Stampin' Up! Thread

I just signed up with Stampin' Up! and I'm super excited! I thought it would be fun to have a thread where we could share our likes/ dislikes for the products, upload cards and layouts, and help each other out with ideas and thoughts. Demonstrators and friends of Stampin' Up! products. Sounds good?

I think SU's stamps are very well made and last for ages. I've got some sets that I got over 10 years ago and the rubber is still soft and pliable. I just wish you could buy the stamps individually, as there are often ones in a particular set that I'd never use.

I like that they offer the cheaper cling versions now, too! They take up much less room.

I agree with you Gina! I wished they had more individual stamps as well. I will let them know. The quality is definitely the best I 've seen so far and I love the ink pads also!

There is a trial program going on that SU is offering several individual stamps. Not all stamps are sold this way but there are several that are now and they added more the last time they updated, so keep a look out!

I'm interested in becoming a demo, but am worried about making minimums and things. I don't have any friends locally who scrap and don't feel confident in myself to runs classes or parties or anything. There is a demo in town but she isn't active.

If you can make your mins yourself, there is no issue. It is $300 per quarter. I make my mins by myself no problem! But I also do some classes and have custmers. But I started out as a hobby demo and made them myself.
If you don't make your mins, you go into pending, which gives you another month to meet your mins. The biggest thing is to have a good upline. It doesn't have to be local, my upline is 2 1/2 hours from me. It is actually nice, we can share ideas together and don't feel as though we are competing for the same customers. We brain storm class ideas and projects together. But even if you don't have classes, you want an upline that you can ask questions or just gab too!!! Hope that helps. Feel free to ask me any questions that you have.

Yep, Michelle is right. If you first sign up though, SU gives you 6 months to make your $300 quota and then an extra month in the pending status, so it is pretty easy to make it the first time. I don't have workshops or parties, but I promote my online business (if you sign up within 3 weeks to the website, you get 2 months free, otherwise it's $12.99 or so per month. SU handles all online shipments and credit card payments and transfers your 20% into your checking acct). I'll have no problems meeting the quota, especially since I make cards that I sell. My upline is part of the Founders Circle and she lives in Northern California, while I'm in Los Angeles. She informs me (and my future downlines) several times a day via facebook. Please feel free to contact me for more info.

• PaperTulip Said:

Like the others have said, if you can make the minimums yourself, there's no concern. But if you can't make the minimums, think of it as $100 a month, then you probably won't like it.
That being said, if you sign up now, you get a free ink collection along with the extra $25 of merchandise. Then you can drop if you don't like it or aren't able to make the minimums. I like that they changed their demo kit to picking whatever you want rather than having to have certain items.

That's why I signed up, too. I only chose items for my starter kit that were on my wish list anyway and the kit also includes $60 worth of business supplies.

I like the company and signed up, but got sick with Colon Cancer had emergency surgery, used up all my saving as I stayed home for three months of recovery and missed the opportunity. Once my health and finances are back on track, I will go back in!

Awww, I'm so sorry to hear about your illness! I wish you a speedy recovery! It's great to hear that you will join SU again!!!

I plan to sign up with my tax money or possibly sooner. Between my mom and me we can meet our quota, plus I plan to make cards and other crafts and sell them on ebay and other online places.

I have stamp sets that I bought when I first started scrapping. Mom and me bought like 400 worth of stamps from an SU consultant. We made her day.
I have a few crafting friends that I can contact too that would probably buy everyone once in a while. I might do the website too. Its not that much a month.

Glad you started the thread.

Yay, congrats on your decision! As long as you'll be able to meet the quota it'll work very well for you and your mom. And you'll be thrilled about the savings and income potential. Just keep the Angel policy in mind when selling on ebay and elsewhere, but SU has nice stamps for that. When you'll sign up with an upline ask if she offers you any additional incentives. Mine gave me the brand new trimmer (worth $30) for free! And if you sign up before Dec 16, you'll get a whole ink pad set (worth $50) for free from SU! And you can choose any of the items for your $99 starter kit from the catalog. My website business is starting out great, so that's a good way to go if you don't want to have (m)any shows or workshops. If you host workshops, SU even let's you add yourself as the hostess, so you could get those perks also.

I meant I was making cards or layouts or finished mini albums to sell on ebay, not necessarily SU stuff, I might use there stamps and inks. I make jewelry as well, I plan to sell those and like handmade flowers.
Thanks for letting me know about the specials but I doubt I can sign up this month. I wish I could, I really do.

