This past week I attended my first Stampin' Up! Convention and everything was a total blur as I tried to keep up with everything going on around me. I flew into Salt Lake City, Utah arriving about 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. As fate would have it, my luggage did not make my plane change in Phoenix, Arizona...I almost didn't either...but the airlines did have it delivered by 8:30 p.m. so I was happy with that. For the rest of the week, everything went smoothly and I enjoyed every minute of my experience.
I shared a room with three great ladies (Jan, Cindy and Cathy), I had a beautiful view of the city and I had access to all the M&M's I wanted in the Excecutive Lounge...Now what more could a girl want?? Well, duh...free stamp sets, of course! Stampin' Up did not let me down. The next day at check in I got my new catalog (awesome) AND not one, not two, but THREE free stamp sets.
One of the funniest moments of Convention was EARLY Wednesday morning. We had set the alarm for 5:30 a.m, and when Jan woke up she sat straight up in bed and shouted, "We get our new catalogs today!" and she was off and running. When I arrived at the Convention Center, I was not at all prepared for the sight that awaited me ...6000 crazy ladies all in search of their new catalog.
Check-in was one of the first exciting moments of the Convention because I had a big surprise waiting for me. I had earned a special reward called Founder's Circle. Along with everyone whooping and hollering and blowing party horns, I was also presented with a beautiful pink leather purse, a Founder's Circle pin, another free stamp set and news that I was going to receive a $800 cash bonus AND a trip to St. George's, Utah in September where I would be totally pampered for 4 days!!
I had my picture taken with the President of the company and everywhere I went, everyone treated me like royalty when they saw my pink bag. It was a HOOT! My upline had a notion that I might be in the running to receive the reward so she was standing ready with her camera to catch the moment.
Our catalogs came in a fun tote bag (which are absolutely gorgeous done up in Baha Breeze, Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip). I also received a matching note pad case from my SAM (Sales Account Manager) who I met for the first time. 
The Fall/Winter catalog is FANTABULOUS!! New colors, new punches, new Designer Paper and Simply Scrappin' kits that are to die for. Everyone was swapping cards...there was even a rumor that one demonstrator brought 6000 swaps with her...what???
In the afternoon, I met several of the ladies in my Remarkable Faith Group, and later that evening, I met some of the other girls in my Remarkable Stampers group at Trofi's for a Secret Sister exchange and hors d'oeuvres. Then we went to Spencer's for a bit more to eat. We called it a night around 1:00 a.m. and set the alarm for 5:30 a.m.! YIKES!!
The following morning, Thursday, we were at the CC by 7:30 and OMG!! I never knew Stampin' Up demonstrators were such a wild and crazy bunch of ladies but let me tell you, they were dancing in the aisles at 8:00 in the morning. It did energize me and by 8:30 when Shelli (Founder and CEO of Stampin' Up) walked out on stage, I was ready to join them. General Session was a blast.
During the day, I went to classes, swapped cards, completed some make n' takes, swapped cards, took pictures of displays and of course, swapped more cards.
That evening was the Award Ceremony and I got to accept my Rising Star award by walking across the stage in front of 6000 people...my 30 seconds of fame! This picture of me was taken with Shelli after the Awards Ceremony. The entertainment for the evening was by a group called Tonic Sol-fa and they were great. Their style of music was very unique...sort of country and beat box...if you can imagine!?
Friday morning dawned sunny, hot and dry. The day started back at the Convention Center by 7:30, swapping at lunch, classes in the afternoon and a tour of the Riverton Complex where the hub of Stampin' Up is located. The sun was setting on the ride back and was beautiful as it slipped behind the Utah mountains.
Saturday morning, Stampin' Up announced they have partnered with Sizzix and would be offering the BIG SHOT die cut machine September 2!! Along with that announcement, Shelli also announced that there would be more Décor Elements, a catalog for the Hispanic Community and her own Signature Line to be released in the Holiday Mini Catalog. Also for the first time ever, Stampin' Up would be reducing the price of several selected stamp sets in the NEW Fall/Winter Catalog!
I didn't think things could get any more exciting but when we met for the last General Session, Shelli announced that EVERYONE was getting ANOTHER free stamp set compliments of UPS! Everyone went WILD...the confetti flew and the UPS men started running everywhere giving out free stamp sets. It was a scene out of a movie!! When everything was over, I didn't want it to end.
Later that night I went out to dinner with Janet and Deb K., Deb B. and some of the other demonstrators who had earned Founder's Circle...Patty B., Janice W., Ruth B. (#2 Rising Star) and Jan W. Lively conversation, great company and delicious food!
It was a fantastic adventure and I am going to start saving for Convention 2009 so I can experience all this craziness again. (I'll try to post some more pictures tomorrow...well it actually is tomorrow because the clock says 5:09 am.) Time to catch some sleep!!
