Stampin’ Up! #1 Demonstrator Pootles – Happy 5th Stampaversary to ME! And 5 Amazing Gifts…
Oh my! It is 5 years ago today that I joined Stampin’ Up! and where has that time gone?
Oliver was still toddling at home and I was trying to juggle working as a makeup artist with my husband’s shifts and small boys all over the place.
As you perhaps know from reading ‘my story’ in the past, we’d had a very frugal Christmas and that year, I’d made as many gifts for people as I possibly could. We even had to forgo our Christmas cheque from Chris’s parents and spent it on food for the season instead. So money was really tight.
I’d had some success at the Christmas fayres with handmade notebooks and gifts, so decided to try again for the Spring season that was coming up. Wanting to have a bigger profit margin, and having fallen in love with Stampin’ Up! videos (thank you Angie Juda, I will always love Wisteria Wonder (click here to watch the video that made me fall in love with SU!) I decided to join so that I could get a great discount and make even more profit.
Unfortunately, it was quickly apparent that Chris’s shift pattern (he worked 5 straight weekends out of 9) all fell when the main spring fayres were happening. A rapid change of mind and my YouTube channel started. In fact, my first video was on 18th April, a day after Oliver turned 2, and yes, they were clumsy, unpolished and if you listen reeeeeaaaallly carefully in some of the early ones, you can hear him singing over the baby monitor!
I wouldn’t change a thing, I now have a team over over 350 demonstrators and over 150 of them are direct to me and in fact, I have demonstrators direct to me in all 5 of our European countries!
I’ve earned awards, not just Stampin’ Up! awards, but industry awards, and you know what? I’m just me. A middle aged Mum of 4 who adores crafting. I don’t have any special formula or magic wand. I genuinely adore what I do, I get overexcited when crafting and I love to share and advise.
In my ‘previous’ life as a makeup artist, I created a forum called Makeup Advice Forum. I didn’t earn any money from it as it was built deliberately to offer free advice. At the time I chose to close it (only 3 years ago) it was getting more than a million hits a month. So advice and free information has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. And it is now.
Many people ask why I don’t charge for my tutorials. Why would I? I have some old online classes you can still access now, but I would rather everyone had the chance to see what I was sharing and that shouldn’t come at financial gain for me. Information should be free!
I’m not too shy to share that yes, this is what I do for a living and provide for my whole family from what I do as a demonstrator, but that’s through people shopping with me. And that’s always your choice. I do however love on my customers with abandon! Cards, gifts, treats! I love them and what they do for me and for my family. The same with my amazing team.
But all of you who support me on my journey, here/youtube/facebook are important too. And knowing that you’re all reading this makes me smile each and every day.
So today, for my 5th anniversary, I have 5 special gifts to 5 special readers. And 1 special for my overseas friends. (More details at the bottom)
And what is today’s card? Well it’s repetitive stamping of the stunning Hello Friends stamp set. I used Smoky Slate, Basic Grey, Basic Black and Pear Pizzazz inks all over and without any care where they each went, other than the top left and bottom right!
Each flower has a tiny tiny blob of glue and Dazzling Diamonds glitter sprinkled over it. I love how pretty and elegant it looks. That touch of green and sprinkle of glitter makes this look delightful!
So on with my giveaway!
5 Winners will receive the Hello Friend stamp set and Matching Heat Embossing Project Kit
2 ways to enter
- Leave a comment here on my blog, get 1 entry into the draw *no purchase necessary!*
- Place an order with me and receive 1 entries into the draw for every £10/€13.50 spent. So if you spend £30 you’d get 3 entries. Spend £100 you’d get 10 and so on!
Orders can be placed from the following 5 countries – The UK, The Netherlands, Germany, France and Austria.
I can only send the product gift to the following 5 countries – The UK, The Netherlands, Germany, France and Austria, as per my demonstrator agreement
1 Winner will receive the card in today’s blog post
If you live outside those locations, please feel free to enter by leaving a comment. Should you win, I will send you the card featured here on today’s blog!