I love making all of them, too! I kinda gave up on the jewelry making. I sold quite a few bracelets, but it sidetracked me from scrapbooking. How is your experience with eBay?

Did you guys just sign up or have you been doing it a while? I just checked out their website and clicked the join button. From what I can tell the website cost $25 a month and I don't see the actual requirements listed. There is a pdf that explains how you get paid.

Looks like they offer a choice of starter kits. One includes the digital option. Any comments? I haven't used any of the digital products before, although I like desktop publishing.

It all looks very interesting. I just placed an order through a demonstrator site the other day.

I just signed up Nov 30 and the website is for free for 2 months if you sign up within 21 days. After that it's like $12.95 per month. When you sign up, you don't have to get one of the starter kits they recommend, but you can choose anything you like from the catalogs. I didn't order the digi items because I use shutterfly, but I'm sure it's great.

Thanks for the update. So you have 3 months to hit a sales quota. What is the quota and what happens if you don't make the quota?

You have 3 months, but the first time you will get 6 months and every time you can't make the deadline, you will get one addtl month during which you can make up for the difference.

You have 3 months, but the first time you will get 6 months and every time you can't make the deadline, you will get one addtl month during which you can make up for the difference.

• bayamonesa1 Said:

I hope you are on the road to recovery!!!

I don't have any interest in being a consultant, but I'll add my two cents about the ones I know around here and how they've built up their businesses.

We have several crops in our area, held at various places like firehouses, churches, etc. I've seen several of them at these crops, selling their products there. Most of them have several cards made to show what you can do with the product, have some product available on site to sell, and then have the catalogs for ordering, as well. The two consultants I've met this way also have stamping clubs, where they meet either once a month or once a quarter. One of them has a technique club, where she teaches a new technique each month. I think it's $10 per person to attend. She now has a group of regulars who go to her club. The other one has a "hostess club" where you sign up in advance for a full year. The women who sign up alternate being the "hostess" and getting hostess credits.

Oh, and for the one who has a hostess club, there's no fee to attend but you have to agree to buy something like $25 in product. The hostess gets the credit, and the consultant is closer to meeting her minimums.

For those with experience, what would you same are the cons of being a demonstrator or any down sides ?

I belong to another consultant company but I use it for personal discount and plan to place an order there soon to get my yearly amount out of the way to stay active as a consultant.
I am deciding whether I want to do Stampin Up or CTMH, I love both their products, so hard to decide.

• Quote:

I would say there are not any downsides. You can make it as YOU want it. If you prefer to be a hobby demo and use the discount for yourself, that is fine. If you want to build it as a business, you can do that as well.

I started out as a hobby demo because I could make my mins myself. Do I buy other products other than SU stuff? Sure I do! I buy what I like. There are some things that I ONLY buy SU. I only buy SU solid cardstock. I only buy SU inks since they match the cardstock. I only buy SU ribbon and buttons, because they match the cardstock!

I do buy other framelits, embossing folders, dies, and even stamps. The ONLY kicker with that is, as a demo, if you have a blog, you are allowed to use non SU stuff on your blog (and I do) and you can name what the item is. BUT you can not advertise where to buy said item on your blog as a demo. It is a weird rule that they allow you to use non stuff but you can't tell them where you bought it but for the most part, it works for me. I just post a christmas card the other day that I used an embossing folder that I bought at AC Moores. I didn't mention that I bought it at AC Moores but it was on my blog. That might be the only downside for some, it isn't for me but something to think about. And I think most of the demo type companies have this rule so it isn't limited to just Stampin' Up.

I started out as a demo but I have had classes. I have already planned my January card class, I have three of the four cards planned out. I am just waiting on my preorder from the spring catty to get here so I can make my samples for the class.

The biggest thing that I like, getting together with friends to craft!! Whether it is my upline, other demos or crafty friends!

I haven't really checked out CTMH before I joined Stampin' Up! because I just always loved the SU products. A few years ago I sold Creative Memories and I still have lot's of their items, but I couldn't meet their $350 per quarter quota once I had almost all of their cutting tools and I didn't care for their papers. I only looked at a CTMH catalog recently at the Scrapbooking Convention, but I don't know anything about their quota.

Michelle, I feel the same way as you. I love how all the SU products coordinate with their colors, but I also buy whatever I like from other companies. I don't have a blog and I just post here and at SU's Stampers Connection. I haven't uploaded any cards or layouts there yet since I still need to make some that only contain SU products. I just received my pre-order goodies from the spring catty and can't wait to work with them once my Christmas cards are all finished...20 more of them to go...

