Being a SU Demo, people think I never go into craft stores but I do sometimes.
Although Stampin’ Up carries a huge catalog of products, they can’t possibly carry it all.
The craft world is MASSIVE, isn’t it?
Sometimes I run into my customers and they hide their baskets behind their back and say “why, what are YOU doing here?!” LOL
I found these up near the register at a local craft store chain:
I believe they were $1.00 each, some had snowmen, some had stars. Just cute little balsa wood boxes, about 3″ wide and 4″ tall.
They just jumped off the shelf and into my cart begging me to adopt them for a makeover.
I braided the Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine to make more sturdy handles. I like the way it coordinates with the designer paper that looks woven.
Like I say in the video, you can buy a box quicker than make this BUT why not make it?
It’s fun, you get your craft on, you know you have enough stuff to make 10 of them 🙂 and it feels so GOOD to give something that you made with your own 2 hands.
Supplies From the Holiday catty:
Festival of Prints paper stack (page 20), hot glue gun and silicone pad (page 31), Champagne Glimmer paper (page 18), Sanding Blocks (page 6)
From the main catalog: Vintage faceted buttons (page 176), Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding (page 172),
Jumbo Pearls (page 175) glue and paintbrush, Lucky Limeade card stock 1-1/2″ x 10-3/4 for lolly and scored every 1/4″. (go 11-3/4″ for a fuller lolly)
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Stampin’ Up!’s got two ways for your customers to get FREE INK from November 1 through December 16:
Hostesses who hold a minimum $450 party will get a FREE collection of Classic Stampin’ Pads! This can be any event you want to host at your place or mine. Maybe a stamp a stack? A free workshop? A product class featuring a special stamp set? Call or email me and we can schedule something!
New demonstrators who join Stampin’ Up! during the promotion period will get a FREE collection of Classic Stampin’ Pads with their Starter Kit! For only $99 plus tax and FREE shipping, you get to choose $125 worth of products from the annual catty or holiday catty!!
Here is more info on being a demo:
Here is a reprint of my FAQ article for becoming a demo, since there is such an amazing gift!
Just the Facts, Ma’am!
It is all about the the real deal on signing up as a Stampin’ Up Demonstrator.
(note to demonstrators: I wrote this so please don’t copy and paste into your websites – thx!)
With Stampin’ Up having changed their Starter Kits to more of what I call a ‘buffet’ kit, now is a good time to answer those questions for anyone who is wondering what the real scoop is. No sugarcoating- just the facts, ma’am!
*What comes in the new Starter Kit this year? Anything you want! Gone are the days of having to choose from this price or that category. You simply choose $125 of product from the catalog or current mini catalog, like the new Holiday catalog! You pay only $99, your state tax and FREE shipping. Yeah, it’s good. You still get all the business supplies like order forms and 8 catalogs.
*What if I have been a demo before?If you are signing up again with the same upline/recruiter as before, then you can sign up right away. If you are signing up with someone new and your old upline/recruiter is still active, you need to wait 90 days before signing up again with someone new. If she isn’t active, there isn’t a wait time and you can sign up with someone new right away.
*What if I am a current demo and want to switch uplines? Good gravy I get asked that often. It’s a tricky thing and there is a cost to it. I always suggest to try to work it out first. Sometimes you just want to be with a team locally or there is an issue you can’t sort out. You do lose your demo ID number, your downline or recruits under you do not transfer with you, you have to wait 90 days (without Stampin’ Connection or the Stampin’ Success magazine) and you lose your career sales. Basically you start over but then you can get all the benefits of starting over as a new recruit also. (like the 30% on your first order, stampin start, etc) Really think about though!
What is the catch? Other than a totally addictive hobby, it’s pretty easy. I’ve had more trouble and headaches trying to switch cell phone plans. That took 3 hours. Signing up to be a demonstrator? 20 minutes. Online. And you get your password to go onto the Demonstrator Only Website right away while you wait for your kit to arrive in a week to 10 days.
*Keeping it Going: Anyone can buy a kit and enjoy it. Keeping it going requires some work on your part. Having even 2 or 3 friends you stamp with each month is an easy and fun way to collect those orders to meet your minimums.
What if I decide to not place any orders and just enjoy my kit? Stampin ‘Up will just drop you after a period of time. No penalties, nothing to give back, no note sent home to your parents.
