Creativity was a part of Susan Elise’s upbringing. She was raised in an atmosphere that supported creativity in everything. “My parents encouraged ‘handmade’ so it was always a part of my life. I remember Dad suggesting we grab our notebooks, get in the car on a Sunday after church, drive around until we found a scene of interest, and draw.” Susan Elise and her parents would “stamp” their own homemade Christmas card by carving designs in linoleum blocks and using paint to create prints. She still has one of the blocks in the art studio her husband built for her. Susan Elise has taken that love of creating from her childhood into her role as a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, and she can’t get enough of not only creating, but also teaching others.
Susan Elise’s passion for stamping started at a calligraphy conference 20 years ago. They were given free time in the evening and she met someone who was stamping to “relax.” After that she started adding stamped images to her calligraphy and eventually found Stampin’ Up! through her team leader. She hosted a workshop in her home, and decided being a demonstrator “was a good deal . . . and that was the beginning.” She’s been hooked for the past 20 years.
Susan Elise started her Stampin’ Up! journey with her first workshop in the dining room of her home as she and a handful of others created valentines. She did as many workshops as she could after that, starting where she lived in Virginia, and then expanded to do workshops in North Carolina and Cleveland, Ohio. She said she would pack up her car and head off “to meet new people and show them how to stamp.” Now, Susan Elise enjoys inviting guests over to her art studio to stamp together. “I love teaching someone new to stamping and watching them learn and become comfortable with their creative ability.”
Throughout the years, Susan Elise has encouraged people to try new things. “Trying new things is important,” she says. “It does not always become a part of your creative life, but it’s always worth a try.” And she’s carried that motto throughout her years as a demonstrator. Susan Elise continues to be an innovative demonstrator as she works toward her goals. And while she enjoys all stamping she says she especially enjoys “making gifts for friends and finding just the right stamp set for someone’s interests and lifestyle.”
It’s all those memories and friends she’s made through Stampin’ Up! that have inspired her to keep going and to reach the Million Sales Milestone. Susan Elise dedicates her success to the commitment of daily performance and the discipline of constant preparation to hold events and to teach her friends. As she continues to inspire everyone around her, she gives simple advice: “Relax and enjoy your own style of creativity.”
Congratulations, Susan Elise! We are so happy you are a part of the Stampin’ Up! family!
