Statement of the Heart

Stampin' Up! Co-Founder & current CEO Shelli Gardner was in a really bad horseback riding accident this past week.  She's doing better, but there is a long recovery road ahead for her and her family.  You can read more about the accident from her husband on her blog:  http://soshelli.com/

As I was reading yesterday's update from Sterling (her husband), one of the things he challenged the readers of the blog to do was to share Stampin' Up! with others, so I thought I would take a little time today and tell you a little more about myself and a little more about why I love being a demonstrator for Stampin' Up!

Stampin' Up! has a 'Statement of the Heart' (much like a Mission Statement in other organizations) that really speaks to the core ideals that the company holds close:

To love what we do and share what we love, as we help

others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments

. . . in this we make a difference!

I really do not know if I could have picked a much better company to choose to be a demonstrator for!  As I've mentioned in the past, I was a 4-H kid for 10 years.  My experiences in that organization really helped to shape the person I am today.  I also have to give credit to my family, adult & junior leaders in my club and county, and so many other people who assisted me along the way.  I did not realize it at the time, but the things I was learning then, translated so well into other areas in my life/career as I got older. 

For example, Public Speaking and Demonstrations. If it's a subject I'm knowledgeable on (as I've mentioned in a past blog post), I actually enjoy being in front of people and sharing information with them.  In my full-time job, that could mean talking to a group of students about personal safety, or doing a presentation on a program I'm the adviser for to the Student Senate on campus, and any number of other possibilities.  Most recently, this past Saturday was First-Year Move-In on campus, so I got to be one of the first contacts with Public Safety many of the parents and incoming freshmen had in their college career as they passed by my table at the Campus Information Fair.

I absolutely loved giving Demonstrations on various subjects in 4-H, some of my favorite topics were about Horses, Goats, Crocheting, Home Security & Shoes!  Coming up with 15 minute presentations on each of those topics was a lot of fun, and it taught me how to do research and put the information together in such a way that it made sense!  And what better way to translate over to being a demonstrator for Stampin' Up! ?!   I get the opportunity to share information about a company and products that I just absolutely can't say enough good things about.  Being allowed into the homes of my hostesses and getting to talk about Stampin' Up! is always a highlight of doing what I do!  To say nothing of the lasting friendships that I've been lucky enough to build with people who started out as customers, but have grown to become some of my closest and best friends as well!!

One of the main reasons I decided to start this blog was that I wanted to be able to share all that I love about Stampin' Up!, and many of my other interests as well, and this seemed like the perfect forum to be able to do that in.  I hope that each of you reading enjoys what you see each time I post, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the future.

So, one final note about Shelli Gardner.  If you would like to send her a get-well card, you can do so at the following address:
Stampin' Up!
ATTN: Get Well Shelli
12907 South 3600 West
Riverton, UT 84065

Until later, Happy Stamping!

Pam