- *winners drawn at random
- *winner notified by March 31st 2018
- *prizes are supplied by me – Sam Hammond Donald, Stampin’ Up! Independent Demonstrator
- *all purchases will automatically get my wonderful goodie pack that I send each month
I hope you enjoyed this project, please do use the hostess code to get free product! (hostess code shown in the top right of my blog for the current one!) Learn more HERE. If your order is over £150, please do not use this code as You become the hostess and get the Rewards!
Sam Hammond Donald
#1 Stampin’ Up! UK Independent Demonstrator
You can buy Stampin’ Up! online easily through my Stampin’ Up! shop link on the right hand side, or within this blog post.
You can also join Stampin’ Up! through similar links too! I have various FAQ and joining Stampin’ Up! pages on the blog, so do click around!
I cover the UK, The Netherlands, Germany, France and Austria with my shop, but also my team too, so you can join me in those countries also!
And of course, you can find me on facebook, instagram, pinterest and on YouTube as a Guru with my account name as PootlesPapercraft, however, I’m scattered everywhere as Pootles!
You are a very inspiring demo, thank you!
Hello Sam,
I love reading your blog every morning you are so inspiring , I only found you by chance and while I might have a demonstrator nearer to me I will be buy from you.
Thank you.
Ruth
Sam, where has the time gone. I so remember those first videos and the help you gave me then and now, I’m so pleased to be your friend. Hugs Laurie
Congratulations! Happy Anniversary ❤
I started Loving Stampin Up after watching you 4 years ago. This year I took the chance and became a demonstrator myself.
You have done such a lot in a short time. It’s amazing. Congratulations and much love to you and your lovely family. I really enjoy your tutorials.
Thank you, Sam, for all your posts. I look forward to reading them, and enjoy every one. Happy anniversary, and I wish you many more. Congrats from Australia.
Thanks for the crafting inspiration. I love your ideas and enthusiasm. Congratulations on 5 years as a demo.
Love the ideas you come up with- you are so creative. I live in Western Canada and look forward to all your postings.
Happy 5 th anniversary with Stampin Up.
Congratulations and thank you for the inspiration. I seem to get a ridiculous amount of emails each day but I always enjoy reading yours Your videos are not only informative they’re often hilarious too! Keep up the fab work xxx
Thank you Sam for all that you do. We all love, love, love your wonderful tutorials. You inspire us all , not only with your wonderful creativity but with your enthusiasm and kindness. Keep up the good work.
Happy Anniversary Sam. I find your enthusiasm very infectious, yours is an interesting story as an ordinary mum, and I feel your whole family support you, and Stampin Up has obviously paid off for you. Well done. Carol c
Carol, thank you so much! I’d love to send you my card in the post. Would you pop me your mailing address so I can send it to you
S xx
Congratulations, Sam. Your attitude is a winning combination in so many ways, here’s to the next five years!! good luck from Anne x
Congratualtion and Thanks for all your Inspiration!!!
Congratulations on 5 successful years of being a demonstrator! I love coming to your blog every day to see what you have created as I love your style and the way you manage to make beautiful cards and boxes with just a few “ingredients”. Thank you for all your work!
Congratulations, Sam and thanks for all you do!!
Congratulations Sam! I look forward to reading your emails every single morning before I start my day, you are inspiring in both crafting and in your positivity, thank you!
Thank you Sam, for all your story, your inspiration and really you’re the reason I’m still buying all my SU stuff.
Congratulations on you 5th anniversary with Stampin Up. I know I’m not alone in saying just how much inspiration you have given me over your 5 years. I can’t thank you enough for that and for all that you do. Your use of Dazzling Diamond today is a perfect on – you are truly a Dazzling Diamond Sam. Crafty hugs x
Congratulations with 5th anniversary, keep going. Thanks Sam for all your inspiring demo’s. Every day I am looking forward to your ideas.
Happy 5th Anniversary! I absolutely love your videos for all things, but my favorite ones are for boxes. Thank you for sharing!!!
