This month marks 10 years since I first held a rubber stamp in my hand. I don't remember the exact date, but I know it was March 2002, I know it was before Easter, and I know I fell in love with stamping! I went to my first Stampin' Up! party with my oldest daughter, Jessica, and we knew from the beginning this was something we would love to do! I looked at that first catalog and said, "Wow, are we in trouble!", meaning I knew we were going to be hooked by this new hobby, and I was right!
After a few months of going to occasional stamping parties and stamp camps, both Jessica and I decided to have our own stamping workshops. We scheduled them with the demonstrator we had the most experience with and planned the dates. Before my party date arrived, however, my youngest daughter suggested to me that I should become a demonstrator "because you love it so much, Mom!".
I had read the business opportunity brochure included in my Hostess Packet, and I have to admit I did get a warm feeling in the bottom of my tummy that signals to me that this is an idea worth paying attention to, butit was never my intention to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. I had a full-time day job, a husband, 4 kids still at home, two married daughters (and two Sons-in-law), and one darling 18 month old granddaughter. My life was full, why would I want to add anything more to it?
Well, she kept after me until I finally said, "OK, but I have to ask your Dad what he thinks first!", thinking he was my way out, because he generally says "no" much more often before he says "yes". But he surprised me by saying he thought it was a good idea "since you like it so much"!
So become a demonstrator I did, and actually I was the demonstrator for my own party! My upline helped me a bunch, as my Starter Kit had not even arrived yet. I had a full table of friends and family that November Saturday, and thankfully they loved me enough to put up with my nerves, shaking hands, and mumbling into the cowl-neck of my sweater! They booked parties anyway, bless them!
From those first parties I learned a lot:
1. I didn't have to know everything right away, nor did I need to bring everything but the kitchen sink with me to the party!
2. All I needed to do is ask people to have a party. If they said no, it was ok, they still liked me. And some of them said yes!
3. I found out I could share what I love, even with strangers!
4. I found I needed to talk LOUDER (and not wear cowl-neck sweaters to workshops)! lol!
At those early parties, I always demonstrated a scrapbook page. Maddie Kate, my then 18 month-old granddaughter, was my favorite subject, and since Jessica also loved taking her own photographs (she eventually left stamping to pursue her passion of photography. She now owns Jessica Hollis Photography), I had lots of pictures to choose from for scrap pages!
I have several to share, but since this is such a long post I will just show you a couple of them:
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2012
This page was my very first, and used an alphabet, a Stampin' Around wheel (snowflakes), snowflake stamps, and "deckle" scissors! Wow! Things have really changed since November 2002!
Here's my most recent scrap page, but now Maddie Kate has a sister, Ava, and a little brother, Cohen, in these pictures. (littlest brother, Jaxon, hasn't made it to a scrap page yet, but he will!)
©Stampin'Up!™1990-2012
This page is an expanded version of the 6X6 page I showed you here. I used a technique called "Progressive Scrapbooking", where you start with a 6x6 page, layering it onto an 8 1/2" x 11" page, and then finish by layering it all onto a 12x 12 page! You can add more pictures and embellishements (notice no alphabet or scissors!), but journaling is still essential! The addition of the Big Shot to our stamping world really has made a positive impact on the way I stamp and scrap! I love the Everyday Enchantment Designer Paper and am really going to miss it when Sale-a-bration is over on March 31st! But of course, Stampin' Up! always has more gorgeous paper waiting in the wings!
I am so thankful I took my daughter's advice and gave the Stampin' Up! Business Opportunity a try. I still have my husband, two pretty much grown boys at home for just a little while longer, three married daughters, three SIL's, and four grandchildren with #5 on the way! Stampin' Up! is now my full-time job, and I have a a thriving downline of over 40 demonstrators. I have earned 9 Incentive Trips (I took that youngest daughter with me to the Panama Canal in 2007!), and still love stamping and sharing just as much (maybe even more!) than I did way back then! Adding Stampin'Up! to my life has increased my joy, as well as given me a personal sense of accomplishment and a creative outlet I love, and I appreciate all the new and enduring friendships I have made with my stamping customers and downline.
If you would like to join my team of demonstrators and give a try at sharing what you love, just contact me or go to my Demonstrator Business Website:
www.carolpayne.stampinup.net
You can learn more there about the Stampin' Up! Business Opportunity, Accept the Demonstrator Agreement, and choose your stamps, ink, and paper for your Starter Kit at a $50 discount! If you have any questions, just contact me!
I will be back tomorrow with more scrap pages. I may even try to find the first card I ever stamped!
Until tomorrow, have a "Stampingrox!" Day!
