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I'm not going to buy anything. Just going to watch. A friend of mine was invited to a CM party and wanted me to go with her. Even though I DON'T scrapbook, I went. I NEVER wanted to get into the scrapbook thing. Thought it took to much time and effort, not that some of the cards we do are any different. But being the supportive friend I went with her. Well, let's just say I had fun and I bought! I told my friend my DH was never going to let me out of the house with her again (not really he's an awesome husband). So how many others have done this?
I've actually done that with Stampin Up!!!!! See, I've been doing scrapbooking for a few years and was NEVER interested in stamping. I mean really, how much can one person do with a rubber stamp :shock:
Well, I finally went to a party with my last $20 (literally) And $10 of that was the class fee. So I told my friend that I'd go with her basically to keep her company but that I wasn't going to be able to buy anything.
Well, needless to say, I absolutely fell in love with SU and only had enough money to buy the versmark pad. I figured that would be a great place to start. From there, I've been totally addicted. And 5 months after that first party, I joined up to be a demo and have been doing it for a year now. So you never know what will happen at any party until you get there.
Pam
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Life is NOT a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely BUT...to skid in sideways, chocolate in hand and screamingWOOHOO-WHAT A RIDE!
I did the same thing with CM. A friend of mone sold it and was having a workshop, so I said I would come and see what it was all about. Well I was 5 months pregnant with my first child, so I decided that it looked like a great idea to start one before my little boy was born. Now I'm addicted. Yes I did say I wasn't going to get into it, because I just didn't have the time. I am never going to say that again, because then I will probably sart something else.
__________________ Sheryl see my gallery Enter my blog
Kind of a funny thing....I was/am big into scrapbooking and creative memories....a friend had told me about SU...I don't have time or interest for that....another friend had a party....okay I will go to support her....I placed a $150 order...and signed up to be a demo within 3 months now I am quite successful having between $1000 and $2000 business a month...it is amazing what being a supportive friend can do for you!!!
That's how I got addicted to Stampin' Up! My friend got invited to a party, had never heard of it, dragged me with her and the rest is history.
I wasn't working at the time so was really pinching pennies. I did not like the stamping thing because I am not creative.
The demonstrator took a phone call from her husband in the middle of her presentation. (!!!) The party was total chaos because the hostess's house was not large enough.
I bought a monoadhesive just to be nice, came home, kept looking at my make & takes and thinking, "Wow! I can't believe I made this!", and promptly signed up to be a demonstrator!!! I have never looked back.
Now tell me that God's hand wasn't in this whole thing!
I have never done this, I alway try to find something to purchase because I know it will help the hostess out. If I don't find anything that would interest me, I purchase something I could maybe give as a gift
I did this when I went shopping at an upscale department store with a good friend of mine. She introduced me to Prescriptives make-up. Let's just say I had to open a charge to get everything I "needed". I fessed up to hubby when we got home. Surprisingly, he was OK with it. How cool was that! I wasn't planning on buying a thing, really, I swear!! I'm really glad I bought it because I use it everyday and I LOVE it! I think there is a big difference between blowing a bunch a money on something that you never use and "investing" money into something you really enjoy. Plus, as far as scrapbooking and stamping goes, I tell DH that I'm preserving all of our wonderful memories for generations to come. Puts a little perspective to it. Although I never pass up a chance to stamp just for stamping sake!!
If I go to a party, I always make sure to purchase something. I've gone to several parties that I didn't want to go to just to support friends. After wasting $$ on expensive things I don't use or need, I've learned to say "Sorry, I can't make it." I ended up with a $50 tissue box holder from a Longaberger party once...never use it but can't afford to get rid of it! Same with some Princess House stuff. Took a while for the SU bug to bite me but I've been infected ever since!
I actually went to my first CM party a couple months ago, and managed not to buy anything. I've been scrapbooking for several years, but my scrapbooking style is not at all compatible with CM. Even so, I had heard rave reviews about their cutting system, so I thought I'd look into that, but not even that tempted me. I was limited on money at the time, and had just signed up with Stampin' Up, so I knew I had to be careful with my money. Luckily, my friend who hosted the party understood. She likes CM, but she LOVES SU! ;)
I've done this several times and it's always with a friend that I end up gong with and buying stuff. One of my customers is a CM consultant, she and I purchase from each other every now and then. She wanted to learn to stamp and I wanted to do more scrapbooking. It works out well.
We did the same thing a couple months ago with Tastefully Simple.....OMG! the food was out of this world. I only had $15 and wasn't going to spend it and ended up spending $14.95, but it was well worth it.
__________________ LeAne SCS#2819 & Grandma to Lindsey! [email protected]
I've had several friends tell me "no" when I've invited them before to a Pampered Chef party because they feel the product is too expensive. When it came to Creative Memories one or two would come along and were not too thrilled to find out there was a fee for attending the class. However, when I invite them to a Stampin' Up party even if their not the "creative / crafty" type they rarely would say "no". And as the others have said after the workshop all you hear is the sound of "ching ching" coming out of everyone's wallet. Stampin' Up is definitely the greatest "support group" around.
The only parties I ever went to prepared to spend up a storm were Tupperware parties. I was very realistic about my addiction.
However, I did exactly as you described when I went to my first SU! workshop. I've told this story before on this board... I only went because a number of former co-workers were attending and I thought it would be a great time. Well... I'm the only one who is still stamping!
Then, a couple of years later, the same "friend" (I'm starting to wonder now! lol) had a Creative Memories party. Again, nope, can't spend any money... I have all the crafty things I need... Obviously, I was possessed by some demon! Who EVER has all the crafty things they need? While I didn't go as crazy for CM as I did for SU (not even close)... I did find I like their Photo Tape and their Tape Runners.
Sigh... I'm doomed. I will be found buried under a mountain of craft supplies... but what a way to go!
__________________ RT - In-house Bunny Chaser "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap."- Dolly Parton
I did the same thing with CM too. The bag of stuff that I bought has never been touched again since I brought it home. I think I am just too into stamping to have an interest in anything else.
Have you ever been invited to a party and say....
One of my friends invited me to her SU! party and I told her that I didn't stamp, I just scrapbooked. She told me that stamps looked great in scrapbooks too, so I took her catalog with me to lunch to give it a fair chance. WELL, 30 minutes was not enough, I HAD TO borrow it overnight. My DH was curious to see all of the stuff I was impressed with and told me that I definitely needed to go to this party, but that I had to know what I wanted before hand, so that I wouldn't go crazy (he knows me very well) !!! 