Congratulations on your 5th Anniversary and thank you for all the work that you do to bring us your videos and blog posts, I love all that you do.
wow what a great story really enjoyed reading.. your card is beautiful as are all your projevts.. xx
Congratulations. Amazing how far you’ve come in just a few, short years.
Happy Anniversary Sam and counting.
Thank you so much for your genuine generosity to share your talent. I love my morning rituals reading your email over coffee. Such a nice way to start my day…
Wishing you all the very best in the years to come.
What a lovely read ,love love ,love, your vldeo’s ,I wish you all the best ,Keep up the good work ,we all love you Xx
Thanks for inspiring us so freely and with such generosity. Happy Stampiversary! Best wishes all the way from Tasmania, Australia. Xx
you bring me cheer every day thankyou so much here’s to the next five wonder where you’ll take US! xxxxxxxxxx
Congratulations Sam, what an inspiring story ! You deserve all your awards you receive and you continue to be a most generous and kind person xx
You are a truly inspirational Demonstrator. All your videos show your enthusiasm for your craft. Thank you for all you do to encourage your loyal fans. Congratulations on this 5th Anniversary, and may you have many many more.
Hi Sam I have followed you right from the start . Everything you made I made and it worked .
You made all project so easy and they worked . You are just amazing so very sharing with all you do.
Love ,love all you make .
Keep make those beautiful project . Xxx
Sniff! Sniff! I cannot buy . . . my girlfriend in Paris is on holidays . . . some other time; BUT this does not prevent me from congratulating you and wishing you the best!! I have not enjoyed the five years, but I think I have watched all your tutorials . . . and put them into practice. I have learned a lot and I enjoy vous videos sooooooooooooooo much!! Let’s celebrate the five years to come!!
Thank you for all your inspiration, I have used some of your ideas to make bags, note books and boxes and use hand cream and lip balm to put in them. I then give them to my fiend to sell in a craft night in her home in aid of some friends who are missionaries in Cambodia, working with children who have no real home.
Finding your blog and listening to your videos is a great help to me.
Congratulations on your anniversary and thanks for the inspiration.
Maureen
Llongyfarchiadau! I’ve just watched Angie Juda’s video and, amazingly, that little treat holder is the first thing I ever made using SU products when I went to my first ever SU Craft evening when I lived near Brighton!
Happy 5.th anniversary!
It is safe to say that YOU were the one that made me fall in love with Stampin’ Up <3
Jannicke
Early on, I fell in love with all those little boxes made by your crafty hands! In other circles, I’d fear being called a stalker, but in ours, I’m just another happy little crafting subscriber from the US who follows every video and blog you post. Thanks for all the love and the many tips you’ve shared. Our world is more beautiful at your hand!
Just look were you have come in 5 short years. Congratulations and well done Sam. You deserve all the rewards that come your way.
Heather.x
Congratulations Sam, they say if you have a talent you should flaunt it, and oh boy do you have that in the bucket load . I really look forward to your email everyday and those of you of a certain age may remember lucky bags as a child ! Well each day I open my email it takes me back to that feeling of anticipation of opening my little bag and having something nice inside to play with, and Sam you never disappoint us all. I cannot wait to see all your demos in the coming months and years ,Thank you for sharing such a personal story with us all on this your special milestone. Wishing much love and happiness to you and your family xx
5 years what an achievement! You have inspired so many including myself and I am so grateful. Stampin up is just amazing and Pootles makes it even better. Can’t wait for more years to come, who knows what can be achieved!
Congratulations on yet another successful year. I love all the projects you bring to us and the inspiration you give. Happy stamping xx
Congratulations!!!
I love everything you do, you are amazing!!
Thank you so much.
Congratulations and Thank you for all you share with us
Hi Sam from Australia. I would love to own one of your cards. I love watching your videos and they bring a smile to my face – especially when you make those little boo boos. Keep up the great work. I celebrated my 10 year anniversary last year, only a hobby demo these days but I love Stampin’ Up! and will keep it up as long as I can.
Regards
Kerrie
Thank you for all that you do! I’ve learned much watching your videos & reading your blog. Plus you’re a fellow March-baby. What’s not to love .
