When did you first fall in love with stamping OR Stampin Up?

[Angie Humphrey]

Ok, I fell in love with stamping back in 1994. I was just newly married and when we went to Gatlinburg I found a store that had stamps in it. Well, living in Indianapolis it just wasn't quiet convenient to got there. About a year later we moved to Columbus, IN and visited nearby Nashville, IN. In one of the little mini malls there was this little store tucked way in the back. And in the corner of her store she sold stamps and supplies. She let me try it. It was all heat embossing and markers. Nothing else. I fell in love all over and bought supplies for myself. I was only introduced to embossing and didn't know anything else. After the birth of my son in 1996 I found lilttle time to stamp and laster that year when we moved back to my home town of Madison all my stamps were packed up not to be seen again for years. I would get them out every once in a while and play but then we would move again and they would be safely stored in the attic in my "craft" tote. My daughter was born in 1999 and in 2000 we bought the house we live in now. It had 3 bedrooms, a family room, living room AND a bonus room. The previous owner used it as a craft room. My stamps maybe made it out for a day.
I was introduced to Creative Memories and fell in love with scrapbooking and became a demo. Then.......someone said those magic words....."Stampin' UP"!! A friend asked me if I knew anyone that sold Stampin Up. I had never heard of it. She said she had an old catalog that she would try to find for me. A year went by. I would mention it every once in a while to see if anyone knew about it. No one ever heard of it. Finally one day I looked it up online and contacted a woman that lived about an hour away to see what it was all about. By coincidence a week later a friend invited me to a party. It was the worst party. The lady was an hour & ten minutes late and NOT friendly. I had to leave early and didn't even get to do a make-n-take. She did a starange demo. But, I knew that it was something that I was interested in. The next day I called the lady from a week ago back and told her I might be interested in becoming a demo and asked her to come do a workshop for me. That was in 2002. She did one workshop for me and I went to two stamp camps of hers. At a workshop that she did that booked from my party I signed up. I've loved it every since. It's a good thing this house of ours had a family room... with the addition of our 3rd child I lost my stamp room. Now I have taken over the family room. Here is the first card that I personally designed for my first workshop. I have no idea what set it is. I borrowed it from a friend.

SU was one of my greatest finds in stamping. I am so glad that I joined SU. It is an awesome company. My second greatest find was SCS. Thank you all for making this a wonderful site.

Yo yo yellow and pink passion


(I had trouble getting it attached!)

[Tokane4]

Aahhh!!! On Valentine's Day 2002.

A mom in my son's preschool class made some really cool valentines and I found out she was a demo. I went to a party of hers and the rest is history......

Now I think I love it a little too much because all I think about is stamping. I am so addicted!!!!!

[scrappinchick]

I had never heard of SU until i went to a workshop in Oct 2003. Then, i attended an Open House of my demo in early 2004, and was hooked for life. lol

[PenelopePitstop]

I had never heard of SU! and the only stamped cards I had recieved I thought they were all junk. (sorry to the maker) So I was not interested at all when my neighbor invited me to her party. I told her I'd come, but only to eat her chocolate.

Well, not only did I go (and eat her chocolate), I loved it immediately and spent the most of anyone that night. I stayed up til 3 am studing the catalog and putting post its on everything I wanted. The next day I went to a local stamp store, spent a bundle, realized that the SU stuff was a better buy and waited anxiously for my order to arrive. I also booked a party at my neighbors party.

1 month later, before my party even, I signed up to be a demo because I had wanted everything in the catalog.

The rest is hobby demo history.

[hrodden]

I had been stamping for about 6 months, and I had never heard of SU when a friend invited me to a party last year, and I said "ok, I'll sign up"...I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a demo!

Heather

[dinobomp]

I have loved rubber stamps since I was a child; I used to spend my money on them in Woolworth's! And there wasn't much of a choice, either! OK, I'm 50 years old now, and SU stamps are MUCH more fun than anything on earth! I never went to a workshop, but my friend did and showed me that catalog....I wanted EVERYTHING! So that's what did it, I bought some then; and after we moved halfway across the country, I decided I needed to do something for ME. So I became a demo last March so I could get the benefits and discount! Now I am totally addicted to everything stamping, and isn't it fun???!!!
I just wish I had someone to stamp WITH!!!
Diane

[purplewinkle]

I had just gotten into stamping and had seen SU's ads in CK magazine. So I called their 800# and got hooked up with a demo.

I went to her open house and when I held the catalog it was love at first sight!

That was in 1999.

I much prefer SU to any other stamp company.

