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I'm feeling sentimental tonight about how I discovered paper crafts I grew up in a house with a mother who is a painter and a brother who studied to be an illustrator so I never felt art was my thing � it was writing and books.
But one day when I was writing features for a local newspaper, a local SU demo contacted me about her stamp camp and invited me to come and write about it. At that time, I had the stereotypical view of stamping as a cutesy grandma occupation :rolleyes: She sent me the SU catalog, and I remember going through it in utter shock at how beautiful and sophisticated the designs were.
I'll never forget that first stamp camp! I moved fast from table to table like a kid on Christmas Eve, learning about all the techniques and using all the beautiful tools and papers and embellishments, then rushing to the catalog to find everything that I loved. I still feel that way when I place an order for some new tools or dies no matter where they come from.
My second gateway was looking around for ways to do letterpress at home last spring, and discovering the Big Shot. WHOA. I have never looked back! And I have had a blast. I have a chronic illness and spend a lot of time at home, so it's also been very healing.
I would love to hear about how other people got into paper crafting � I find it so interesting.
A lady at church kept trying to get me interested in scrapbooking (think CM). I kept declining until my grown daughter came for a visit & a personal class seemed to be a fun thing to do. Well, we went to Beth's home & I fell - hook, line & sinker. But, I didn't want anything to do with stamping. I could keep all my scrapbooks & I'd have to give away my cards. Not happening. Then I went to a SU party, and again - hook, line & sinker. I've been stamping for 15 years or so, and credit it with saving my sanity when I had to retire early. Now I love all things art. I make cards for a local nursing home, our care group at church, and anywhere I can. I'm able to go to a stamping convention every year thanks to a very kind, generous friend & I absolutely love it. We'll be at the StampFest at Lakeland, Florida the end of June. I am soooo looking forward to that.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
My daughter was in pre school and a lady gave my daughter an invitation to go to her daughters birthday birthday, the invitation was really beautiful it was embossed and and lots of glitter, so I said wow that's lovely and I asked who made, she said she did and she has classes at her home every week, and that's that. Now that was 20 years ago, I still stamp, the lady who taught me doesn't craft anymore.
I used to just draw, with pencils and pens, on thin (xerox/copy-thin) paper. I would fold the paper in half, and that was a card. I made these "cards" for all my family members, quite often. In college, when I got a little job, I could buy "real" paper - construction paper. I made "cards" with that. Then in the college bookstore, I found a bunch of stamps. Back then I was typing letters all the time, on paper (there was no internet yet). I LOVED using these stamps to decorate the margins and the envelope. LOVED that. I used tons of Lisa Frank stickers also. I took my mom's unwanted eyeshadows that she got for free (for buying other stuff), and used that glittery eyeshadow with Q-tips the way we use chalk today. I also used her make-up sponges to sponge colour on stuff. And I coloured things with a very old watercolour set (20 years old at the time...) and Pentel markers (markers for children). Eventually I got invited as well to an SU! party... ordered as much as I could (which was not a lot). And DOTS (now CTMH) parties too. Then I discovered House Mouse, and I could join their club, and if I ordered over $100 (easy!!) I got free shipping... so I got a lot of House Mouse from that era of my life!
When I was a little girl my Father did leatherworking. He would let me stamp designs into leather. I was so fascinated with stamping. One day when I came home from school lying on my bed was several stamps, artist paper, coloring pencils (artist grade) & a juicy black ink pad. My Father lovingly picked out everything and surprised me. I spent all night stamping and coloring. I fell in love with paper crafting. I had to learn it all. My Father really encouraged me by helping me study. Teaching me how to pick out quality art supplies and teaching me to never be afraid of anything I wanted to try. The best part is working beside my Father. He would work on his leathercrafting. I would work on stamping creations. My Father died when I was sixteen. Still to this day when I am stamping I feel he's right there beside me.
