A Little Bit of my Story and Becoming a Demonstrator

Becoming a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator has many benefits, including discounted products, having your own business, and being part of the Stampin’ Up! demonstrator community.  These were all things I was looking for when I decided to take the leap and become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator almost five years ago.  Ever since I signed up I've never looked back. 

Image by Stampin' Up! 

I started out by doing Online and In person events and classes, as well as started working on a blog that I had for almost twelve years without touching it.  I never touched it because I really never had a reason to use it.  Do you have to have a blog to be a demonstrator?  No, I choose to start using my blog one reason was because I wanted to share my card and projects with everyone, not just my friends and family.  I also started a YouTube Channel, which I love doing each week.  I started out doing both in person and online because I didn't know anyone in my new little town, and I am not the most comfortable being around groups of people.  Well, in front of them behind the camera doing videos and on stage I am fine, I am the person at a party that would rather be in the corner looking and watching instead of being the center of attention.  A couple of years ago I made the decision to move everything online because of my little social anxiety issues. 

Being a demonstrator has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made.  It has changed my life.  I've gotten to travel to places that I never thought I would have.  I've been to Salt Lake City Utah for a Stampin' Up! Retreat where a select group of demonstrators from North America came together to share our stories and how we got started, about our lives had been impacted by Stampin' Up!.  Let's just say we all went through so many emotions that weekend that we became extremely close and I have friends that I will never forget and will forever be part of my life and my story. 

I also got to go the home office and even spent time with Sara and Shelli during that trip. 

After that I got to attended the 30th anniversary event in Orlando Fl last November, and had the time of my life.  I got to meet demonstrators that I follow on Social Media from across the world.  All because I joined as a demonstrator just for the discount.   I spent time with Kylie Bertussi and Sam Hammond among many many others. 

Not only have I gotten to meet all these wonderful people but I have also meet people that live closer to me that have forever changed my life. 

One thing that I can say is that Stampin' Up! is more than just stamps ink and paper, it's about being part of something so much more.  It's about being part of a very tiny little thing that will change your life forever.  It will give you confidence provide a income, provide life long friends, and create a new family that you all have something in common with.  You also are part of something so much more because you never know what sharing how to take a piece of cardstock and some ink and a little rubber stamp and share what they can do with others will give to someone else.  There's no other feeling when someone puts ink to paper for the first time.  They pull that little piece of rubber away and see the image that was kissed on the paper.  You see the most amazing look on their face when they do it for the first time thinking that they could never do anything creative.  Stampin' Up! is about sharing what you love with others.  And allows you to build relationships with others that you may not have anything else in common with. 

These are just a few of the things that Stampin' Up! has done for me, and it all started with paying $99 for the starter kit.  I never thought this one little action would change my life forever.  I can remember the feeling I had when that brown box came in.  Since that time I have been working by business and sharing what I love with others everyday.  I have a small team of like minded friends that have signed up and are part of my Kinsmon Crafters Team.  They are from all over the United States.  I just recently had a new team member sign up all the way from North Pole Alaska.  I think she's the furthest away.  All my lovely ladies are from other states then where I live, we have monthly meetings and trainings and spend time together on my private Facebook Team Group. 

Image by Stampin' Up! 

If you have been thinking about joining I would say do it!  It's the best thing you can do.  You can sign up and just enjoy the 20% discount or you can run it as a business and hold classes.  That's one of the great things about Stampin' Up! you can run it your way.  One of the best times to join is during Sale-A-Bration, when you get special perks that you won’t see any other time of year. Sign up between now and March 31, and you will not only receive your regular starter kit, but you will also get the mini paper cutter, 6 X 6 designer series paper sampler, and your choice of a stamp set*. What a great way to celebrate! SIGN UP TODAY!

Image by Stampin' Up!

The current Starter kit special is for $99 you can pick $125 of current Stampin' Up! products plus you will get the super cute little trimmer above and the 6 x 6 Designer Series Paper Sampler and any stamp set of your choice with free shipping.  Also in the kit is a free Paper Pumpkin, and a business supply pack and some catalogs.  Depending on what you stamp set you pick; if it was me I would pick the Well Said Stamp set.  You are looking at a total value around $259 or so for only $99 with free shipping.  

