Regional Goodies and Blog Candy!!!

****UPDATE**** 10-15-2012  Blog Candy CLOSED.  Winner anounced in THIS POST.  Congratulations, and thank you all for leaving me comments and sending me emails.  <3

 

 

Regional Convention was so much fun.  This was my first official Stampin' UP event, as a demonstrator, and I had no idea what to expect.  The convention was held in Tacoma, WA.  The view from inside the convention center was AMAZING!  It was such a nice clear day.  A rare treat for the Pacific Northwest.

When I arrived at the check in they gave me a bag with a couple of make-n-takes and my lanyard.  The room was filled with tables and ladies swapping.  On the tables were grid mats, a box of "tools" we would need for the make-n-takes and stamps.  Before I even found a place to sit in this room full of strangers I ran in to my old demonstrator from Yuba City, CA.  Ann was in Tacoma for her reunion. Small world. 



My first big surprise was our first presenter, Shelli Gardner, the co-founder and CEO of Stampin' UP!  I had no idea she would be there.  The Hilton Head incentive trip was going on at the same time and she chose to be with us.  <3  What a fun surprise for my first event!

Shelli was working on some Thank You cards.  It was interesting to watch her work and see her creative process.  She is so down to earth and funny.  She was as warm as I thought she would be.  Here's her card.  I'm hoping to pull out this French Foliage set today and use her card as my inspiration.

I learned something new too.  Always stamp your envelope.  Shelli doesn't like a naked envelope.  It's funny because I do stamp my envelopes sometimes, but I always felt a little funny doing it.  I'll probably be doing it more often now.

There were other presenters from the home office, and they too made something on stage for us and showed us ways to "step up" each project as well.

After each presentation from the home office there was a Prize Patrol.  I didn't win any of them, but they had a few patrols that they gave to EVERYONE!  Yippee!  Here are the goodies I took home with me.

Watch the video to see close-ups of everything I came home with.  ;)  Plus I tell you how you could win some BLOG CANDY!!!  

I wasn't sure if people would swap at Convention so I only made 22 cards.  I'm glad I made them though.  Swapping is fun, and YES, people do swap.  Here are the swaps I got.  Click HERE to see the swap cards I made.

Not only did people swap while at the convention, they had a basket out front for you to put your swaps in.  Then they took those swaps and put them up on boards so everyone could see them and take pictures.  Shelli even chose a few of the swaps and those people got a FREE stamp set of their choice. 

 

Of course the fun of any gathering is connecting.  The lady at the table in front of me, Rose Jenkins, made this awesome entry for the fair in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. 

It's made of butterflies and retired SU paper.

Thanks to Ann, I got to meet Shelli.  She told her how I was her first hostess.  I didn't even remember that.  Ann is pretty high up in the Stampin' UP world.  I'm honored to have been a part of her beginnings!

As you can see I had way more fun than I expected.  If you ever get a chance to go to a Stampin' UP event, I think you should.   Thank you for being a part of my business by reading this blog.  Now I have some BLOG CANDY for you!  If you watched the video, you already know this.


BLOG CANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seasonal Sayings Stamp Set

A. Leave a comment on my blog telling me:
Your Name
Your Email
Which is your favorite image from the Seasonal Sayings Stamp Set

OR

B. Send me an email with:
BLOG CANDY in the subject
Your Name
Which is your favorite image from the Seasonal Sayings Stamp Set

MUST LEAVE COMMENT OR EMAIL ME BEFORE OCTOBER 15, 2012!
On, or shortly after 10-15-12, I will draw a random winner from the comments and emails and that person will get my Seasonal Sayings Stamp Set from convention!  If you are outside of the USA and I choose your name I will send you a set of cards using this stamp set instead of the stamp set itself.  (Stampin' UP does not allow me to ship current product outside the USA)

Thanks again for sharing this journey with me!

Creative Blessings,
Heather North