01/16/2026
It hit me... THIS WEEKED - WOW - SATURDAY.. I reach my 20th Anniversary with Stampin' Up!
THANK YOU - YES - YOU!!! For being a giant part of this journey!! I signed up 20 years ago... a step mom to two beautiful daughters, a toddler son running about (just under two), SEVERAL exchange students in my home and over 50 in my care amongst other families. This email will give you a glimpse into all of the blessings this journey with Stampin' Up! Has brought my family and myself... BUT BOOKMARK YOUR CALENDAR for MONDAY January 26th at 7:30pm EST and a BONUS Live for my Getting Crafty Family that will follow - I will have a MASSIVE GIVE AWAY - HUGE - as in TRIPPLE YOUR CRAFTING ORDERS - On ME!! SQUEE!! (The LIVE I was planning to do TONIGHT is NOT happening post medical surprise - though all is now OK for now).
Quick memories of my journey... you may not know....
I had stumbled into hosting exchange students who were placed in dangerous situations.. My girl exchange student, from Italy, bringing home over 20 kids from a exchange student meeting after finding out these kids were placed in dangerous situations - filling my home on Quartz Hill, CA with girls in the upstairs, boys in my downstairs living and family rooms and a baby gate holding us all together. Toddler, stepdaughters and pregnant, I wanted to give these young adults an amazing experience... and to document it!
IN came Stampin' Up!... I loved their products and wanted to create coordinated scrapbooks filled with redeemed memories of Southern California. A dear friend took me to a women's day at her church and I'd tried a large variety of crafting companies as they had tables to rotate and try.. It was sooo much fun! I waddled about, had spoken with and tried every brand I could.. Then I returned home (very pregnant) to my house of teens and toddler - lol - and I did research! I'd been a corporate leader in finance and lending, a national leader and the youngest in the company to have the sales I did... and I felt a drive to support our family, connect with others and pick a company with top qualities. Red Rubber stamps were SUCH top quality, Stampin' Up! Was the ONLY company that was debt free and I loved their products!
I signed up LITERALLY TWO Weeks before giving birth to my daughter!! Susie, a dear friend since and my upline was shocked at my timing lol... the $399 kit required a FAX (Ancient technology - lol - I know - right?!), it allowed me two pick two colors (I went with a turquoise and yo yo yellow I believe) and I added their $50 scrapbook kit!! THEN I had to WAIT to see if I was APPROVED!! WOW has time changed! I'd signed up during Sale A Bration as I could NOT believe all of the FREE Items I was receiving! I had given birth to my first-born daughter and returned home to my Starter Kit!! Susie aided me in preparing my first class, I hosted my MOMS Club Friends and as they say... that is how ONE Stamp Set (and Scrapbooking Kit!!) turned into two different homes in California, Crafting Retreats in Big Bear Lake, CA, Pismo Beach CA, Getting Crafty Cruises and the BEST Getting Crafty Family (my amazing national award winning team!!) AND my home and journey HERE in Indiana - with Getting Crafty Retreats and my Attic Studio that is A DREAM Come True!!. God is so good and so has been this journey!! DID YOU KNOW.. That my first year I was awarded with TOP Sales (all while nursing my baby mid classes lol) and even earned trips I didn't KNOW I had earned - as I was mired in babies, teen daughters, exchange students and life!
My three daughters have been born along this journey, run amongst us as we created in my living rooms and now my 1800 sq foot studio in our home - they are known to hug those who come and my son and girls have even joined me for a variety of videos in crafting and lives (as well as serving as helpers at the events and retreats!).
This year the love and support after my husband's hospitalization and recovery from Congestive Heart Failure and Lung failure.. And all who supported, reached out and loved on us in the midst of this journey... whew! Thanks...
When we decided to HOMESCHOOL (10 years ago!!) - I was told I would NEVER earn the trips with Stampin' Up! - but that wasn't so! I remember sitting with my Getting Crafty Family as we watched the order come in to earn me our trip to Thailand! Again, with Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, and MORE!! I've been blessed to have Stampin' Up! Unite me with people I still consider my dearest friends and bonus family... loosing some to heaven along the way... Losing my mother in a horrible way, using my Stampin' and Crafting passion to lead MOPS and Serve the Community, Massive Car Accidents and learning to walk again, Soldier Cards and Care Packages and accommodations for us all in all of the heart-work we have done for the deployed! We were acknowledged with awards by various branches of the military, reaching soldiers and their families across the world to even earning (mid lock downs and move!!) I earned the Heart of Stampin' Up! Award and we had the GLOBAL Community of Stampers jump onto the Amazon Wish List to send items to JamesStoreHouse in Newbury Park, CA along with the TON of supplies from Stampin' Up! And HUNDREDS of Crafting Paper Pumpkin Kits - backpacks and school supplies - we blessed Foster Kids and their hosting families! (Having been in and out of Foster Care as a child - this touched my Getting Crafty Family and Stampers in ways I can NOT explain and it was a blessing for my own heart!).
WHEW!! From many of my crafting friends across the world, being a global speaker for Stampin' Up! More than once to train demonstrators (SUCH a blessing) and more... to those who have become family (Sandy who quilted me a memory blanket upon my mother's passing to Delores who showed up, sat at my stamping filled dining table to tell me that she'd fill the role of mom for me - to so so sooo many more people....) THANK YOU for being a part of my journey!! Thank you for walking alongside of my family and I, creating soldier's cards, supporting deployed troops, joining me for road trips and adventures, loving on my kids, supporting a mom and wife who has a passion to create and connect over card making and crafting.... a business that has blessed us in more ways that I can't list... THANK YOU!!
I do hope that you can join me (after a day at homeschool community) THIS Monday Evening!! I am planning to produce a few videos and some mayyyy find their part in my journey in them... I'll have the LIVE link sent this weekend and hope you can join us on Facebook.com/GettingCrafty.net and my YouTube.com/JamieAlbanese channels... I hope to make this a MEGA event lol...