I was moving to be with my other half in the middle of nowhere .. 250kms from the nearest shop. As I was preparing for that there was a constant ad on TV for a sale at a local scrapbook shop and it piqued my interest and I popped in to have a look and was hooked.
Then I started seeing SU being mentioned on lots of forums I went to so started checking it out .. and the rest is history :p
__________________ Stop paint chip abuse. Act now!!
Won't somebody think of the paint chips?
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I was teaching kindergarten. A mom of one of my students came in one morning and showed me a SU catty! She had started five (cards) for $5.00 @ 5:00 with another mom of one of my students.
I feel in love instantly, went to those classes every month, and have never looked back!
That was nine years ago.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
For as long as I can remember, I have had a love affair with paper and pencils. My favourite time of the year was the start of a new school year when my Mum picked up that year's school books & stationery - and opening that NEW pack of pencils was very exciting. The smell and feel of a new pack of pencils still excites me to this day I never achieved much in Art at school & I still remember my High School teacher writing in my end-of-year report: doesn't produce anything of much worth. So I assumed I hadn't a creative bone in my body & concentrated on science & maths instead. I still loved to colour with my pencils but that was really limited to colouring headings in my school books & not much else. Fast forward 30+ years......
Late in 2007, my best friend had started making her own Christmas cards using stamps & heat-embossing the sentiments with gold embossing powder (this was late 2007). She invited me over to have a go as she said it would be lots of fun - but I didn't think I would be very good at it - but she was such a great encourager and I had an absolute ball! I was so WOWED by the gold heat embossing - it blew my socks off! We had no heat-gun at the time and held our cards over the toaster to heat-emboss! So I went to a few Craft Shows and bought some supplies & heat-embossed everything & broke the toaster so DH bought me a heat-gun (plus he said he was tired of the house smelling of burnt toast crumbs!).
Shortly after, a Scrapbooking store opened just down the road from where I live & I saw dry embossing done with this magical machine called a Cuttlebug which I bought from that store. Well, that really kick-started my cardmaking journey & shortly after the Spellbinder Circle etc. dies were released which I thought were just amazing. I discovered SCS mid 2008 when I did a Google search for "Christmas card ideas" & was stunned at this amazing site with 1000s of cards & tutorials & ideas. I was literally shaking when I did my first upload here in Sept 2008 thinking that my card wasn't really good enough - but so many people encouraged me which was very kind & made me feel very welcome.
And now I just love this hobby so much & can't imagine NOT doing cardmaking. Being creative has kept my mind occupied during some difficult times caring for a very ill family member; SCS has kept me connected to the world when I was isolated in hospital with my loved one; I continue to be inspired & challenged by new products & the return of techniques that I had forgotten about; but most of all, the kindness & care I have been shown here on SCS is something I am very thankful for & can barely put into the right words to express (reaches for tissues to catch the tears)
I was pregnant with my second child (a little over 18 years ago). This was a bit of a difficult pregnancy and I was on bed rest for a while. During that time watching TV was most of my entertainment. I started watching Aleene's Creative Living (have always been into crafts). And when their new monthly Scrapbooking Club was features I had to sign up. One of my neighbours also signed up and we started scrapbooking together. From there I started attending scrapbook workshops, weekend retreats... etc.
I was never mush into making cards though until after I had gone back to work full time a few years ago and found I didn't have much time to scrap. Cards are much quicker.
My first venture into stamping was when I was pregnant with my daughter. Ummm, that would be 33 years ago now. I took a bunch of classes from Uptown Rubber Stamps, a local store that was BIG in the trade. I did a little bit of stamping back then, mostly because of lack of funds. ;) I also started scrapbooking with CM.
I pretty much quit stamping much when I started homeschooling my children 6 years later, mostly because of lack of time! ;)
But when my youngest started private school her junior year, I went to work to pay her tuition. My supervisor gets the blame for starting me stamping again by inviting me to a Stampin' Up workshop back in 2000. And just like all of you...such a long wild ride down the slippery slide of addiction!