In closing when you have been born with nothing, and raised that you will never really be anything other than what you are born into, then add on top of that being picked on your entire school history and made to feel less than you are and then you come to Stampin' Up! and you learn that you are way more than what you have always been told your life changes forever.  

Happy Stampin' 

Rick Adkins 

Bird Ballad Bronze Elite Advancement Card and Gift

Hello and welcome to my blog; today I am going to share with you the card that I made for my team members that advanced last month to Bronze Elite.  These ladies have worked really hard to advance in title to the next level with Stampin' Up! and I created a card for them and a little goody bag to reward them.  I actually had three team members to advance last month.  One did it the last day of the month so her little goody bag and card will be in the mail to her tomorrow.  Here's a look at what I sent them.

I made them this super cute card using the Bird Ballad Designer Series Paper and a goody bag of copper products.  Copper was as close as I could get to bronze, I hope they don't mind.  Each of my team member that advanced got a bolt of the copper ribbon, a sheet of Copper foil (cut down to 6 x 6 so I could get it in the mailer) and a couple of the new Copper Treat Bags.  Pretty nice little gift if I say so myself.  I am sure that these well deserving ladies will agree. 

Here's a little closer look at the card I sent them.  The sentiment came from the Delightful Day Stamp Set (on page 34 of the 2019 2020 Annual Catalog )  The Delightful Day Stamp Set is great for little treats to give to someone with it's sentiments geared toward treat packaging.  Plus the little images inside this stamp set is great to decorate your card or tags with because you can find one for anyone male or female.  I added a strip of copper foil to the card to tie in their advancement to bronze elite.  When some one with Stampin' Up! advances to bronze elite they not only advance in title but they get an extra 5% discount on their orders.   They go from just the normal 20% to 25% and believe me that extra little 5% can come in very handy.  And, that's not all when they advanced they got 5000 flex points plus twice a year as long as they maintain their title they will get an extra 1500 flex points.  For those wondering what the big deals with flex points are; well we use these towards, trips, and other free items.   You can't beat free stuff.

Have you been thinking about Joining:  

Have you been thinking about joining Stampin' Up! even to get the discount?  Well, its a great idea.  I joined just for the discount and quickly saw how I could make this into a business.  My business, that's one of the great things about Stampin' Up! you can run your business your way.  Plus you get great perks along the way, both from the company and your team leader.  My team or how I prefer to refer to them as my little stamping family get extras from me each month.  

• I share all my class tutorials with them. 
• They get my Creative Stampers Tutorial Bundle to use in their business as a class or to make the projects on their own.   
• Monthly meetings online 
• little gifts along the way
• They get to join a private Facebook group with me where I share tips tricks and project ideas with them.  

They also get the perks from Stampin' Up! as well: 

• 20-25% Discount on all their purchases
• Quarterly Magazine packed full of project ideas and training
• Weekly Emails with ideas
• Chance to earn an Incentive Trip to great locations
• One of the best things is we get to order new products a month before anyone else
• Attended Stampin' Up! Demonstrator only Events 
• Just to name a few.  

Now's even a better time to join my little stamping family, because Stampin' Up! is running a Extra Extra promotion where you get two extras for joining during July and August.  When you join during this time period you get a) an extra $30 of free products to add to your starter kit.  So instead of just the normal $!25 of products for $99 you can pick $155 in products for the $99. And the starter kit ships free.  Plus in your starter kit is a pack of business supplies that would normally cost about $50 and a trail Paper Pumpkin Box ($22 value) Already added to your starter kit with no extra cost to you.  So basically for $99 you are getting a Starter kit valued at about $227, not bad if you ask me.  Plus with the extra extra promotion you will get a $10 coupon code emailed to you to use the following month after you sign up.  So you can use that on your next order.  If your wish list is very long I am just going to say this is the way to go.  Take advantage of the Ultimate Deal in the Catalog (the starter kit).  If it's not for you that's fine you can go back to just being one of my awesome customers.  

