How Did You Start Stamping?

[cmoore2cats]

I had been watching the Carol Duvall show and seeing all the stamping and resisting with all my might. Then I got invited to a SU! party, saw gold EP change and I was lost, I tell you, lost. Life has never been the same since. I had to move from my very tiny 1-bedroom apartment to a 2-bedroom because I had to have a craft room for all my stuff. Many, many thousands of dollars later, I still bless my SU! "pusher" for getting me going. How did you start?

Cindy/CA

[dawndreger]

I was in to scrapbooking, and then I got invited to a SU! party by the teacher I had subbed for...it all goes downhill from there! In 1 week I will be having a table at the local fair...we'll see how that goes. There are too many cards in my apartment right now!

[smriti]

What a coincidence, just today morning I was thinking of how your life changes by some small event. My story:

I was blurfing one fine day and came across Gail's blog and I was so impressed with what she was doing that I e-mailed her and asked her what all these things were; btw I didn't even know what "stamps" were. Since I was always interested in crafts and drawing/coloring, I was very excited to get all the info from her. Though it did seem a bit odd to me that why couldn't just draw images instead of "stamp" them. Later I found that stamping leads to more pro-looking end result. This was little less than a year back. I've been adding little by little to my collection since then; spending all my gift money on stamping stuff

[se_stamper]

My CM consultant dragged me to a friends workshop so I could meet people. I said I wasn't buying anything. I said I'd never stamp.

We won't talk about the rest lol

[wdiosa]

I was invited to a SU party 11 years ago. I had never heard of the company before then. I spent a small fortune that day! I sort of "eased" into it from there. Now I have a bonafide addiction!

Very boring...but that's how it started for me!

[loramarie03]

I was into scrappin' (thanks to my sister)...and my cousin got my mom and sister into stampin'...and I followed soon after.

[kimz1959]

I started approx 15 yrs ago when I moved to Mn and went to a community ed class to learn how to emboss. From there I purchased random goodies, then gave it up for a while as my kids grew up. I picked it up a couple years ago after my daughter died and felt a creative outlet was the best option for me to work through my grief. Within the last year i've branced into scrapbooking and hopefully someday I can do one for Hannah....

[BA]

My sister (who lives out of state) sent my husband a stamped birthday card 6 years ago. Since no one in our family is crafty I called her to ask "What is this?" She said she was dragged to a SU workshop (after being asked multiple times) by some friends and swore she would not purchase anything. Apparently she did because the next summer when her family was in town she brought some of her stuff with her. She gave me a quick lesson. I signed up to be a SU demo a year later.....guess you know how the story ends

[dacpam]

Back in 1992, my kids were at a friend's home playing and I had to pick them up early. When my friend asked why I was so early, I said we had a first birthday party to go to and I had forgotten to get a card for the gift so we had to stop and get one before the party. She said "I will just make you one" I tried to gracefully decline her offer thinking that she was going to make one off the computer and the person having the party was such a snob that I was too embarassed to give her a computer generated one. But my dear friend insisted and went into her laundry room, took out a piece of stock (paper to me at the time!) and darling sheep stamp and an ink pad. She proceeded to make the most darling card in minutes and I was totally fascinated! I couldn't beleive my eyes and told her I could never do anything like that! Famous last words......I was sooooo hooked!

Funny part of this is that the snobby woman was so gaga over the card that she asked me where I got it. When I told her a friend made it, she was just as fascinated and impressed as I was. Guess what? She started stamping from that card too and still does to this day. I always get a homemade Christmas card from her!

I guess one shouldn't look a gift-sheep in the mouth? or however that one goes!

Thanks for starting this thread! I love thinking of that friend (she moved away), card and story.

[shadowkat1283]

Years ago my husband and I went on a day trip to a small Amish town near us to go through the antique stores and have lunch. We were walking through this town, going in and out of all shops when I came across a rubber stamp store. Since I wasn't sure what it was, at the time, we went in. The women who owned the store showed me how to use the stamps and how to emboss and I was hooked. I bought some stamps, ink, card stock, etc and when home to play! Needless to say, I went back to that store many, many more times. They really got to know me there. Sadly, the store closed quite a few years ago but I have kept my love of stamping!

