Everyone has their unique story of how they got started with stamping. Today, I want to share my own journey and how I discovered the joy of stamping and memory-keeping.

Back when our girls were in high school, they were involved in numerous extracurricular activities, which meant we had a ton of photos to cherish. Alongside their school activities, they were also passionate about dance classes, resulting in even more precious memories captured through photographs.

Realizing I had all these wonderful moments captured on film, I decided it was time to do something with them. Although I had dabbled in scrapbooking as a young girl, it had been years since I engaged in any serious memory-keeping.

In the spring of 2006, my daughter invited me to a rubber stamping party hosted by her friend. I had never heard of Stampin' Up! before, and I must admit, I was a bit skeptical about the whole idea of rubber stamps. Little did I know that this event would completely change my perspective.

As soon as I inked up that first stamp and pressed it onto the paper, I was hooked. We created a cute card, and I instantly recognized the creativity and versatility of stamping. I realized that cards would always come in handy, and I wanted to explore this newfound passion further. My daughter and I decided to place an order together so we could share our new "stash" of stamping supplies.

But it didn't stop there. A short time later, the same demonstrator who hosted the party reached out to me and informed me about the Starter Kit, an opportunity to get even more stamping goodies. Intrigued by the idea, I didn't hesitate to invest in the kit. I was eager to expand my collection and explore new creative possibilities. The demonstrator also mentioned that becoming a demonstrator myself was an option, though I initially had no plans to demonstrate anything.

When I received my Starter Kit, I was filled with excitement. I couldn't wait to incorporate stamps into my scrapbooking projects and create beautiful cards. Then, one day, my demonstrator friend asked me to conduct a "party" on her behalf. Initially hesitant, I eventually agreed, and that experience sparked a deep love and passion for sharing the art of stamping with others.

Now, almost 18 years later, I continue to share my passion for stamping. It's incredible how one invitation to a rubber stamping party completely transformed my perspective and opened up a world of creativity and connection. I genuinely love what I do and the joy it brings to others.

Today is my 17th anniversary with Stampin' Up!  Never would I have imagined that I would be part of a thriving crafting community for this many years and develop so many special relationships all because of stamps, ink, and paper.

I'd like to invite you to join this wonderful stamping community. This is the 35th anniversary year of Stampin' Up! and there is a special offer this month to join our community of stampers.  We would love to have you join our Stars Team. Read more about it HERE.