Designer Spotlight: Susan Liles & Rhonda Merry

Welcome friends!!!
I hope you have enjoyed following our Blog and getting to know more about all our great LBH Gals! Today, we are shining the Spotlight on two awesome team members... Susan Liles and Rhonda Merry. These gals do so much for the LBH!  If you don't find them behind the counter,then they are working like busy bees designing projects for Workshops or creations for our Media Team and our Front Porch Kits!

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 Designer Spotlight: Susan Liles

Hi, Susan Liles here! I'm a lifelong crafter who started with drawing and painting, entering projects into the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (and winning) back when I was just a kid.  I've tried just about everything when it comes to crafting--sketching, drawing, watercolor, tole painting, leather crafting, beadwork, sewing (doll clothes and home decor to an expensive wedding gown), embroidery, calligraphy, and oh my gosh, who remembers latch-hooking?!?!  Well, today I find myself pretty content in the "papery" world of stamping, cardmaking, Copic coloring, scrapbooking and DIY home decorating/repurposing projects (which I hope to do even more of this year). 

I'm thrilled to be on the Media Team for The Little Blue House.  Not only am I on this team, but if you come to the store, you'll also find my design work in the Front Porch and some Buffet Kits, I teach the Reverse Confetti ('Fetti Fans) Card Workshops, and you'll also find me behind the register, making sure y'all get your crafty supplies all bought and ready to take home to love! 

I was born in Houston and have lived in the North Texas area for most of my life, making my way through the banking industry for 18 years.  My family and I took a leap of faith 11 years ago and I became a stay-at-home mom, taking care of our 3 girls.  During that time, I kept busy with them and did design work for several companies over the years, including several of the major online stamp companies, some in-house design work for Michael's, and a few other little side jobs along the way.  I'm beyond blessed to say that I've finally found my "crafty home" with The Little Blue House and I couldn't be happier about it!

My style tends to be graphic, and layer-y, but I also love to dabble with a scrubby vintage look or even shabby-chic with a "more is more" attitude.  I love bright colors, too!  I think the one thing I've heard from others over and over about my work is that it always looks fun and happy, so if that's a style...it must be mine!

Right now, I'm loving all my Reverse Confetti stamps and dies (of course).  I think everyone will agree that "foam boosters" are my product of choice. I really love the dimension it gives to my projects.  I have to have back up to my back up supply with them! I'm also a collector of anything Heidi Swapp, and am always on the lookout for anything dog related, paper or stamp-wise (We have a puggle named Sage that I dearly love.  I'm sure you'll see her on my layouts in the near future).  
I truly look forward to not only inspiring you, but also hearing from you!  Find me on my blog, susiestampalot.com, and I'd love for you to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and on Splitcoaststampers.com as well (susiestampalot).   

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Designer Spotlight: Rhonda Merry

Hello LBH friends.  Rhonda Merry here. It’s my turn to be featured here on the Little Blue House Blog and for those who know me, know that I’m a “behind the scenes” kind of person in that I help manage the daily happenings at the Little Blue House; check out, reservations, paperwork, inventories and the like.  But I also venture out with my creativity and design for Front Porch Kits and LBH Bundle Kits.  I have worked at the LBH since opening in September 2010 and have watched our little business grow to the amazing place that it is today.

 I am the wife of a great guy, Chet, who allows me my creative outlet without with little ridicule. I am Mom to three young adults. One with his own career in California and two living the college life.  I’m not sure if I can officially be called an empty nester, yet, since I “custody  share” the care of my Mom, who is at an age of needed assistance but not quite at the stage of needing full time professional care. So my sister and I have made room for her in our homes for this season. 

I have been a scrapbooker since high school, but only realized what that meant about 14 years ago when I went to my first Creative Memories party. Now I dabble in everything paper related, I still mainly Scrapbook. 12x12 layouts and pocket pages, you will find both in my personal albums.

My style varies.  I will create vintage, modern, linear, mixed media, layered, whatever moves me at the moment.  My personal scrapbooks have everything from simple to detailed, minimal to festive.  I love trying new techniques, although if there are too many steps or too many supplies needed, I will usually not repeat it.  But I love that I know how it works and that helps in knowing my product and the Little Blue House. I also enjoy making mini albums.  Smash books or from scratch.  I seem to have a growing collection…

My favorite crafty item is buttons.  The love of buttons started when I was a kid. My family would go to my Aunt Helen’s who had this bowl of trinket toys and buttons setting on her kitchen bar. I can remember us kids digging through that bowl every visit.  That along with my mom being the family seamstress, set me up for my love of buttons. Getting to pick out the ones that would go on whatever new outfit she would make for us, that was the best.  My favorite are the mother of Pearl or crystal buttons from the 30’s and 40’s. Even when shopping for clothes, if there are interesting buttons on it, I will usually buy the item. 

Here is where I create.  After my 2^nd kid left for college, I took a room for myself.  Most of the time I will have paper clippings and unused embellishments, stamps and inks, and multiple scissors scattering the tabletops while creating. Once complete everything gets put away. I call it setting back to ZERO. I have set to Zero for this blog post because the insanity of clutter is disturbing to too many for that to ever be seen on the web. LOL

I know only few can appreciate the fullness of this space, but

It makes me happy to be in here.  I can see potential in every tool and paper

 I have. But even if the walls were blank, I could see the potential in that as well.

You can follow my blog at www.NOidlehandshere.blogspot.com ; my Instagram under rmerry1 or on search Rhonda Merry on Pinterest. There I post my creations for the current kits and bundles for the LBH, along with a new venture for me, Faith Journaling.  A recent workshop at the LBH with Shanna Noel on what Faith Journaling is all about has me reading my bible more frequently.  Keeping my mom on the weekends sometimes means I miss going to church and this is a way to encourage myself to bible study time.  Faithfulness and art, it’s all good!

Thanks for stopping by and reading what I write and creating with me

I hope to see you at the Little Blue House.

Make it a creative day!Rhonda
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Thanks to Susan and Rhonda for sharing with us! We love them so much and the LBH wouldn't be the same without them. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you in the HouSe this week! 

So much going on...Come get inspired at the Little Blue House!