Stamping & Scrapping with Jen

A Walk in the (Product) Park

Short post today, but lots of photos!!! 

Product Park was a great little area at Convention in the Demonstrator Resource Center.  Here are a few photos that I took while I was visiting.

Come back & visit tomorrow.  I will be starting a whole series of posts on how to get started with stamping!!!!

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All My Stuff... and a Tip of the Week

I went to convention with just two carry-on bags (pretty impressive so far, huh?)  I have traveled four times this year so far - Puerto Rico, California, Chicago, and Salt Lake City.  I haven't checked a bag in over a year, so it really was no big deal to get to SLC with just my two carry-on bags.  However, what was really impressive was that I CAME HOME with just those same two carry-on bags!!!!  I had to cheat a tiny bit, and have my friend Jessica throw my purse in her bigger carry-on bag (they wouldn't let me take "3" bags onto the place) and I could have taken things out of it and made it fit, but I would have had to take the whole thing apart, so she just threw it in her bag and I went on with my two.  Here is just SOME of the ADDITIONAL stuff I brought home that I didn't take with me.

• 8 stamp sets
• Simply Sent Kit
• Roll of Ribbon
• 8 mini catalogs
• Make & takes (I think there were like 7)
• Workshop in a Bag
• My Digital Studio CD

and then there was:

• Convention bag
• Catalog Binder
• swaps (okay I went with some, but I seemed to come back with more)

And yes, I managed to cram it all into a backpack and a carry-on suitcase.

So, my tip(s) today is about packing for Convention - or any other relatively short trip.

• Plan your wardrobe so you know EXACTLY what you will wear each day.
• Plan to wear pants more than once
• Pack underwear and socks for as many days as you are there, plus 2 (just in case!)
• Buy everything in travel size
• If you can't get it in travel size, leave it at home and buy it when you get there. (For example, my face wash is $6.99.  If I packed it I'd have to pay (roughly) $25 each way to check my bag.  Or I can spend $7 when I get there and buy a new one that I leave in the hotel room.)
• Wear your "biggest" clothes & shoes on your way there and your way home.  For example, bring a sweatshirt, but wear it or tie it around your waist.  Bring sneakers, but wear them and pack your flip flops.  (Yes, I know security is a pain, but it only takes 3 extra minutes to untie and retie your shoes.)  That leaves you lots of extra room in your suitcase!
• Airlines typically allow you to bring on 2 carry-ons PLUS any food you bought in the airport, so if you want to bring your own food (which I always do since airlines aren't kind to us gluten-free people), bring it in a white grocery bag and make it look like you bought it there.  It saves room in your bags for other things.
• Don't pack every book and magazine you haven't read.  Just bring one, and if you are going to convention, you might not even look at that, but it can't hurt to have one.  Any more than that is overkill!!!
• If you are going to Convention, be careful what you buy in Memento Mall!!!!  :)

That should get you off to a good start, and it should at least get you one way without having to pay those ridiculous baggage fees!!  Oh, and if you decide not to pack a book or a magazine (I can't believe it took me this long to figure this out), use My Digital Studio on the plane.  Duh!!!  We can't take scissors, but we can scrapbook digitally!!!  I realized this about 2 hours into my flight yesterday, so I played around, and here is what I created.

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best. convention. ever.

Holy cow!!  It really was the best convention ever.  EVERYTHING was over the top.  It was so great to see friends I have made over the years again (even though some I never bumped into until TODAY).  I am so energized with all the new information and products that were shared.  Oh, and did I mention FREE STAMPS???????  Not just one, or two, or three, but there were FOUR unexpected give-aways.

Here are Carla and Donna with one of their new sets.  This one was a reward just for going to the classes.  How cool is that???

Some of you may know this already, but when I first became a demonstrator in October of 2002, I was working in Manhattan and I had your typical New York mentality.  You know, the one where you don't make eye contact with people and you bury your head in the newspaper so they don't make eye contact with you.  Well, at my first convention, they told me all about how Stampin' Up! was going to change my life and bring all these friends and relationships into my life.  All I thought was, "I don't need any new friends; I already have a lot of friends."  But you know what?  It happened anyway.  And it keeps happening.

Here are my newest friends, Colleen & Korrin, from California.  (Actually in this photo it's Korrin & Colleen.)  I'm going to visit them and they're going to take me wine tasting. :)  When they come visit me, I'm going to take them to all the best places in Jersey - Carlo's Bakery, Franklin Lakes, and OF COURSE, down the shore!!!!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the food out here.  I always tell Stampin' Up! that I need a gluten free meal, and here was my lunch yesterday.  Yup - gluten-free bread AND a cookie!!  Awesome!!!