Kathy

[XcessStamps]

I went to a friends SU party and $100.00 later had ordered all of the supplies for those "free" Christmas cards I'd make that year. LOL - I've been making "free" cards ever since.

[kphorse]

Oh dear GOD, a friend told me she stamped and that I needed a hobby since I was suppose to be taking it easy!

She brought over her friend and some things to get me started! LOL That was in 2005....

OMG do you have any idea how much stuff I have gotten since then! OMG I have given away boat loads and the ship is still at the dock with more cargo coming in daily!

This is one of the more costly and fun habits I've ever had.....And the friends, friend....she is now my *Best Friend* and my Twin....

[anng97]

I was a scrapbooker and my SIL kept asking me to these SU classes. I finally gave in but it took me a couple of classes to purchase any stamps. I just kept thinking "why am I going to put all this effort into these cards that people will just throw away." I've since changed my mind.

[Jennifer R]

I started off as a scrapbooker and then picked up stamping and card making along the way. I still use stamping in my scrapbooking and as you can see I'm still a "scrappy" style stamper (eg. lots of papers and such).

[serialpurrs]

I have always been paper crafting in one form or another. Then my youngest step daughter became a demo and after a year or so I made my first purchase. Haven't looked back since ;P

[chickkit]

My Ma and sister are scrappers and stampers. When I lived in California I told her "I don't do that" when I moved back home to Virginia they sucked me in :-)

[stampinscrapind]

We had a new HR director start a my office 6 years ago and we were slowly becoming friends and she invited me to her house for a SU stamp camp. I had no idea what that was but I liked her and wanted to get to know her better so I agreed to go. At the time I had two roommates and they laughed at me and went to brunch when I left for my party. I told them to order me a strong bloody mary I was sure I would be catching up with them soon but I needed to make an appearance. OMG! Here I am many years later thankful I missed my bloody mary. My bank account probably thinks I should have gone to brunch.

[stamp luvr]

I have always liked crafts of all kinds, particularly stitching. We went on a cruise for our 40th anniversary and I decided I was going to make a scrapbook of it. Two months after the cruise, my DH had work in Sydney and I attended a Creative Living Expo while there. I was attracted to the Stampin Up' booth and kept going back there. Ended up buying over $100 worth of stamps etc not knowing that everything in Australia is twice the price!! Came home with the catalogue and started stamping.....I mean spending!!!! I am now into card making as well and a frequent visitor to at least 2 of our LSS!! What I have spent on tools (I am the punch queen) and all the other delightful stuff makes the cruise look cheap and it was a 30 day one!

I have laughed out loud at some of the posts in this thread and I see myself in most of them.:mrgreen: Thanks everyone, isn't it a great hobby?

[Carmel Mom Sue]

I was at work late one night and went down to our cafeteria to get a drink from the machine. I heard a bunch of laughter and saw a large group of women I knew at the tables with stuff everywhere.

I went over and asked what they were doing and they said stamping. I asked what that was and they all showed me their cards. I can still see this one crayon resist card in my mind. One of the girls was a demo, so they invited me to a party the next month.

4 years and thousands of dollars later, here I am. The girl with the crayon resist card is having a party tonight which I can't make because of my DD's birthday. I also got my next door neighbor hooked!

[Moosekrazy]

Its all my mother's fault!!! My dd was in the ICU after having spinal surgery. Mom brought her some stamps, inkpads, paper, embossing powder, and a heat gun. Showed dd how to do it. And dd could have cared less. But I was hooked. I spent 6 days in the ICU and waiting room, stamping and coloring. For about a year, all my stamping stuff fit in a large plastic bin. That was in 1997, now I have a room, and whereever else I can store it!

[Kim68]

When my mom died in 2005, I inherited all the old family photos. I wanted to scrapbook them, but didn't know anything about it. My sis-in-law introduced me to her camping neighbor who does both cards and scrapbooking. She did a couple of scrapbooking lessons with me, then showed me how to stamp and make cards. Oh brother! I went crazy I tell ya! Needless to say all the old family photos are still waiting to be scrapbooked!
We still get together for stamp camp, and I also started teaching ladies at the church I attend how to make cards. We send them to all the sick and shut-ins. We call our group "Caring Hands Card Ministry"

What a great thread this is!