Rainy

[jewellz300]

I fell in love with the art of rubber stamping in the mid-80's, then I discovered SU in 2001 and the rest is history....I am totally addicted and always looking to discover new things every day.....I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
It allows me to show my creative side and the therapy to keep my life sane and in harmony. Stampin Up has filled a big void and has made me a much greater person.

[Angie Humphrey]

I think that one of the reasons that I love SU so much is the sets. When I first started stamping in 1994 I had no SCS or catty or anything. I saw a stamp that I liked and I bought it. I rarely had anything to go with it.

The last I counted I have 110 sets. I think that if I stopped and never bought another set for the rest of my life (gasp......NOT going to happen!) I could use the sets I have and never run out of layouts.

I've seen a few other companies but I only own SU. I can't bare to throw away or even sell my old stamps so when I find them again... still in my attic in a big tote marked "crafts"... I will give them to my 5 year old DD. She LOVES stamping. Instead of asking if she can stamp she says...'Mommy can I stamp-up?' or "lets go stampin up."

[grace]

I fell in love with stamping Dec 25, 1998 when I received my first stamping gift. After that it was a roller coaster ride to total addiction. Just LOVE it!

[imastampaholic]

It was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!

I had been buying DOTS because that's all I knew existed but didn't really care for their line, I'm not a cutesy person. Some is ok but I want some that are more real as well.

A friend mentioned it, the secretary at the school heard us talk about it and she was, by chance, a demo and the rest, well.... we all know that story, LOL. That was, um, 1998 or 99, I can't remember. I still have all my "other" stamps but never use them. My 9yo daughter uses them every once in a while but has her own SU sets, about 10 I think. She's doomed for the rest of her LIFE!!!!

[grace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imastampaholic

It was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!

I had been buying DOTS because that's all I knew existed but didn't really care for their line, I'm not a cutesy person. Some is ok but I want some that are more real as well.

A friend mentioned it, the secretary at the school heard us talk about it and she was, by chance, a demo and the rest, well.... we all know that story, LOL. That was, um, 1998 or 99, I can't remember. I still have all my "other" stamps but never use them. My 9yo daughter uses them every once in a while but has her own SU sets, about 10 I think. She's doomed for the rest of her LIFE!!!!

At least neither you nor your daughter will need to pay for therapy! :lol: :lol:

[up4stampin2]

For me I had bought some stamps at a store that had opened up by us, OHHH, about 16 years ago and made a babysitters memo board on one of those dry erase boards. I loved doing it, but it was so expensive back then. My goodieness that was back in 1988. I had never figured out the dates before. After that, I had tucked it all away until about 3 years ago. My mother had taken my daughter with her to a SU workshop and they spent about $150 on goodies. My mother booked a workshop and from that point on, I think I now own most of the catty. My demo loves me!

[witty5]

My story - I'd never seen stampin' up until my first workshop at my own house!

My SIL called me one day to say that she'd just been to the "BEST Party".
"That sounds interesting", I said only half listening.
"And I booked a party", she continued
"Oh, good for you", I said half-heartedly
"And we're having it at your house!", she finished!

Suddenly I was paying attention!

My husband is one of 10 siblings, and my SIL was the only one that did not live in the area (about an hour away). She wanted to have the workshop at my house so we could invite the family, and split the benefits I agreed, and that first workshop was the first I'd ever seen stamping. (Personally I was thinking it sounded like a kid's craft! :lol: )We had about 20 ladies attend and I couldn't believe how fun and easy it was.

The following month my friends from the workshop wanted to place more orders for Christmas, and so I started showing other friends that couldn't attend some of the stamping 'how-to's we'd learned. Suddenly it dawned on me that I was doing what a demonstrator does and decided to sign up with Stampin' Up!, and since 1995 I've enjoyed sharing stamping again and again.

[spicychickie]

I fell in love with Stampin' Up after the birth of my baby girl back in 2003. I was so desperate and in need of ideas for homemade birth announcements, and it was then when a friend referred to me "Stampin' Up". Although I was also told about "Close to My Heart", I like the style and creativity that "Stampin' Up" had to offer. So, when I saw their catalog and ton of ideas it was then when I knew that I knew I had found a whole new love

Ana Malick

[kelljill]

My mother in law was diagnosed with brain cancer Sept. 2001. My friend "sold stamps" so I asked her to do a workshop for my mil and her friends for them to have a reason to get together. After I started doing the make-n-take, I knew I was in trouble...I signed up two months later!! Thank goodness that friend "sold stamps"!!!