Dinner last night was at Thaifoon.  There were aboout 18 or so of us - and my new California friends came and so did my friend Kari who is from Michigan.  (I get to talk to her once a week during our coaching calls.)  Kari got some pics of us, but I didn't take any with my camera.  But I did take some of my FOOD!!!

Since you have been so patient reading about my friends and my food, I thought maybe I would share a stamping project!!!  This "lollipop" is made with the sweet treat cups and the Pennant Parade die (for the tree inside).  It can be Christmas in July!!!

Oh, and finally - I almost forgot!!!  Here is my convention swap!  I had a couple people ask about the letters on this card, so I thought I would share some of my tips:

• I used the Billboard Sizzlits strip die
• I cut out a B, an O, and a Q - all those letters at once
• I trimmed off the tail from the Q to make it into an O (cut my die-cutting time in half because I didn't have to run it through again for the second O)
• I attached the tiny letters with 2-Way Glue

When I get back home, I'll be able to play with all my new stuff from here and all the new things I ordered.  That means more new samples to show you!!!!  (Oh and maybe I'll finish my make & takes!!)

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Join Me at Convention Next Year!!!

Hey there PEELin' Peeps (still trying that one out for size)!

Yesterday was another amazing day!!  I took a few classes in the morning, but none were with my downline, so by the time it was lunchtime, I had really missed them!!  I was so excited to talk to them and share what I had saw & learned and find out what they had saw and learned!! 

After lunch, I made another stop at Memento Mall (and I did not buy anything!!!) :), but I did take some photos there, which spilled out to many, many more photos in the many, many display areas.  And guess what???  I forgot to download my photos today!!!  So I will try to add those in as soon as possible!!  (Adding some in now!!)

I started to experience brain overload, so we headed to the afternoon session, which was another general session.  I got to walk on stage again for my sales (20k this year - THANK YOU customers!!!!) and we also saw some more great demonstrations.

After that was over, we were free for the night!!!!!  YEAH!!!  I was so glad too, because I don't think I could have absorbed one more thing!!

So back at the hotel, we stopped in the bar for a drink (shocking, I know!!!) and we sat next to the most fun California demonstrators ever!!  (Hi Colleen & Karrin!)  We are already Facebook friends and are planning trips to both coasts.  I of course want to use their expertise to tour wine country in California.  They were so happy to meet some Jersey girls and I promised them a trip to Carlo's Bakery when they come to visit.  C'mon - Who wouldn't want to spend some time in Hoboken???  :)

Did you know you can join Stampin' Up! this month for just $99???  If you do, YOU can be here with me next year at Convention 2012!!!!  The Convention experience is something that cannot really be put into words, but is something that I am hoping you can kind of understand from my posts.  It's motivational, inspirational, fun, overwhelming, and so many more adjectives.  I know my downline that is here will agree.  I have a feeling they will ALL be back!!!

Just picture yourself in sunny Salt Lake City, spending 4 or 5 days learning about the hobby you already love, and having the opportunity to meet amazing women, learn creative projects, and be inspired to inspire others.  You make new friends and you rekindle old ones and when you get home, your business takes off like crazy!!!

Would you like that???  Here's one more thing to sweeten the deal.  As I mentioned before, there is a $99 starter kit available until the end of the month.  If you take advantage of the opportunity, you will also receive this cute keepsake box project.

If you like what you have heard, click this link.  It will tell you everything you need to know and you can then click "join now" and YOU ARE IN!!!  If you have questions, please let me know; I'd love to chat with you about it!

And then next year, this photo (taken at the home office in Riverton) will include YOU!

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Convention Recap - So Far...

It's late already, but I'll try to recap the last two days.  I'm writing this late on Thursday night and it will post early Friday morning for you!  It has certainly been a whirlwind of a trip so far, but it's been AMAZING!!!

Wednesday was check-in day and we got our convention bags, shopped at Memento Mall,  did some swapping and took a tour at the head office in Riverton.  And that was all before dinner!!!

In the evening, there was a kick-off party where my friends Carla & Sue got to play a game & win free stuff.  I won a prize and we also watched some awesome demonstrations.  I got distracted because I ran into some old friends, so I (gasp!) didn't take any photos of the demos.  I am pretty sure their projects are on a display board somewhere, so I can still track them down (I hope!)

