some of my students that I have become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator! I decided to try it out as a way for me to be able to buy supplies like cardstock and new stamps, and also to have things available for my students to buy, if they so choose. I don't want to lure you away from other demonstrators or be in competition with any of you that are already demonstrators, I just wanted to have something available for those who want to take advantage of it. I will not be using solely Stampin' Up! products. I will incorporate them into my usual style, and keep classes mostly technique based. With that being said, I'm excited to get my starter kit and start creating classes for you all!

If you are interested in signing up for classes and are not on Facebook, please leave a comment here or email me and I will get in touch with you.

Happy Crafting!
Susan

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey Everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday with your family and friends! We sure did! Everything was yummy and went very smoothly. Dave and I make a good team. Here are a few shots from our dinner. Let me just say the Jack Daniels Chocolate Pecan Pie was amazing! I'm usually a pumpkin purist, but this is our new fave! To see all the photos check out my Facebook post. www.facebook.susanmarieporter.com

Got a few wedding photos for you as well. Jake and Ashton got married on October 29, 2011. It was a beautiful wedding at the Peppermill in Reno, NV. The kids are moving into an apartment in the next month or so. I am so excited for them to have their own place again. Baby Riley needs her own room! Can't wait!

In the crafting news.....

I am working on new classes for the store. I have my ideas together, now I am trying to get my samples done and work out the kinks. There are some new products at the store that I am incorporating into classes. I hope you come and try them out! I am most excited about the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists! They are so cool! I have been playing with them for awhile, but we finally have them in the store! Yay! The Frantage chunky embossing powder and mica flakes are also something I am dying to get my hands on! It looks like fun! I have always loved German Glass Glitter too. I love the chunky look it gives your projects. Those are just a few of the new things I want to play with, but there are more! We have tons of new toys from Viva Decor, new markers from Marvy that are more affordable alcohol based ink pens, watercolor pencils sold individually, and some of the most beautiful paper lines out there!

I have two classes left til the end of the year and they are both on Saturday, December 3rd. I have Cards to Die for, and Color Your World - Winter. I believe that there is still space in both classes so call The Stamp Art Shoppe on Tuesday and sign up! (916) 773-4378 See you there!

Susan

Copics Certification... Finally!

I am pleased to inform you all that I have been accepted to the Copics Certification Class offered in Sacramento on October 17th! I am so excited! As most of my students know, I have been teaching basic Copic Marker classes at The Stamp Art Shoppe for the last year and a half or so, but I have never had any formal training. Certification is expensive and usually far away. Sandy and Richele had just passed on what they had learned here and there. (Thanks, ladies!) I picked it up fairly quickly with a few minor struggles in the beginning. But, I am a colorer (is that really a word?) from way back and I have the fancy coloring books to prove it! Now, I am ready to learn more. Mostly because I want to be able to teach my students more, and partly so that I can challenge myself. I will learn what I can from this class and then hopefully be able to take the Intermediate class next time it is offered in the area. Yay!

I have really noticed a lot of improvement in my students work and I recently opened a new class this session called Advanced Copic Marker Techniques. If you have had my Copic Marker Workshop and are looking for the next step, the advanced class may be for you. My students had a blast in the first class and learned so much.

One of the great perks of teaching the classes is that they have allowed me to know what colors I want to work with and what colors students are wanting to work with and therefore we can order new colors accordingly. One of the constant requests is for skin tones. They can be a bit elusive at time and require a little more practice. We have added close to 30 new colors since I began teaching the classes and the customers and I are always pushing for more!

This photo is of one of the cards from my Color Your World - Winter class. I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Coloring!

Susan

A Little Distracted...

I can't lie. I have been just a little distracted lately. I found out in mid-June that my oldest son was going to be a father! With that news came frenzied planning sessions with his bride-to-be and her mother about bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, and a whole host of other wonderful things.

With that being said, I cut back slightly on my classes at The Stamp Art Shoppe this session for a few different reasons, but one being so I had time for wedding preparations. I still have several to choose from and I hope I see you in class soon! I am also helping Sandy and Linda with The 12 Tags of Christmas Series during the month of December. If you haven't signed up, check it out! It should a fun holiday treat!

Most of my classes are filling up quickly, but there is still some room in some especially evening classes. I will tease you with a picture of my Spooky Greetings 2011 class and my Color Your World - Autumn class. Hope you can make it to one! www.thestampartshoppe.com

Susan

Goodbye for now....

Well, I have to say goodbye to a few classes that are near and dear to my heart. They have had a good run, but their time has come to an end. I am putting my Mastering the Basics series of classes on the back burner for now. The next session of classes has so many new classes and special holiday classes that there just wasn't room for them on the schedule. Also, I have taught most of them for over a year and most of our customers have taken them. If you happened to miss them just gather four friends together and let us know and we can find an open time on the schedule to do a special request class. Thank you all for your support with classes!

Be sure to be checking your email towards the end of this month to get first crack at the new classes when they come out! The teachers have been working hard once again to bring you the latest ideas, techniques, and products!

We have had lots of new customers in the store and taking classes so when you meet them in class I hope you will give them the ol' Stamp Art Shoppe welcome and make them feel at home. We were all newbies at one time!

Thanks again for support and love! See you in class!

Susan

What's New?

Hello My Lovelies!

Thanks to all of you who came in to take class with me last week! We had a ton of fun on Thursday night in Mastering the Basics #4. Friday we got down to the business of blending with those snappy little Copic Markers. It is one of my favorite classes to teach because I really see how much you guys improve by the end of class! Cool! I hope you are all practicing your blending techniques! I want to see your progress so bring your finished projects into the store!

I know most of you ladies who take regular card classes at The Stamp Art Shoppe have had my Mastering the Basics #2 class, but in case you missed it, I am offering it twice next week. Pictures are to the right. Thursday Morning at 10 and Thursday evening at 6. There are spaces available if you are interested please call the shoppe at (916) 773-4378 to sign up. We will be using four different products in class, color wash, pan pastels, alcohol inks, and perfect pearls. It is a nice way to try these products and see if you like them. I will demonstrate two techniques with each product and we will make a card with each product. This class has been a sell-out for over a year and it will be retiring for awhile when this session is over. :-(

Don't worry though! I have lots more ideas up my sleeve for next session! Watch for my yearly favorite, "Spooky Greetings". Both Frightful and delightful! As well as more technique classes and product introduction classes. I am always so excited to plan new classes and I usually can't wait til the new ones start to see how you all like them! I know it's a little crazy, but I love it! I hope to see you in class soon!

Susan