My first venture into stamping was way back when my SIL asked meto a SU! party. She invited 15 peopleand only 4 of us showed. We had 2 makeand takes and the demo had pre-done some of the things, I believe the part thatI wanted to learn was that she made bleached moon on dark cardstock. When she was asked how to do that we weretold I left that at home or we don�t have time to learn how to do this so shedid it for us. So actually all we reallydid was assemble the cards. L Well I felt bad for my SIL and placed anorder a little over a $100 and paid in cash. I kept asking the demo how do I do this, what do I need to start, do youhave a starter�s kit for a beginner stamper? I was told you just pick what youwant and you stamp what you want. So Idid that, I picked what I wanted and thought I could make my own Christmascards and everyone will love them. (That is a whole different story)<o:p></o:p>
When it was all said and done I thought dang I forgot to get acatty, I asked the demo if I could have a catty, she said yes for $12. I told her that I didn�t have the money as Ihad just paid for a $100 order do I really have to pay for a catty. She said yes and would not bend. So I got up and left.<o:p></o:p>
I then thought oh I really like this and I need to learn how todo this the proper way. Well the longand the short of it is. . . several classes and several stamp shows later, Ibecame a demo, the company closed and I am rediscovering old tricks and howmuch stamping really is fun and therapeutic.<o:p></o:p>
For as long as I can remember, I have had a love affair with paper and pencils. I never achieved much in Art at school & I still remember my High School teacher writing in my end-of-year report: doesn't produce anything of much worth. So I assumed I hadn't a creative bone in my body ...
Oh this makes me so mad! I'm so glad you found a way to move beyond that mean spirited comment, made at such a tender age, too.
And Dee Ann, your lovely story brought tears to my eyes.
JoBear-I am sorry you had that experience too. As an ex-teacher there were far better things to say. Ugh. ((hugs))
I had this very long post typed out and decided no....that's silly. What I could say in 3 minutes is a very very long post! Oy!
I'll try to go shorter: The only LSS in my big city is in my 'hood.
I grew up with a hyper creative family-it was sickening really. Everything they touched they did well almost immediately. Not me. I have the heart and love, but there is a serious disconnect between what I see in my head and what I actually make. I learn techniques and then struggle tremendously with creating.
When I decided I wanted to make my own Jewish holiday cards because I was sick of the Tree of Life ones which all card stores carry...I went into the LSS-I finally had the excuse I needed.
I can only say that I started resonating internally. A joyful vibration of my soul. Hundreds of stamps all over the walls, sample cards, etc. I might have gone slack jawed and drooled.
I got a few things. The great irony is that a) there isnt tons of Judaica stamps out there and b) I dont like 80% of them. So my first card run was Christmas-a heat embossed gold fir tree with a ribbon on a layer. lol
It's been a few years. I can do techniques but I still have the disconnect. I am not giving up. I cant tell you how happy I am when making cards. I dont care if I throw them all out-I wont stop.
I just wish I found this place much sooner! What a treasure chest it is! I want to be like Daffy Duck and jump up and down and yell "Mine! Mine! Mine! It's all mine!" lol It's like a...a wonderful safe, warm nest to grow and learn how to fly. Maybe that's why I love baby chick stamps so much!
I think it all started with stickers. I work in an elementary school and the school secretary had accented our start-of-the-year info folders with some cute stickers. I asked where she got them - a scrapbook supply store.
I've always enjoyed lots of different kinds of crafts - I checked out that store, and ended up taking a couple of scrapbook classes there. That led to stamping and card making.
When I was a little girl my Father did leatherworking. He would let me stamp designs into leather. I was so fascinated with stamping. One day when I came home from school lying on my bed was several stamps, artist paper, coloring pencils (artist grade) & a juicy black ink pad. My Father lovingly picked out everything and surprised me. I spent all night stamping and coloring. I fell in love with paper crafting. I had to learn it all. My Father really encouraged me by helping me study. Teaching me how to pick out quality art supplies and teaching me to never be afraid of anything I wanted to try. The best part is working beside my Father. He would work on his leathercrafting. I would work on stamping
creations. My Father died when I was sixteen. Still to this day when I am stamping I feel he's right there beside me.
