My Stampin' Up! Story

I was invited by Stampin' Up! to participate in a training program designed to help build a better business.  Since I have been wanting to do more and achieve higher goals I thought - this is perfect.  This training program will take ten weeks for me to complete and it is broken down into two week segments.  Each segment I have a list of challenges to complete and one of my first challenges was for me to write my Stampin' Up! story as well as to share it with three individuals.  Now I realize this is the internet and this will reach more than three but I am going to count this as one.  So without further ado, here is
My Story:

Looking back I realize that the way I began stamping is really a great story, and what better way to inspire others than to share My Stampin' Up! Story.


Back in 2003 I dropped by my parents home for a visit. My mother was busy at the kitchen table and thoroughly enjoying herself. I had no idea what she was doing but it looked interesting. I asked her what she was up to and she replied, “I'm making cards” What! Since when did my mother become artsy and creative. She proceeded to tell me that her sisters in Holland make their own cards and when she last visited she had seen some cardmaking demonstrations and purchased some supplies. My first thought was, “Wow, if my mom can do this so can I. I'm not creative but look at what she's making and she's not creative either.” I remember trying to find stores with cardmaking supplies but had no clue where to look. I asked anyone that would listen that for Christmas, I'd like cardmaking supplies. You have to remember that at this point I had not even touched a product, let alone made a card. Needless to say Santa did not bring my any supplies.

I was sad but wasn't going to let this deter me. God works in mysterious ways because January came and a co-worker and I were chatting when she told me she had a home party to go to. She wasn't looking forward to it either. I asked what kind of party it was and she replied, Stampin' Up! I had never heard of them and asked what it was all about. Cardmaking. Let me tell you I just about jumped for joy. Immediately I asked if I could come along. Thankfully, she said yes.

And so it truly began. I went to this workshop and I fell in love. I spent $300.00 that day and immediately entertained the idea of becoming a demonstrator. I'm not a fan of paperwork with lots of legal jargin and was too afraid to sign up. Instead I had my own home party in my teeny tiny apartment. To this day I still marvel at how I managed to fit everyone around a table in my living room. It was so tiny that I had to move my living room furniture (consisted of a futon – LOL) into the kitchen area and my kitchen table into the living room space

Once again at this party I was so inspired that I decided to talk to the demonstrator and get more info. Once she explained things to me it all seemed so simple and I decided to take the plunge. I purchased my Starter Kit in July 2004.

Why did I want to be a demonstrator? For the discount. I had no real intention of doing home parties. I had only a couple friends and kept most people in the acquaintance category. Surprisingly to me though, as time passed I just felt the need to share my passion, to inspire others and to show that you really don't need to be or feel creative to be able to papercraft.

In the past two years I have begun to focus more on growing my business and open myself up to making new friends and trust me, I have found some wonderful friends. The more I do the more I enjoy, the more I enjoy the more I share, the more I share the better I my business has become. I am looking to further my Stampin' Up! business and truly focus on achieving my goals of making lasting friendships, earning money to enjoy trips with my family and to be earn Stampin' Up!'s yearly incentive trip.
Would you like to create your own Stampin' Up! Story? Let me know and I'll share with you just how exciting and rewarding it can be.

If you have made it this far, then you have finished reading my story and I really appreciate it. 
I would love to hear your story on how you started papercrafting
 
Cheers and have a FABULOUS weekend.
Margaret :)