Meet Eilieen LeFevre

Meet Veteran Rocker and Independent Demonstrator Eilieen LeFevre.   You can also find Eileen's creations on her blog Eilieen's Stampin' Fever or at Creative Sketches

What is your stamping story i.e. How did you become interested in rubber stamping and/or scrapbooking with Stampin' Up! Products?

A friend of mine signed up to be a SU demo. back in 1997 and she asked me if I would do her first workshop. Once I saw the free catty, I was hooked. I signed up to be demonstrator in Jan. 1998 and have loved every minute of it! One thing I am amazed at, is how versatile the world of stamping has become compared to where it was back then.

 

What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set? Button Bear

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up! stamp set? Just Believe

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo? Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, So Saffron



Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine?
I am thankful to be blessed with my own craft room and I love to hang out in it with my stampin' friends! I try to start a project before I go to work, and then finish it up when I get back home.

What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st). Enjoy, have fun!
I am very inspired by this group and I love looking at all the creativity and beautiful unique works of art, and of course, meeting all the awesome stampers on this group!

Meet Loni Holt

Meet Veteran Rocker and Independent Demonstrator Loni Holt (Texas)  – Manager of all the Blog Hops and coordinator of Make and Take postings.  Rides endless miles on her bicycle for charity and is an awesome knitter too.   You can always check out more about Loni's Life including stamping, knitting, cycling and a lovely Siamese mixe named Mocha on her blog.

What is your stamping story i.e. How did you become interested in rubber stamping and/or scrapbooking with Stampin’ Up! Products?   Like many, I was invited to a friend's at-home party for some product or another.. in this case, it was Stampin' Up!   It was January 2003 during Sale A Bration.   I had never heard of Stampin' Up! but fell in love with the fun of making cards.. I mean playing with paper, ink, stamps, glue, glitter, punches.. what's not to love.  By April, I became a demonstrator for the fun and joy of playing with other demonstrators.

What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set?  Mini Mates

What is your favorite current Stampin’ Up! stamp set? Love You Much

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo?  Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White; though I am also fond of Whisper White Brilliant Blue, Green Galore, Pixie Pink from the now retired Bold Brights family.

Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine?  Currently, my stamping area resides in half of what should be the dining room table.  However, I'm in the process of moving to a new-to-me and the cat home; so I'm not sure what it will be.   Lately, knitting has overtaking stamping due to its portability.  But I do try to stamp at least monthly for blog hops or for Operation Write Home.

What was your first year of VC Rocks?  2003

What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st)  Don't feel like you have to do EVERYTHING i.e. every swap, every challenge, every hop, every quiz, etc.  It can feel very overwhelming.   Try to remember we are here to have a lot of FUN!

Why do you recommend VC Rocks to other Stampers/ What is your FAVORITE part of VC Rocks?   The swaps on this list are top notch; the chatter is a lot of fun; the sharing and comraderie is the BEST!   Many of us stay in touch via email, Facebook, and other YahooGroups during the rest of the year.  

Meet Shari Dudek

Meet Shari Dudek (in Michigan) - Manager of the "SALTY" floor of the VC Grand Hotel.  Shari loves Johnny Depp and pirate things.  The salty sea is where she wants to be, as long as she's with her Captain Jack!  Shari is also half our our Official Convention Reporting Team, along with Carey Rogers (Roscoe's mom).  

What is your stamping story i.e.  How did you become interested in rubber stamping and/or scrapbooking with Stampin' Up! products?   When I was teaching (K-2) I often used stamps instead of stickers on my kids' papers.  I had two fishing tackle boxes full of stamps and thought that was an impressive collection (AAH HA HA HA!!!).  Shortly after Kayla was born, I was invited to a SU! party.  A couple months later, I signed up.  That was in August of 2000.  I do my 10-Year Walk this year!!!  Wooo Hoooooooooooo!

Are you a current Stampin' Up! Demonstrator?    Yes, I am!  http://sharistamps.stampinup.net/

Are you a blogger and feature your stamping/scrapping creations on your blog?  Yes, but it's pitiful.  I only post about once a month, unless I'm doing one of Loni's Blog Hops.  http://sharisstamppad.blogspot.com/

What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set?  I ordered a big plaid background stamp at that party way back when.

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up! stamp set?  Hmmm.... I was using Circle Circus a lot, but not recently.  I tend to gravitate toward the bold, solid stamps.  Paradise is a good one.

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo?  LOVE Cherry Cobbler with black, white, Crumb Cake, etc.  Razzleberry, Pink Pirouette and Espresso is a nice one.

Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine?  I am one of the lucky ones who has a dedicated stamp room in my basement.  There are pics in our Photos.  My routine is generally to clean up the last mess, make a new one, and leave it there until next time.  LOL

What was your first year of VC Rocks?  I'm fairly confident it was 2003.  I'm thinking I heard of it via SUSisters.  Then, like a ding-dong, I didn't do it the next year because I was going to the actual SU! convention, and I figured it'd be too much to handle.  I missed VC so much!  Now I'm always here, SLC or not!  This is my third year as a mod on the group.

