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After I got divorced in 1994 I was in a small "country" store with a friend. I purchased and item and the lady "stamped" the sack. I thought it was so cute! I have always been in to crafty things and was shopping in a local mall and saw a stamp store. I went in and looked around and saw some of the cutest stuff. The clerk at the store said it was so easy to do so I bought some stuff. I bought ink, stamps and embossing powder. The embossing powder said to stamp your image and hold it over a light to melt. I tried it and it didn't work! I couldn't figure out how come the stamp (a christmas tree) was green with colored ornaments was shown like that when the stamp pad was only one color!(I know now)! Then a few months later another friend ( my friends were always trying to get me to do something because I was depressed and never wanted to go anywhere) almost forced me to come to her house because her friend was a creative memories consultant and she was helping her out by having a party.I bought $200.00 worth of stuff and still didn't know what to do with it!
THEN.........My husbands daughter had a stampin up! party. I bought another $200.00 worth of stuff. About a month later I bought the catalog. Then I started buying more stuff. Then I finally figured out how to make cards!(my early cards are really dorky. I keep them in a drawer just to look at once in a while and get a good laugh!) Now I have a stampin room. All the ink pads, most of the craft pads, all the paper, drawers of stamp stuff! I love stampin! I don't even want to know how much I have spent on all this stuff, but I figure each card I make costs about $100.00!
I've always handmade cards but I used just paper and punches mostly, I had a couple of stamps but had never heard of Stampin Up! until I started working at a Scrapbooking Store in the fall of 2003.
I had a few customers who were demos bring cards that were just goreous!! and we would chat and they would mention SU! I was intrigued and everytime I would ask one of them if they had a card so I could call them and they would say, Oh i'll drop one off to you and they never would! It was this way for 6 months!!
Then my now upline Rose came in and said she needed paper for a SU! project she had planned so I asked her more about SU!, well the smart demo she is she had a catty on her and gave me her phone # and all her info.
After looking through the catty I knew I wanted to be a demo, so I emailed her with my order for a few of the retiring stamp sets and said that I wanted to sign up in September. So we talked over the summer about how excited I was, and she was excited for me. Funny thing is she was always more of a hobby demo and never thought about recruiting, then I come along say hey Sign Me Up! I LOVE this stuff. So it was great for both of us, I'm addicted and doing some that makes me happy and I helped show her how easy it was to recruit! LOL! Less then a year later she has 8 other recruits! She is such a wonderful upline, and a great person. I'm so glad she shared SU! with me.
What fun it is to read these stories. I feel as if I've made a whole bunch of new friends. Please keep the stories coming - what a pleasure to read. Thanks so much.
I attended a SU party when we were staioned in Guam 8 years ago and was so overwhelmed by all the fancy stuff the demo did that I bought and small foam mounted set (I still have it) and never went from there. Quilting was my passion anyway and my daughters were much younger (6 and 1) so I had lots of time to quilt. Fast forward to last spring.... finally meeting our neighbors after moving in at Christmas... the moms at the bus stop are talking about monthly stamping get togethers. I wasn't to sure, but the $ for 5 lovely cards to take home was too good to pass up... Our neighborhood SU demo and my dear friend now keeps me well supplied. I have quilting in my blood, but not enough room to spread out and take weeks to complete a project, so until my girls (now 14.5, 9.5 and 8 next moth) don't need me quite so much I'll stamp, complete cards and projects and clean up the mess in an afternoon. I think I'm obsessed with rubbah, too!
Barbara
I tried to do some stamping on my own a couple years ago, but none of my cards looked very good. Then, a friend invited me to a Stamp Camp and the rest is history. I loved how "coordinated" the Stampin' Up sets looked, how everything matched, etc.
A few years ago my Tupperware friend gave me the "Business Memos" set that her manager had bought but never used... I used it like crazy (however no one ever told me that you need to CLEAN them!), and picked up a few more here and there. Then, 2 years ago I decided that I wanted to have a party so I looked online and found my now retired upline... I think that I signed up before the order from my demo got here! I have also been hooked ever since. I went back to work and dropped Tupperware (after 8 years) but I'm still a hobby demo... and I love the stuff!
Some girls on another message board I go to were talking about Stampin' Up!. I posted just asking how to buy SU!'s products, a demo PM'ed me and sent a catalog... the rest is history!! I'm now a demo. =)
A year ago in April, my grandmother passed away. Months later, my grandfather asked us to go through her things during different visits to his house. One day, he asked me to go through this one closet. On the shelf was a bunch of containers of craft things she had started/worked on over the years. Some containers held stamps, ink pads, markers, heat gun, etc. I took it home and it sat around for a few months. Then I decided I'd call up my friend Michele who had hosted a SU party probably 18 months earlier. I wanted to know if her demo did those stamp clubs b/c I was interested in more supplies. When I called Michele, she informed me that she had signed up to be a demo. Michele brought over a catty, a bunch of sets, ink and pape to use. Told me about SCS. And as the rest of you wrote.... (All together now!) I was hooked.