Thank you for sharing this heartwarming story! It sounds like you had a wonderful father who gave you the greatest gift - his time. I'm so sorry that you lost him at such a young age, but how wonderful that you feel his presence when stamping.
It's been a few years. I can do techniques but I still have the disconnect. I am not giving up. I cant tell you how happy I am when making cards. I dont care if I throw them all out-I wont stop.
Me too! And I'm right here behind you � and so are so many people here, I'm sure. So never stop creating.
What about designing your own Judaica-inspired stamps?! And/or hand-carving them? You can do it!
Back in 2004 my sister in law invited me to a workshop her daughter, newly signed SU demo, was going to do at my SIL's house. I initially said I would go because it would be a whole lot easier to go than to explain why I realllly had no interest in stamping and make for hard feelings.
Then if I didn't go and put my back out! I was in such pain from a pinched nerve I thought this is the perfect reason to not go... but again, SIL would likely take offense and not believe me anyway. She's funny that way... SO I WENT. And could hardly sit down my back hurt so bad!
But something magical happened when I saw inked stamp put to cardstock. And I thought hey, I could make my own cards and never buy another Hallmark card again. And get this: I thought..."All I need is a roller, stamp and ink cartridge in one colour and I will never need anything else to make all the cards I could think of"!!
HAHAHAHAhahahahahaha......:eek: IMAGINE! Oh the naivete of an innocent beginner!!
But something magical happened when I saw inked stamp put to cardstock. And I thought hey, I could make my own cards and never buy another Hallmark card again. And get this: I thought..."All I need is a roller, stamp and ink cartridge in one colour and I will never need anything else to make all the cards I could think of"!!
HAHAHAHAhahahahahaha......:eek: IMAGINE! Oh the naivete of an innocent beginner!!
And that is my story!
I am giggling so hard right now� hahaha. Reminds me of what I say to myself after almost every craft purchase I make:
My story is simple. I was at a bookstore just before Valentine's Day in Memphis. At the checkout, there was a 3 stamp set from Hero Arts, with the two color inkers. I thought, oh this would be fun. I'll stamp a heart on the envelope of the Valentine's cards I was sending out. Well, as they say...that's where the trouble began. Later that night (!) I went to a big box store and purchased more stamps, ink and paper and it was a random but fun thing for quite awhile. Fast forward a few years, after a move to NJ and I attended a free class at the library, which introduced me to Stampin Up and a great friend. I always liked paper, crayons, markers, stickers, anything like that as a kid. My Mom started me out with many arts and crafts activities as a small child.
hmmm maybe 27 years ago? ( it was something like that anyways) hubs and I were going to send out our very first Christmas cards together. and I wanted them to be "special" ( and these were Hallmark cards from a box mind you... so I set off to a Joann's fabric's and bought a snowflake stamp ( I still own it) and some silver metallic ink ( that did not dry for beans) and I stamped that sucker on the backs of all the envelopes... and I was so thrilled with that... and it took another 8 or 9 years after that before I was given a SU catalog hahaha
My best friend from school days was trying to reconnect after she and her DH came home from the service. She was invited to a Stampin Up card class and invited me to go with her. There were only about five or six of us and we made ten gorgeous cards for ten dollars! I had so much fun that night and ordered a few things. The regulars were discussing the date for their next class. On the way home I asked my friend if she thought we were allowed to come back! Of course we were. That was 2009. The class has dwindled to just the three of us (demo) friend and me and we are now all the best of friends and continue to meet every month!
