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I'd LOVE to hear everyone's responses on this! When did you first hear of SU? What was your first exposure to SU - workshop, stamp camp, looking at a friend's catalog or ??
And what was your first SU purchase(s)?? Is there a particular set that got you hooked??
At my first workshop, I ordered Lovely as a Tree because that's what was demo'd. I also got Dazzling Diamonds glitter (but not with 2-way glue, so I wasn't very successful with that!), some cardstock, and two inkpads: Night of Navy and Forest Foliage (because they went well with the tree set I bought.
I was a poor college student who was way into scrapbooking and swore I would NEVER pick up a rubber stamp. Well, my hairdressed invited me to a party she was hostessing and oh my gosh I was HOOKED! I bought the pastels (the old kind) and thats all that I could afford that night. I even asked about being a demo! I didnt sign up though for another 6 months after one other party I went to and a class I attended
My first purchasee was Hedgehog Happiness, of course. Still lovin' it.
A friend of mine joined a SU monthly club and I just love all the stamp sets she was ordering, for a lot less $$$$$ than the monthly CTMH club I belonged to. Now I belong to both, but spend more buying SU stamps.
I got hooked when I found a demo and went to a workshop. I had kept seeing ads in Rubberstamper Mag for SU, and kept thinking about calling but didn't like the idea of using a demo :shock:
I first bought the snowman wheel and handle
Then went to the WS and bought Thanks Snow Much and A Tree for all Seasons.
No ink pads though, and no paper!!
I didn't think I needed it because I had all sorts of stamp store paper that I spent a small fortune on! I have since gave it to my daughter who doesn't even like it and uses mine when she thinks I'm not looking! Sneeky brat!
I first heard of Stampin' Up! last November at an elementary school's shopping fair. I was a vendor for Discovery Toys and the lady next to me was from Stampin' Up! I've been stamping for over 5 years now, so of course I just HAD to see what she had. I looked at the catalog in between customers and fell in love with the Rubber Ducky set. I had just purchased a rubbery ducky shower cuirtain & accessories for our bathroom. I booked a party which I had during Saleabration and I got about $180 in free merchandise! I signed on in April.
The thing I really like most about SU are the 48 colors and how everything coordinates with each other. In the past when I made cards using brand x supplies, it would take me about an hour to find the right colors for each project. By that point I didn't feel much like stamping anymore. I want to get rid of all my brand x inks but my husband is making me keep them for now!
I was a definite CM snob. I went to my friend's party (now my upline) and wasn't going to buy anything. Well I took one look at the alphabet sets and couldn't believe I could just throw away all those letter stickers I had! No more running out of C or E and having to not use up the stickers! It was fabulous. Plus I fell in love with Cuddles and Tickles (especially the feet!) and the Sweet Feet wheel, too!
My friend Jenni (jenmouer on here) got me hooked. she had a party and I went. I was into scrapbooking at the time and thought that I would get an alphabet set (to eliminate the use of alpha stickers). I got the brushstroke set. Well, I needed ink for the stamps, couln't narrow down what color i would want, so got the BB spots as well. I thought, that is it, no more things. Well, now I belong to a stamp club!!!!!!!
I first heard of SU in 1997. A co-worker showed me the catalog and I was hooked. I can't remember what my first purchase was, but I knew that I wanted it all and still do to this day.
Great thread!
__________________ Vanessa Terrell Independent Demonstrator Since 1997
My friend and I were going to the movies. When she came over, she threw the 1997-1998 catty on the table and said,"Ok, lets go"! HAH! I took one look and knew I was in trouble! I couldnt focus on the movie knowing the catty Ive never even heard of( and I am a craft queen!) was sittin on the table!! I devoured it when I got home. I went to her party, bought Nellie the Nest Lady (still have it, and if you want her it will cost ya BIG!!!), inks and paper and bye-bye normal life!!!! 2 months later I had a party, and my Super DH said,"Well, you can do that cant you?"!!! Hes eatin' his words to this day!!!! lolol So I signed up in 1998, and I still love it!! I look back at those old cattys, and we've come a long way, baby!!!!