Now my dining room is now called the art room. My 4 year old loves to stamp. She is learning tons of techniques as she asks me questions. Then I see her copying them a few days later on her own "projects."
The funny thing is I knew about stamp clubs b/c my mom "collected" SU stamps. Then in March of this year, I started stamping, purchasing stamps. All of the sudden, she became interested and has stepped up her own creating using stamps.
We have a great time emailing pictures and links of all the great things we see.
Now my mom is trying to get one of my sisters into stamping.
One of my friends who loves having home parties invited me to her SU workshop. She said she loved doing it. I went completely thinking that I wouldn't be interested at all and would feel stupid. Low and behold, I am now a stamping maniac who has brought down at least 3 other people with me. My demo rocks too, so I can't help but to keep going back for more!
A little over a year ago my daughter (rfain) called me from Killeen and said she had went to a stamping party & had decided to become a demo. I thought are you nuts? How can you make any money selling something you can buy @ Hobby Lobby? But, being the great Mom I am, I tell her I am so happy for her & as soon as we can get up there (4 1/2 hr drive) she can show me. Her birhtday was in a couple of weeks so I went to Hobby Lobby & bought her some alphabit stamps, a couple of Happy Birthday ones, some ink pads, and a few other things & sent them to her. Needless to say when I finally went to her house & saw my items way in the back collecting dust my feelings were hurt. She told me to sit down, look at the catty, and then we will make some cards. The rest is history! She became a demo & I am her best customer! She is thirty years old & still costing me money!
My sister was hosting a Stampin Up party so I thought "Oh well I'll go just to help her out" and now 3 years later I'm more addicted to it than she is. I'm considering becoming a demo (once I get my twins through college). I just wish I had more time to stamp. A nice craft room would be nice too (I'm already making plans for one of the twins bedrooms once they move out - LOL).
__________________ ~Hugs & Kisses With Stamped Wishes~
I had just moved to a new base and had no friends. So one of the ladies in the neighborhood asked me to go to a Stampin Up party. I already scrapbooked and had no interest in stamping. So I told my husband...... "I'm just going to go so I can meet some people. Don't worry, I don't care to stamp so I won't spend any money!" Three years later and over $10,000 invested in Stampin Up stuff......here I am! I beleive my husband now gets scared when I say I won't spend any money! ;)
One of my friends invited me and a few of our other friends over for a demo. I had never even heard of it before then, sounded weird to me and I'm not artistic AT ALL so I actually wasn't looking forward to going. I was nervous I'd stink at it - lol. But I was hooked - that was back in February. Love it. My demo is actually my friend first and foremost, then she happens to be a SU! demo. I like it like that.
i was into scrapbooking first as a means of stress relief from work, and then a friend and co-worker hosted a show, and i was in awe! so i immediately set a date for a ws and have been hooked ever since. i wasn't able to become a demo until we got back to mainland and settled, but i haven't looked back since!
I had been scrapping for a while when my brother's girlfriend invited me to a stamp camp. I had never had the courage to use a stamp (imagine that!). I went to the party and had lots of fun but didn't purchase anything because I thought everything was kind of expensive (I must of been insane at the time) The following month went to another one and brought my first stamp set and ink pads. Well like everyone else I became hooked and addicted! I swear the majority of my check goes to my demo! But I am sure she doesn't mind and we are both happy!
I was invited to a party, and remembering how intimidated I was with all of the demonstrators display and the catalog. Though I loved it, because I have an artistic soul/background, everything seemed complicated and expensive and I couldn't figure out HOW to make what I saw in the catalog.
Then I saw button bear. The lady allowed me to take the catalog home, I was so thankful, because I was a broke, young, single mom at the time.
My mom bought me my first stamp set, button bear. I didn't touch it for a long time, and the demo never followed up with me. I didn't buy any stamp pads either, or paper.
She didn't do a make n take, to help us understand the "hands on" approach and how to do it step by step.
Anyway, he sat, my beloved bear, preciously kept for a long time. I finally married and was allowed to stay home and be a house wife, which was a relief. I needed something to do with my time and I felt bad that my mom had purchased this 30.00 stamp set and I never made a card for her.
