IN THE BEGINNING!! How it all STARTED!

I was just reading a post by my upline, the famous Sharon Armstrong, one of Stampin' Up's highest achievers and much loved demonstrators.  She has been a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for 27 years!  I've been a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for about 22 years now.  What a ride it has been!  So many 'Creative Journeys' along the way.  I truly feel card making has brought so much joy into my life!  (and crafting supplies too!! lol)

 

I got to thinking about 'my' story.  Oh.. I was much younger, thinner and I believe TALLER back then!  It was 1999 and I had just started a new position at our local school distirct.  The wonderful lady who was training me was retiring.  On a Friday, she mentioned she was having a Stampin' Up! workshop at her home that evening and invited me to come!  YAY! (NOT!)  LOL... I was a working mom, whose husband traveled for a living.  The last thing I had time for was to go play with paper!  I heard MY voice say "I'd LOVE to!!"   Arrrrggggghhh.. WHAT was I THINKING?????

Needless to say, I was HOOKED at the first stamped impression... and TEARING that paper just WOWed me!  I became a life long friend of the demonstrator, Bonnie Strebe and we crafted together for the next twenty years.  She's now in Heaven, getting our crafting tables set up for an eternity of card making!  As fate would have it, after my sabatical I re-joined under my sister-in-law of over 50 years!  Family phone calls last for about two minutes, then her and I venture into 'STAMPIN-Land' and share ideas and stories about our crafting journeys.

I often sit back and wonder, what direction my life would have taken without card making.  I am retired now.  I have a beautiful Stampin'-Barn Studio... I hold several workshops a month and make YouTube video tutorials.  I swap once a month with local demonstrators and continue to make new friends because of my Stampin' Up! business.   Best of all, I fellowship with other crafters... over stamping, snacks and our favorite beverage we often talk about what Jesus is doing in our lives, prayer requests and answered prayers.  Those who don't believe can still listen and hear what a loving God we serve.  So maybe we get a little glimpse of Heaven when we gather and stamp together!

JOIN MY TEAM!

If you have ever thought about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I'd love to have you on my team!  I was a 'hobby' demonstrator for many years.  I enjoyed the discount on my supplies...  now that I've retired, I am able to grow my business a bit... and who knows, the sky is the limit!  

So there is MY story... I'd love to hear YOURS!  Let me know in the comments how you got into card making!