Tandra
Ha! I had been dabbling in rubber stamping for about six months before I discovered SU! I met a woman that was a demo in Guam before moving here, and she invited me to her first party here. As soon as she gave me the catty to look through, I was hooked! I only had the money for one thing that night, I bought one of my favorite sets, Autumn. Still use it a lot! I put in another order about six months later for some other sets, then signed up as a demo - I realized that I paged through that catalog every single day, and I might as well get a discount on my own stuff! Needless to say, I have all the paper, all the ink, and many more sets and accessories now! Fortunately, I'm a little bit more than a hobby demo, and I still look through the catty (almost) every day! I love SU!!!
Gretchen in SC
I had joined a Yahoo group on scrapbooking, and someone (my now upline) mentioned the terms "Classic and Craft" inks. I of course had no idea what she was talking about! ;)
I asked, she answered.....and sent me a Scrapping Memories catalog. The first order I placed was about $400 or so...and I've just kept going. Now at least I get a discount!
__________________ ~Debbi~
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. ~Author Unknown
LOL...I heard about it at a party from one of the people I went there with (NOT a stamping party...a singles party!). She was telling people that she was having a stamp party and I asked her why she didn't invite me (had no intention of getting into stamping). I had had way too much to drink and I think I probably made her feel bad for not inviting me :oops: A week later I got an invitation in the mail and would have felt bad if I didn't go (since I practically begged her to invite me)! I had to have her refresh my memory a bit as to what the invite was for :oops: .
I spent almost $100 at the workshop (got BB spots, Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Versamark, Bug Builders and some tags). Couldn't wait to get my stuff and while I was waiting went to Michael's and bought some supplies. Hmmmm...quite a large purchase for someone who had no intention of getting into this hobby!
Been hooked since and the rest is history!
Moral of the story: Keep your mouth shut when you're intoxicated! :lol:
Actually I'm glad I found this hobby, albeit by accident!
My mom is the activities coordinator at our local Senior Center. Classes taught there are open to all ages so when there was a stamping class a friend and I thought we would check it out. I've been into all sorts of crafts over the years!
Well, the lady teaching the class was fabulous and I was hooked from the first moment. The teacher hosted a Stampin' Up! workshop a couple weeks later and my mom and I attended. The first page I looked at was hostess sets and I just had to have "Love Blooms" so I booked a workshop. At this first workshop I ordered "Polar Bears" and some ink pads.
Two weeks later at my workshop I knew I could do this too! So I signed up that night and got 5 bookings from my friends. My first show was the day after my kit arrived!! Next month will be my 3rd Anniversary with Stampin' Up!
Ok, back in '98 my SIL called and told me about this new company she was joining and sent me a catalog. I ordered a wedding set (the one with the back of a bride and groom) and sat and looked at the catty for a couple of months.
When she came out for a visit I had a workshop. And of course decided to join up. Of course all the sets I originally bought and that were in my starter kit have now been discontinued!
I was invited to my first demonstration last summer. In the mini catalog was Little Layers I. I fell in absolute love with the fish stamp. I didn't want to miss out in case it got discontinued. Money was tight and that set was the only thing I purchased.
In Seinfeld-speak: "Yadda, yadda, yadda.... now I am a stamper!"
:oops:
My sister got into stamping about a year before I did. She swore that I would love it and I thought "yeah right!!" But one weekend she was going to a party and convinced to come with her just to check it out and that was it for me! Now I'm shamelessly addicted. I look at my catalog ALL THE TIME!!! And when I'm not doing that I'm either stamping or here checking out everyone's creations. I'm pretty sure my DH thinks I'm crazy!
My first set was mini mates because of the versatility but I tell you what, I really wish that they would have had those starter sets back when I got started. I've said this before, I spent over $50 on my first order but it took several more orders before I could actually make anything!
My first set was Button Bear. My neighbor invited me to her party and I went with no intention of buying anything, but I took one look at the catalog and knew I was in serious trouble. It took me almost 2 years to sign up as a demo though! As for Button Bear, I recently passed him along to my favorite Stamping Buddy- my 6 year old niece! She loves him very much and was so excited to have her very own stamp set!
My first stamp set was Birdhouses (set of 4). I bought it because my neighbor was putting in a order. I wasn't into stamping at this point. It was the cheapest set I could find -I actually think I only used it once or twice.
