We are SOOOO happy to have two great new design team members.  We just know you're going to love their projects.  We're also sad to see one of our members move on to other projects, but we'll definitely miss her.

Please welcome to the SU-Only Challenge Design Team:

Mary Brown

Hi…my name is Mary Brown and I have been a Stampin' Up! demonstrator since September of 1999 and a stamper since 1995 (wow…that's a LONG time!).  I started out as a quilter (and still do that now and then) and then got into stamping.  I love being able to finish projects in less than a year!  I'm probably best known as stampercamper and my style tends to be more of a clean and simple nature.  Honestly…I DO try to add more stuff and then just end up taking it back off.  And as for watercoloring…once in a blue moon on that one; I like to stamp and go!

On a personal note, I've been married to my sweetie Randy since 1984 and was fortunate to earn the SU incentive trip to Hawaii the same year as our 25th wedding anniversary…COOL!!!  We have 2 'fur children'…a spaniel mix (aka the BEST doggie IN THE WORLD) and her little brother a short hair havenese (known as a shavenese).  Both are rescue doggies and little sweethearts.  When I'm not stamping, I'm teaching full time at a local (and extremely large) community college.  I am in the Allied Health Division and specialize in the new/beginning health care student.   I LOVE my job and each quarter usually teach around 9 classes (approx 250 students). 

I'm sooooo excited to be part of the SUO Challenge team as I am SUO ALL the time!

Cindy Elam

Hello! My name is Cindy Elam, and I live near San Diego with my husband Tom (aka the world’s most tolerant husband).  We are blessed to have our two adult children living nearby.  I am relatively new to stamping, having just started in February of 2008 after my BFF Barb suggested I might like paper crafting.  She pointed me to a few blogs and Splitcoast Stampers, and that was all it took to get me hooked!  I discovered Stampin’ Up! shortly after, and became a demonstrator in 2009, for the discount of course!  Well, being a “hobby” demo has evolved into a business that now supports my stamping addiction!

I used to sew, do a little quilting, and various other crafts. I even had my own business designing and selling bra patterns (Élan Patterns) and the supplies to sew them.  Threads magazine published an article I wrote on the subject, too.

Now I am devoted entirely to cards, scrapbooks, and 3D paper crafts.  Card making is so rewarding – just one card can spread triple love that went into it. There’s the pleasure you get when you create it, and the pleasure it gives the recipient when they receive it, and then the pleasure you get again when you see their reaction to it.  That little piece of paper has amazing powers!

We are so very happy to have these talented ladies join our group!

A Fond Farewell to Melina Pylant

Unfortunately, one of our original members, Melina Pylant, has decided to move on to other endeavors, and we are so very sad to see her go.  I've just finished going through many of her contributions to the SUO Challenge Blog – what a treasure she has been for us and for you!  We wish her well and invite her to join in the challenge when she can find the time!

There are some changes here at our Challenge blog this week. In addition to a brand new challenge (which will be posted tomorrow), I'd like to say "hello" and "goodbye" to 5 members.

First, the Hellos!

We welcome our new Design Team Coordinator! Robin Messenheimer will be leading the SUOChallenges blog and we wish her heartfelt welcomes!! Robin lives on the beautiful Island of Hawaii – "The Big Island" – in the state of Hawaii. She shares her home with her husband Harry and two fur children, Cholla the Cat and Hoku the Dog.

Robin has a large room in her house that she calls "Robin's Craft Room". Most of her craft room is dedicated to her stash of Stampin' Up! products.

There are some corners dedicated to a bit of sewing and crocheting. She says that more and more, all those crafts are starting to blend into one another as Stampin' Up! features new products that cross over into the realm of fabric and sewing.

Robin will be leading us with new challenges every other week and we thank her for her inspiration and dedication to SUO Challenges! Mahalo!

We also welcome our new Design Team member Pam Staples! Pam comes to us from lovely Smithfield, NC (she is a Minnesota native). She shares her home with her husband Mike and her adopted son, and her fur children: Savvy and Cooper (Golden Retrievers) and her cat MaCree.

Pam has been an avid scrapbooker for 20 years. In 2009, she joined Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator and she hosts crops and classes in her home on a regular basis.

Pam is a talented designer with a sunny personality! Pam also enjoys scuba diving and photography.

Robin and Pam are both excited to be joining us!

Now the "Goodbyes"…

It is time to say goodbye to Cindy Coutts.

Cindy started this challenge blog last year and has had many fun times sharing her designs with her team members and with you.

However, Cindy decided she needs to focus on Christian Paper Crafts (the Christian community she owns) and will need to give up her involvement here at SUOChallenges. Cindy gave up her demonstratorship with Stampin' Up! and is pursuing design team positions for other stamp companies.

She hands over the Coordinator responsibilities to Robin Messenheimer. Thank you Cindy, for starting this challenge blog and coordinating it. You deserve a break!

It is also time to say goodbye to Patricia Weitzel.

Patricia has been with us since last fall as a Design Team member and she is a talented stamper and a joy to have on the team.

Patricia has also been helping out with writing the challenge blog posts for the last few months. Thanks so much to Patricia for the extra help!

Patricia is moving and has had other responsibilities to attend to at home.

We wish her well in the future and we hope she can return to stamping soon. 

We also say goodbye to Amy Fink.

Amy has been with us since the beginning and has shared many lovely creations with us. However, she says its time for her to step down. She has had some problems with her internet connection and also has been short on time to contribute on a regular basis. 

She has decided it would be best to take a break and refresh.

Thank you, Amy for your cheerful attitude and happy outlook you've given us all!

We will miss the smiles of Cindy, Amy and Patricia and we look forward to the future with Robin and Pam!

Blessings to all 5 of you as you make the transitions in your new roles!

Signed,

Michelle Laycock

Design Team Member Spokesperson