My dad was a craftsman with leather, but he insisted we all study a musical instrument and develop a creative side. He took so many B/W photographs from the 1930s forward, and kept letters and telegrams and pics from my uncles who served overseas in WWII. He passed them along to me, and I am now the family archivist of sorts. After my mom's early death when I was 14, I found an old Whitman Sampler candy box with handmade things and other memorabilia she had kept from the 6 of us. She would have made a great scrapbooker! I have news clippings of myself from kindergarten and local events; she even kept some cards from my Christening! In her own way, she enjoyed color and celebrating achievements.
Outside of my family, I had great elementary teachers - the Polish Bernadine nuns - who had us do so many things in the arts across the spectrum. One even taught me how to cut my own rubber stamp! Then my dad offered scraps of leather for even more cuttings. Crude, but a start. I was taught to stamp with paint as an alternative to stenciling in college, and fabric crafts were also in vogue in the 1970s. Fast forward through my 34+ public school years as an educator, and I crossed paths with a teacher who took me to a SU class. I still have those sets! Then another friend from church introduced me to CM, and my road to paper and digital scrapping began. I recently told someone that the many venues of arts I have had in life show up in my projects, in one form or another. My extended family expects a handmade card from me for many occasions, and the youngest ones are developing interest as well. My FL godchild is an artist in grade 6!
Probably the most important lessons I treasure were to be taught to observe and listen, to be unafraid of criticism, to experiment, and to be ready to say something just doesn't look right! It's been fun writing..yet another love of mine!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by muscrat
My best friend from school days was trying to reconnect after she and her DH came home from the service. She was invited to a Stampin Up card class and invited me to go with her. There were only about five or six of us and we made ten gorgeous cards for ten dollars! I had so much fun that night and ordered a few things. The regulars were discussing the date for their next class. On the way home I asked my friend if she thought we were allowed to come back! Of course we were. That was 2009. The class has dwindled to just the three of us (demo) friend and me and we are now all the best of friends and continue to meet every month!
Wow! Ten cards in one night the first time stamping! That's quite a complete immersion into our craft!
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
She continued to do ten cards for $10 each month. Just last year we told her to drop it to eight cards for $10. Kind of like giving her a raise, although I know she isn't making any money still, but she was happy and we are friends. Every so often we take turns designing cards for the month and we bring the stuff to make the cards we design. We also now share in making snacks each month.
I credit my journey of stamp paraphernalia purchases with a trip to Missouri. My family has a huge annual reunion every year in the Southwest part of Missouri and often time we would take a detour to Branson before returning to Texas. Many, many years ago while I was in my early 20's I went to MO with my mom and my Aunt. We stopped at a place called Engler's Mall, where there was a stamp store. The owner was doing heat embossing demonstrations and I was entranced. I bought a stamp, ink and gold embossing powder because I had to try it for myself. I did not buy a heat gun so as mentioned by someone else I used the toaster and the burner of my coffee pot and a light bulb. Needless to say my next purchase was a heat gun from a box store along with a few more stamps.
That PSX stamp from MO may have been the first one I purchased but it was not my first ever stamps come to find out.
When my mom passed away a few years later I found a set of Hanna Barbera cartoon stamps in a trunk in the attic. Memories came flooding back of me at a very young age playing with those stamps. I wanted to stamp them on everything which is probably why they got packed away eventually. I just really wish they hadn't gotten stored in an attic - in Texas. Most were nothing but crumbled bits but I was able to save a few. Not to use but as a childhood memento... and before this thread gets high-jacked, they are not pure rubber and cannot be 'fixed'. I've checked with many an expert, that's okay. They still hold wonderful memories.
It was really great reading all of your stories. So interesting how our lives influenced our talents.
I was a sewing enthusiast for many many years, making everything from quilts to tailored jackets, and avoided papercrafting like the plague. I just could NOT take on another hobby.
During a rough time in my life, I stopped sewing. One day while browsing Overstock, I came across a box of pre-folded cards. My first card was made by sticking a free clipart picture of a cupcake with a candle on the card, and adding a strip of ribbon.