A couple years later, I went to a workshop/class with my friend. I was completely in awe!! I wanted everything that night. I tend to impulse buy, so this was not good. I ended up buying the Flutterbys set - not sure what else. I continued to go with my friend to our now upline's classes. I convinced my friend into joining at the same time - that was back in 11/00. I haven't regretted it - I still impulse buy and wish I had lots more money to spend!!!
__________________ Karen Madison (6/7/00) & Mackenzie (8/22/04) & Trenton Joshua (3/30/06) My Blog WatercoloredDreams
A friend from church invited me to a party, but I couldn't go. She gave me her catalog to look at and I was immediately hooked. It was during Sell-A-Bration and we'd just gotten our tax return so I placed a $200 order. The Brushstroke Alphabet set was in the mini catalog at that time, too, so that was one of my first sets.
I went my sister-in-laws workshop..and was hooked!!!!!! I have never been so excited about anything like i was that night!!!!!!!!! Then i hosted a workshop and then i signed up! I think my first purchase was sketch it and three inkpads and paper! I think my second purchase was the pastels!!!! I still love it to this day!!!!!!
I had been dabbling in stamping for several years, but SIL invited me to a party. I wasn't able to go, but I thought I would order a few things. My first purchase was the "home sweet home" birdhouse stamp, and 5 of the single chalk pastels (I believe it was 1999) No paper, no stamp pads. I was pretty pathetic. Then I wondered why I could never create anything. My SIL had many more parties and I bought a lot more stamps, finally breaking down and buying CS and Pads. One day the lightbulb just went on, and I decided to sell them myself!
I was a high school teacher during the week and an avid scrapbooker on the weekends and holiday breaks. A demo came to my school and held a hands-on workshop in the afternoon. I was instantly hooked by the prices for cardstock and eyelets. I was paying an outrageous price at my local scrapbook store and never thought twice about it. The monthly special was something like "purchase one of these stamp sets and get a set of eyelets for ..." I chose a stamp set to get the eyelets and also added a black ink pad and a bold brights assorted pack. I LOVED the cardstock and didn't touch the stamp set for an entire year!! Nearly three years later and I'm a demo who scraps and stamps!!
After reading everyone's story just had to jump in with my own! Let's go back to 1996! I've always been into creative and crafting things. My best friend had been to my house one day and we were looking at a craft catalog that had some rubber stamps. I showed her my "collection", which at that time fit into a child's shoe box! :lol: So I say to her....next week let's get together and play. At that time she worked in the Christain Book store and a couple of days later she was at work and this lady came in and they got to chatting. It turned out this lady was and SU! demo and gave my friend a catalog. Of coarse we hosted a workshop together and it was all over for me then and there! I HAD to have it ALL! My DH thought I was nuts (now he KNOWS I am!) At my workshop I got the pastels, Pature Birthday Set, some pads, Country Sampler set, Home and Heart set and some Naturals Paper. I still have the Home and Heart set but none of the others!
What got you hooked on SU?? What was your 1st purchase??
I was living in Germany, 7 months pregnant and very concerned how I would fill my days since I had just stopped working (I know, what was I thinking!) I found a stamping group- went to a couple of dates- the first few swaps I did had NO stamping whatsoever! I just didn't understand the whole buying rubber stamps at stores- I had and had a bunch- I had NO idea what to do with them- I always seemed to need something else to make a card......
My name got on an email invite to a Stampin' UP! party- sounded like something I would like..... I got there early and was given a catalog- I think I blacked out for a second- I could not believe that this amazing company exsisted and I had no idea!!! I placed an order for $100 (baby boy stuff I know, the Rich Regal eyelets that were at the time $19.95- I am still using them!!) that night, called the demo the next day and placed another $50 order (during Sell-a-bration). Well before Sell-a-bration was over I had all 4 sets..... I fell in love with one of the hostess sets- Make a Wish (02-03) and had my 1st party when my son was 2 weeks old.
Then the purple catalog (03-04) came out. My friend and I, both of us had small newborn babies- were totally and without a doubt smitten! We had dreams about the catalog uring the night- mind you we were still getting up to feed our babies, but we were dreaming about stamps!! I had another party- the 1st of A LOT of my friends who did!! Found SCS and joined. I think Beate, this site, and Beate's group on yahoo were instrumental in having me sign up...... she's pretty awesome!