After that, my upline, Tina, had a little gathering where we swapped and chatted and it was great to see some of my favorite sidelines from all over the country.  Tina also gave us an adorable little gift.  (And no, I didn't take a picture of that either!!  What the heck is wrong with me???)  :)

Yesterday morning started out with a general session where Shelli spoke and they had a march for all the First Time Convention Goers.  I was so excited for this, since all 6 of my downline are here for the first time!!  Here they are up on stage!!

 

Aren't they cute????  I was so, so excited for them!!!

Then Pam Morgan showed us some sneak peeks from the Holiday Mini catalog and all I can say is OMG!!!  You guys are going to love, love, love it!!!!  (That reminds me, I am still looking for a name for all of you!!  Please read this post and let me know what you think!!!) Back to the mini - holy cow, it's amazing.  New dies, new papers, Halloween, fall, Christmas, new tools, you name it - it is in there!!!

After lunch, (which I had the gluten-free version and it was delish!), we had make & takes!  We were already warned that we wouldn't finish them all, so I didn't even try.  All I got assembled was this paper flower and the top of a box (which is covered in fabric).  It is cute and I can't wait to finish the rest of the box. 

In fact, I have so many class ideas you guys might as well clear your calendar now because I am going to keep you VERY busy!!  I have class ideas right through January!!!

Last night we went to an early dinner and we had the awards night.  We found out where our next incentive trips are going to be!!  Are you ready for this????  Okay, there is a getaway weekend trip (which I am pretty sure I can achieve) to Hilton Head.   OR.....  if I work a little harder, I can go to..........FIJI!!!!  How cool is that?????

They also announced the new Advisory Board.  The new members are: Laura Barto, Susan Elise Morton, Dawn Olchefske, Missy Shipman, Josee Smuck, Denise Sullivan, Deb Valder, and (returning) Megan Wheeler.  Congrats girls!!  Do us proud!!!  :)

Alright, PEELin' Peeps (I might just try some of those names out until I decide which one I like!), it's super late here in Salt Lake City!!!  SO I will say good night, even though chances are when you read this I probably should be saying good morning, but either way, I hope you enjoyed this post and now you are all caught up!!!

More tomorrow!!!  :)

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Convention Downline Gifts

As promised, here are the downline gifts I made for all the girls in my downline who came to Convention.

Inside each little baggie, there was the following: a card, a pair of socks (you can always use another pair of socks when you are traveling), and a personalized bag tag.

They were a lot of fun to make, but I have to admit I had some help!!  I owe my daughter Emily & Pam, my assistant, a big thank you!!!!  (Love you girls!!)

Be sure to check out my Facebook page for some photos from yesterday's Check-In Day Festivities!!!

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Hello From Salt Lake City!!

We have arrived!!!  I only have internet in the hotel lobby, but I promise to write more later and include my downline gift photos.  (I haven't given them out yet, so I want to keep them under wraps for a few more minutes.)

UPDATE: Watch for the pictures of my downline gifts tomorrow!!!  Sorry!!!  It's been a crazy busy (but really fun!!) day!!!!

Convention Swaps: In Progress

I'm leaving later today for Salt Lake City and I'm in the middle of my swaps.  In fact, I am counting on the fact that an order I placed last week arrives before I leave because it will really make my card even CUTER!!

So obviously I don't have a finished sample yet, but I'm pretty close (minus the missing stamp set).  Here are a few "in progress" shots.  Can you figure out what it's going to look like??

I'll be sure to post a finished photo once they are all done!!!  In tomorrow's post I think I'll share my Convention downline gifts and for the rest of the week, I hope to post highlights from Salt Lake City!!!  Be sure to visit every day so you don't miss anything!

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Another Convention Sample - Flight of the Butterfly card

Here was another sample created by the Jen-Deb-Sue team during the Convention make & takes.  This one was made by my downline Sue and Stampin' Up! called it the "Thank You So Very Much card".

Supplies are:
Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly
C/S: Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, More Mustard, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Accessories: On Board Loads of Letters, Choc Chip 1" double stitched grosgrain, Whis White 1/4" grosgrain, Vanilla Hogepodge, Crop-A-Dile, Boho Blossoms punch, Scallop Edge Punch

Hope you have a happy Thursday!!!
-Jen

Blooms Bookmark - Another Convention Sample

Here is one of the projects that Deb made during our divide & conquer make & take session.  It's a bookmark that uses the new Pacific Point striped grosgrain ribbon!!  We think it's such a cute idea and would make a great gift for kids to make for their parents.

Stamp set: Eastern Blooms
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Whisper White, Old Olive
Ink: Old Olive craft, Tangerine Tango
Accessories: Pacific Point ribbon, On Board Scallop Square (from OB Essentials), Filigree brads