Disapointed in Stampin’ Up!

I know that some of you are wondering about my reasons for no longer being an SU! demo so here it is. I will make just this one post about the matter then let it drop.

I have been a demo for just a few days shy of 3 years now and in that time I have done quite well for someone who is really little more than a hobby demo. I haven’t done a lot of classes and workshops, my stamp clubs kept me going and I never had a problem meeting the minimums. I love the product and I made some money and I had a lot of fun.  It’s easy to sell a product you love.

So why quit?

In my eyes SU! quit on me not the other way around.  I signed an independent demo agreement when I became a demo and as of today if I refuse to sign the new agreement I am no longer a demo. Many people have no problems with the new agreement…many people (like me) do have issues.  I said when I signed up that I wouldn’t let SU! take over my life. It was to be a part of my life, a part of my stamping and scrapbooking, never all of it…I needed a balance. The new agreement destroys that balance as it means that I am not allowed to say by name or link to any stamping or scrapbooking product that is not SU! I find this WAY too restrictive a policy for me to sign.  There are people all over the world laying their lives on the line to fight for freedom of speech. We are lucky in this country to have that freedom and in fact I think many people are so used to it that they don’t realise just how precious it is.  I had no problem with only mentioning SU! product on my SU! blog…but when they specifically laid down restrictions of what I could say and link to on my PERSONAL blog and on my FACEBOOK page ……well that is going too far.

This is my PERSONAL blog and will always remain so. It is for me to say what I feel about anything and I will not be told what I can or cannot say.  I am disapointed. I loved my time with SU! and if they ever decide to retract the restrictions I would give consideration to going back (although there is a certain lack of trust when a company can bring in such restrictions with literally one month of notice…like it or lump it).  For me, my stamp club was just finishing and I had no bookings for November ….it was like it was meant to be…

The saying goes that when God closes a door he opens a window….I will keep my eyes out for the window…perhaps it is just to really enjoy my scrapping freedom again.  I rumaged in my room yesterday and rediscovered some clear stamps and my Xyron 250…and I have my new found love for RANGER STICKLES and am looking forward to getting out my big shot again with all my cuttlebug embossing folders.   I will continue to use SU! products as I have a lot of them and love them still.

I will miss it and I do hope that the many friends I have made through SU! will remain friends. I respect that everyone has had to make their own decision on this issue and have nothing against those that signed the new agreement…to each his/her own I say.

So that’s it….I placed my last order yesterday.  I will miss it. But I will find something else to do with my time I am sure – perhaps my scrap room will finally get organised, perhaps I will continue to scrap in a huge mess and enjoy the create chaos….who knows….life is an adventure after all.