Left Germany in Feb 04 and signed up in April to be a demo(see above- it was all Beate's doing, she is an inspiration to strangers ALL over the world that don't even know her!!) I found my upline on the demo locator- contacted her while I was still overseas- the rest is history. Now I'm trying to build a business while knowing no one!!
Wow- for a stalker (4,5,6, 12 times a day :oops: ......) I was sure wordy today!!
Back in 2001, a coworker invited me to her workshop. I love to scrabook, but had never heard of SU... had never even stamped! I thought it was just for kids! I didn't even have an address stamp! :lol: And now I have over 200 sets, and have been a demo for over 2 years now. I guess you could say I am hooked!
__________________ Nicole
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done" Philippians 4:6
In 1993 I was working at an Elementary School in Marsing, ID and a co-worker had a SU! party that I didn't attend, but she brought in a catty and I was so thrilled to see they were sold in SETS! at the time a lot of people were buying from a company known as D.O.T.S. they had a lot of neat stamps, no sets, and HIGH prices.
I liked SU! prices and especially for a whole set! Back then you had a choice of Foam or Wood mounted, wood you had to mount yourself foam was already mounted, BTW I still have my original foam mounted sets!
In April 2004 I attended a friends party, booked a party of my own for May 21, 2004 by May 31, 2004 I became a Demo.
I had been into rubber stamping for awhile, but had never heard of Stampin' Up when I got invited to my first party. I fell in love with Sunny Seasons Greetings, as I had been looking for something a little different to do my Christmas cards with. I spent about $150 at that first party, and that continues to be my average to this day!
__________________ Heidi My gallery There's no 'I' in 'team'. But then there's no 'I' in 'useless smug colleague', either. And there's four in 'platitude-quoting idiot'. Go figure.
What a great thread! I love reading what everyone has to say.
I went to a friend's party in February 2003 and was hooked that night!! I had always loved scrapbooking, and saw how stamping could add so much more to that hobby.
I bought the Brilliant Blue stamp pad. That was all I could afford that night. My friend (the hostess) bought me "On the Beach", which is still one of my favorite sets. The rest and about $600 later is history! LOL I have over 25 stamp sets now, with my current favorites being "Totally Cool" and "Simple Shapes". They are so fun to use together!
I am having a much happier life and wondering what I did before I became a stamper!
Stampin' Up sounded vaguely familiar to me when I got started scrapbooking a mere three or four MONTHS ago (yeah, I'm a total newbie...it's amazing how quickly one can get addicted to scrapping & stamping! But I digress...). I saw an ad for SU! in my Creating Keepsakes magazine and thought, "How charming!" I went on the SU! website and did the "Find a Demonstrator" thing so I could take a look at a catty. I was mostly interested in finding new scrapbooking materials. I had always thought that rubber stamping cards and whatnot was for SAHMs with a lot of time on their hands. (That isn't meant to be offensive in any way!!! I just had the perception that it was super time-consuming.) I fell in love with all the amazing things in the catty, and bought two stamp sets (Feathered Hope and one of the alpha sets; forget the name) but no ink or anything else, because the gal I ordered from said she was having an open house in August for the new catty, so I thought I'd wait until then. I think she really wasn't expecting me to show up, but I did! And that day was the first day I'd actually ever stamped anything. I bought a few more things at her party, and decided that I HAD to become a demo. So there you go! I just sent off my application 2 days ago. I am totally hooked on stamping, even though I haven't been stamping for long.
I went to a workshop my friend had, wondering what on earth you could do with a rubber stamp. I had been at a friends house several years before where people were stamping, but didn't pay close attention and wasn't inspired at all, so I wondered if I would like it. I saw the mini catalog with "Espress Yourself" in it and KNEW I wanted that!! I ordered that set, got a free Sell A Bration set with my order, and booked a party to get the other free sets. Within three months, I had signed up, too!!
__________________ "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works," Hebrews 10:24
I had never heard of making your own cards, much less Stampin Up until last July when a friend invited my mom to a party. She insisted that I go with her..I insisted that it was stupid to make your own cards. She insisted that I go..I insisted that I was going to set my cell phone up to call me at a predetermined time so that I could make an excuse and leave. Well, I got there at 6...by 7, I had signed up to be a Demo....so my first purchase was the starter kit!!! I am so gullable...of course, it was the best purchase I have ever made..I LOVE this stuff!!!!
