Important Updates

Good morning and welcome to another edition of Cards and Creations by Lori McBride. My name is Lori McBride and I’m a Stampin’ Up Independent Demonstrator from Joshua,TX.

We received an important message from our CEO Sara Douglass this morning regarding an impact to our July-December Mini Catalog (formerly known as our Holiday Catalog) and our second Sale-a-bration Promotion.

Due to the global shipping issues caused directly from the Pandemic and port congestion, we will not receive our products for the July-December Mini Catalog or our product for our second Sale-a-bration Promotion in time for the launch.

The difficult decision has been made to postpone the launch of our July-December Mini Catalog and the second Sale-a-bration Promotion.

Stampin’ Up’s hopes behind this delay is not only allow additional time to receive our products but also to reduce the frustration of products not being available to both Demonstrators and Customers alike.

The July-December Mini Catalog details are now as follows:

Preorder: July 1-August 2

Customers: August 3-January 3, 2022

Sale-a-bration changes are as follows:

Pre-earn: July 1-August 2, 2021

Customer Earn: August 3-September 30, 2021

It is important to know that this is a pretty bittersweet blow to us as Demonstrators. Let me explain from my prospective as a Demonstrator.

For at least two years, we’ve worked very hard to transition these catalogs per Stampin’ Up’s request. We’ve build our Customers up in anticipation for the changes in future catalogs as to “not to confuse” Customers. Which is why today’s message was confusing. I honestly had to read over the email 2-3× before really sinking in. Although I’m sure that it was in part to receiving the message at 3:00 AM with not a drop of caffeine in my system.

I do however understand the port congestion situation and totally understand that it’s a real issue. I know that Sara and our incredible Stampin’ Up Headquarters Team did everything in their power to try to get these amazing products to us on time.

I don’t necessarily think that this is a bad thing. The preorder period for our 2021-2022 Annual Catalog is going on right now as I type and will not be available to Customers until May 4th.

There’s a HUGE opportunity for us here as Demonstrators. You see, we’re in the middle of our preorder period for the 2021-2022 Annual Catalog now. Our preorder is limited and so the majority of the products that we’d like to have we too won’t be able to order until May 4th.

Okay, so we get the majority of stuff the we plan on working with throughout the year in May. Then a month later (under “normal” catalog conditions) we would do our preorder for the July-December Mini Catalog.

That doesn’t leave much time for designing and planning; although many of us have found creative ways to combine items from the Mini Catalogs with the Annual Catalog. It’ll be great to have that additional month with the Annual Catalog items.

With that being said, I do understand the need to get a jumpstart on all of those holiday crafts. Especially Christmas Cards as I do Cards For The Troops each and every year. I will say that the Annual Catalog does have a pretty great selection of Christmas products available so especially with these announced delays, you may not want to thumb past that particular section of the Catalog because it’s “too soon for Christmas.”

Thank you for joining me today. In spite of unfortunate news, I hope that I’ve been able to give you at least a couple of ideas as to how sort of navigate through the shark infested waters of pandemic times and that you’ll join me again soon for another edition – Until next time – Happy Stampin everyone!!