Kim

[klhbenson]

My daughter (8 years old at the time?) was friends with a neighbor child, who's mom was an SU! demo. I was staying away on purpose...didn't want to get hooked! My daughter kept bringing home her fabulous creations each day (most of which were trash can worthy). When it was time for her birthday, all she wanted was her own paper, markers, and a stamp set...so she could play at home! so I begrundgely bought them. I don't think my daughter EVER touched her birthday gift, quit playing with the little girl...but I started messing with it, and haven't quit yet!

[lnl96]

A friend from work invited me to a SU party (her neighbor was a demo). I had used a few stamps when I was a kid (my mom used to get the Inkadinkado catalog way back when), but I had never seen anything like what I saw that day! I ordered my first SU set at the party, then immediately ran to Hobby Lobby to start my stash! Poor DH thought I was just going to some little get-together with the girls; he never dreamed it would turn into a 7 year + obsession!

[mommx2]

My friend invited me to an SU party and, like some of the other posters here, I had never heard of them. I bought one stamp set (Holiday Hannah) a black ink pad and picked up some colored pencils and CS at Walmart. I bought a sterlite container the size of a shoebox to keep ALL my stamping supplies in(HA!). Today, I have an entire room full of stamping supplies and that original container holds my ink refills!!!! lol

[pigfingers]

Dabbled a little bit by doing Christmas cards and embossing which my sister had taught me (she used the coffee pot warmer to heat it, LOL).

I never really did much beyond MAYBE a few cards. I was a scrapbooker so my affair with paper extended through that avenue.

Then I went to a craft fair and met my soon to be upline for SU and it was all over. I had seen stamps in the stores before but never fell IN LOVE like I did with all the SU sets and all the things she showed me.

Life has never been the same since - love stamping. Don't even scrapbook as much as I stamp because making cards and gifts is more of a necessity while the scrapbooking fell into something I need to do when I have time (which never happens)

[KristinaG]

I've done lots of crafty things - my mother encouraged it and I had lots of experiences through Girl Scouts. A few years ago a friend was having an SU! party and invited me. I wasn't able to go, but one party leads to another and two other friends invited me to parties. Finally I was invited to a party where I was in town and could attend. That was 2004 and my SU! demo has tried to convince me to become a demo! (She told me I could make the minimums all by myself - LOL!) I love making cards and being able to customize them for my recipients. I've always enjoyed sending cards to people - to cheer them up, celebrate big and little things and let them know that I am thinking of them. It means a lot more to me that I can send a special card to someone. I have a group of friends from church that are also stampers so we try to get together on a regular basis and share ideas and laughs. We started making cards for our church's card ministry. It is amazing how we get pulled into these things!

[Cyndi Evans]

On October 31, 1992 I got invited to a D.O.T.S. Stamp party and I was hooked. I love it.
Cyndi Evans

[IdahoLee]

i was in a HORRIFIC fight with my dh one night, and had left the house to take a drive to cool off. called a friend to commiserate about the nature of men, and she invited me over; she was having a SU party that night. had never heard of stamping, or scrapbooking, went, the demo did a card with embossing (which, btw, is "stamping crack"....once you emboss, you're hooked, and just want more, RIGHT NOW!!!) and that was it; i was done for.

fwiw, can't even remember what the fight with hubby was about, i just know that when i went home, i had three make and takes that i was in love with.....

[HeatherHolbrook]

Years ago we had a family friend who had gone out to California on vacation. She went to an Inkadinkado kiosk in a mall and saw all the neat things they were making with stamps, she bought some and starting making cards for friends and family. My sister in law and my mom and I thought they were so cool and there was a store here in town with a tiny selection of PSX stamps and they taught classes, we all took a class and 10 years later I'm still stamping!

[StampingShawn]

My story is so similar to everyone else's that I almost hesitate to share it. Same old story...woman meets stamps and ends up spending $1000's of dollars and millions of hours locked in room stamping and/or shopping for stamping supplies.

