Stampin' Up! is simply the most professional, giving, creative, loving company I have ever been associated with! Last week I spent 5 days at our Leadership Conference and Regional Seminar in Phoenix. Being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is like being part of a huge, wonderful family. Our leader is the pure-of-heart Shelli Gardner shown here. How many corporate CEO's with a workforce numbering the tens of thousands knows hundreds and hundreds of us by name? Shelli does! I think that says not only a lot about her but a lot about how important I am to the company. Did you know that as a business, Stampin' Up! is solid and sound – they are completely debt-free! I want to be associated with a company that is not going anywhere. I need to feel that security and I definitely do!

While part of this Stampin' Up! family, like I said, we have opportunities to attend events with fellow demonstrators that are put on by the amazing corporate team. These folks works their fannies off for us and they often say "you demonstrators are what we live for at work" and that feels great to hear!

The one theme that we hear over and over is how our company's #1 priority is on relationships. I have been a demonstrator 7 1/2 years and I can honestly say that I have made some of the most true friendships of my life through meeting other demonstrators at group gatherings. In Phoenix, I roomed with a demonstrator I met at our achiever's event September 2008 and who has since become a dear, trusted friend and colleague. Here I am with perfect roommate Patty Bennett.

More fun and frolic with Patty plus other demonstrators Carolyn Dobie, Lisa Vale, Mandy Grant, Cherise Smith, Sharon Cline, and Rose-Ellen Eastman. There is a recurring theme at Stampin' Up! events and I'll give you a hint what it is…. food!

During Leadership, we get served lunch. Ahhhh… no box lunches or standing in line. I feel like a queen!

Now, when we are at this event we stumble upon some fun and/or crazy things. Dawn Rapsas is our #1 Demonstrator of the Year. Her precious daughter had a graffiti artist jazz up some pink boots and Dawn proudly wore them at our events. Is this a hoot or what?

Ok, you ask, where's the business part of this event? Well it came in many forms. Lots of displays showcasing hundreds of ideas, demonstrations, logo item shopping, swapping, etc…. Take a peek.

And you should have heard the collective gasp when we saw ribbon run through a Textured Embossing Folder – who'd have thunk? If you try it, starch the ribbon first to make it a little stiff. The demonstrator here used our new 5/8" Satin Ribbon shown on pg. 27 of the new Occasions mini. Note that this ribbon is satiny on both sides!

My roommate Patty shared this birdhouse during her presentation using the Eggcellent Eggs Kit on page 23 of the Occasions mini catalog. The shape is using the Mini Milk Carton die on that same page. It was "tweet" of her to share it – sorry, bad pun! Patty's creativity is spotlighted on her blog at www.PattyStamps.com

And, we can win things when they stop the event and announce Prize Patrol! My downline Cherise Smith won a stamp set from the Occasions mini catalog.

An
d in true generous Stampin' Up! fashion, they sometimes give us something we've never seen before such as the future Summer mini catalog set – Elements of Style. The crowd went wild when Shelli announced this gift. Staff then run out of the shadows with bags of sets and give us all one. What other company does that?

The fun, friendship, inspiration and business opportunity is beyond compare with Stampin' Up! I would have never imagined how much I get out of this relationship when I started "just to get the discount." I made a choice to go from a hobbyist to a business builder a couple years into doing this but had I just continued on just to support my hobby, Stampin' Up! would have continued to love me just the same. There's room for every level of interest.

In our economy, it's been reported that direct sales (like what Stampin' Up! does) has grown. I have a customer whose husband lost his job and rather than running away from the hobby she loves, she wants to jump in and run towards this opportunity to bring in just a bit more to help the family. Stampin' Up! might be the answer to all sorts of needs.

My bottom line is that it would be selfish of me to hide this opportunity knowing how much it has enriched my life – why shouldn't you have a chance to let it enrich yours? And if you're reading this thinking "I can't do what SHE does" then let me say to you that you never have to do what I do. You just do what YOU can do.

Are you thinking "gosh, I'm just a beginner, I'm not THAT creative." Well then you copy. We have innumerable tools to get you started plus I have to lay this out there – I'm the 15th top demonstrator in the USA. I provide, what I believe to be, solid & consistent love and support for those who sign up with me no matter where they live. I have demonstrators who joined me who live in over 30 states in the USA. I'm here for you as I am for them.

If you want to join me in all this fun, simply using the password StellarStamps, go to the sign up area here that reads Start Your Own Business. The kit is on sale, you get an extra discount when you join, you can get gobs free during Sale-A-Bration…. the list goes on and on and I'm here to answer all questions. StellarStamps@comcast.net or 916-903-7713.

At the very least, I hope you'll just think about it so that maybe next time I'm having all this fun, YOU will be there with me too!!