Toni Does Stampin' Up!

I'm no longer a Stampin' Up! virgin (hee hee). Yesterday morning, from 9-noon, I attended my first Stampin' Up! card-making class, at a demonstrator's home who lives maybe 3/4's of a mile from me. The photo is of the table, as it was set when I arrived (early -- I was excited!) Denise (our hostess) sets a beautiful crafting table setting, doesn't she? The little red bags for trash, individual scissors and glue, a decorated mint saying thanks! There were 6 of us total -- one other demonstrator (new) and 4 ladies who come just to make the cards. The spot on the lower left, where the large catalog is? That's where I sat down, so I'd have elbow room on the right side. GOOD idea! Overall, I accomplished what I'd hoped to accomplish, which was learning something new: how to use Versamark ink, how to use a Cropodile, a new way of tying ribbon. The cards are nice but just really not my style - a little heavy on the cutesy (which I suck at and never gravitate toward), and I don't like the idea that the same cards are in possession of 5 other women. Every time I make a card, it's unique, original to the individual and the occasion. I was disappointed, too, because I'd finally gotten out of the isolation of my studio into the company of other creative women, but we were all so heads-down trying to keep up with the paper coming around, the punches, the inks, that nobody really chatted at ALL! And as soon as that last card was made, man! Those other women SHOT out of there. I was like, 'Oh, am I supposed to sprint for the door now?" I asked Denise, just like that. She laughed, "Oh no, you can look at the catalog -- did you have any questions?" Yea, like 12 million questions, but I knew she had another class coming and I decided f'get it, I'll figure it out on my own. So I scampered thru the catalog and ordered the scallop punch I'd already seen on the on-line catalog, and some blue patterned paper I loved, and high-tailed it out of there. I did take the MuthaCam but only shot this one picture -- I didn't feel comfortable later, and heck, there was no time! All you ladies out there who are Stampin' Up! demonstrators? Here's a suggestion: s l o w down !!! Probably 40% of what we did, I had never done before on my own, or seen done, and it was so turbo'd by me that I had to go home and mentally deconstruct each card to remember what I'd done and how I'd done it. Frustrating! And boy oh boy, if'n you're hoping for sales, please create a feeling at the end that it's ok to stay and look through the catalog at a leisurely pace. I'm sure Denise had NO intention of giving me the impression I had to SHOO ... I think it was just the mixture of me (the idiot) with these regulars who come every month for the class and who know the drill. Maybe all idiots should be in an extended class together, I don't know. I truly felt MORE idiotic when I left, and less inclined to go again.

Wah wah wah ... sorry. Ok I'm done with my suggestion box speech. Meanwhile, I'll post pictures of the cards tomorrow from work, where lives the scanner I use.