Northwest Stamper

Category: Events

  • Stampin’ Up Convention 2015–Day 1

    Stampin’ Up Convention 2015–Day 1

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    double punchesWhile I’m away you can play and earn free stamps twice as fast!
    Get double punches on your Northwest Stamper Rewards card all week
    when you shop with me online or email me.

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    What a busy but great first day here at Convention!  It was all about NEW and the NEW Holiday Catalog!  From the very first session as they revealed the upcoming catalog to fun throughout the day as we learned, stamped, and got new ideas based on some the great stuff coming out in September.

    So here is your daily recap!

    We started out by checking out the Convention Center and getting the CUTE convention bag this year.  I think it is my favorite yet!

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    As we were waiting in line, we spotted one of the staff in the blinky sparkly outfits which meant if we said hello and played his game (name the cardstock color) we won prizes!

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    Of course we rocked it… most of the gals got logo travel purses/badge holders – which they were really excited about, and a few of us got ribbon spools. WINNING!

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    And btw – doesn’t everyone look great in our team shirts?  This is our Fun n’ Crafty  crew representing at Convention! The bright blue clumps of people made it SOOO much easier to find each other Smile

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    Finally we were let in and we got to see main stage.  Seriously people, the décor is so fab this year!

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    They started out with the “Daily Share” which essentially was a 2 hour long new holiday catalog reveal party led by Bonnie Farley, Brian Piling, and Carrie Cudney

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    I will say though, one of my favorite little clips was of Brian aka “Quick and Easy” trying to go out on the streets with a Quick and Easy Card Project on a cart randomly asking people if they wanted to make a quick project with him.  I’ll say, that man has way more guts than me! Smile

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    Different this year was that most of the catalog reveal was showing a completed project or two as someone talked about their favorite new item in the catalog or how they would share the catalog with others.  So, mostly, lots of photo ops of cute new stuff.

    Like new stamps, red pom pom trim, new festive buttons…. 

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    New specialty designer papers, new word thinlit dies!!!

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    And even more dies!  Many of the new stamp sets in the catalog now have coordinating dies so you can easily cut out and create neat layered projects.

    There is also a new Precision Plate for the Big Shot that they say will help you eliminate the need for wax paper with your intricate dies.  GREAT concept!  I get to play with it today so I’ll keep you posted on what I discover after playing with it.

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    Who loves this die?!

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    And finally we got our copy of the holiday catalog too!

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    Here is a better picture, with the more important part in focus Winking smile

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    Then it was time to head to lunch, classes, and the Gathering Place where there were lots of samples and all the products in the Holiday Catalog on display for us to check out.

    Kicked off the party with the Interim CEO Sara Douglas

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    Even the décor for some of the Make & Takes put you in the festive spirit

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    PSST – Those deer are from some of our upcoming designer paper!  Love the vintage!

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    More vintage sneak peeks with this cute tag we made – check out the striped satin ribbon, the santa cut out from patterned paper, and the Pointsettia button!

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    Then it was back to the Gathering Place for more relaxing and checking out boards.

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    This is the stamp set and matching framelit that I HAVE TO HAVE!  This WILL be coming to my house in August when I can preorder it. Smile 

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    New kits were out…totally doing these shaker cards as a class!

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    And lots more:

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    Finally it was time to grab some dinner and then get gussied up for Awards Night and the Roaring 20’s after party.  Monica Van Tassel from our Fun n’ Crafty group was extra crafty and MADE us all feather headbands to wear.  How fun is that??

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    They kicked off the party with a neat dance show by some local dancers

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    Then Sara got things started recognizing so many demonstrators for their outstanding achievement this last year.  Let me just say, a lot of people had AMAZING years!

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    Then it was time to party!

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    They had food, a live band, and event dance lessons.  Of course, Mom, Beatie, and I had to arrive in style Smile

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    Then we headed back to our hotel where Liz had brought some wine so we had late night happy hour in her room.  So, more fun socializing and discussing our have-to-haves from the upcoming catalog and preorder!

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    All in all, a great day!  Make all the better by the wonderful people I was with!  Now off to get going for Day 2! 

    I’ll see you over on Facebook for more real time updates throughout the day!

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  • It’s the Stampin’ Up Convention Arrival Day!  (RECAP)

    It’s the Stampin’ Up Convention Arrival Day! (RECAP)

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    While I’m away you can play and earn free stamps twice as fast! 
    Get double punches on your Northwest Stamper Rewards card all week! 

    ——————————

    Oh my everyone!  Yesterday was the big arrival day for myself, almost all of the Fun n’ Crafty stampers group, and a few friends who would be hanging out with us. 

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    Mom and I got up way too early for my liking to head to the airport Smile  But we were happy to be on our way!

