Dear Stampin' Up!
I would just like to thank you for the publication of our Stampin' Success magazine that you send out to me each month. I just finished the December 2009 issue and it was just as wonderful as expected.
I must tell you I look forward to the end of each month, often getting my hopes up to see Stampin' Success in my mail box. When it arrives I am careful to corridianate my 3 year old daughter, and my 19 month old son's naps. Once I know they are asleep, I draw myself a warm bath, light a candle and soak with Stampin' Success in my hand, on the edge of my tub is my trusty water bottle, and a notepad and pen for quick notes and ideas.
Sounds surreal? As I am often telling other mom's whether they are a SAHM, or a working mom, we all get the same amount of hours in a day. What you chose to do with your 24 are up to you. I tell them you have to make the time. Sure there is always a HUGE load of laundry, or dishes, or cleaning to do. But in my life if I don't take an hour a day to just be me, what am I here for?
As I flip through the pages, well lets start with you covers! I mean the color choices, the projects, the ideas, the new product, and the revamping of old product alone could spark my creative self! I LOVE to read my little note from Shelli, the sneak peak pictures of what is to come in the index section, then you flip to see the art show project! Oh my! How can I hold back from bolting from my bath tub and streaking to my art room to start a creation? I just know there is more to come in the Stampin' Success, and this carefully scheduled nap time is set just for this December issue.
I love to see the Promotions page, I mean I was just on it last issue! How great to print my name for everyone to see how hard I worked! I am also thinking that after seeing the AWESOME ideas in the art contest winners section that I should be entering myself! Hello Build-A-Bear color match game? The simplicity in the two colors but the details for the Patisserie card!
Alright this takes us to the Live it Balance section. Where you feature stories from REAL demonstrators, from ALL different levels in the company, who are making sales, creating and hitting goals, and enjoying their craft all while making a living from it!
All right, after some great stories from other demonstrators, I get to the Artisan Awards section. Hello! Now let me tell you those of you reading this will notice their are NO pictures, well I would love to share the outstanding art work, but legaly I can't start copying and pasting so you will just have to sign up as a demonstrator under me (email me for details if your serious!) or you could just take my word that the challenge was taken and well achieved by these 10 winners! Not to mention the story to go with! I love to read about HOW a demonstrator, or any artist achieves their ending results!
Then there is a make it section this is where they feature a technique, I mean this one was the simple technique of masking. How old is that one? But I needed to be reminded to use it! Brilliant! Then the make it section features a scrapbooking section. This month was on creative journaling. LOVED. IT. I love to scrapbook and when I do, I JOURNAL! I mean I talk alot in real life, so I have LOTS to say about each picture, I have been hiding my journaling, like in the peek-a-boo journaling idea for months. A great way to create art, but still tell the story!
The Chinese New Year idea was great! I have a customer who is leaving soon to get their second child from China! How perfect to welcome her back to creating after a few months adjusting with a new addition with a Chinese New Year!
Clearly a winner? Do I need to say more?!? I have been in LOVE with wood stamps since I found them in St. Augustine Florida in a little stamp store while on vacation with my family as a child. My mom loved the hobby, and we quickly fell in love with the idea of creating cards, and projects! I thought the idea of clear stamps was genius but was wisely informed by Stampin' Up! that the product was not up to their standards. And with out being snobby, I must say that Stampin' Up! has standards on quality. They simply state that over the years the photopolymer (clear) stamps that are on the market today are not up to their standards. The images lack crispness, and details. They are prone to discoloration and distortion, and they are apt to tear when they are repositioned.
AND so comes the best solution... clear mount stamps. Let me count the reasons I love this idea...
1. Clear blocks, I can see my project for placement of the image
2. Storage! The clear mount stamps will come in a DVD size box, with the full size image on the front of the case, and tiny images on the edge!
3. PRICE! Hello, these clear mount stamps are SO much cheaper then the wood mount ones.
4. I only need to buy one set of blocks and wala! Blocks for all my new stamps!
Now don't get me wrong. I still big puffy red heart my wood mount stamps. BUT this is the best ever! I mean the clear image of rubber stamps, the quality I love from Stampin' Up! AND with a clear block?
Best. ever.
Moving on. The share it section has tips, ideas and more sharing! There is the feature section that has amazing projects, that feature great idea's and with the demo it! logo on it, I know it would be great to show my customers!
There is a "smart purchasing" article that gives you tips on how to buy what you think will give back to your business. Instead of me buying only what I like, I try to buy what will appeall to a wide variety of people.
Also featured in the December issue is the details on Founder's Circle Retreat. This is a 4 day, 3 night retreat with Shelli herself. It is a trip to be earned, and I can only hope one day to earn this, but for now drooling over the details of the trip in the Stampin' Success will do!
Don't forget to end the feature section with a tip on CASEing. Stampin' Up! is a proud supporter in the idea of CASEing. Copy And Share Everything. Sure coming up with your own idea is great, but it takes ALOT of time from an artist point of view to create on your own. That is why we have wonderful things like the fan-freaking-tabulous Idea Book and Catalog, not only does this show you all of our great stamps, and accessories, one catalog holds over 300 different ideas! Our mini catalogs? More ideas! If your a demonstrator you get the Stampin' Success that I have been babbling on about and that has... MORE ideas! Our website? More ideas! My website? MORE IDEAS! (email me for the link to my site if you want!) I mean just getting a spark from one of these many ideas could cause you to create something that even your surprised that you could do!
And we come to an end with the FYI section telling you about upcoming contests, where to find supply lists for projects featured, idea's to do with your downline, or on your own, and the a'la card (a template for a card layout to inspire you!) Even the back cover has a great tip, sale or advice on it.
Phew. All this in one bath?! I can't wait for an evening with my family, but after the kids are off to bed, my husband will go to his t.v. room with the dogs, and I will go next door to my art room with my two cats to enjoy a night of creating, reading or just organizing my supplies!
Thanks again Stampin' Up! for all that you have given me to create!
MUAH!
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