What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st).  Be prepared for A TON OF EMAIL.  A couple hundred+ a day, sometimes.  DO NOT BE ALARMED.  Use your delete button.  Don't be afraid to sign up for the hotel your first year.  Join at least two swaps, but be aware of the due dates and don't get in over your head on them.  Mostly, don't be afraid to ask questions!  We love to help you learn the ropes.  If you can get over the initial shock of all the emails and information overload, you will LOVE it here!

Why do you recommend VC Rocks to other Stampers/ What is your FAVORITE part of VC Rocks?  I love the emails, late-night chats, the swaps, the hotel, my pool boy, our crazy imaginations, Spew Awards, online classes, and my friends!  Everyone here is SO nice, generous, caring, friendly, and we all have hot size 4 bodies, besides. (I mentioned our imaginations, did I not?).

Meet Ellen Kemper

Meet Veteran Rocker since 2007, Independent Demonstrator, and new VC Rocks List Mom, Ellen Kemper (in Texas).   You can find many of Ellen's creations on her blog at Blinkin', Thinkin' & Inkin'.   Warning by Ellen: my blog is primarily punch art and scrapbooking - don't look there for stamping ideas

What is your stamping story i.e. How did you become interested in rubber stamping and/or scrapbooking with Stampin’ Up! Products?
I had been a scrapbooker for many years with lots of paper and tools. I decided to make a birthday card for my Mother-in-Law and wound up beating my head against the wall trying to find pattern paper in my HUGE stash to match the "focal point" I had created.   Soon after that frustrating experience, I was invited by a friend to go with her to a Stamp Camp and when I saw the way SU products coordinated, I fell in love and placed a big order. Before the next big order, I signed up as a demo.

What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set?
I have no idea what my first SU stamp set was. I didn't get hooked on Stampin' Up! for the stamps - I love the paper and ink and ribbon and buttons and STUFF THAT COORDINATES. Stamps are just a happy side dish to me.

What is your favorite current Stampin’ Up! stamp set?
I seem to reach for Artistic Etchings even though it is not my usual style. I have recently become addicted to My Digital Studio and am playing with digital stamps. This is opening a whole new world to me. So much FUN!

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo? Early Espresso and just about anything. Or maybe it is Soft Suede and Marina Mist? Oh gosh, it could be Real Red and Bashful Blue on Whisper White! Or then again, it might be...

Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine? I paper-craft in my former dining area, near the kitchen and open to the main area of our home. My family has learned to live with my mess. I love being where everyone congregates so it works great, as long as they stay off my throne (er, rolling chair).

What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st)
Dear Rookies, don't stress if you can't keep up with the chatter - use your delete button as needed. And be very kind to the list mom - this is a new job for her.

Why do you recommend VC Rocks to other Stampers/ What is your FAVORITE part of VC Rocks?
The friendships are the best part of VC. I personally love the classes that are held in the late summer - even when I "think" I know how to do something, the teachers often share a tip or hint I didn't know.

Meet Stace Coombs

Meet Veteran Rocker since 2005, Stace Coombs an Independent Demonstrator since November 2010.  You can also find many of her creations on her blog, Stampin Stace.  

What is your stamping story i.e. How did you become interested in rubber stamping and/or scrapbooking with Stampin’ Up! Products?
I moved back to Maine shortly after a friend had a Stampin Up workshop. I said the stamps are pretty but what do you do with them?    Now that was a loaded question if I ever heard one.


What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set? Hmmm can’t remember

What is your favorite current Stampin’ Up! stamp set? Just Believe

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo? Rose Red, Basic Black & Whisper White.

Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine.
My stamping area is my oldest sons old room. I have his desk and a desk I bought at a yard sale. The yard sale one holds a small tv and dvd player. I almost always have a Harry Potter/Twilight/Doris Day movie playing when I stamp.

What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st) Do not be scared of all the emails, it’s mostly chatter, and there is a delete button. And don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Why do you recommend VC Rocks to other Stampers/ What is your FAVORITE part of VC Rocks? VC Rocks is like a giant, summer long, online slumber party. We laugh and cry together and we stay up all night talking to each other.

Not an SU stamp; but the sentiment is true!

Meet Brenda Hugar

Meet Veteran Rocker from 2010 (and 2005) Brenda Hugar.    Brenda is a current demonstrator and you can find many of her great creations on her blog at Brenda's Stamping Corner.

Here's a picture of Brenda with her Sweet Angelic.   A great Siberian Husky that she had for 14 years.   Sweet Angelic went onto the happy hunting grounds last VC Rocks Season (along with several other Rocker Fur Babies).    It is for that reason that this year's VC Rocks Charity of Choice is the Humane Society of the United States.

Brenda with Sweet Angelic 

Brenda's Stamping Story:
My BFF, Diana, sent me several cards throughout one year and I ended up buying a stamp set or two to play with. THEN, my DH and I made a trip home when his father was ill and my BFF held a workshop so I could come play -- we made cards, and more cards, and more cards. Learned a few techniques and before I left I handed her a check and said, "How do I sign up?" She had me hooked. Of course, this is the same BFF that got me hooked on scrapbooking, lol. I've never looked back and have never regretted becoming a part of the SU Family. (Now my DH might have other views -- but he indulges me, LOL!)

