How did I become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator? I paid $125 for the starter kit and signed up. That was it…
Okay, why did I become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator? That’s a bit longer of an answer. I had been doing paper crafting for a long time. So I already knew what the stores carried and I was already a fan of stamps.
One day I was invited to go to a Stampin’ Up! open house. This was my fist exposure to Stampin’ Up! The demonstrator putting on the open house (soon to be my up-line) had so many wonderful cards out on display. I looked at them all to see how she had made them and was amazed at how many different uses one stamp could have. I was a big copy cat at the time, so I tried to absorb everything that I could so I could try it at home with what I had.
Then I saw this one card that was made with the same colour ink, paper and ribbon. I remember thinking, “Yeah right. Where did she find all that stuff to match?” My friend who had brought me looked at me and said, “That’s the joy of Stampin’ Up! Everything matches.”
I bought my first stamp set at that open house. My friend booked a party, and of course I went to it.
My soon to be up-line showed us so many great ideas and techniques. I had my baby boy with me (he was still nursing at the time) but I still had enough time to get all the cards made. They were so easy and fun. But the thing that got my attention this time was the cleaning pad. “Wow,” I thought. “I wouldn’t have to take all my stamps out to the kitchen to clean them in the sink any more. That’s amazing. It would save so much time and do such a better job. And I would have to wait for the stamps to dry.” But unfortunately, I didn’t have the money to spend on things I didn’t need for immediate survival. Somehow, food always seems to take top priority.
But I didn’t stop thinking about it.
Now, another thing you must know about me is that I grew up with a mom who sold Avon. As a young child, I would help her deliver fliers to the neighbours and watch as she put her name on the back of catalogues. I had so much fun helping her with whatever I could. As I grew up, I often thought about starting my own little home based business, just like my mom. But I’m not really an Avon lady, and Tupperware just didn’t seem to be my thing. There were lots of other companies that I looked into, but time after time they just didn’t seem to fit my personality.
So now I’ve been to two things involving Stampin’ Up! and I can’t get it out of my head. “What if I sold Stampin’ Up!? Could I do it? I love the product, and the idea.” Almost a year later I e-mailed the lovely demonstrator I had met only twice, and signed up. I thought I would give it a try.
I still remember writing my name and contact info on the back of that fist pack of catalogues. Every time I get new catalogues in, I smile as I pull out my pen.