Stampin' Up! Convention News - Day 3

Saturday was final day of the 2011 Stampin' Up! Convention.  As usually, it didn't disappoint.    This year's, Day 3 -- the final general session--which lasted 3 hours, was filled with fun, facts and powerful emotions.  I'm truly amazed when I hear the Stampin' Up! executives talk about what's next for Stampin' Up! and how the organization plans to keep the values that have made it such a joy, every day, to be part of something that brings so much fun, beauty and love into our daily lives.  I love how much I grow from the demonstrations and classes during convention. What a sense of achievement looking back over the body of work I've created since I first started Stampin' Up!

I wanted to share some of the swaps I made for Convention and some that I received.  These are great ideas to use as staring points for your own creations.

This was the swap card for Sherri Robinson's Firday night swap.  It uses all five of the new In Colors and the new Ruffled Ribbons introduced in the new catalog.  Click any photo for a larger image.

Stamps:  Perfect Punches (Sentiment), Tiny Teacup
Ink:  Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeadek Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party
Paper:  calypso coral, Island Indigo,m Lucky Limage, pool part, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White
Accessories:  Island Indigo Ruffled Ribbon, Top Note Die Cut, Big Shot, Dimensionals, Scallop Punch.

This is another swap I made for Convention in very limited quantities.  Note to self:  Next year wait until I get to the hotel before attaching anything dimensional to a card.  The flight flattened most of the flowers on this card.

I also wanted to share a few of the swaps I received at Staturday night's swap.  I think the quality of swaps have improved in recent years making it easier than ever to return from Convention with a wealth of ideas to share in upcoming workshops and classes.

I love the new Petite Pennants Builder punch (#122361) and the new Pennant Parade (#122742) stamp set in the new catalog.

This card uses the new Faith in Nature Hostess Stamp Set (122492).  It is stamped in Black Stazon on the back side of a clear window sheet, then inked and glittered on the backside of the clear window sheet and pressed with your fingers while still wet, which causes the colors to run, creating the colored image.   I'll post more Convention photos and swap samples over the next couple of weeks.

I returned from Convention exhausted but happy from all of the day and evening activities, blisters from so much walking, and overflowing suitcases from all the free stamps, make and takes, Village of Cuteness projects and merchandise from Memento Mall. 

On the final day we were given another free stamp set for attending classes.  I’ll show you the set later this week.  It’s called Workshop Words and includes stamps that say:  “Come stamp with me”, “Thanks for your order”, “Bring a Friend”, “ I love being your Stampin’ Up! demonstrator”, “Thank you for being such a great hostess”, and Welcome to our Stampin’ Up! family”. I can't find it in any of the catalogs, so it might be exclusive to Convention attendees only.   And then during the final session we received another free set from the upcoming Holiday Mini –the Warmest of Wishes hostess set --and also the Noteworthy Digital Content CD for My Digital Studio Software.  I can’t wait to share more about what’s on this CD in the next few days.

Enjoy all of the new ideas, and let me know if you have any questions!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
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Stampin' Up! Convention News - Day 2

Day 2 at Convention was very different than in years past.  And I liked the changes!  Instead of starting with everyone together in general sessions in the main ballroom, we began the day with breakout sessions.  I also did make and takes Friday morning.  Stampin' Up! usually has four or five make and takes at convention using the Free Stamp Sets that come in your convention bags.  They supply everything; right down to the snail adhesive and scissors.  This year's projects were fabulous.  They also had display boards filled with more card ideas and three dimensional projects using our free convention stamps.  I'm having trouble uploading at the hotel so I'll show you more photos once I'm home.

Then, after a looong break for lunch--also something new this year--the afternoon was all general session.  The longer lunch breaks gave us more time to shop Memento Mall, see live demos of new products, including demos from the new Holiday Mini catalog, swap, and photograph the display boards.  The new catalogs will be available to customers Sept 1 and available for demo pre-orders August 1.  I think it's my favorite Stampin' Up! mini ever!  If you have purchased from me previously, you are already on my mailing list for a Holiday Mini as soon as they are released.  Contact me here and add your mailing address to the Comments sections to request a copy of the Holiday min catalog.

The main stage demonstrations provided demonstrators with great ideas for monthly hostess gifts, demonstrations of easy-to-do projects, and "Wow" projects covering themes for the next several months. Stampin' Up! makes it so easy to be a demonstrator! The stage demonstrations have been so fun this year.  This year, each demonstrator brought a Plus one (+one) on stage to help with demos;  daughters, the head of IT, etc.  It added a different perspective to the presentations, and showed you how to tailor workshops to the needs of these different audiences. 

For the first time ever Stampin' Up! also included more projects in the evenings.  Friday evening I took a workshop where we made this cute village cottages.   Click on any photo to see it larger. 

For more photos from Convention, check out the  Stampin’ Up! Facebook Convention reports on Facebook


We'll I'm off for final day of Convention this morning. And a shoe box swap tonight after Convention ends, so it's going to be another busy day. Look for copies of my swap cards tomorrow!

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Current Promotions
Start You Own Business
Host a workshop
24/7 Shopping at my Stampin' Up! Website
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs - including the Summer mini catalog