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    As expected, I didn’t have my swaps anywhere near ready to go, so I through amazing luck, I had the only open middle seat on the plane next to me!  Which meant it was time to set up a swap making factory!

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    Most of our group arrived in the morning, so we hung out in our hotel room (or at least the one hotel room we could check into early) and worked on finishing swaps. 

    And can I say, I LOVE my stamping team and friends and they TOTALLY saved my bacon!  Everyone was so nice and offered to help assemble my swaps that I was silly in thinking I could pull together in a reasonable amount of time. Smile  <3 Them!

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    After a yummy lunch, we boarded the bus for the pilgramige to the Stampin’ Up home office for a tour and to say thank you to the awesome staff hanging out there, working hard to keep everything running smoothly!

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    Of course Mom and I had to get our picture taken in the atrium….

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    We explored the Idea room and their fun conference room that is wall of whiteboard.  I had to leave my graffiti while I was there

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    Then checking out the distribution center where they were packaging and shipping orders while we watched!

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    And of course we had to say hello and an extra big thank you to the demonstrator support team… who were answering calls while we walked.

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    And they had cute card samples on display too!  (PS – I have more samples posted over on my Facebook page here)

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    These two were designed by my fab friend Michelle Suit!  Isn’t she talented?

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    There were even new projects in the Legacy Museum too!

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    Finally, in between bouts of crazy rain, we ran out to the rock for our obligatory rock picture!

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    (L-R:  Monica Van Tassell, Kathy Thisted, Carla Branton, me – Jennifer Blomquist, Nicole Flournoy, and Beatie Bucy)

    Afterwards, I scrambled to finish getting goodie bags ready for the crew before we headed out to dinner.

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    Inside each bag we had

    • A team t-shirt (saying on the front and our team name on the back!) made by my friend Tamra Davis for us.
    • A name bag tag
    • Treats that were supposed to have a cute poem with them but I wasn’t that on top of things… but it went something like this:
      ”When convention feels like a circus (animal crackers)
      and you just need to chill (wintergreen life savers)
      get smart (smarties)
      Stay smooth and have fun (fun size milky way candy bar)” Smile
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    We walked to dinner at Red Rock Brewery and though we didn’t have all one table, we still had fun and swapped for some cute cards!

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    So, now it is time to get ready for Day 1 – lots more swapping, bags, prize patrol, and lots and lots of fun!  Make sure you are watching my Facebook page for updates throughout the day!

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  • Final Stampin’ Up Convention Prep with a DOUBLE Rewards Points week and New Weekly Deals

    Its an exciting week around here!  Tomorrow I head to Salt Lake City for the big Stampin’ Up convention and I can’t wait!  This is the last year that they are holding this style of Convention event (they are changing to a new global event starting in November) so I’m glad I get to go be a part of the summer convention send off.

    Of course, like usual, I’m still scrambling to pack and work on my swaps…

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    I was working last night while watching tv… and I’ve had a station set up to work while my kids were playing!swap making 1

    Each year I think I’ve designed an “easy” swap to mass produce and then I start working and realize each swap requires a ton of punching and glueing Smile  They aren’t hard to make just time consuming when you are trying to make 60+.  I expect I’ll be still assembling on the plane tomorrow, but that is half the fun, right? ha ha ha

    In the meantime, for those of you not joining me in Salt Lake City, I’ll be posting realtime updates as long as my phone holds up over on my Facebook page… and Facebook had gotten a little crabby with how they show posts, so you may have to start actually visiting my page to make sure you catch them all because FB tends to stop showing posts from pages you like if they post too often or the “wrong” type of posts (like if I post too many pictures, they stop showing all of them on your walls).  It is silly but I’ll keep posting anyway!

    I’ll also post up summaries late each night here on the blog.


    CONVENTION SPECIAL! 

    Double Reward Punches = Free Stamps in half the time!
    July 21 – 26, 2015

    While I’m away, I’m offering double punches all week long!  For every $40 in product you purchase get not 1 but 2 punches on your Northwest Stamper Rewards punch card.  So $40 = 2 punches, $80=4 punches and so on. 

    Once you have 10 punches on your card, you can pick out any stamp set in the catalog or online to receive free from me!  Sweet, right?

     

    Get your punch card here to track your points

    Rewards Program details:

    • Each time you make a purchase, you will want to track it on the punch card and note the date of your order
    • Once you have filled all 10 spots, email me to let me know which stamp set you want along with the dates of your orders to confirm punch card completion.
    • NOTE – you are responsible for tracking your own orders
    • Punches are good for 2 years from purchase date.


    New Weekly Deals are here too!

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    View the weekly deals online here

    So, grab some great deals and sit back and get ready for a few days of awesome inspiration and fun with all the excitement from Convention!

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  • A Monochromatic Thanks with Seasonally Scattered

    I was thinking last night about blog posts and realized that I had been so good about posting my display board projects from the 2014 convention, but then got sidetracked with other projects (and to be honest, I wanted to mix up the stamp sets I was featuring here) and completely forgot to finish sharing the display board projects!  I had saved some of my favorites for last and so I want to make sure to get them posted…. like today’s card!

    This was one of the first I did with the Seasonally Scattered stamp set that I LOVED.  It’s not flashy, but I like it’s understatedness.  What do you think?

    Tips for this card:

    • Did you know, the Lovely as a Tree has a leaf stamp that goes PERFECTLY with the Seasonally Scattered thanks stamp??  Stamp your thanks image and then start stamping some falling leaves in Versamark and heat emboss with gold ink for a pretty fall touch.

    • Wrap some linen thread around a few times to add some texture and a simple rustic touch to your card.
    • In keeping with the brown monotone look for the card, I sponged the edge of my Very Vanilla cardstock with Crumb Cake to help all of the cardstock pieces transition nicely with each other.

    Its delightfully simple and yet elegant to do… and you could mix and match your colors to get exactly the look you want.  For this card, I used:  Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, and Very Vanilla; but shake it up when you try it at home!

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    Hostess Code:  C2HYWWQM Use this Hostess Code and receive a free gift! (Please do not use the Hostess Code if your order is $150 or more)

    Need a Holiday Catalog?  Check it out online or email me at jennifer@nwstamper.com to get your copy!


    Card Supplies Used:

    Heat Tool


    $29.95

    Linen Thread


    $4.50

  • Stampin’ Up Convention Day 2–Make & Takes, Parties, and More

    Stampin’ Up Convention Day 2–Make & Takes, Parties, and More

    Good morning from Salt Lake!  I’m supposed to be eating my breakfast and getting to the main stage but I wanted to share a few highlights from yesterday at Convention.  Its been an amazing adventure so far, and

    if you want to see more photos and news, it is all up over on my Facebook page – check it out!

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    This was our Fun n’ Crafty group here – aren’t they cute? Smile 

    Project Samples:

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    Make & Takes:  Pictures to come soon for what we made!!

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    New Product trials:

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    It was fun stamping next to Patty Bennett!  Plus a new gift box punch board is coming!

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    Awards night after party (more pic are on Facebook of this Smile)

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    It was an awesome day and I’ll leave you with this great quote I saw yesterday!

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    Thanks for following along with me.  I’ll have lots and lots more to share with you soon!

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    FREE SHIPPING Convention Special! Get free shipping on all orders through 7/20/2014 when you use the hostess code 7RDHVEKR. Shop online

  • Stampin’ Up Convention 2014–Display Boards and Day 1 Activities

    Stampin’ Up Convention 2014–Display Boards and Day 1 Activities

    Well, once again here I sit after midnight working on my blog post.  ha ha!  There must be something in my DNA that says it is not possible for me to go to bed before 12am!

    But, I just had lots of photos and details to share with you from today’s Stampin’ Up Convention activities that I figured I had to jump on and get them posted!

    You may have seen some of them throughout the day on my Facebook page or on Instagram, but some are new too!

    So a quick run down on the highlights of the day…

    We started out with the opening session, kicked off by seeing all the different teams of employees from the Home Office and then a chat by Shelli Gardner

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    Oh, and did I mention they started it all off by giving everyone a random single stamp (I’m looking forward to playing with my camera stamp!)

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    Then we got to see the cover and get a walkthrough of the upcoming 2014 Holiday Catalog!

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    I’ll admit, I wasn’t wowed by the cover… but then they started showing what was inside and lets just say that my attitude turned around REALLY QUICK!!

    While I can’t show you the inside of the catalog, I can show you a few products and project photos

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    But there is so much good stuff including new framelits, new embossing folders, new paper, new GIFT BOX PUNCH BOARD, new mini stapler, new Project Life by Stampin’ Up kits, great new décor kits, new TREE PUNCH & stamp set, ENDLESS WISHES is BACK, and more!  Oh and the new ribbon and embellishments…. guess I’ll be doing a share for those because you will want to try them out!
    (email me at jennifer@nwstamper.com if you want to get to the head of the list for shares as soon as they are available!)

    Yes, I’m already trying to start working on my holiday catalog budget Winking smile

    Then we got to do some make & takes

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    Before heading over to look at displays including the AWESOME board created by many talented stampers on my Fun n’ Crafty team!

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    Contributers included:

    • Stacey Lane
    • Kathy Thisted
    • Rosemary Bryson
    • Sara Grafton
    • Elise Hamilton
    • Jennifer Blomquist

    Seriously, don’t they rock!

    See All The Display Board Photos Here

    I also got to see my name in print too!

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    It is so incredibly amazing to see my name next some of these amazing stampers and Artisans.

    Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing the projects I created for Stampin’ Up to give ideas for the 3 stamp sets we got at Convention – Kinda Eclectic, Amazing Birthday, and Seasonally Scattered (from the holiday catalog).  So make sure to check back often!

    We had some great classes with stamping and business tips and then some of us went to evening classes while others headed out to Riverton to visit the home office!

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    We got to see the shipping department along with great stamping inspiration.

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    (amazing hot air balloon by Ilina Crouse)

    See All the Home Office Tour Photos Here

    Then it was time for a late dinner and back to the hotel to check out our swaps, reflect on the day, share with our Fun n’ Crafty group members back home who couldn’t attend, and try to get some sleep!

    Tomorrow is going to be a great day!

    And don’t forget –

    NORTHWEST STAMPER CONVENTION SPECIAL

    Free Shipping on All Orders using hostess code 7RDHVEKR

    I wanted to do a little something-something while I was away playing at Convention, so I thought I would give you all free shipping this weekend! Place an order online using the hostess code 7RDHVEKR and when I get back from my trip I will send you a handmade thank you card and a refund of your shipping!

    Good through 7/20/2014

    See you online tomorrow!

     

    spaced shop now sig bar

    FREE SHIPPING Convention Special! Get free shipping on all orders through 7/20/2014 when you use the hostess code 7RDHVEKR. Shop online here

  • Stampin’ Up Convention 2014–Check In Day

    Stampin’ Up Convention 2014–Check In Day

    I told my mom that I wasn’t going to stay up until 3 again… but somehow it is 2:30am and so I’m going to have to keep this quick.  But I couldn’t go to bed without sharing some of the fun that is happening here in Salt Lake City!  Oh, but first:


    NORTHWEST STAMPER CONVENTION SPECIAL

    Free Shipping on All Orders using hostess code 7RDHVEKR

    I wanted to do a little something-something while I was away playing at Convention, so I thought I would give you all free shipping this weekend!  Place an order online using the hostess code 7RDHVEKR and when I get back from my trip I will send you a handmade thank you card and a refund of your shipping!

    Good through 7/20/2014


    Ok, now on to the fun stuff, right?  Here is your 2014 Stampin’ Up Convention recap for check in day:

    karen swap creating on a plane

    We left hot and sunny Seattle early in the morning (we being my mom, Kathy, and myself) to fly to Salt Lake City for the Stampin’ Up convention.  The night before I learned that Karen (one of my downline and Fun n’ Crafty stamper) had not been able to make cards for a swap due to life circumstances.  And since I knew she would have tried if it was all possible for her to do it, I decided to surprise her by creating 25 card swaps for her while on the plane…

    ok, I didn’t finish them all on the plane, but I did get the stamping done!  the rest we finished at the hotel. Smile 

    Fun n Crafty Stampin Up convention display board setup

    Then after some lunch, myself, Kathy, and Karen headed in to the Gathering Place and the display boards to start setting up the board that my group had been asked to fill.  We have some fantastic stampers in our Fun n’ Crafty group and I was so excited to be able to share some of their creations with everyone at convention! 

    (For those of you that love display board pictures, check back tomorrow when I’m allowed to officially post pictures Winking smile)

    We went off to a group dinner and stamping with some friends and then soon it was 6pm and time for Convention bag pick up and the Paper Pumpkin Night Out party!  As you can see, a lot of people were excited to get their convention bag.

    I got in and out of line 3 times over the course of the evening but turns out the “B” line or “A/B” line (since we were picking up based on our last name) was a popular one this year. Smile

    Rich Jutkins convention bag stuffing

    Something fun to see… Rich Jutkins (the President of Stampin’ Up) and Sara Douglas and her family all were helping get bags and supplies put together for use!  It’s not everyday you see executives for a company getting down and dirty helping serve the rank & file.  And this is one of the many reasons why we love them!

    Then it was off to the party with lots of cookies and cake treats, a make & take featuring the September 2014 Paper Pumpkin kit, prizes, and a couple displays (though the lighting was terrible for photos).

    I’m so grateful to be able to attend many of the Stampin’ Up events and thought it was so cool to get a chance to hang out for a few minutes with Stampin’ Up home office staff and stamper extrordinaire – Shannon West – and the oh so sweet Andrea Withers who has been the coordinator for all my Convention Display Board activities this year!  <3 them!

    And eventually I got my bag and all the goodies it contained (stamps and supplies for this weekends crafting projects, including NEW sneak peek stuff!!)

    The Convention bag this year is actually a nice bag that is perfectly sized for tablets (or a few stamp cases as I discovered).  It isn’t huge, but that is probably a good thing for me! Have you seen how full I stuff my bags??! Smile

    These aren’t all the photos I took, these photos and more are up on my Facebook Page and I’ll be sharing more over the next few days while I’m out and about the conference and then posting many of them at night.  So, make sure you have liked my page to get all the updates!

    Ok, and now I REALLY need to get some sleep.  My alarm goes off in 3 hrs!

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    FREE SHIPPING Convention Special! Get free shipping on all orders through 7/20/2014 when you use the hostess code 7RDHVEKR.  Shop online here

  • Founder’s Circle 2013 Day 3–Making stamps and more!

    Yesterday was another busy day out here in St. George for Founder’s Circle.  It is all I can do to take it all in and not only soak up the experiences but also try to figure out how I can use this time to better focus & make sure I have the right perspective for my stamping business. 

    I also have been trying to find ways to use my time and exposure to some of the Stampin’ Up! corporate team to help share the feelings, needs, and opinions of my customers and fellow demonstrators who may not be in the top 100 in the company but are just wanting to enjoy the Stampin’ Up! experience and begin to build a fun business that makes them happy, fufilled, and makes money to boot!  This is just such a powerful thing to be able to create amazing things and share that experience and heartfelt feelings with others.

    If you can’t tell, coming to Founder’s Circle has turned out to be a more powerful and emotional experience than I expected!

    Anyway, I’m sure you are here for the pictures, so let me share a bit of what Day 3 was like!


    So, we started out bright and early to do a 90 min drive to Kanab, UT where Stampin’ Up! has their manufacturing facility.  When we arrived, there were employees waiting for us outside with signs and amazing smiling faces.

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    On of the other demos commented that one of the heartwarming parts for her was the Kanab employees cheering for us when we arrived.  It felt great, but I have to say I felt like we ought to be cheering for them! Smile  They are the ones making and packaging the products we love and I am so grateful they love doing it because I love using everything!

    Once inside we got to do Make & Takes, visit the Gardner apartment, and take a tour of the facility.

    I was so greatful for the kind Josee Smuck who adopted me for the day and made sure I always had friends to hang out with.  So, I hung out a lot with some fabulous Canadian Demonstrators.

    The Gardner apartment is a good sized apartment above the facility for when Shelli and her family are visiting Kanab, or if any of the home office employees are traveling to Kanab, they can stay here as well.  It was the cutest!

    And while Shelli couldn’t be here due to her injury, Sara Douglas (her daughter and up-and-coming face for Stampin’ Up!) was here and always so open and willing to chat about just about anything!

    Then our tour for making stamps, ink pads, ink refills and paper!

    Fun Fact – To make an ink pad, they start with the foam bases and then dump 100 of them into a big mixing bowl.  Then they pour in the ink liquid and then put it in a big mixer… like your Kitchen Aid mixer at home!  Mix for 2 minutes and you have an inked pad!

    I took so many pictures of the manufacturing processes that I’ll be creating another post to share that experience another time.

    Then we had a delicious BBQ lunch and then were off to a nearby park where many of the rubber scrap pieces have been chopped up and used for mulch under the play structures.

    Stampin up rubber chips parkJennifer blomquist raining stamp rubberimpressed rubber from stampin up rubber park

    You can even see some stamp impressions still in the rubber! 

    Then it was back on the bus for a brief shopping stop and then the 90 minute drive back to Kanab.  We had a brainstorming session on the way to Kanab and so the way back was all about fun and prizes!  We played Bingo and I won Talking Tags (which I had totally forgotten we had!)

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    All of this took most of the day and by the time we got back to the hotel, we had just a little bit of time to freshen up and grab dinner before the optional theater excursion to Tuacahn. 

    I originally hadn’t signed up to go to the show (Mary Poppins) but everyone kept telling me how amazing the theater was that I just had to find a ticket and go. 

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    They were right!  The experience was so different and so cool from what you typically see at the big theaters at home.  Plus, they could even shoot off fireworks during the performance to add to the emersive effect!

    We got back to our hotel rooms around midnight and I was completely toast.  But there was another adorable pillow gift waiting for us.

    I hadn’t checked a bag on the way here but its looking like I’m going to be checking a bag home!  I don’t have these Stampin’ Up! craft scissors but I’ve been wanting to get some for a while.  So there is NO WAY I’m going to leave them here, so looks like I’m checking a bag home. Smile 

    Now its time to take more project pictures, finish my Founder’s Circle make & takes, and get ready for our last big (surprise) event tonight.  So, until then, have a great day!

    Don’t forget! Founder’s Circle Specials this week!

    **Receive DOUBLE your reward punches for each purchase!
    That is right! For every $40 you order, you will receive two punches on your punch card and be that much closer to receiving a free stamp set of your choice! See how Northwest Stamper Reward Punches work

    and as an extra thank you,

    **Everyone who places an order by 9/22 will be entered to win a free Christmas Star stamp and package of rhinestones!

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  • San Diego Getaway Incentive Trip–Heading Home

    Hi again, friends!  I’ve been having so much fun in San Diego that I completely missed getting a blog post together last night… but now that I have 2 hours at my gate here at the San Diego airport, I thought I would take a few minutes and share a little bit more before I SanDiegoBlogBadge-whitehead home and back to work and the real world. Smile 

    So, a quick recap for those of you who have no idea what this trip is about, each year Stampin’ Up offers incentive trips for demonstrators to earn based on a combination of sales and team promotions for the year.  This year, there were about 150 of us in San Diego and met some awesome demos from across the US and Canada.  And I was especially inspired by the woman I met who was there for her first time and has only been a demonstrator for 2 years!  Awesome!

    So, these were the amazing ladies who planned the whole trip and made our stay extra fabulous!  Thanks, Angie, Laura, & Kellie!

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    They even got us treats on Saturday!

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    This was a great vacation for me and my husband and we made sure to take full advantage of it by taking the Stampin’ Up! trolley to Old Town San Diego

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    Catching a movie (ahhh, the luxuries when you don’t have your toddlers with you!), a fabulous fondue dinner at the Melting Pot, visiting the San Diego Zoo

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    and visiting some great gardens and museums (loved the Museum of Man) in Balboa Park.

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    (Mayan sculpture in the Museum of Man)

    There wasn’t any stamping at this event, but what would a Stampin’ Up! event be without something stamping related. Smile  So, on our last night, we came back to our hotel room to another generous Pillow Gift.

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    Scott laughed at me when I squealed with excitement when I opened it up and it was FILLED with stamping supplies!

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    That is the I Am Me designer paper (LOVE!), the We are Here stamp set, Hexagon Punch, 3 colors of ink, Designer Buttons, and Epic Day washi tape!  Ahhh!  I’m getting excited just looking at the picture again. Smile  I cannot wait to get home and start playing with these!

    So, all in all, it was a great getaway experience, I loved meeting and chatting with other demonstrators and their spouses, and now I hope to take this enthusiasm and turn it back into my classes and stamping projects to share!  And hopefully I will have more downline and stamping friends join me on the trip next year to Washington DC or even the grand vacation to Hawaii! 

    Want to join me next year?  Send me a message to jennifer@nwstamper.com and we’ll talk about how to get you there!

    You can do it!


    And I know this blog post is getting super long, so I thought I would share what I’m going to be posting about tomorrow (getting back to the crafty stuff). 

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    It’s the cute Christmas star!  This is a new single stamp from the Holiday Single Stamp offerings and I’m going to show you a few different ways you can use this unique stamp! 

    So be sure to stop by tomorrow and check it out.

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  • Stampin’ Up! Convention 2013 Recap & Announcements

    If you have been following along with all the news from convention, you probably saw and heard a bunch of product announcements, news, and promotions.  Turns out I took around 1,000 pictures, so while I edit those, I thought I would summarize all the news so you can make sure you didn’t miss a thing.

    New Product Announcements

    One of the really fun things at convention is being the first to hear about new products.  This year was no exception and we had a number of fun announcements for what is on the way!

    • Undefined Product Line –  Create your own one-of-a-kind stamps with this new line of rubber carving tools and the raw rubber and blocks to create your image. And yes, I know it sounds intimidating, but it is easier than you might think!  If I can create this flower, you can make a stamp too! Smile
       

    Available Now!

    • Flip Card Thinlit Dies! – I’m super excited about these new dies, and not just because I won one of them. Smile  These dies (in both circle and label shapes) makes it super easy to create fun flip cards with just a few cranks in your Big Shot (instead of fussing about placement, cutting, scoring… etc).
      imageAvailable August 1st

     

    • Envelope Score BoardNow you have another option for creating custom envelopes in 66 different sizes!  The board has printed on the front, exactly what size to cut your paper for the size envelope you want.  Then you just use the guides to score the 4 quick lines, use the built in notch punch to cut away the parts you don’t need, and a  built in corner rounder to punch the corners of your envelope flaps to make them look even cuter!

     

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    Available September 2013

    • In With You Stamp Design Contest Winners – Stampin’ Up! recently launched a new design contest for anyone to help design a new stamp set.  They took entries based on the ideas of Monsters and this is the big winner!  This will be made into a stamp set and available soon:

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      The same type of challenge was run in the Stampin’ Up! offices and the following stamp set won and is available to purchase now through January 2nd!
      image
      Available Now!

    • Everyday Occasions Cardmaking Kit – This is a new kit Stampin’ Up! is trying out which gives you everything you need to create 20 cards (except your basic adhesive).  You’ll get a special clear block, exclusive stamp set, ink, envelopes, accessories, and everything you need to create all your cards.  They are still finalizing the details but more information will be coming soon!

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      Expected launch date is September 2013.

    • New Product & Sign Up Promotion

      Multiple promotions were announced during convention.  If you attended convention, there were numerous product discounts available just to you; but here are all the discounts available to everyone!

      • Pick a Project Sign Up Bonus –  Join Stampin’ Up! between now and August 31st and receive a free project kit set in addition to your starter kit.  3 of the project kits are items from the Holiday catalog and there are some CUTE projects they shared at convention with them!
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        I’d love to have you join my Fun n’ Crafty group of stampers!
        If you have questions, contact me at jennifer@nwstamper.com or check out more details online.
      • My Paper Pumpkin Introductory Offer – Do like the idea of having a project kit sent to your door each month?  My Paper Pumpkin may be a great option for you.  Each month you receive a package in your mailbox containing a project kit that could be a set of cards, a mini scrapbook, or a cute project like this month’s mini banner set.
        Join by Aug 31st and receive your first 2 months for only $10!  That is 50% off and includes shipping!

        You can cancel or skip a month at anytime, so it’s a great way to try it out for a great price.

        Check out the details here

      • Buy 3 get 1 free Designer Paper Sale – just wanted to also put out the reminder that through July 31st, you can get 1 pack of designer series paper of your choice when you by 3 packs.  Its like getting 25% off each pack!image
        Shop Designer Series Paper Here

      Whew!  Ok, so I think I got it all!  So, hopefully you see something that is exciting to you… I know I’m really excited about all the new products coming out, including my stamp carving kit that is showing up any day now!  I just need to get home from my trip visiting family to start playing with it.

      It is an awesome time to be a crafter (and a demonstrator too!) so I hope you have lots of fun in the coming months with all these products and deals.

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  • Stampin’ Up! Convention 2013–Day 3 Wrap Up

    Well convention wrapped up this weekend and ended with a bang!  I’ve been traveling ever since (flew home Saturday night then flying out to Arizona to visit family on Sunday)!  But I wanted to share some of the fun of the last day of Convention too.  So here we go!

    More amazing swap cards

    Every time I go to convention, I save some of my swaps to trade each day.  That way I can have fun swapping cards each day and this year I was so glad I still had cards on the last day since there were some fabulous cards being swapped then.  Like this adorable card:

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    If this is your card or you know whose card it is, let me know so I can give appropriate credit.

    General Sessions

    Then it was on for more stamping presentations and business classes.  First up was Sara Douglas (Shelli Gardner’s daughter) who always shares some amazing projects.  This was no exception!

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    First she showed some great class ideas that share some adorable banner project.  The first up was a cute halloween banner.

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    Don’t forget this banner kit and accessory kit are one of the options available free as part of the Pick a Project bonus when you sign up as a demonstrator between now and August 31st!

    Next up was an adorable mini album out of a place setting project kit (also available as a Pick a Project bonus) and a cute set of Christmas cards.

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    More Milestone Marches

    I also have to give a shout out to my mom who reached her 5 year milestone and got to march across the stage which is awesome, especially with a big crowd clapping and cheering for you. Smile  So CONGRATS, MOM!  (she is just to the right of Darla who is waving to the camera)

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    And that was just the morning!  I spent lunchtime meeting Shelli Gardner

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    Lots of Display Boards

    And checking out display boards (I thought it was cute that they spelled out “Inspire Create Share” out of the cards on the boards.

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    Closing Session

    The more business classes and closing session.  I loved some of these scrapbooking projects that were shown using the This and That journal and a new cool divided page scrapbook album.

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    We learned about Stampin’ Up!’s investment in innovation and change and it got me excited to try new things and see how I can do more different things.  I’ll be putting together some new offerings but if you have suggestions for what you would love to see from me, please shoot me a message at jennifer@nwstamper.com or leave me a comment!

    Session ended with a bang – literally! 

    2013-07-20 18.05.49And more prizes too!  The very last prize patrol gave 25 people every single stamp set in the holiday catalog!!! WOW!  Then they ended with a final giveaway for everyone – another super fun stamp set called Yippie Skippie!

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    It was the end of an awesome few days full of gifts, learning, inspiration, and friends!  I can’t wait to come back next year.  If you want to join me, don’t forget to save the date – the week of July 14th (most likely wed or thursday through Saturday)

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    This was my 5th convention and tonight I’ll finish uploading all my pictures so you can get the rest of the feel of it.  Smile Then on to posting more projects that inspired me here on the blog.  Until then, have a fabulous day!

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  • Stampin’ Up! Convention 2013 Day 2–What a Day!!

    ccOh my goodness!  Day 2 was a jam packed day and it was an incredible day for me personally.  I am still coming down off of my adrenaline rush and I’ll try to share as much as I can before I pass out. Smile

    So Much News in General Session!

    The morning started out with us getting to the convention hall a little over an hour before the general session was set to start.   Of course there was a big line of people already!  But we just sat down in our place in line, ate our breakfast box, and swapped with everyone around us.  I loved how no one was grumpy or pushy, everyone just settled in and enjoyed themselves.

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    And look at one of the samples I saw today:

    Six sided sampler thank you card

    Cuuuute! Right?
    (If you know the name of the demo who created this card, please let me know so I can give them credit, my cell camera just ate the picture of the back of this swap!)

    So then general session started (see the snazzy stage – I finally got a good picture of it)

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    There were lots, and lots, and lots of fantastic stamping demonstrations and ideas.  And yes, I’ll be posting more of those pictures soon too.  These late nights are killing me for getting all the photos reviewed and uploaded.

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    oh, and did I mention, new product announcements?!

    New Products are here and coming!

    Besides some great ideas for new products that are coming out in the holiday catalog (if you haven’t gotten your copy yet and need one, let me know!) So we learned some cool ideas with a paper bow die, with new papers, stamps, and accessories.

    But then the product announcements started coming…
    (sorry, I can’t share pictures of the actual products that are coming soon per SU rules)

    • A new envelope scoring and punch board! It gives you dimensions to cut a sheet of paper into a square.  Then you line it up on the board to score the creases (with the included scoring tool) and has built in punches to punch out the notches in the side (so the flaps fold nicely) and a punch to round your corners.  It is super cool!
      Plus it has dimensions for 66 different sizes of envelopes! 
      – I hear it will be around $19.95 and come out maybe in September (but don’t hold me to that!)
    • New swing / flip flop card framelit template with awesome accent elements!
      So these are those cards that have an element built into the page that when you open the card, the element swings and flips over.  Ok, yeah, that doesn’t make sense…. but it is really cool.  And they are coming out with a framelit set so you don’t have to do the 11 steps it takes to make it by hand… you just cut with the framelit and you are done!  — I won one of these too!!! So watch for samples!
    • Undefined product line!  Make your own personal stamp… literally!

      I know it sounds hard and intimidating, but it is easier than it sounds! I even did it!
      So, this is a kit that comes with rubber, foam, wood blocks, a marker, postcards, and carving tools.  I thought it was going to be really hard, but after seeing some of the amazing designs people were creating this afternoon, I realized it had to be easier than I was giving it credit for.
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      This is available TODAY and you can check out the details here.

    You can even see what stamp I created that afternoon

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    Mini Classes, Display Boards, Rewards, & More

    Whew, this is getting long, so I’ll try to be fast.  But the afternoon was still jam packed and we had lots of opportunity to check out the amazing inspiration boards, chat with other demonstrators, participate in stamping & learning mini classes, do make & take card projects, and see the new products.

    I spent most of my time doing some stamping, relaxing, and making my own personal stamp!  But check out this cute bag we made in one of the classes!
    [pic]

    Awards Night

    Now every year, Stampin’ Up! holds an awards night.  It is a time to honor some amazing achievements of some wonderful demonstrators, laugh at the silly jokes, and hear what the upcoming incentive trips are.

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    I’ll admit, I’ve never attended a full awards night, but last year I went to half of it and realized how inspiring it was for me to see just how successful some demonstrators can be.  Sure, I may not be selling $171,000 in sales in a year (that is how much the top US demonstrator sold!!) but if she can do that, I can grow my business and get a little bit closer.

    So, we got in just as it started and cheered for the honorees.

    We learned

    • that next year’s Getaway Vacation is to Washington DC (SUPER COOL!)
    • the Grand Vacation next year is an awesome trip to Hawaii!

    I am grateful to have earned the getaway this year and will be headed to San Diego in September, but those trips next year seem pretty cool too!

    I also was able to earn a couple awards this year, but nothing that caused me to have my name announced and for me to walk across the stage…..

    that is until I was distracted by some work and suddenly I heard my name called!

    I was announced as one of the top 100 demonstrators in the US and awarded a trip to the Founder’s Circle retreat in St. George, UT!

     

    Wow!  I was crying as I went up on stage, was given a beautiful lei and handbag, got a hug from Stampin’ Up! founder Shelli Gardner, and walked across that stage!  Amazing!

    I knew I worked hard this last year, but there are always so many ways you can do better and so I never expected to achieve this – but I’m so appreciative that I did.

    [I’ll have to post pictures later as all the pictures were taken with other people’s cameras Smile)

    After Party

    Finally the night ended with a big party with an 80’s cover band, cupcakes, performers, games, and more prizes.

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    It was an amazing day and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have it!  I’ve probably missed more stuff to share but I’ll try to catch up tomorrow if I did.

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