I
can't believe I have been a Stampin' UP! demonstrator for 18 years.
August 31st. Wow where did the time go. I started out wanting the
discount and then one day on a door prize slip one of my customers wrote I want
to do what you do. From there I began this wonderful journey that I would not
trade for anything. I started looking for some photos of the beginning years before we had cell phones that we took pictures every day (but didnt find any :) So I thought I would just share a few of myself and some of my team members and customers along the way. This first picture was taken at the home office in Summer, 2009 at the home office tour when I went to convention in Salt Lake City. What an adventure.
My story! In 1999 we lived in
Kinston NC at the time and I was looking in a Country Sampler magazine and saw
some really cute Halloween (not SU) cards. It was in an ad from Raindrops on
Roses Stamp store in Raleigh. I called
them to see where there were located in relationship to the airport since I had
to take my husband, Rich to the airport the next week. I dropped Rich off and
went to the stamp store and loved everything.
I saw a cute card on the wall from her stamp club swaps made with SU enamel embossing powder and it
was a watering can with flowers in it. (Funny how a card can change your life.)
I told the lady I wanted to buy
that stamp and she rolled her eyes and said we don't sell it and I said can you
order it for me and she said no that is from Stampin UP and I said what is
that? She rolled her eyes again and said it is a home party type stamp company.
I was so excited I was thinking like
Tupperware? I could identify with that. I had never heard of them and asked her
how I could find them, she said you can buy a magazine near the counter and the
info will be in the back of it. I can't remember the stamping magazine maybe
Stamp It or Somerset or something like that. Anyway, I looked in the back of
the magazine and copied down the information and went home and called them.
They referred me to a demo in
Greenville, NC about 25 miles from where I was living. I called her and we set
up a party and she came and did a demonstration and I mean that is all she did.
I thought to myself if I ever did this they would be stamping. I didn't sign up
that day and got only a few orders for my party.
Later that month I went to a
stamping convention where there were all types of stamping and scrap booking
vendors where I saw a SU vendor and keep going back to their booth. They were
demoing stuff and I picked up a catalog and asked could I
take it home and send her an order and she probably thought she would never see
me again. I went home and placed that order and decided I wanted to be a
demonstrator because I loved stamping after seeing several demonstrations and
going to a stamp camp. The kit cost $250 and I had been saving my money and
finally had enough to buy the kit. Back then you had to send your recruiting
papers in the mail so not as fast as today on line.
I got my kit in September but my
sign up date is 8/31/99, in November we moved from Kinston, NC to Victorville,
CA and since have moved 6 times since then and I have customers from coast to
coast and team members in several states.
My first recruit wrote on her door
prize slip that she wanted to do what I do. I was so new I told her I would get
back to her and as soon as everyone left my open house I called SU and asked
for help with recruiting. It was fun we learned together.
When I first
started we only did all of our business through home parties, not clubs or
classes or camps which have evolved over the years to all the above and online events
and purchases etc.
I worked full time for 14 years and had my Stampin’ UP! Business
too. Four years ago, I retired and we moved
to Florida and so Stampin’ UP! is my full-time business or as much as I want it
to be. God has blessed me with this
little business and the friendships along the way. I have met so many people
and made some unbelievable friends that would have never been in my life from
customers that become friends to other demonstrators that I met at leadership conferences
and conventions. Thank you for being a part of my story and my journey – PAST,
PRESENT AND FUTURE
This is part of my team at a meeting in Greensboro a few years back I think 2011.
This was my stamp club when I lived in Raleigh, NC. Which reminds me I need to take a group photo of my stamp club her in Vero Beach when we start back in December.
This is my Stampin' Bunco club that meets all year round from 2015 we always enjoy playing bunco sharing a meal together.
This is part of my team that went to Savannah On Stage Stampin' Up!
conference this past April. It was exciting to share it with my team
most had never been.
Join my team and you can travel with us and enjoy the benefits of having a discount every day for your own Stampin' UP! supplies as well as make a little money or make it a great career when you collect orders from your stamping buddies while sharing what you love while being creative. Contact me if you have any questions about joining my team. You can be anywhere in the US to join my team, you do not have to live next door!!!
18th
ANNIVERSARY GIFT WITH PURCHASE – For any $50 purchase this week (today) Sunday – Thursday) August 27th-31st
you will receive a gift from me in the mail!!!
Make sure you use hostess code
JJF977UX if you order from my on line store HERE
and your order will come directly to you OR you can contact me to place your order for you.
Thanks again for being part of this wonderful journey!
Frances
wagstamps@yahoo.com
