Many people ask me "how did you get started in Stampin Up! and why did you choose that company above any other?"
Well, here is my story:
I started scrapbooking in the late 70's in high school and when my oldest son Ray graduated in 2000 I put together a book for him - now forward to 2003: Kay and I were married in August, and I found a couple of really cool scrapbooking stores in Boise to expand on my scrapbooking skills and I learned about cardmaking, WOW! I had taken 2 cardmaking classes by the end of October. I was about to sign up with another scrapbooking company when we attended a home show at the Fairgrounds in Boise, Idaho where I came upon this adorable booth, filled with cards, mini books, scrapbooks, pages, tags and so much more that I fell in love with it because it had everything I was looking for!! Two awesome gals were in the booth and had me register for a free drawing- YAY! They told me they taught classes, held clubs and camps and I was thrilled because the items were so cute that I knew I wanted to learn to create them!
A couple weeks later, a girl named Celina 
called me to set up a time to show me the Stampin Up! Catalog. I had to postpone once and we eventually met at the Boise Mall in the food court. As I sat across from her looking at the catalog, I knew that I loved everything I saw and asked her- "hey, what are your sign up requirements?" (thinking about the discount I could get to feed my new growing habit because I was already spending about $200 a month at the scrapbook stores. My mind raced thinking of not only the discount I would get, but that I would have EXTRA money to spend on my habit by signing up!) Celina was so sweet (and shocked) she told me the kit price, showed me in the catalog what comes in the kit, and I asked her what the sales requirements were (had done direct sales in my past) she said $300.00 per quarter and the really cool thing is that you get to count your own demonstrator orders in the quarter requriements and also as a workshop and collect the hostess items for free for yourself! WOW! I was shocked, I had never heard of a company allowing that before, I had always made 40% (that I had to wait till they mailed it to me in a check once a month) and spent 25% of that on hostess gifts only earning 15%! And you know what? Stampin Up supplies ALL the hostess Items, I don't have to purchase a thing! But, I do create a cute hand made thank you gift for my hostesses!
So she explainend to me that Stampin Up! has what is called "instant income" where you keep 20% in your pocket and pay the rest to the company on the demo website. No more waiting for a monthly check!! Money in my pocket WOWZA! Hmm; let's see: a 20% discount, cool stamps, great quality papers, scrapbooking kits... and then she said that I didn't have to sell, I could buy for myself at discount. hmmmm brain going 900 miles an hour now....
She gave me a catalog, and hostess packet and invited me to attend her club to see how it worked and create a project. Well at her club the next week I signed up! I really didn't even place my first demonstrator order until January during Sale a bration and(because of the holidays and the new family and new home etc). I started going to classes in her home to learn to use the stamps etc and I began going to the group meetings at Carrie's house- Carrie is the other person from the booth and Celina's upline (person who recruited her). 
When my new friends/neighbors and friends back home started seeing what I was creating they started asking me to show them how and I began clubs and classes and that is how the business end of my adventure began and I have NEVER loved my work so much! You see, I am a social person (gasp who knew, lol) and I love teaching others to have as much fun as I am. (I taught in my quilt shop and from my herb gardens for years!) When we moved here to Missouri, some of my customers signed up so that they could buy product for themselves and sell a bit to family or friends and support their habit, and I started my business all over from the beginning again, here in Rogersville 4 years ago.
One of my recruits lives in Puerto Rico (Hi PAM!!). I use my 20% instant income to help with our family bills and I use my override/bonus money for product that I just have to have! . I love working at home, it gives me freedom that no other job could give, and time with my family, I love that I can create my own schedule and make time for my teenagers, grandchildren, friends, community and that Kay loves creating with me!
I have never worked for or with, a more professional company that is TRULY interested in helping ME succeed! I can put as much effort or as little as I want into this business and no one gives me a hard time. I just have to meet the quarterly retail sales requirement. Back in Boise I had 2 clubs and 2 classes a month and now that we have online ordering, my Wednesday group, other classes of my choice or special requests from customers, I can meet that minimum within the first month of the quarter no problem. I choose to add scrapbooking crops, craft fairs and other social events because I love to be a vendor at them and meet people (socialize) and show them what I love to do!
My wonderful Husband Kay loves going to Stampin Up Regionals, and convention with me and he also loves creating our videos when his work schedule allows. I am truly blessed to have a supportive spouse and we love this business and the FUN together time it gives to us!
Shellie Gardner, (CEO & founder of SU) Myself and Kay at Kansas City Regionals 2008
Me with the FREE stamp I WON last fall at Cincinatti Regionals 2009! woo hoo! who doesn't LOVE FREE STAMPS!!
I want each of you to know that I am truly blessed by this business. I have learned so much about a craft industry that I love. I have made so many online friends, personal friends and downline friends the last 6 years that mean so VERY much to me! Thank you to all of you for sharing in my life, my creativity and for bringing so much joy to my life. EACH OF YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO ME!
Thank you Stampin Up! for the support you give me and for bringing these friends to my life! I AM truly blessed and I am excited about my future and I love my job! How many can truly say they love what they do everyday? I can!
My next goal is the FREE Stampin Up! Cruise! I have a couple of selfish reasons for that: I want to earn cruise to take my husband away on a well deserved vacation because of his support and love for me. And because I am scared to death of cruise ships way out in the ocean- I want to face my fear and have fun while I am doing it and I can't think of any better way to do that!
Thanks again for coming to my blog- you guys make it so much fun to do what I do!
Socialize!