How much do I have to order to stay active?$300 retail. Stampin’ Up quarters runs Jan-March, April-June, July -Sept, and Oct-Dec. The month you sign up, you would get the rest of your first quarter free of minimums. We are currently in July-Sept, so the next quarter so you would have to your $300 in orders by the end of December! It can be ALL at once, or in smaller orders. With just your own orders or friends adding to it. You can be your own hostess, too! So it pays off if you are looking for a discount and you are going to spending that much on stamp stuff anyway.
30% off Bonus: This is why some people sign up if they have a huge wish list or want something big like the BIG SHOT: You get 30% (instead of 20%) off your first order over 150.00 if you place it within 45 days of signing up. Be your own hostess + get a big discount = no brainer.
*Making Extra Money: If you work hard, you can really enjoy a profitable business! You need drive, a love of stamping and a love to share it with others, too. You can see the compensation plan here http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/lindaheller/careerplan and then there is the very generous bonus plans that you can earn with promotions and your team. (and the incentive trips like this year I’m going to Fiji…yippeee!)
How do I know who to sign up with?
This is an important decision! Do you want/need lots of training in stamping techniques or computer help? Do you want to stamp with a group or attend events or meetings? Then I would recommend that you should find someone local to sign up with. Find a demonstrator who has monthly or quarterly events or training so you can learn all you can and stamp often! Use the demo locator on the SU website at www.stampinup.com and click on Find a Demonstrator. Look for someone with a website and check out her events. Even if she is an hour away, it is totally worth it so you can learn all you need to. *Be sure to ask her/him if you can still attend their classes if you sign up! Some do not so just ask. Anyone on my team can attend my classes – they just have to proactively watch my class schedule and rsvp.
Are you already a seasoned stamper? Maybe you don’t mind phone calls and FaceTime or is happy to do your own thing? Then it isn’t as important to sign up with someone locally. Personally I would sign up with someone who has been doing it for more than a few years, is established and offers some long distance support.
What I offer: I offer a free membership to Stamping School ( my video tutorial website) to my team of demonstrators. It is a way that I can show them new techniques and projects since I can’t be there to stamp with them as much as I would like to! I’m an active upline if you need me to be or someone who is there when you just want a question answered. I offer weekly or monthly coaching by request, business building groups, and monthly get togethers & incentives.
There are lots of choices out there and I believe you don’t want to sign up with someone because they are offering a free stamp set. This should be a relationship where you can call or email for help or training and be a part of a team.
Do I have to have classes or workshops?
Some demonstrators do it as a career and support themselves full time with it. It’s a lot of work but it can be done. More than half of the demonstrators in my group do it just for the discount or hobby. There is no requirement to host or teach any classes. Now if you want help with putting in the orders, we call those Bread and Butter customers. Those are the friends or family that you can stamp with each month or every other month so they can order a few things from you. Every little bit helps! And if you are like me, one day you may need extra money and that’s how I started doing it more as a business. When times get tough, sell stamps!
What is in the Demonstrator Only Website?
Gee whiz, there is so much in there that I couldn’t list it all. 5 years of back issues of our Stampin’ Success magazines (which arrive in our mail monthly), projects, templates, articles, videos, and the biggest is Stampin’ Connection. It’s a HUGE forum for demos only with TONS of samples each day.
Some people sign up just for the preorders. Maybe this has happened to you: You are on a website and see this awesomely cute card and say “I want that set!” but it’s not available for another month and then you get mad because the demonstrators already have it and are using it? Then you should be a demonstrator and get the upcoming mini catalogs or promotional stuff before anyone else!
Some people sign up just to go to convention! We have an amazing annual convention in Salt Lake City each year with thousands of stampers attending! 3-4 days of inspiration, swapping and classes!
If you have more questions, feel free to call or email me anytime. I’d be happy to steer you to the upline who is right for you to sign up with or you can sign up with me to be a part of my group.
How do I sign up?A lot of demonstrators have a DBWS, which is a Demonstrator Business Website. As demonstrators, we pay 12.95 a month for it and it is wonderful! Stampin’ Up keeps it updated for us and we can add our own projects, calendar and special touches. One of the perks is that you can sign up online and get your demonstrator password immediately! Mine is www.lindaheller.stampinup.net and you can check it out. (new recruits get it free for 2 months, by the way!)
What are you waiting for?! FREE Ink pads, Fun and a new stamping adventure are just a click away!
At my monthly Where The Rubber Hits The Road team get together, we have a stamped swap and contest. I love to see them all lined up in a row, swapping down the line with each other! By the end of our stamping time, everyone has voted and there is a prize for the favorite. The winner was this beautiful card created by Susan Kirk:
Susan Kirk
Here are the rest of the swaps for the end of February in a slideshow:
(you can stop the slideshow to right click and save a photo to your computer to save for later. If you hover your mouse over picture the controls will show)
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A big THANKS to the stampers who submitted these great ideas!