Sabine, do you have the CM hexagon punches anymore? my cons can't find them anywhere, none of her line has them either...please let me know! thanks!

Aww, I didn't keep an inventory, sorry. I know that hexagons are all popular again. At SU we have a "honeycomb" embossing folder that's so cute. The CM hexagon punch is too big for it, and I'm hoping that SU will come out with a punch for it soon.

I love your Christmas cards and the snow flakes shown in your blog. They are so nice!

Thank you!!!! I love blog visitors!!!!

I've just uploaded a few cards to my gallery that feature some of the latest SU Christmas papers and stamps. I just love the ornament bundle with the elegant ornament stamps and matching dies. They sure made it easy for me to create some of my holiday cards this year.

So for all of you ladies who are thinking of becoming SU demos, remember that the free ink pads promo is expiring on Dec 16. If you then join during Sale-A-Bration, you will get 25% more free products in your starter kit ($156.50 worth of products for the price of $99, and you can pick any item for that kit from the catalog), but it won't include the free ink pads (worth $50) anymore.... I'm glad I signed up when I did to get the free ink...

Hey Ladies
Sabine I am tossing the idea to become a stampin up Demonstrator haha still haven't decided I have been working on a video to add to youtube and i still can get myself to add it. Public speaking has never been my strong suit haha

Another topic i wanted to bring up was
I'm looking for mouse themed stamp sets preferably acrylic

Exp Country Mouse

Hi Andrea~ being an SU demo may involve a little public speaking at a workshop or stamping party and that's pretty easy because you share your knowledge about the products and if you love them and only have a room full of people, it's quite simple. Taping a video is something else and I've never attempted it and probably never will. I don't even host workshops or parties (used to do that when I sold CM and Gigi Hill bags) because I'm not patient enough to be an educator. I just promote my website and we shall find out in about 2 months, if I'll keep the site going or not (that's when my free membership expires). I signed up because of the incentives and because I want to use the discount to add more goodies to my "collection". Right now, I think it'll be easy for me to meet the quota, but if I can't I'll simply drop out again and SU is so good with that.I could always sign up again later on, so I don't feel that anything is at stake and I don't feel any pressure at all. My upline is in the Founders Circle and she informs me daily, which I love, but she doesn't pressure me either.

Hmmm, about the mouse stamps.... I'll keep my eyes open and if I find something, I'll let you know.

Well I'm up for the challenge I would have liked to signed up when they had all the free ink pads But im still trying to get all my ducks in a row haha and better prepared so i can hit the road running

Clearance rack updates!!!!!

Great time to try some STampin' up products!!!
Markers, cardstock, ink pads, brads, buttons, stamps, embossing folders, heat tool, CROP-A-DILE!!!! So many exciting things. Feel free to check with your SU demo!!!

Andrea~ that's the smart thing to do. You have to be ready and feel comfortable about your decision.

Michelle~ I'm off to check out the savings now! I made 3 Christmas cards this morning and I still have 15 more to go.... Have a good weekend, ladies. I'm deeply saddened by today's shooting in Connecticut and I need some scrapping therapy...

I've signed up in Australia. I just love the company. I can meet the minimums with my monthly scrapbooking budget. Anyone want to join my team? Any of you Aussie girls want to join let me know. You will love the discounts and incentives. Such a great company to be involved in. I've recently started my SU blog. Can people come and follow me? I will follow you back. I would also love you to follow me on Facebook. I will follow you back too.
It will be great to see how everyone is going.

Sabine, keep me posted on the honeycomb/hex stuff! Thanks!

Did you check ebay yet?

Hey, guys.

I've ended up having to nuke some similar threads for other companies.

Please be aware that you can *chat* all you want. But when it moves into links promoting your business, the advertising rules for the site DO apply, and those links are not allowed.

The other threads got to the point where I was removing links and reminding people constantly. As long as you stay within site rules, I'll leave this be.

Thanks!

Thanks Megan and sorry hun.


I will always buy goodies from here. I love the huge selection.

Ladies we need to remember to PM links and such to one another...be respectful of the site and forum.

Yes, of course. Thanks Megan!

So what's on your ladies' SU wish list? I looove the new spring catty and I have a few items already, but quite a few more on my wish list.... Definitely the "All Dressed Up Bundle" and "Secret Garden Bundle"...