Hi there and welcome to my blog. I recently spotted that quote (in my blog post title) in a Card Making Group on Facebook and thought it summed up where I was ‘at’ right now. It’s a little ‘scary’ but today I’m saying a fond farewell to the company that ignited my passion for paper crafting. I can hardly believe that I first began my journey with Stampin’ Up! ® 12 years ago this month!
Wow! 12 years is almost a fifth of my lifetime and I didn’t want to write one of those blog posts that state all the reasons why I’m leaving, but rather one to express my gratitude and say thanks for all the memories.
So here’s ‘An Ode to Stampin’ Up! ®’ (with a bit of help from ABBA)
Thank you for the stamping, the dies I’m cutting
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without them? I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a stamp or a die, what are we?
So I say thank you for the stamping
And the cre-a-tivity!
Ha, ha … I’m an ABBA fan and when you combine that with a party, Stampin’ Up! ® style, you have the ingredients for a fun night out. This is one of my favourite pics – Paula Dobson and I at the Bjorn Again Concert in Melbourne (SU Convention, 2014) –
And now for a trip down memory lane.
I attended my first ‘Regionals’ in Hobart in 2009, or as it was called back then, ‘Field Training’ (In the three years that I attended Regionals, I got to present 3 ‘Workshop Wows’). Here are the first swaps that I made for the Hobart event. These cards have never ‘seen the light of day’ on my blog! The stamp set with the shells was the first Stampin’ Up! ® set that I purchased in May, 2008 before I became a Demo.
My First Card Swaps
I originally joined The Paper Dolls to get a discount on the products and also help my friend, Amanda Aitken attain her Manager Status so she could attend an SU Convention in Brisbane. I recruited my friend, Tania Gould, before my kit arrived in the mail and little did I realise at the time that I would soon be attending my first Convention in Canberra.
My First SU Convention
Hubby accompanied me on that trip and while he was out sight seeing, I attended Convention all by myself and went about trying to get to know some fellow demonstrators through card swapping sessions. As I’m never one to mass produce just one design, I came up with three swap ideas –
My First SU Convention Swaps
Swap 1
Swap 2
Swap 3
My First Display Board Sample
Back in those days you had to post your display board samples to Head Office before the event and I was thrilled to see one of my cards on display when I arrived at Convention.
My First Convention Make ‘n’ Takes
Who remembers ‘Trendy Trees’ ?
I started a blog in July, 2009 and caught the attention of Amanda and Danielle, the Creators of Just Add Ink Challenges and so began my ‘career’ in Design Teams on the 22nd January, 2010.
JUST ADD INK – My First Design Team
From Field Training in Hobart in 2009, to a combined Get Together at Campbelltown in 2018, Tassie Demonstrators have always been a lovely bunch to hang out with.
SU in Tassie
Mae, Tania, Me and Kathy – Launceston 2011
Kim, Clare from Head Office and Me at Campbelltown
Kim’s Make ‘n’ Take Session
Kim at one of my Stamp Classes
I embarked on two overseas trips to attend ‘On Stage Live’ in Orlando Florida and then a few months later, ‘On Stage Live’ in Auckland, New Zealand. I have a little tear in the corner of my eye just thinking about how truly blessed I was to be able to attend those International Stampin’ Up! ® Events. Fast forward to 2020 with a Global Pandemic raging and with SU Events currently on-line, I will forever treasure those special memories and the friendships that were forged.
On-Stage Live – Orlando, Florida, November 2018
At Universal Studios – Harry Potter World
Shopping in Orlando
The Three Mouseketeers
Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando
Dining in the Magic Kingdom
Shopping with Housemates
An American Diner
Visiting NASA
Celebrating 30 Years of Stampin’ Up! ®
The South Pacific Attendees
Meeting my friend, Jenny Hall
Yay! I finally got to meet my lovely friend from Texas, Anne-Marie Hile.
Long time Stamping Friend, Twila Davis from the days of U-Stamp with Dawn and Friends
I got to meet some of the Stamp Review Crew, a Design Team I was a member of for 5 years with the lovely, Tanya Boser at the ‘helm’.
Gave one of my Aussie Swaps to the lovely, Patty Bennett
Rebecca, my Roomie in Orlando
On Stage in Orlando
Certainly the biggest highlight for me in my time with Stampin’ Up! ® was being asked to do a presentation at ‘On Stage Live’ in Auckland, New Zealand.
On-Stage Live – Auckland, New Zealand, April 2019
My Display Board Samples
Fellow Presenters and my lovely NZ friend, Jackie Noble.