Stampin’ Up’s Shannon West shows us a few projects using the Sale-A-Bration FREE stamp set, Bliss! Shannon also shows how she makes those little splatter marks with an aquapainter.
To read more about this limited time promtion, click HERE to go to a previous post of mine.
P.s. I still have seats left for my Volusia County Class on Feb 19th! Email me if you would like to attend – Linda
Stampin’ Up goes way beyond our expectations each year organizing a special event for demonstrators who are Managers and above. There is usually tons of speculation (although no hints given) about where they are taking us.
Of course we are thinking Country music capital here in Nashville so we are all assuming it is a show of some sort! Tonight we got on a big bus that took us to the Wild Horse Saloon for a SU Manager’s Night.
Spouses can attend for a fee so Matt, Darrell, Kevin and Tom were able to join Jan, Deb, Patsy and me this year!
Shelli Gardner, in her cute duds, addressing the crowd
This is a big place with a live band and huge dance floor!
Can you see Jan and Deb kicking up their heels line dancing? I'd say look for the little gal in the hat but we got hats before the event!
While the girls were either dancing or chatting about stamps (big surprise) the cowboys found some games to pass the time
Deb Valder, Patsy & Tom Waggoner, Kevin Valder, Matt, a horse with no name, Jan and Darrell Burnett and me
At the end of the evening, SU gave us each a wrapped up stamp set with this memento flyer on the front. The stamp set is from the new catalog in July so we can't show it yet but you will like it!
Off to bed and tomorrow will be a FULL day! We have a bagel meet and greet from 8-9 and then our classes begin.
At 12:30, the General Session starts and we are all excited to hear what is new and maybe see some stamping on stage, too!
Then more classes, dinner and at 7 pm, MEMENTO MALL! (That’s a stamper’s paradise where we are tempted to buy all SU logo goodies). So far, no one has been able to see what awaits us in there so we’ll have to wait til tomorrow night. There will also be Demo Booths and Product Showcase things to see and learn!
It’s really wonderful seeing everyone here. We lost one of our own as Emily wasn’t able to fly out of Atlanta because of the weather and couldn’t get another flight. We are hearing of many stampers stranded who couldn’t get here so I am grateful to have made it. We will miss you, Emily!
JANUARY 13TH, 2011
2011 Leadership Convention Bag
Wednesday night, 10 om
We just got off the bus coming back from the Wild Horse Saloon where we had our Manager’s reception event. Stampin’ Up surprised us with our convention bag early! (check in isn’t really until tomorrow morning.) They really WOW’d all of us this year:
It is Espresso and white! Recognize the pattern?
Leadership Convention: Jan 13th Thursday am
This is our first big day! Patsy and I are heading over to the bagel meet and greet (sounds like we are meeting bagels). The card swapping is going on everywhere! Here is my first one from my friend Rhea Hughes:
Memento Mall won’t be open until 7:30 this evening so we have to wait somewhat patiently for the doors to open.
Linda
Thurs after lunch…
Our General Session is just underway! Shelli is addressing all of us and talking about exciting changes with SU for demonstrators. (she also said she is not retiring any time soon)
She showed us some great projects she created but it was tough to get pics without the heads and cameras in front of me. We don’t have risers this year and the screens were low. I’ll get better photos once we can see them on display.
I have classes scheduled for the rest of the day but hope to come out to air out my brain.
Here are a few swaps I got today!
Remember they are from my phone and taken on the seat next to me so quality isn’t exactly perfect but I know you want to see some stampin’ and not just me talkin’!
Dinner tonight and Memento Mall, product demos and displays tonight at 7 pm! I’d better get some coffee….
Linda
Angie Juda
Elaine Paget
Jan Burnett
Megan Wheeler
Sandy Hancock
Christie Harsch
Susan Nygaard (sewing card-isn’t that adorable!?)
Diane Going
Deb Valder (white and crumb cake)
Memento Mall Thurs Night 7pm
Leadership Friday, January 14th
This is a box that Shelli showed onstage. It holds a cupcake!
More of Shelli’s projects
By Shelli Gardner
Really ‘sweet’ invite Shelli created for her workshops
Here are a few pics from yesterday’s meeting. Have to run to classes this morning! Linda
Roadies on my Team of demonstrators – Login to the Roadies page to see a slideshow of 200 pics and info!
MAKE AND TAKES! FRIDAY NIGHT
simply adorned insert AND they gave us the charm and chain, too!
