A BIG Announcement!

A few weeks ago I took the plunge and signed on as a Stampin' Up demonstrator.

I love the products, especially the cardstock and the stamp pads, and have taken advantage of special offers and special occasions to add to my supply over the last few years. 

During the holidays Wayne and I were talking, and brainstorming how we are going to supplement our retirement income, and of course Home Among the Gum Trees will be a part of my contribution to our income supplement, with the various products I can make and offer to you for sale. 

I am fussy about the materials I use in the things that I make, be they for gifts, donations or sale. I know I would want whatever I buy to be the best quality it can be, and that's another reason I use Stampin' Up cardstock and stamp pads, and some of the tools when I'm making cards and scrapbooks (did you know I make scrapbooks and memory books too, they are usually to order); the quality is always there and the end result shows this.

So thinking along the lines of my future self and what I'd like to be doing in my retirement (which is still a long way off unless I can convince someone that early retirement would be a good thing) and after talking with my darling, I took the plunge and joined the Stampin' Up crew. 

Every now and then you'll see me do a video that will feature Stampin' Up products. As I do with most of the craft/cardmaking/Scan and Cut videos, I'll list the materials and tools used for each project with a link to how you can buy them, if you want to, and if you'd like me to be your Stampin' Up demonstrator, I'd be thrilled to share my passion for paper crafting and these wonderful products with you (and you can be sure that the Cheapskate in me will make sure everything gives you the best value for your money). 

​How Does Using Stampin Up Products Work with Cheapskates? Isn't that a contradiction? 

Well it could be. But as I say often, many years ago we made the conscious decision to ditch the stuff that isn't important to us so we could have the cash to enjoy the things that are. 

And these days, quality craft supplies are important to me. 

Why did I choose Stampin Up, when there are other brands around?

Well about six years ago the card group I belong to went to what was called a garage sale, hosted by some Stampin Up demonstrators, where they were selling their retired stock and tools. 

I was a skeptic! I wasn't going to spend a lot of money on something I could get from a $2 shop. So, me being me, I bought one stamp pad - Mossy Meadow - for $5. It was secondhand and I figured if it was awful then I'd only lost $5.

I'm still using that Mossy Meadow stamp pad and it is my absolute favourite colour for stamping too. Mossy Meadow is that gorgeous dark green that just co-ordinates and blends and contrasts with everything. It's dark enough to use instead of black, when black just isn't going to work, but still a green when you need it to be a green. 

And folks, that's why I'm a huge fan of Stampin Up. One $5 stamp pad is still going strong, even with all the stamping I do (I make hundreds of cards every year). 

The next thing I tried was the cardstock. Again I was wary because it was expensive, to me anyway, but the cardstock I had been using was terrible. It didn't crease well, cracking more often than not on folds; it didn't cut cleanly, leaving fluff on all the cut edges; it wasn't square - and I could probably have overlooked the cracking and fluff, but not being square nearly sent me crazy! Having cardstock be absolutely square is vital when you make fancy fold cards - you don’t want to spend a lot of time only to find the end result is out of square and nothing lines up.  So I am a huge fan of the Stampin' Up cardstock. 

Two reasons why I just love the products. 

But how do I call myself a Cheapskate when I buy these products? 

Easy. 

First off - value for money. You do get what you pay for; if you pay for quality, you get quality. 

Secondly - I sell a lot of my cards, but I donate most of my cards, as well as sending them to friends and family, and I make scrapbooks and memory books to order, so I want them to be nice. And good quality. And I want to get value for money from the supplies I use.

But I can still call myself a Cheapskate and use Stampin Up products because I work Stampin Up to my advantage. 

Right now there is a joining special: join Stampin Up as a demonstrator before 28th February  2023 and you can choose up to $315 worth of product - any product - from their catalogues and pay just $169.  That's a 47% discount! 47% - that's a great deal. 

So I took the plunge and I joined as a demonstrator, chose my products, and paid just $169 for so much cardstock, some DSP, a punch and a stamp set - I chose what I wanted in my starter kit, perfect as I already owned some Stampin' Up products. 

That's how I can not only afford to use Stampin' Up products, but use them as a Cheapskate. 

Does this mean that I will be pushing Stampin' Up constantly? No. It means I will still be doing my best to share what I believe to be the best value for your money when it comes to your (and my) paper crafting.

If you have any questions, just ask me. And if you don't already have a Stampin' Up demonstrator I would be honoured to become yours, and share my love of all things paper crafting with you. 

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