Week 1 with Guest Designer Carla Suto

I wish I could say I made this beautiful card, but I didn't!! The lovely and talented Carla Suto did and she's hit the ground running with this stunner in her first week as my guest designer for "A Beautiful Life"!

I literally gasped when I opened the attachment, these colors and patterns are just speaking to me! Love how she popped up all the different colored mats inside the oval and let just a touch of that gorgeous printed paper peep through the middle and around the edges. The greeting is from my "Arranged with Love" set. The little organdy bow at the top and pearls below are perfect way to finish it off! Below are Carla's card making details, and then a little more about the lady itself! :)

Stamps: Gina K. Designs "A Beautiful Life" and "Arranged With Love"
Paper: Gina K. Designs Pure Luxury Layering Weight Ivory, Rose and Moss CS, Karen Foster Designs Patterned Paper
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Copic Markers, Ribbon, Pearls, Petite Oval Nestabilities, Foam Tape, Martha Stewart Border Punch (inside)

and now some questions for Carla!

FAVORITE TECHNIQUE: coloring and sponging

COLORS/COLOR COMBO: blue and green

FAVORITE GINA K SET BY MELANIE: A Year of Flowers (and now Pressed Flowers, too!)

FAVORITE GINA K SETS (FROM ANY ILLUSTRATOR) : It's hard to choose from all the fantastic sets, but Asela's Friendship's Garden and Nina's Lovely Shelf are definitely among my favorites.

CRAFT SUPPLIES I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Patterned Paper, Nesties, Copics, Cuttlebug

I’VE BEEN STAMPING FOR (HOW LONG): ~2 1/2 years

I GET MY INSPIRATION FROM: Melanie and the other awesome Gina K. designers, StampTV and SCS galleries, friends' blogs and challenges

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I’VE LEARNED ABOUT STAMPING/CARDMAKING ARE:
to color better (still working on that), to have fun and try new things, to take a break once in awhile to refresh my mojo

SOME OF MY STAMPING/CRAFTING GOALS ARE: to one day have the nerve to submit something for publication, to keep learning, to organize my craft space (!)

FAVORITE THING TO MAKE THAT AREN’T CARDS: altered items, templates

SOME OF MY STAMPING/CRAFTING ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Guest Designer/Featured Stamper on a couple of blogs; being selected for the Center Stage Spotlight Team on StampTV and continuing as an Alumni; being a Guest Designer for Melanie - this is such a thrill and an honor for me!

CHALLENGES I LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN: I try to participate in all the challenges on StampTV. I also participate in challenges on SCS and PaperCraft Planet and on a few blogs when I find ones that inspire me.

WHAT I DO WHEN I’M NOT STAMPING:Until last year, I worked full-time in the biotech industry, but now I'm just consulting. When I am not stamping, I am helping care for my 85-year-old Mom who I moved here last summer. I also enjoy casual golf with DH and with friends (I'm trying to improve).

Let's go see what else Carla made!