I was fortunate enough to discover your blog early on after I joined Stampin Up four years ago. You inspired confidence and creativity in me and I don’t think I’ve ever missed a post. Congratulations on your milestone anniversary. You deserve every award and accolade you receive; you are truly amazing. Thank you for all you do for the crafting and business Stampin Up community. Here’s to many more years of continued success and happiness.
Congratulations on your anniversary and what an amazing inspiration you are. Since first coming across you and Stampin’ Up! I’ve found a new love of ️Crafting that has helped me cope with the suffering and chronic pain I experience everyday. Thank you x
Congratulations from across the pond on your 5th Anniversary!! I love all of your projects! You are SO talented!!
Have a blessed Easter weekend!
Cheryl Hicks
Congratulations Sam! I love your projects & your are always lots of fun to watch 🙂
Time flies when you’re having loads of crafting fun…..right!!
Congratulations on your 5 years from me tooo Sam and keep waving your magic craft-want for many years to come.
Love the simplicity of today’s card!! Thank you Sam, (Pootles – where did that come from?) for all you inspiration. You make stamping and crafting fun with your little comments (with a chuckle) and occasional mistakes! I love it! Yours is the post I look forward to first thing in the morning when I check my email. Because of our time difference yours comes in long after I have gone to bed, but what a treat with which to begin the day. Always look forward to boxes and other “crafty” not-a-card things that you come up with. Thank you so much! Happy Stampaversary!!
Bravo! As I’ve said before your videos are the best! No “ums” , No pauses, No errors, and no music! Straight out
lessons on learning.
Congratulations from the States! Proud to be an International member of “Team Sam”.
Hi Sam
Congratulations on your anniversary, it must feel very special.
Best wishes
Geraldine
Congratulations on your ‘Stampaversary’, it coincides with my 50th wedding anniversary. We are lucky people. Thanks for all the crafting inspiration you give us. Love to you, your family and your kitties.
I found you a few short months ago and am hooked! I love to watch your video’s – congratulations on 5 years!!
Congratulations
I was into stampin up ages ago. Then kind of moved away from them. I found your videos a few months ago and you have brought me back, not only to stampin up but to the craft world in general! I had left for just over a year not doing anything, no crafting no blogging!!! I so wish I could shop with you, alas I am in the US! Thank you for inspiring me and congratulations on your stampaversary!
What a great story. Finding your website got me started crafting again. Thank you so much for all you share.
Dear Sam,
Congratultions on your wonderful success! I am a Canadian, so can’t order from you, but have followed your blog for years and have used many of your wonderful ideas. Thank you. I wish you many years of continued success.
Happy Anniversary!!!! Thank you for sharing your creativity and inspiration. to many more years.
Hey Sam I think we joined SU the same day !!!!!
But I am in Australia
You site and your videos are the greatest.
Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.
You deserve all your awards and kudos.
I’ve been with you almost 5 years! Yours is the only SU email I’ve continued to subscribe to all these years. I’ve used your videos for small gifts thru the years and so appreciate them. Love your attitude and spirit. Best wishes and congratulations from the USA.
Happy Stampaversity! Thank you so much for sharing your videos. I live on the other side of the pond in Nova Scotia Canada so I do have a S.U demonstrator ( who is talented as well) but I would be your client if I was over there. I made a lot of the treat boxes for Christmas giving ( which were well received!) from your videos which are easy to follow and enjoyable. Thanks again and much good luck for the future.
Congratulations, Sam! And thank you for sharing so freely your inspiration with all of us! Your work has inspired me along my creative journey. I am grateful!
Congrats and thank you for all the inspiration …..I love the gifty boxes and cards you design…It is like a gift on the computer when I get one of your posts…your videos are amazing…and I appreciate all that you share…I live in the US…but you need to know that I really look forward to what you share..
Thanks for all you do and continued success…You are wonderful to share.
Congratulations, I love your blog and YouTube tutorials they are always so inspiring. It’s lovely in this day and age that someone shares their knowledge so freely.
Congrats on your 5 years with Stampin’ Up. Wishing you many more years.