My best buddy, my Big Sis Jackie, introduced me into blogging last year during VC Rocks. I now share (probably too much) my stamping life (with a little personal stuff thrown in now and then) with friends, family, VC Rockers and customers. I try to expand my stamping knowledge and love to participate in Blog Hops and visit other stampers' blogs to share in their ingenuity and creativeness.

What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set?
I don't remember the name, but I can see it clearly -- it was from a Summer Mini in 2002 and had a tree in it and I believe a little girl. I finally sold it in a yard sale last year -- had to pry it out of my hands, lol.

What is your favorite current Stampin’ Up! stamp set?
Since the Summer Mini has come out, I would say -- The Open Sea

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo?
Early Espresso and Crumb Cake, but I like them all.

Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine?
I have a room all to myself (easy to do when there is just DH and me) where I have lots of shelving and can spread out. I work off a card table unless I need a hard surface, then my wooden table is just a twist (of the chair) away and I'm ready to go. I try to stamp every day, but that doesn't always work out. Right now I am stamping a lot to send cards to my MIL who has Alzheimers (and recently broke her hip) to help cheer her up. I also send cards to a grade school friend's father who has dementia to help cheer him up.    I participate in a bulk buy group and enjoy purchasing new items and trying them out -- to broaden my horizons and get out of my very compact box.

What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st)
Relax and enjoy! VC Rocks can be overwhelming to the uninitiated, but my advice would be to not over extend yourself. Join in where you can, but don't feel like you have TO DO everything. It will all fall into place and this is a great group of ladies who will help you along the way.

Why do you recommend VC Rocks to other Stampers/ What is your FAVORITE part of VC Rocks?   Camaraderie first. Second -- friendships. Third -- knowledge, there is so much knowledge here and everyone is so willing to share theirs, it is like having a zillion sisters but not having to share the bathroom with them.

Meet Jackie Watson

Meet Veteran Rocker Jackie L. Watson.  Jackie is a current demonstrator and you can find lots of her grand creations on her blog, Creative Designs by Jackie.

Jackie L. Watson

What is your stamping story i.e. How did you become interested in rubber stamping and/or scrapbooking with Stampin’ Up! Products?
My story isn't anything unusual, I have been receiving beautiful handmade cards from my sister for a few years and when she came to visiti we would make some together. To tell you the truth I was a little intimidated with the whole process. Then a couple years ago I needed some surgeries and went to stay with her and my brother-in-law. Talk about the house guest who didn't leave( I was there almost 2 years). I helped her with convention cards, swaps and such and began to slowly love SU and making cards, projects and many techniques. When I returned home and missed my sister's lovely stamp room I decided it was my turn and joined SU.

What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set?
I can't remember, because I think it became reitired the same week i got it. LOL

What is your favorite current Stampin’ Up! stamp set?
Elements of Style

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo?
Old Olive and Crumb Cake

Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine?
I have a small area to store things but pretty much stamp all over the kitchen


What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st)

Having survived her Rookie year in 2010, Jackie recommends that this year's Rookie class have patience.   Understand that sometimes it can be overwhelming, but take one thing at a time and you will have loads of fun!

Why do you recommend VC Rocks to other Stampers/ What is your FAVORITE part of VC Rocks?
Everything and especially the chatting.

Meet Veronica Miller

Meet Veronica Miller, a veteran Rocker since 2008!   Veronica is a current demonstrator and you can also enjoy many of her creations on her blog at Bluegrass Stamper Studio. 

Veronica Miller

 

How did you become interested in rubber stamping and/or scrapbooking with Stampin’ Up! Products? 

I’ve enjoyed a variety of crafts all my life and started scrapbooking in 2001, but rarely used stamps on my pages or other projects. In 2007 my sister invited me to a Stampin’ Up! workshop during Sale-a-bration and I was hooked! I loved that the stamps came in coordinated sets instead of buying them one at a time and with SU cardstock, inks, and other accessories everything goes together perfectly.  

What was your first Stampin' Up stamp set? 

The first set I bought was Year Round Fun II.  The demonstrator gave me a catalog with my first order and I quickly created a long Wish List!

What is your favorite current Stampin’ Up! stamp set? 

I love so many stamp sets, I don’t know that I can name a favorite.  I send a lot of birthday cards and have been using Create a Cupcake and the corresponding punch lately.

What is your favorite current Stampin' Up color combo?  

 I like pinks and browns together; also all the wonderful shades of red that SU has.

Tell us a little about your stamping area or routine?    

I have a room in our finished basement painted a soft, cheery yellow with green accents and white trim.

What tips do you have for our Rookie Rockers (arriving May 1st) 

Participate in as many activities as you can and have fun!

Why do you recommend VC Rocks to other Stampers/ What is your FAVORITE part of VC Rocks?  

 I learned so much the first year by joining swaps and taking classes.  The Rockers are a kind and fun loving group of women that you’ll enjoy getting to know.