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About Me


Sandy McManus


I first learned about Stampin’ Up! from my friend Liz back in 2002. I remember looking through her very large catalog and the pages and pages of ribbons and thinking, a) I love all those ribbons and b) too much to choose from, to overwhelming. Pass!

Forward a year later and my cousin Ann invited me to a Stampin’ Up! in home party. She had invited me before, but I decided to go this time and told her I will only be a seat filler. Ha ha. Jokes on me. I purchased over $50 dollars that night, went to a party a few months later and joined a club. I was hooked. My daughter had just started Kindergarten and I needed something to do outside the home, meet new people, be creative again. I started stockpiling supplies from retail stores and from Stampin’ Up! until the hubs found my large growing stash. Then the monthly club started, where we all get to be a silent hostess during the term. A few months into this I told the Demonstrator, Denise, I will join someday. A year later, on August 25, 2005, after returning from a 3 week family vacation, I went over to her house to sign the papers, and the perk for joining was a FREE set of ink pad color family! And the first party I went to was her first party as a Demonstrator!

Well we have a new style of ink pads now, and the color palette has been revised a few times, but I am still incredibly happy with my choice, the opportunities I have had, the incredible friends I have made, the products, and it gave me something of my own, that didn’t have the tile of WIFE MOTHER TAXI DRIVER EDUCATOR LAUNDRESS COOK CHIEF BOTTLE WASHER MEDIATOR AND MORE! I know many of you can relate.

I was always artsy and craftsy growing up and early in our family life. Stampin’ Up! came to the rescue and gave me guild lines into how to parlay that into a money earning business. Okay, a way to save money early on, on the products of which I had fallen in love. My real goal, 2 goals and/or college degrees, on a path that dead-end, was to be a designer (interior or graphic) and a deep interest in art history. All my previous education helps me design projects now and I share what I have learned with you.

As time has gone on, and old injuries and family genetics have creeped up on me, my mobility is limited. I have had 3 knee replacements, numerous other reparative surgeries. Life is what you make of it. I get up each day and do my best with my mobility each day. Some days are better than others. Stampin’ Up! has given me something I can still do. It gets me out of the house and keeps me social and keeps my mind active. It is a blessing to me.

Needs A Ribbon
Long ago, in a galaxy of technology and craft supplies, my business was named SOHOTT. Originally back in 1996 it stood for Small Office/Home Office Technology Team. My husband and I did limited technology consulting. It worked. Before I joined Stampin' Up! and after I joined, I turned that to Mean Sandy's Original Handmade Ornamental Trinkets and Treasures. I had looked into making money making crafts when my kids were tiny. As I have said, no idea how, no direction, just a vague idea and zero time or way to do anything about it. I kept that name as I rolled into Stampin' Up!

In January 2013 I realized the name really didn't stick or relate to what I was doing anymore. Plus writing it out without the acronym took forever, and the acronym was used by many other organizations, including a few non-family ones, and the SoHo district of New York had various iterations of it in use. It was time to rebrand. Even as a small single person organization, rebranding is a pain, oh boy. I forged ahead, with no name in mind at all.

My daughter had a blast riffing on various names or phrases that could apply. There were a lot of laughs. In the end, it was a phrase that she would say to me every single time I showed her one of my projects over the years, that finally won out. "Mom, it needs a ribbon." And she was usually right. And I have a love affair of ribbons that goes back to my childhood when my mom, an avid sewer, not quilter, would let me get just a yard of ribbon as a reward at the local Minnesota Fabrics sewing store, as a youth. I know some of why I tend to hoard ribbons go back to her only letting me get small pieces. So Needs A Ribbon is an inside family joke that fits my business and the products I love. 

Family Life
My family consists of an adult daughter (graduated from college) and son (in college), a work at home (with the same company since 1995) husband whom I’ve been married to for more than 25 wonderful years, 2 cats. We recently moved back into my childhood family home, in a move I often refer to in my scrapbook pages and blog posts. No need to say more here.

Scrapbooking
I have always been an avid (rabid) photographer. i started my own albums when i was probably 6/7 years old. In high school and college I scrapbooked on the awful tan recycled paper album. i have always put my pictures in basic albums to display. Now I feel there is a story to be told with each set of photos. I recently discovered my paternal grandmother was the same way. She has precious albums of some precious family history. I am working my way backwards, and forwards on telling all those stories. At some point it will meet in the middle. But with life you are always writing new chapters to your story. 

Achievements (in chronological order)

  • As of writing this I have attended 13 national conventions and 9 regional events.
  • I participate in our local Inking of You group events throughout the year.
  • Became a Sr Supervisor June 2015.
  • Became Silver level October 2015, working toward Silver Elite.
  • Currently have X team members, look to grow that number.
  • Have earned several awards within my local Inking of You Team (3 levels above me).
  • 2015 achieved Top 10 Demonstrators in Inking of You
  • 15 years with Stampin' Up! in 2020
  • 2021 Level 1 Sales Achievement Stampin' Up!
  • 2021 100K Lifetime Sales Stampin' Up!
  • 2021 achieved Top 10 Demonstrators in Inking of You
  • 2022 Level 1 Sales Achievement Stampin' Up!
  • 2022 Recruiting Achievement
  • 2022 achieved Top 10 Demonstrators in Inking of You
Other Social Media

Interests

Health, healthy cooking, creating in the kitchen, home remodeling, home décor, foutdoors, road trips, exploring new areas, fresh air, music, water (swimming), reading, creating, creative arts, rubber stamping, growing my business, family, any activity that can be done as a family, live music, travel, friends, friends, friends

Disclaimer

This is my personal blog, I am an independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and I am responsible for the content. Stampin' Up! does not endorse the use of the classes, services, or non-Stampin' Up! products I offer her.

Statement of the Heart

To love what we do and share what we love, as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments ...in this we make a difference!

Copy of My Rights

Copy of My Rights: All the content of this Blog (including text, photographs, and design work) is by Sandy McManus, Needs A Ribbon, Inc. You may copy my any of my art posted for your personal use as you please. Please respect the copyright laws: give credit where credit is due (to me!) and deux please do not copy anything on this website for publication and/or contest submission. Thank You! This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License