The Starter kit is basically like a Sam's Club or Costco membership except you actually get something for shopping with Stampin' Up! where as with Costco and Sam's Club you get to shop without a discount.  I would love to have you in my little stampin' family and be able to send you little goody bags like this when you advance.  

  Join my Kinsmon Crafters Today!  

Or message me and we can set up a time to talk even more about this great deal.  You can get everything I used on these cards and in the goody bag in your starter kit and only pay the $99 plus tax.  Here's a list of all the supplies I used.  If you ordered these supplies just as a customer It would cost you around $177.55 just to order the supplies I used today.  

Delightful Day Bundle - 151114

Price: $34.00

Pool Party 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock - 122924

Price: $8.75

Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock - 131202

Price: $8.75

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock - 100730

Price: $9.75

Bird Ballad Designer Series Paper - 149592

Price: $11.50

Copper Foil Sheets - 142020

Price: $5.00

Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad - 147107

Price: $7.50

2" (5.1 Cm) Circle Punch - 133782

Price: $18.00

Starburst Punch - 143717

Price: $18.00

Snail Adhesive - 104332

Price: $7.00

Stampin' Dimensionals - 104430

Price: $4.00

1/4" Copper Trim - 144179

Price: $6.00

Copper Dotted Treat Bags - 149609

Price: $5.50

Supply List

Thanks for dropping by today I hope that you have enjoyed the little look at my team gifts that I sent out, and that you will join my little Stampin' Family we would love to have you.  I have team members all over the United States so don't think you have to live close to me to join my team. 

Happy Stampin'
Rick 

Bonus Days are Back plus a Joining Special Starts today!

Hello and welcome to my blog; today I wanted to take a few minutes of your day and talk to you about two promotions that have kicked off today.  We have the return of Bonus Days that's have taken place the last couple years and we have a new joining special too. 

Bonus Days: 

If you are unfamiliar with this promotion, for every $50 usd  you spend before July 31 (before shipping and tax) earns a $5 usd Bonus Days coupon code that can be used August 1–31.  

 Bonus Days is a great time to shop.  You maybe asking why that is; well, for every $50 you spend this month Stampin' Up! will email you a $5.00 coupon Code that you can use in August.  You can collect as many as you would like.  For example say you place a $200 order in my Online Store.  Stampin' Up! will then turn around and send you four coupon codes for $5.00 each via email.  So you collect these codes; the more you shop the more you earn.  I will tell you to make sure that you save the codes in a safe place because I will not have any access to your coupon codes and will not not what they are; plus Stampin' Up! will not replace lost codes.  

Here are all the details:

• Earning Period Deadlines

• Phone/Fax/Mail: July 31, 2019, by 6:50 pm (mt)

• OEX/Online: July 31, 2019, by 11:50 pm (mt)

• An email address is required to participate; Bonus Days coupon codes can be delivered only via email.

• If a participant earns multiple codes from a single order, they will receive one email with multiple codes. If they earn multiple codes from multiple orders, they will receive separate emails for each code earned.

• All order types qualify for this promotion. Fax and email orders still require an email address.

• Orders that are started before the promotion begins will not go toward earning coupon codes.

• There is no limit to the number of coupon codes participants can earn per order or throughout the duration of the Bonus Days earning period.

• Extra Extra! 

THE PROMOTION IS SO NICE, WE NAMED IT TWICE!

• Now's the perfect time to join my Stampin' Family!  From July 1 until August 31, new demonstrators will receive an additional $30 USD TO PUT TOWARD BONUS PRODUCTS IN YOUR STARTER KIT. THEN, YOU’LL RECEIVE A $10 USD COUPON CODE THE FOLLOWING MONTH. KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED?  KEEP READING TO LEARN MORE!
  
  
  
• Details:

• New demonstrators who submit their Independent Demonstrator Agreement (IDA) before July 1 or after August 31 will not be eligible for this promotion.
• The bonus at initial sign up allows demonstrators to pick $30 usd more than usual. They will pay $99 usd to sign up and choose $155 usd worth of Stampin’ Up! products in their Starter Kit.
• Coupon codes will be sent between the fifth and seventh business day of the following month the new demonstrator signs up.
• The email address listed in a new demonstrator’s profile will be used to send the $10 usd coupon code.
• Refer to the Demonstrator Policies document for more information on recruiting policies.
• Coupon codes may be redeemed only once; they will reduce the commissionable amount of orders.
• Coupon codes expire October 31, 2019; after this date, they will no longer be valid.