__________________ Keva
We shouldn't have expectations of others that we, ourselves, could not fulfill.
I was visiting my sister and she had a SU catalog(2000-2001) and this was August of 2002(so it was a retired catalog) and I picked it up and looked at it. Asked her a few questions. Her Demo had just gotten out of the business and my sister was very disappointed as she had just discovered SU!. Well, I looked at the catalog a bit more and looked at my sister and said "I'll be a demo". She looked at me like "pshyeah". I went home got on demo locator, found a demo, gave her a call and asked her to get me the recruit paperwork. Two days later I sent those in and two weeks later on August 26th, 2002 I got my starter kit. I signed up to be a demonstrator without ever going to a workshop, holding any SU! product in my hand or even looking at a current SU! catalog.
To this date I still have only been to my own events. My upline is less than active and that is my only regret. Not researching my upline better.
So the first thing I ever bought from SU! was my starter kit.
Wow...I'm amazed at how many people purchased their starter kit without ever having stamped/and or using SU products! I sat on the idea for a while before I became a demo!
Here goes my SU story:
I have always been a stamper, I can't remember when I last sent a Christmas card that wasn't homemade. A friend that always has parties said she had the new party invite for me, at least it wasn't a jewelry party again! I went and was instantly hooked! This was back in 1998.
The sad part of the story was that the demo didn't keep selling so I didn't have a way to purchase anything :( (My first purchase was hang your heart and sweetheart candy)
Then in 2000 I was at a craft show, asked the demo if I could purchase a catalog and just email her my orders. She said yes and the rest is history! I now belong to her Stamper's 10 club and attend other advanced techniques classes she has. I love my demo and wouldn't trade her for the world!
Umm let's see - a friend of mine - (whom I met while attending a "preparing for multiples" class at about 20 weeks pregger with twins) mentioned at one of our twin club meetings she had become a demo for Stampin' Up and asked if I wanted to come to an Open House at her house. I am an avid scrapper so I said sure and I was hooked....
My first purchase was a set of uppercase letter stamps and a black stamp pad...and at first when I went to her house to stamp it was all about my scrapbooks and then I saw all the pretty cards...there was no hope after that.
So I decided to have a party and introduce some of my scrapping buddies to stamping (they are still cursing me...) and the rest is history.
I have actually done quite well and kept myself in check - I joined my demos stamp club and my hostess month is next month - I am going to be in trouble - I have so much on my "to get" list and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger thanks to this site :lol:
However I can't remember the last time I bought a "store" card....Even DH just turns to me when he needs a card...
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
:arrow: :shock:
I just had my first party last night, it will close next week as I'm part of a hostess club and they still have a few days to give me their orders. Anyway, back to how I found out about Stampin Up. I had been a beginning stamper for many years (sort of stalled there!) and worked in a stamp and scrapbook store so I sort of looked down my nose at these type of businesses. Well in January 2002 I was at my sister's in PA and she had a catalog lying around and was having a workshop for a neighbor that had just signed up. I had started my sister on stamping a few years earlier! so I looked thru it and said I'd order for her show. I laid on her couch all week looking at it while my 2 year old played with his two cousins. I was sooo tired that week, we just watched the winter olympics and hung out. By the end of the week I had ordered A Tree For All Seasons, Sweet Herbs, Say It with Scriptures. Mysister called after her show and said I got a free set (it was January) so I got Hearts and Posies.
Well, I was so tired that week because I was expecting but didn't know it! So fast forward to two years later. I was invited to a friend's show and went to support her. I fell in love with all the matching stuff!! I got Snow Angels, ink pads and Smorgasborders, and blender pens that day. Like I said, I just had a show last night and so far I'm close to $400 and a few orders are due next Tuesday. I joined a hostess club at the demos open house and was picked as the first hostess. Now I'm hooked! Oh, after baby two I quit the store and now am a HUGE supporter of home businesses as I like to see women working and balancing family life! I know I'll be spending way over my minimun of $15 a month for the hostess club. This was my first post, I didn't mean to write so much! Just a little "high" from last night I guess
xo
DNW
What got you hooked on SU?? Your first purchase??