Sam, I am out of your winners are (Colorado Springs, Colorado), but I just had to say thank you for sending these awesome tutorials! I am a new demonstrator and if I’d had the chance I would have signed under you easily! I love opening up your emails each day before I leave for work to see what fun project you’ve got going on—you are quite the inspiration! I also follow you on Pinterest! Happy 5th Anniversary!
Just a comment to say, you, my dear are awesome…. it is a pleasure to visit your blog…. you are brilliant… also, happy five years… god bless and keep up the good work…. hugs… sylvia ruthven from lawrenceburg, Indiana in the USA…..
Many congratulations Sam on 5 wonderful years!! Here’s to continued success in the future, Cathy xox
Your enthusiasm and generosity in sharing your creativity have had a wonderful impact on my life. Thanks very much and congratulations on all you have achieved in such a short time!
A simp,e but elegant carc
Sam……. You are an inspiring demonstrator as well as an entertaining paper crafting to watch. LOVE your videos! Your creativity in making boxes and bags is astounding. Thanks for sharing your personal stories-it’s nice to get to know you!
Happy Stampaversery! 5 years of information delivered in your inimitable friendly style. THANK YOU SAM
Congratulations Sam. Love your videos. Thank you.
Congratulations on your 5th year. I do not get to read my emails until the evening,I try to get all the others out of the way so I can then spend my time reading and watching your video’s. I do like seeing you cat’s coming in and making an appearance,they do like to get in on the act.Keep up the good work.
Well done Sam……and congratulations on your 5th stampanniversary…. you deserve your popularity because you are doing a great job by sharing what you like to do and we can feel it on your videos and projects. I’m always exited to open my mails and find yours, I’ll tell you if I become a demo one day…. you’ll be my inspiring one…. Hope you’ll have many years of making those great videos and all kinds of projects. Thank you for your generosity
Happy anniversary! I love this card and would love to win it!
Congrats to you Sam! Here’s to another 5 years and more! Glad I found you out here in blogland! To many more new things to learn!
Happy Stampin Anniversary!!
What a beautiful card. I am new to your site and I love your great ideas.
Sam, Thank you for all you do for all stampers. You are the demo I always look for everyday. I love the items you create. Thank you Twila
Congratulations on your first five years, heres to many more xx
Congratulations on your journey! I am so inspired every time you post a project by its simplicity and beauty, and this card keeps in that form. I love Wisteria Wonder as well and absolutely understand why you joined after looking at it!
Happy Anniversary Sam!!! I have been watching you on YouTube for the past 3 years and I will re-watch and re-watch your tutorials!! My Husband knows when I grab my pad of paper I keep next to my computer, I have a GREAT project from Sam!! My friends and family adore the boxes and bags I make for them from your tutorials and my Daughter comments often, “Is this a Sam Box/bag?” So my dear “friend” that I haven’t met personally but feel a connection with….THANK YOU for all you do for us! Again, Happy Anniversary and Continued success to you!!!
Angelia
Murfreesboro, TN. USA
Hi Sam! I remember when I first discovered your blog through a Pinterest post for a small box. I fell in love and ended up going into your archives and looking at all of your videos and projects (at that time there was several months worth). I have made so many of them and still enjoy each one. Thank you for sharing freely! 🙂
Congratulations Sam. Thank you for your great inspiration. Always fantastic!
I truly like very much watching your videos, you make paper crafting look so easy and fun I bought a lot recently from stampin up,and enjoyed free stuf from sale-a-bration. I wish you the best, you and your family.
My dear delicious Pootalicous friend.
Sincere and heartfelt congrats to a lady I have watch grow, develop and then take over the world with her love of everything paper and beyond.
Well done on your fan-fabulous 5 years (with I too also reached in Jan….with 1 DL only) but I am still doing what I love. ……
I hope that your world domination continues to grow as your legend expands and your recognitions continue.
I still recall the very 1st box of yours I ever made and I was hooked. A long and truly wonderful addiction indeed.
MWAH love and hugs fm your whacked wordsmith fm Down Under….
Lynda ooxx