Is Becoming a Scrapbook Consultant Right for You?

By Christina VanGinkel

My enjoyment from, and time spent, scrapbooking has grown substantially over the last few years. What was once something that I spent only the occasional hour here or there taking part in, has now gone on to be something I do whenever I can grasp the opportunity. Sometimes, even when I do not have the time, I will one way or another find it, especially if it means I can sit down with my embellishments, papers, and pictures, and spend that time creating a memory. I have actually discovered all sorts of ways to make time for this hobby that I so enjoy. Two examples are:

Waiting at appointments provides me with the time to pull out my small notebook and create sketches of future designs, helped along by a short list detailing photographs and occasions that I would like to scrap.

If my husband and son are watching something on television, and want my company, I grab a single layout that I have been struggling with, and just study it. I will also take this time to sort through found embellishments, one of my favorites. Found embellishments are things like jars of buttons or bags of old sewing trim that I purchased at rummage sales or second hand shops. I have an old cafeteria tray that I keep handy for these times, and I can just dump whatever it is I am sorting through on there, and still watch the show with my guys.

With all of this interest in scrapbooking in mind, I have been mulling over the idea that I should become a consultant for one of the many companies that carry products I would personally use and would be more than willing to promote, essentially, to family and close friends.

While I cannot see myself selling on a large scale, to strangers and others I barely know, as I hardly have time to keep up with all of my current responsibilities, a few companies do offer a hobbyist level. This is a way for those (Like me!) who might not have access to a good scrapbook supply outlet (the closest scrapbook store to me is almost fifty miles away, save for Wal-Mart), to obtain the supplies that they would like, and at a discount. Somebody who is interested in just the hobbyist level might also choose to sell to a few friends and family. My daughter is very interested in me becoming a consultant, as it would mean access to supplies for her too.

Some people might make the choice to become a consultant to share the availability of the supplies the company in question carries, possibly earning a few dollars or else sharing in the discount, but ultimately, they are only becoming a consultant, per se, to gain the discount that other full-time consultants do. Some companies that offer a hobbyist level may have limits as to what the discount is, but at the same time, their quotas are often much less than what the other consultants are indebted too. Depending on the company, keep in mind that the rules for those joining to purchase on a smaller scale in comparison to becoming an actual full-time consultant, may vary greatly.

For others, becoming a consultant is a way to not only obtain their own supplies at a discount, but to also earn money by selling to others. Consultants that plan to sell products in order to make money, beyond their own personal savings, may do so on a part-time basis, or on a full time basis. Some scrapbook consultants even go on to make a career out of this opportunity. Making a career out of a hobby is the ultimate way to enjoy the best of both worlds, work, and play!

I have found the company that I believe will work best for me, I Remember When. They carry top quality products by many of the same brands that I already buy on a frequent basis, and they offer a hobbyist level with lower monthly quotas than their instructor level.

Whichever level happens to be the one you would fall under, be it hobbyist, part-time, or with true career aspirations, there are numerous scrapbook companies to choose from. Do not just pick one assuming they are all the same. Choose one whose products and services fit your needs, else wise you will just be wasting your own time and money. Happy scrapping!