The Colour INKspiration Crew in NZ
It really does warm my heart to look back at the past 12 years with Stampin’ Up! ®. I will certainly continue to create with SU products and keep in touch with the friends that I’ve made throughout the journey. The tutorial bundles with The Dimensionals will still continue! So why am I leaving such a fabulous company?
Why Am I Leaving Stampin’ Up! ® ?
The answer is simple … the time feels right. Over the past year I have been preparing for this day by stepping down from Design Teams and hence, lessening the ‘deadlines’. I also gave up relief teaching at the end of this financial year. I hate the word ‘retirement’ … a friend of ours likes to refer to it as ‘free styling’, so I told him I’d pinch that terminology when referring to this season in our lives. I’ve ‘ticked all my boxes’ with Stampin’ Up! ® and it’s simply time to move on.
Hubby and I had planned to be on the mainland of Australia travelling in our Motorhome right now. I had planned to resign from SU at the end of 2019 but decided to stay on a little longer through the Sale-a-bration Season. Then COVID 19 came along, so I threw myself into a crafting frenzy in April/May during the height of Lockdown. When we came out of Lockdown and travel restrictions lifted in our state, I realised that I wasn’t such a ‘homebody’ after all. I’d had enough of being ‘at home’.
Currently we can only travel within Tasmania but if you have to be stuck somewhere, it’s probably one of the best places in the world to be right now. So if we aren’t ‘free’ to travel further abroad, at least I can ‘spread my wings’ in other ways. I’ve decided to go in a different direction with my stamping hobby and free myself up to use a variety of products that I have in my stash and write more ‘generic’ card tutorials; I’m currently working on an e-booklet for my card designs.
So that’s it … I will cherish the memories, stay connected with the stamping community, continue to design cards, take colouring classes, write SU Tutorials with The Dimensionals and continue to blog! I’m not straying too far and I’d love for you to stick around and share the journey with me.
PS: 19th November, 2020 – I’m back! #take3 #SUresetfor2021
Good luck in your new venture, have a wonderful time with your crafting.
Rene from OZ x
Thanks, Rene. I appreciate all your encouragement.
Thanks Bronwyn, for all the inspiration you have shared over the years. Look forward to that continuing on your new journey in life. Happy ‘FREE STYLING’! 🤪
Thanks, Vi. I’m looking forward to free styling!
You are an amazing designer. I wish you well in your travels. Have FUN, life is short.
Thanks, Sandra. Yep, I figured one-fifth of my life was long enough … time to branch out a little.
I will greatly miss all your wonderful designs. You made some of the best ever eye-candy cards. Best wishes for you and your family as you “Free Style” across Melbourne. Thank you for all the memories.
Best to you always!
Debbie from MN, USA
Thank you. I’ll still be creating and hopefully continue to provide some crafty ‘eye candy’. Not much will change. Sadly we can’t go anywhere near Melbourne at the moment as they’re in lockdown.
What a lovely testimonial to your season with Stampin Up. Best of luck with this new period in your life. Enjoy the traveling and discovering.
Thank you so much, Bertha. I have loved my time with Stampin’ Up!® and am grateful for all the opportunities that I’ve had as a Demonstrator in such a wonderful company.
Your blog post is such a lovely trip down memory lane, Bron! Enjoy this next “season” of your life. x
Thanks Christine. So glad you’ve been a part of my SU journey.
Wishing you the best. I just recently ran across your designs during covid and immediately fell in love with them. You are amazing.
Thanks so much, Helen. I’m looking forward to recreating some of my projects with different products and I’ve also written down lots of new ideas that will keep me going for quite a while.
Hi Bronwyn, You are an amazing designer and I have bought many of your designs over the years. However there is a season for everything in life and it is now time to travel. Enjoy every minute and don’t look back. I will still look out for you but if I don’t see anything on your blog, well maybe you will be in holiday heaven. All the very best. I am having trouble saying “Bon Voyage”…….I miss you already!
Thanks Tracey for your encouragement and for being such an awesome customer! I intend to keep writing tutorials and blogging when I can. Holiday Heaven will be a nice place to be one day … it just seems so far off at this point in time.