[born_to_stamp]

I started buying stamps here and there, because I wanted to learn to make my own cards. But I never did anything with the stamps because I really was not sure what to do :oops: Then a friend sent me a SU catalog. I looked and looked but never ordered anything, because I did not want to spend more money on something I did not know how to use. So I just dreamed of stamping. Then a few months later I met a friend who was a demo. Needless to say she showed me the ropes and I have been addicted ever since.

And now I have been a demo for 5 days :lol:

[stampinshauna]

I started stamping when I was in elementary school in the 1980s when my aunt gave my family a few stamps and some ink. I had fun making pictures with them. In the early 90s my cousin introduced me to a local stamping store and I got very into making cards. I worked at that store during high school and my first year of college, which is the same time I became a demo. At first I got my uplines name from SU and then I realized that I taught her son in preschool. Anyway, I told her I'd place a hostess order ($100+) about once a year. I placed one and then decided to have a workshop. After the workshop I realized that I could do this so I signed up in October 1998, just a few months over the min age of 18. I figured if I didn't like doing it I still got a great deal on the kit so it was worth it either way. It took me 10 months to do my first workshop. I only have 1 recruit, but I've made a lot of friends and now that I've been married 2 1/2 years, my hubby can't complain if I spend my SU money on more stamps!

[richey_kane]

I was introduced to SU the same time I was introduced to stamping. My neighbor invited me to a stamping party at her house and I have been stamping ever since. I just found out about this terrific sight about a month ago.

[LeslieS]

About 2 years ago I went to a card making class at a local scrapbook store and really had fun! The lady doing the class had a SU catalog she was looking at (the store didn't carry stamps, etc), so I started looking at it and feel in love. I booked my first workshop and we made Christmas cards. I was still leary of spending money on stamps, etc because I was so into scrapbooking, I didn't think I would like stamping. After a few months, I called my demo and got info regarding being a demo. I didn't do anything for a year. I met another demo in my area who had signed up under my demo, so I started going to her stamp camps since she was closer than my demo. I asked lots of questions and then in March I introduced a friend to SU and she signed up immediately. I started thinking that if she could do it, then so could I. I had to work on my husband and I asked my demo some more questions and finally told my DH I was doing and if I didn't like it I could always quit and be out no more money. I got to keep everything! I have been a hobby demo since June 2004 and really like it that way. I don't want to get to in to it or I will lose interest! I have yet to have a workshop, but if a friend ask me to do one then I will! The friend who signed up and I have a hostess club together and that works well for us!

[qcbetty]

I've had stamps for YEARS......started with decorating the outside of envelopes....when I was about 12! Continued it as a "fun" outlet on occasion. 3 years ago, on a yahoo group, someone mentioned "classic and craft" inks, so I left her a message asking what that was, since I'd only heard of pigment and dye inks. She sent me an email offering me a catalog....it was a Stampin' Memories catty (it was a scrapbooking group). I spent about $450 from that catalog....was hooked, and fell in love. It took coming here and seeing all the samples to realize I needed to sign up! That was this past July. BEST move I ever made!

I love sharing the fun with my friends! I have a small Club, and a few of us meet every other weekend to hang out, eat chocolate and stamp!

[scrappin mary]

I joined a company called Home and Garden Party in 2003. At a meeting one of the designers said that I needed to get the business set from SU to make my hostesses thank you cards after they had their party.
That was all it took, 1 look at the catalog and all the ideas in that book and I was hooked. Now we have a monthly Stamp club and I can't just can't get enough of it!!
If I put as effort into my HGP business as I do stamping, I would have a heck of a business!!

__________________

Mary

[Angie Humphrey]

I'm so glad that I started this thread. I love hearing all your stories. I know that the first night at that first party I loved it. I didn't even get to stamp. The demo was horrible. She wasn't friendly and she frowned alot. There were 7-8 of us there. Maybe more. She had an open door and messed it up big time. She even messed up my order. It was a month after everyone else got their stuff before I finally just called her and canelled my order. She didn't even have catalogs for us to look at. She came with ONE!! And she lived at least 45 minutes away so it wasn't like she could just drop one off the next day or we could go pick one up. But STILL I fell in love with it. At least she did mail me a catalog for free.

Even at the table that night I hogged the one catalog and sat there thinking... maybe I could do this instead of Creative Memories. I was about to become inactive. It took me a couple of months to actually write the check and sign my name but I knew that night that I wanted to do it. I was just initially intimidated by ALL the STUFF they had. Just today at my uplines house I asked "do we sell this?". We have so much stuff. I love it all!!!