I've come a long way (and spent much $$$) since then and LOVE making cards. I have evolved into mixed media and enjoy playing with all of the different ways of applying color and texture.
__________________ Debbie "Make it work, people." - Tim Gunn My Gallery
Well JoBear, your teacher was certainly wrong - I looked at your card gallery and you have certainly "produced" many things worth much. You really do a great job of coloring and shading - I am enviousl
I started stamping because I read a book about how to wrap gifts in a different way - one example was to use brown craft paper and use a stamp and make your own wrapping paper. So, I went to Pat Catans and bought one PSX evergreen stamp and a roll of brown craft paper and one green ink pad and then I was hooked....I LOVED it. Still do - that was about 20 years ago.
Almost 30 years ago I dropped off our office mailbag at a small pharmacy/gift shop/station post office and across from the post office window there were a few stamps and stamp pads. I thought the small wreath would look great stamped in gold on the back of our Christmas cards and I loved doing the stamping. Since I sometimes had to wait in line at the PO window, I kept looking at more stamps and stamp pads and my "collection" increased. Then during a trip with my husband I discovered a real stamp store - lots of $$$ later I had a new hobby and husband even bought some train, plane and vehicle stamps that he never used and I now have those too.
Me too! And I'm right here behind you � and so are so many people here, I'm sure. So never stop creating.
What about designing your own Judaica-inspired stamps?! And/or hand-carving them? You can do it!
Thank you for that. ((hugs)) I am behind everyone too! I think card making is a lot like gardening. It's good for the soul to work with your hands and make something that might not be perfect but you like it anyway. What I also love about it is I dont have to be young to do it.
What a great idea for a thread. I really enjoy reading all these stories.
So far one common thing keeps jumping out-we all seem to love gold ink! lol
And "entranced" is the perfect word for how I felt the first time I saw heat embossing!
I have no story to tell - just wanted to say what a great thread this is! I am enjoying all the stories and yes, I love gold ink too!!!! And heat embossing!
I've always done some kind of craft: cross stitch, knitting, crochet, paper tole, tole painting, sewing, quilling. Whatever the "hot thing was at the moment...LOL
One day at work someone came to collect .50 to buy a manager a birthday present. I asked what they were buying and was told it was a catalog (SU) that cost $10.00. My comment at the time was $10.00 to buy a catalog? The gal said that's what she wanted. So the day comes they give her the catalog and I had to go see what was so special about a catalog you would pay $10.00 for. I must have spent the next 2 hours in her office talking and going through the catalog. I remember thinking this stuff is expensive but was intrigued.
So I went to several craft stores, researched online and SU web site. I liked that SU was color coordinated versus running around to different places to get what was needed. Found a local demo who did stamp camp once a month. 4 cards + a 3D project for $10.00. She provided all supplies and refreshments. That was in 2006 and have never looked back. I was so disappointed when she gave up her demoship. Couldn't find another local demo that wasn't a "club" you had to commit to for a time period + x dollars per month.
I was going to save money making my own greeting cards..HA HA When I got my first card done I showed to DH and said see this only cost us $400.00!!! (that was my first order total)
I do have a WONDERFUL long distant demo now and it works great for me. Hi Lydia!!
Last edited by crazysuziestamper; 05-12-2015 at 04:11 PM..
I love all these stories....I started stamping in Feb 2004, thats when I moved to Las Vegas. For probabky 15 years I had been getting handmade cards from mmy 2 sisters in Las Vegas. I always wondered how they did all the beautiful techniques I saw on cards. Once I got here all it took was one stamping session with the sisters and I was hooked. I was an SU demo for 6 years or so until I started my web business. Now I buy everything I like and more to sell. My stamp room has grown into FOUR rooms now. I am sure I now own more paper, cardstock and dies than all the craft stores in town put ogether. I love making cards and donating to others. I have sent right at 50,000 cards to our troops and presently supply 3 churches for fund raising and their bookstores. There is so much joy in sharing handmade cards!