A friend of mine was having a mother/daughter SU party and my daughter insisted that we go. I didn't know what the heck this Stampin Up thing was and made many jokes with my other friends about it but ended up going to the party determined to buy the minimal amount that would not seem rude. The demo was such a kick that I totally enjoyed the party but didn't see myself doing it. Later the demo called me and asked if I would have a party, I thought she was fun, so said, "What the heck...ok!" I invited tons of folks and ended up having a party worth almost $1000 so I got lots of stuff. I made my Christmas cards that year and after a good friend of mine became a demo, we ended up spending a lot of time enabling each other. Later she left the cult (stopped stamping) and I continued with my addiction. I can't imagine stopping. It's such a part of my life now.

[AmberAKAmom]

I make hair bows and sell them in a consignment gift boutique. I found out that one of my husbands friends wives was also a consignor there (she sells cards of course!) One day we volunteered on the same day and she was working on some cards. The next day I asked her about it because I thought it looked really fun, and the rest is history! That was in January and we are really good friends now. She's also the one that told me about SCS!

[jenllo]

I worked with a girl who was into stampin'. I told her that was just not my thing. I bought cards from her though as they were so pretty. I went to one of her SU parties because everyone in our office was going. I spent $300.00 dollars at that prty and am now a demo myself. Hobby mostly. Although the way [I] spend money on SU you'd t5hink it was a profession

[Momofoneson]

I started because of a scrapbook board called scrapbook obsession. I "met" a person who was a DOTS (CTMH) consultant. That was the best board. I am still friends with two of the members of that board which was defunct about 9 years ago. I was a scrapbooker first.

[stampsforfun2]

I was at our library one day and I picked up a book about rubber stamping and I thought "This is something I think I could do". I cannot draw and have never considered myself artistic. However, I began trying out this rubber stamping stuff. I got a few rubber stamps and some ink and just kept asking people questions. Finally, someone gave me a small catalog of SU stamps and I knew right away that I liked this stuff. I found a demonstrator in our small town and she showed me a few things and I just kept on learning. Then along the way I stumbled on to SCS and I have learned so much here thanks to everyone being so willing to share. Really, enjoy my hobby.

[maryscraps03]

I was 14 years old. A lady from church (she was my Young Womens leader) was pregnant and on bed rest. I went to visit her and hang out. She was into stamping a little and I got to play w/her stamps. I got hooked so quickly!!! I started to buy stamps here and there w/my babysitting money.

Mary

[Deb Za]

I was walking around our county fair with a friend--both of us were 4-H leaders of a new 4-H club devoted to rabbit projects. We saw a gal in one of the merchant tents who was selling rubber stamps and embossing--we were entranced! I'd always done all kinds of crafts, but this was new to me. We kept going back all week, bought all kinds of bunny stamps for the kids to do in the club, and learned embossing the hard way--holding the paper over the burner on the stove!

That was back in 1991.

She's still stamping, too--although not as much as me. I have no idea what happened to the gal we bought the stamps from.

I LOVE this craft!

[SheDragon]

I was hooked on scrapping, thanks to my niece. A friend at work invited me along to a SU party. I called the demo the next day and signed up as a demo. That was two and a half years and many cards and scrapbook pages ago. The best part is that demo is not only my upline but a very dear friend as well. Yes, life can change by small events. And you never know where you will make a new friend.

[stampinovice]

My daughter came home from a girl scout meeting saying they did stamping and how fun it was. Sooooo I thought I'd get her some "stuff" for Christmas. Then I thought if we are going to do this I need to know how to do it, so I took some classes @Archivers. Fast forward about 2 yrs- It has taken over my basement, I've spent a ton of $$$, taught all the neighbor kids how to stamp, go to SCS everyday, and work/teach @Archiver's. Who knew. Funny thing is our dear friends have been doing this for years and I always thought how dumb that they spend so much $ on this hobby. We now feed off of each other. I never knew I could be an artist and create something. I'm inspired by all of you.

[stampinmomnh]

My mom got me started. Thanks alot mom!!!LOL:p

[brightrachel1008]

okay, mine's a little funny... after highschool, i took about a 3 year hiatus from doing anything creative. (i was all about art in high school) i had a friend who i met on the internet, who lived in the same state. she became a demo and was all excited about it. i made fun of her for being excited about markers.... went to see her a couple months later and ended up signing up to be a SU! demo. now, i've spent thousands of dollars on this hobby, and over 300 on a machine that cuts paper into pretty shapes. i never thought i would be here... lol.