Thanks for dropping by today, I hope that you found this post useful.  I would love for you to goin my Stampin' Family.  

Rick’s Monthly Kinmon Crafty Card Club:

July Host Code:  J2YFZZ34

This Host code and offer only good from June 30, 2019 till July 17, 2019

1.   Spend any amount (using this month’s host code) and get the July Creative Stampers tutorial Bundle Free
2. Spend $25 (before taxes and shipping) or more and get the July Monthly Card Class Make & Take Mailed to you FREE when you use this month’s host code.
3.   Spend $75 (before taxes and shipping) or more and get the July Monthly Make & Take Class and a bolt of the Tricolor Ribbon for FREE as my thank you gift when you use this month’s Host Code.
4.   Spend $150 or more and get the July Creative Stampers Tutorial Bundle, July Monthly Card Class Make & Takes, Bolt of Tricolor Ribbon all for Free as my thank you for ordering.  If your order is over $150 please don’t use the host code.  You will give up your Stampin’ Rewards if you do. 

Image by Stampin' Up! 

The Tricolor Ribbon will not be mailed to you until August (item subject to change depending on Backorders).  Monthly card kits will not ship until after July 20^th.  

Remember if you use the Host Code on Your Orders you cannot use that order for KCRPs (Kinsmon Crafty Rewards Points) See Details here! 

Welcome to the Team Card & the Dirty Little Secret of Joining!

Hello and welcome to my blog; today I am going to share with you the card that I made to send out to new team members.  Or family member is how I like to refer to them.  This is a very quick and easy card to do and you could totally change it sentiment and have a totally new card with this simple design.  Here's a look at my cards for my new team members.

This is a super easy design to do and a great way to use up that designer series paper.  Here I picked the Painted Seasons Designer Series Paper (I am like in love with this paper) to showcase.  I used the Stamping Your Way to the Top Stamp Set that was designed for demonstrators.  And, was perfect for cards to welcome new family members in.  

Now is the perfect time to join the Stampin' Up! family.  Think of becoming a demonstrator as buying a membership to Costco or Sam's Club, with one big exception you actually get something for your membership fee besides a god awful membership card with a worse picture than your driver licences.

Especially with eight days of Saleabration left.  That means there's only eight days to take advantage of the best sign up special ever.  

For the next eight days you have two options of membership.  Option one is a $175 worth of Stampin' Up! product of your choice for only $99.  Option two is $175 worth of product and this fabulous tote bag (a $50 value) for $129.  Not only do you get that with your membership but for every order you place after signing up and joining my stampin' family you get at least a 20% discount on all orders.  Now who doesn't love a deal like that, and it doesn't even stop there.  There's so much more to being part of the family, than just the discount.  When you become a demonstrator you get to attend special Stampin' Up! events, a quarterly magazine filled with business tips, and card ideas, just to name a few.  I haven't even mentioned that you get to become a part of my super wonderful stampin' family the Kinsmon Crafters.  You can read more about the benefits here.  You can also find information to and answers to the most frequently asked questions right here.  

I would love to have you join my Stampin' Family and become a Kinsmon Crafter.  I have a small team that are all around the country.  I have monthly meetings online in our private Facebook Group.  And you will get one of these cards in the mail too.  I totally would take advantage of this wonderful joining special will be join in eight short days.  

Thanks for dropping bye I look forward to you joining my little family of creatives.  

Happy Stampin'

Rick

Join Now! 

Supplies Used:

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock - 140272

Price: $7.75

Painted Seasons Designer Series Paper - 149574

Price: $0.00

Grapefruit Grove 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock - 146972

Price: $8.50

Story Label Punch - 150076

Price: $18.00

Call Me Clover Stampin' Pad - 147139

Price: $7.50

Supply List