[Rene'5710]

I first fell in love with rubber stamping when I went to a craft fair and there was a lady there demonstrating how to emboss on a card and that was all it took. I thought it looked so professional and nice, I wanted to learn more about it and didn't really get into it until I came back home from CT. and a friend invited me to a SU party(back in 1990) and the first stamping party I had been too, I bought so much stuff;mostly the things to get started like the cardstock, markers, a black stamp pad and a stamp set..ok about 3 stamp sets:-) and some embossing powder-a few different colors.
I have loved stamping ever since then and when I had our oldest daughter I got hooked on Scrapbooking too(that was 10 yrs. ago) I had a lady come to my house for a CM class and that was the beginning of two of the best hobbies there are.
Rene'

[belindaking]

My first experience with stamping was horrible. It was at a church women's meeting and we made a bag-a-lope (which was ok, but not memorable... I have no idea what we stamped on it!) and three identical cards... one to keep and two to give. For the cards we used an awful shade of not-quite-pink (kind of between positively pink and cameo coral) and a sick yellowish-vanilla color (not barely banana, not tan, not vanilla, just yuck!) We used Nice & Easy Notes (which I didn't know what it was then, but I recognized it a couple years later when I saw my first catalog) and a little flower with a stem and leaf (that I did not recognize). We rounded each and every corner of that card. (I hate rounded corners... looks dated to me...)

If it had been different colors, I might have had more interest... if it had been a different set, I might have been interested... if it had been without the rounded corners... I might have been interested... If I had seen a catalog, I might have been interested (or maybe not, I have since collected older catties, and it was pretty country that year). IF THE STAMPS HAD BEEN TRIMMED, and I had not gotten stray marks all over my cards, I might have been interested!!! I thought I was just a bad stamper.... just not the hobby for me.

Fast forward about two years, and I got together with a local mom's group to make Christmas cards. I went out, bought a couple stamps from Michael's along with paper and ink pads, and created a cute shaker card. One of the gals had just had a SU show, and they were all abuzz about it (I wasn't able to go, because my husband was out of town and I couldn't get a sitter). But I went home thinking, oh I gotta look this company up online. So I did. And looked. And looked. And looked. There aren't that many pages on the customer side of SU's site, and I just about memorized them! I told DH that when my friend had her next show, I was going to sign up... Actually it was a little more like "We JUST spent $500 on an X-BOX, that you aren't even going to be home to USE!!! I'm going to be doing this for ME!!!" (He was heading to Iraq "any day now.")

So I go to the next show, and I blow the demo away by signing all the paperwork that night! I had the greatest time, the most fun, and I was the best stamper in the world! :lol: Or at least I felt that way.... I had the catty practically memorized that day. And I was just so excited! That was Feb, 2003.

[JSM]

I started thinking about scrapbooking around the time I got married, and was too intimidated to try it. But I thought about it all the time. Along with that, I thought that rubber stamping might be a neat addition to scrapbooking, but again--I was too intimidated to try it. When my first dd was born in '99, I started to scrapbook, but was too scared and too broke to add stamping. While cropping with some friends one day, I overheard one talking about a stamping party that she was attending that night. I begged to go along with her, just so I could learn how to do some of the stuff that I had been reading about. Turned out to be a SU! party. That was about three years ago.

I hosted a couple of parties and joined a monthly club before I broke down and decided to sign as a demo almost two years ago. I'm addicted. I originally signed up to earn some extra spending money so that I could buy more stamping supplies (regardless of the brand), but I'm so hooked on SU! that I have a hard time using any of my other stuff. (I do like Club Scrap, though!)

Janet

[Laurelstamper]

When I was recruited to make 500 wedding invitations, thank you cards and placecards one summer in 1994, my love of stamping began!!!
I became a demo in 2002 and although I am my best customer, I wouldn't trade being an insider to all the cool things SU has to offer for the world!

[stampngokaren]

I fell in love with stamping when a friend invited me to a CTMH stamp show in 1998. After a few years I started to consider becoming a demo and talked to my demo about it but just never did it.

About this time I started hearing about SU and a friend loaned me her catalog fall of 2001. Right then and there I fell in love with Stampin Up!. I hosted my first workshop in the Spring of 2002. I signed up to become a demo in June of 2002 two weeks before the birth of my fourth child.

I have grown more as a stamper since I became a demo. I always challenge myself to learn new things so I can teach them to others. It has been great for me. I have to admit, I cringe sometimes looking at my earlier cards compared to where I am now. However, it is nice to see how my style and tastes has changed over the years and continues to do so.

I love stamping because the possibilities are endless. I never run out of ideas or things to stamp on especially with great sites like this one to come to for inspiration.