So I bought some cheap pads at the store, (awful I tell you awful compared with SU!) and I took the plunge.
Later on, I did childcare, and one of the requirements was to scrapbook. At that point, this excited me, because I needed an outlet for my creative side, and something to do for myself and my kids. My mom had made us beautiful hand made childrens albums for us, and I wanted to do the same for my kids.
Anyway, the lady (now my upline) let us work hands on, with some rollers, etc. I loved it. She did it step by step and was patient.
She said I could get the products for free, and hostess a workshop. I worked on it until I raised 150.00 to get the products free. I think I even had to hold two workshops to do it! But she was patient.
Then I got involved in a marker club so I could get all the colors.
With my new passion and my new stuff, I was SO THRILLED and happy. My husband was gone a lot and I NEEDED something to do for myself or I was going to be miserable.
I signed up to be a demo with my moms help $. Then I held parties in my home, mystery hostess, etc, but earned my product for free with the sales I made, or I was my own hostess.
The best thing I ever did. My first creations, looking back were very "crude", but made with lots of love. I am thankful that my mom appreciated and loved my efforts and never criticized my work, or I am sure I would never have stamped again.
Now I look at myself and go "holy cow, I can do THIS now and it looks awesome!!".
As a demo, though, I am sure to take it slow and not overwhelm my guests. I try to make it simple and easy and affordable. This is key. I follow up with them and often invite them over or help them mount their stamps, etc. I always call to make sure that they have kept stamping or help them find the time to do it. I also give them tips how to keep their supplies available, so if they have 20 minutes they can stamp something quick.
I love stamping, and I love spending time with girlfriends stamping. To me, it is a giving job, all around, which makes it so special.
I love what I do, though I don't have a lot of paries, etc, and actually am in pending status. So, tonight is the first party I have had in a year, so pray for me that it goes well.
I finally met some people and have grown with them to be interested in stamping with me. I have been introducing it a little over a year now to my friends and neighbors and just showing them what I can do and how I can help them to "get there". Being patient and kind is crucial.
They are now coming to "bail me out" with my sales, thank goodness!! But, since I have moved, its really been hard to meet people or maintain those relationships out of state with stamping and all.
Anyway, that is how I got started! I love my upline, Twila Mooneyham, she has been a great support and motivator! She took me by the hand, took countless of phone calls, etc, from cutting paper, to helping me get over my "fears" of ruining something, waisting paper, etc.
I remember when I finally bought a paper cutter, I could not figure out how to cut the paper, though I had watched her. I was so scared! I didn't touch it for THREE months, until she helped me cut some paper, I know ridiculous now, but back then it just seemed hard!
Stupid stuff, now that I look back. When I wanted to give up, she just said, do it! You can try! keep going. I can't believe I sold stamps with the designs and projects I tough people. I look back and go, ugh, that is so "rough". But its ok, when you start, thats just the way it is, and everything is amazing anyway!
It's been 5 years now, and somehow I really feel God has helped me to keep going, this is what he wants me to do, because there should be NO WAY that I should still be a demo! So many moves, etc.
But I love it and can't live without it, or I would go crazy!!!
A friend of my mom's kept sending her these really pretty cards. Mom invited her over to show (my mom and aunt only) how to do it, dd and i crashed the party with 3 other ladies, and a stampin club was born. Within 3 months 2 of us clubbers were demos, and dd loves it as much as i do!!
A few years ago there were ladies doing some stamping at the craft store I frequent. I looked at what they were doing and decided "That's way to finicky for me." A few years later I was staying at my parent's place for 2 weeks and my sister had a party. I couldn't believe I could make a card so easily with a few stamps and ripping the edges of paper. I ordered about $100 worth of material "to try it." That was almost 2 years ago, and as everybody says " the rest is history." It has become a huge stress buster for me! This is a neat thread. Thanks for starting it!
__________________ All things are difficult before they are easy-Japanese Proverb
Carlene
What fun to read all of your stories ... so many are similar to mine. My friend was having a CTMH party -- and I reluctantly went. At the time, I was working for the Pampered Chef .. I bought a couple of stamps I could use in my business. A year later, the same friend had another CTMH party -- and then I got hooked. Bought some stuff to make some cards and had fun with that until I went to my first CM crop. I was instantly hooked into scrapbooking! I've always loved photography so it was a natural fit. The rubber stamps went into storage.
A couple of years ago, a friend here invited me to a SU make it -take it. I went with her -- and fell in love with stamping all over again. But now I get to use my stamps in my scrapbooks as well as making cards -- so I can justify buying twice as much LOL!
If At First You Don't Succeed...