The Fabulous Millie, showing off her pin
The rest I have to make once I get home! i’m stamped out!
it’s been a whirlwind here today! Matt took a few pics earlier and now I’ll show what everyone made!
The Christmas trees were created by Catherine Harwood, who is here with us! she used Versamark on vanilla card stock and resisted with sponging. (so clever!)
the chocolate holder was something I saw on the display boards at convention but they had used the tree. thank you to the creative person who inspired the idea!
(if viewing from a feed in your email, you may need to come to my blog to view video)
It’s been a while since I made a Stampbuster’s Video. I haven’t really had many stamping myths to prove lately until today! If you missed a few, most of them are HERE on this blog.
On with my experiment! If you have a cuttlebug, Big Shot or other machine that embosses paper, you may have you tried spritzing your paper with alcohol or water before running it through to get a sharper, raised image. There was a hefty debate with my stampin’ buds lately about which works better, water or alcohol. Seriously, you would have thought we were debating an issue of greater importance, such as which is worse for you – pink or blue packets of sugar substitute.
To put the speculation to rest for me, I set up a controlled test area (my usual messy desk) and cut 6 pieces of 3×3 squares of card stock. 2 were Regal Rose card stock and 2 whisper white. I spritzed one white and one rose colored card stock 3x with water and the other set of papers 3x with alcohol. I ran them through the Big Shot with the Squares Texturz Plate.
My results? Although the water did help the embossed images to pop up more than without any spritzing, the paper took longer to dry and curled up more. By the time it dried out enough for the glue to stick to it, I’d lost interest and moved on to something else. The alcohol sprayed paper had a more pronounced, embossed design and dried so fast! So the conclusion (for me anyway), is to use alcohol in a spray bottle for dry embossing plates and folders.
I used 70% Isopropyl alcohol from the drug store. If you have any other ideas or experiments you’ve had great success with to improve your embossing, just drop me a comment!
Addendum: Eileen left a comment the day after this was posted and said spray the texture plate instead of the paper for less curling. Brilliant! I tried it, same results as spraying the paper but dried faster and less curling paper for sure. Worked great! Thank you, Eileen!
Here is the video:
If you are interested in purchasing any of these Stampin’ Up Texturz Plates for your own experiments and enjoyments, you can order on my Demonstrator Website or contact me by phone or email if you don’t prefer to order online (my info is at end of post). I take all credit cards including American Express. US order only please.
The set of 3 Double sided Texture plates below are Stampin’ Up Exclusive Texturz Plates #1. $11.95 for the set of 3 plates, 6 designs. Item # 114512
This individual Texture Plate is a Stampin’ Up! Exclusive design called Perfect Details. It is only $3.95 and is double sided. Item #115962
All Images Copyright Stampin' Up!
The plates below are called Texture Plates Kit #4. 3 Plates for $9.95, 6 designs. Item # 114531
All Images copyright Stampin' Up!
To place an order for the Texturz Plates, click here!
Linda Heller, Ind. Stampin’ Up Demonstrator
Sr. Manager
1-866-460-4902
(if viewing from a feed, you may need to come to the blog to view the video.
Hi Stampers! I was playing with one of our sneak peek stamp sets, Animal Stories, that is in our new catalog. I couldn’t get past thinking it looked like a cat instead of an owl!
Here is a quick video for how to turn him from a hoot to the cat’s meow:
All images copyright Stampin' Up! Original design by Linda Heller
I used a Stamp A Ma Jig and the whale stamp that comes in Animal Stories to make his tail. A Chocolate Chip marker for eyes and whiskers. Pixie Pink marker for ears and nose. Dusty Durango card is 6 x 3 folded to make a 3×3 lil card. Mustard brads, 1-3/4″ Circle punch on a 2 x2 chocolate chip square. The DSP is Razzleberry Lemonade strip 1″ x 3″. I put some dimensionals under the circle, too.
(you’ll need to come to the blog to see the video if reading from a feed)
Today’s Vid Bit is how to set our new grommets and a trick for how to get it through fabric or one of our Pretties Kit flowers:
These grommets are in our Stampin’ UP Occasions Mini Catalog and come in 2 sizes. Small and Jumbo. The small have 60 in the container and the large have 20. 6.95 each. The colors are black, silver, vanilla and white. I love them and hope they make it into our new catalog on July 1st!
By the way, Stampin’ Up has placed a new video on my Demonstrator Website and you can view it HERE!
Linda Heller-Ind. Stampin' Up
Demo in North Carolina
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