What a fab way to sum up your creative journey so far … I know it is still ongoing … and I can’t wait to watch this next crafty chapter. I remember the first time I ever saw you at a Stampin’ Up! event. This was way before we ever met in person. I had bought some of your tutorials and I had a serious fan girl moment when I saw you at convention and was too shy (you know how I am *wink) to come up and say hi. Several years on and I can now say you are such a dear friend who has always encouraged me and set up such wonderful (and ongoing) design teams to foster and promote creativity. Enjoy this new creative freedom both on and off road! Inky hugs. x
Oh Lou, you are so incredibly talented and I hope we keep collaborating for some time to come. Can’t wait to park the MH outside your place and spend a day in your craft room with a good bottle of wine and great company. I know I will have to compete with the cat for a seat by the pool but it will be worth it!
Bronwyn, (after picking myself up off the floor at your shock announcement), I am smiling soooo much to know that you will continue doing your own special creations, in your own time, to the beat of your own drum!!! Hugs!
Thanks Dianne. I never thought I’d leave SU – it’s been a big part of my life but I’ve always juggled to get the balance right between work and play. We retired early to travel and so now we play the waiting game! Such is life.
I have so enjoyed seeing your Stampin’ Up creations over the years. I am excited to see what you will create from your not necessarily SU stash. And, please. share your travels with us. I’d love to visit Australia some day but until then I’ll have to enjoy it in pictures from our small town in Illinois, USA.
Thanks Anita. I’m excited to branch out a little with a range of products. You can follow our travels by following our Tassie 2 Get Away Page on Facebook or our INSTA account – #tassie2getaway I will try and remember to post some pics on my blog every now and then as well.
Good luck with your future travels and creative journey. Our friendship began before SU! and was reignited through SU! It will definitely continue and I hope to visit you again soon. Xx
Thanks, Mae. I look forward to crafting and chatting with you again. I’d better get my craft room tidy!!
Best of travels! Creating freedom now too! I am looking forward to continued learning from you! Wishing you & hubby your very best in this next chapter in your lives. Thank you for all you’ve shared with so many of us. I still have to make the Star Wars card for my adult son!
Stay well & stay safe.
Thanks Lou! I can relate … I have so many stamps and dies that I haven’t used yet. Make sure you send me a pic when you finally do make that special Star Wars card!
Being NEW to your Blog and Talent, my heart is both sad and happy. I’m sad you are leaving SU, but happy for your plans for the future. I hope you are continuing with your tutorials…my addiction! Thank you for sharing your talent and I continue to look for your inspiring cards. Blessings to you and yours…Cheryl
Thanks, Cheryl. Yes, I’ll be continuing with the tutorials. Glad you’re enjoying them.
Good luck in wherever and whatever you are passionate about! I will still be here anxiously awaiting your tutorials no matter what because they are the best out there! Thanks for sharing your creativity with us!
Oh thank you, Patty. I enjoy writing my tutorials and still have lots of ideas ‘brewing’.
Your testamonial was perfect and exactly summed up how I feel, including the reason to step down. It’s just that time. I am blessed to have been part of your journey. You had better keep in touch!! 😛
Thanks, Paula. I didn’t realise you had stepped down as well; last I checked you were a Hobby Demo. We will absolutely stay in touch. Mwah from across the ditch!
Wishing you all the best on the next phase of your crafty adventures! You are so talented and I am so glad you will continue to create!
Oh, thank you, Linda. Loved being on the Stamp Review Crew with you. Inky hugs from Tas.
Oh my sweet friend!! I wish you all the best on your new adventures. I am SO happy that we finally were able to meet in person Orlando. Coming to your corner of the world is on my bucket list, so hopefully we will get a chance to visit once again. Loved seeing your first cards, I still have a couple of those sets. Please stay in touch and enjoy your travels. Big hugs!!
It was definitely a highlight to finally meet my Dynamic Duos DT buddy. I’ll continue to watch your FB lives when I can and yes, for sure, we’ll stay in touch. I’d love to play host and show you my corner of the world one day.
I look forward to the next chapter in your creative journey, keep the inspiration coming. Looking at some of your early creations I remember using some of those when I first started stamping. Stepping down is something I personally struggle with there are so so many fabulous toys to play with! and with our restrictions at the moment it is a real challenge to hang in there. 12 years is an awesome achievement. Have fun free styling – I like that term. All the best from Melbourne.
Thanks so much, Vicki. No face to face events at the moment made the decision a lot easier. It will take some adjusting to no longer think like a ‘demo’. LOL. Old habits die hard as they say.
Congrats!!! Will you be doing any other business or are you just going to enjoy life? I loved your designs.
I guess it was a rather long blog post! Scroll down to the last two paragraphs; I’m not straying far and will still be creating and writing tutorials with a variety of products.