My love for paper crafting started in elementary school (about 40 years ago) when we had to make posters for book reports. Nothing made me happier then a nice big piece of poster board, a ruler and a freshly sharpened pencil. Back then everything had to be hand cut with scissors( letters, pictures, embellishments) because all of the fancy tools we use now wasn't around yet.
I made my first handmade card in 1985..it was 22 inches wide by 28 inches high. It was made on a dare by my friend to send to the cute mailman I had a crush on. Long story short....I made it for Valentine's Day and took it to the post office to mail (cost about 2.00 back then, can you imagine the cost of postage today??) Fast forward to the present and we have been married 29 years...so it must have worked.
My first try at stamping happened about 4 years ago when I was on another craft forum and somebody posted about a project called an exploding box card. They provided a link to this site for instructions and I was hooked and never looked back.
It all started when we took a cruise to Alaska! Had so many awesome pictures.
And I haven't looked back. Scrapbooking led to card making and I now have a room full of supplies.
I was invited to this fun event called a stampin up party by six of my friends. Ok. Sounds like fun. I was like a deer in the headlights! I was walked through all the instructions with everyone else. But I could not keep up! What the heck is embossing? I glue what to what? And so... The girls thought I'd never come back. Not only did I come back because the card I made was so pretty, I have outlasted two demonstrators and some of those friends! We still chuckle about it because I was so lost that first night! This is why every time someone views or likes or comments on cards I make that it is so special to me. AND, I finally found that craft gene that I thought I never had!
A high school chum invited me to a CM party in 1995 - that started the paper crafting craze. I also cross stitched - started with the big projects and only completed one which I had framed, but continued to cross stitch bibs and towels for gifts - card making is like the bibs to scrapbooking - much quicker, more finished projects. I don't ever see my self being done with this craft, but I have to say at this stage today I have overwhelmed myself with all the stuff I have....I long for simpler crafting days with maybe only 100 stamps versus thousands, and a pad of solid paper instead of thousands....etc.
MissyO, Sorry to hear that! My Stampin' Up demo is the nicest, most caring and kindest person ever!!!! And she would have so given you that catalog for free right then and there!!! And taught you how to do all the things you wanted to know about!!! Because of her I am a Stampin' Up fan and all the card making companies and stuff! It's a great thing to do!
Last edited by Cathy4; 05-13-2015 at 06:46 AM..
Reason: reply to MissO
My mother was an artist, my son is an architect. I had artistic ability in me but never really put it to good use. Then I saw a stamp somewhere and bought it. Didn't have a clue what to do with it (I still have that little guy) and then I was invited to a SUp party in 1998 and got a catalog and the rest is a history of stamping addiction. I love stamping but am not a demo. Take classes, belong to a club, browse the internet and LOVE SCS.
Like many others I have always loved "crafts". As a kid I loved pens, pencils, markers, and paper. My mom taught me to crochet, and knit...though I had no patience for that as a child. Art class was my favorite class in school, though I can't draw worth a darn! Never had the drive to spend time really practicing that either. I learned to sew in 4-H club, and love to cross stitch as well.
In 2003, a gal at my church was having a SU workshop for all the ladies at church. I had no idea what stamping or card making was about but I wanted a "girls night out" so I went.
HOLY COW! Talk about a "come to Jesus" moment! You had me at hello, where have you been all my life.....all of that and a bag of chips. I was giddy with excitement! All the paper, ink, stamps, markers....and within 10 minutes...BOOM...you have a finished CARD!
The demonstrator could see I was into it so she invited me to her house later in the week and she showed me more stuff like HEAT embossing!! I was a goner. I asked her "where do I sign who do I make the check out to.."??
I was a demo for 3 years but was my own best customer. Working full time and trying to care for a toddler...being a demo just wasn't for me.
But I love stamping and card making to this day. Now I just help another demo meet her quarterly totals. :-)
It all started when�
