Northwest Stamper

Tag: stampin’ up convention

  • Wrapping up the Stampin’ Up Convention! Highlights, Display Boards, and More!

    It happens every year… the first night of a Stampin’ Up Convention or other event, I stay up late the first night socializing and then blogging/facebooking.  Then the second night, we are up late again… but more tired from the late night/early morning from the day before.  So I get a little less done.  Then by the last day… I’m just toast!  Smile  This year was worse than normal for me as my team had a blast staying up and having in-room “happy hour” as we chatted and some people had some wine.  But after coming home at midnight on Saturday and then spending time with the family before the hubby turned around for his turn to go on a business trip) I rested and am finally catching up on the last bit of sharing! 

    I wanted to give you the full experience, so WARNING! Lots of pictures ahead! Smile

    Stampin’ Up Convention 2015 – Day 2

    As always there are a ton of demonstrators gathered for Convention, but I love getting a chance to meet and mingle with everyone!  By day 2, my crew had a plan in place for snagging seats for our group.  I just had to sneak away for a minute to snap a quick pick of some of the crowd eagerly awaiting the chance to get in for day 2!

    IMG_0481

    I also love the chance to see and say hello to some of the amazing Stampin’ Up Home office staff who make these events and all the support for demonstrators so great throughout the year.  Like the lovely Miss Andrea Withers and the fabulous Bonnie Farley!

    2015-07-24 09.27.07

    2015-07-24 11.09.43

    Plus they always play fun music while we are waiting for the session to start so you have to stand up and dance a little!  See, even Tanya, Nicole, and Carla were getting into it. Smile

    2015-07-24 11.11.34

    There were awesome stamping demonstrations featuring new products like new Black Glimmer Paper, new stamps, and a new Pillow Box die!!

    2015-07-24 10.03.33

    And new spiderweb doilies, framelits, papers, and even new fall wood accents!

    2015-07-24 10.07.49

    2015-07-24 12.21.43

    Of course there was Prize Patrol!  Monica and I won the new Project Life stamp set coming in the Holiday Catalog.

    2015-07-24 18.28.11

    Then on to a workshop demonstration and Make & Takes!2015-07-24 14.32.05

    I totally meant to finish my projects… but I was chatting and getting way to excited about some of the new product I got to play with!

    FINE TIP GLUE!!!!!  With a pin in the cap so that the tip doesn’t get sealed up!

    2015-07-24 14.48.41

    And new Archival Ink in Basic Black and Basic Grey.

    2015-07-24 14.33.02

    The new ink pad stamps like a dream!  They use the old linen pads and are a new formula but they are AWESOME!  I fell totally in love when I was using it on the make & take… so imagine my excitement when they ended up giving the out to everyone at convention!  Yay!!

    2015-07-24 19.35.36

    As usual, there was lots of swapping

    2015-07-24 10.43.56

    And as you wandered around the Gathering Place, you could see lots of the new products as samples or to just play with… such as these edgelits (there are 3 in the pack! Trees, sleigh, and cottages)

    2015-07-24 15.01.39

    New embossing folder of birch trees

    2015-07-24 15.03.59

    And window/fireplace scene stamp set and framelit bundles!  There are two bundles… one all about the fireplace

    IMG_0515

    and one all about the window frame and scenery

    IMG_0517

    Then it was time for more classes and stamping presentations

    2015-07-24 14.47.33

    Let me just say this bird set is going to be HUGE this year!

    2015-07-24 19.17.37

    psst – new punch alert!!

    IMG_0500

    IMG_0555

    psst – another new punch alert!

    IMG_0557

    I even got to walk across the stage for earning the Grand Vacation – the Mediterranean Cruise – which was fun!

    IMG_0508

    And in addition to spoiling us at the event with great places to relax and chat and share with other demonstrators, prizes, and inspiration… for everyone who earned an annual award or had reached a milestone anniversary with the company, we had a little relaxation space that not only had some treats and drinks, but they also gave us this reuseable trash bin filled with lots of goodies!  I didn’t have that stamp set yet either – so super bonus score!

    annual award goodie bag

    Then we had the evening to ourselves so the crew headed to Olive Garden before heading back to the hotel for a dip in the Hot Tub and day 2 of “happy hour”.  I also got a chance to catch up with some other great friends, especially my great friend Sarah Naber

    2015-07-24 23.44.29

    I went to bed “early” as it was only 1am… not too bad for me on an event night! Smile

    Stampin Up Convention Day 3

    With the sun rising on Day 3, it was my last day in Salt Lake City.  The main convention event only went until lunch time, so there was a lot to get through in a little bit of time!

    2015-07-25 07.23.07

    … I always love having this view from my room!  Its my happy place!…

    I spent some time in the morning checking out the display boards… they were entirely filled with cards brought by other demonstrators this year and they were fantastic!  Like how stinkin’ adorable is this bird?

    IMG_0723

    *** See all the display board cards in pictures on my Facebook Page here ***

    IMG_0725

    Rich Judkins, the President of Stampin’ Up, came out and shared a great story on perspective and talked about how the company was doing both from a numbers perspective and from a morale perspective.  It was honest, and real… and great example of him sharing that the executive team really does hear how demonstrators are feeling, what we are concerned about, and CARES about us!  There is a lot of change this year and we all know it is tough, but they are trying to make things better for demonstrators and keep improving as they hear our feedback.  It was seriously great and reassuring to hear!

    We had more stamping demonstrations… so more cute ideas!

    2015-07-25 13.36.31

    and new product!  Must have this snowflake stamp set/punch bundle and those wood snowflakes!!

    2015-07-25 14.07.13

    and more cute stuff!

    2015-07-25 14.17.42

    Double wide pillow box using the new pillow box thinlit!

    IMG_0743

    And of course, more prize patrol!

    2015-07-25 13.39.32-1

    Plus something for everyone!  Hand painted holiday paper for all of us… thanks, Stampin’ Up!

    2015-07-25 14.28.50

    And with that, convention was over!  I had the opportunity to attend some additional leaders training in the afternoon.  I got to chat with Sara (seriously the most down to earth CEO there is!)

    2015-07-25 15.06.52

    And for those of you who have seen Brian Pilling bring Diet Coke to the presenters on stage at events before… he does it in real life too!  Isn’t he sweet for taking care of everyone!

    IMG_0787

    The training was a great way to review what I learned and think about how to make improvements to my business but also how to use it to help my team as well!  So much to get implementing for all my crew as the year goes on!

    2015-07-25 16.20.00

    Fun Fact!  My Mom and I have attended every Convention together since I joined and 2 leaderships.  So this was our 7th Convention together… .how cool is that?!?

    2015-07-25 14.47.19-2

    We celebrated the end of a great weekend with some Strawberry Shortcake before heading to the airport to say good-bye once again to Salt Lake City and back to our amazing, supportive families!

    2015-07-25 18.18.34

    So, I hope you enjoyed my recap.  Wish you were there (unless you were there – in which case, glad to celebrate with you!)  I’m already looking forward to the new On Stage events coming up starting in November.  I’d love to have you go with me.  All you have to do is let me know you want to go, snag the great deal that is the starter kit so you can become a member of my Fun n’ Crafty Stampers and then register!  We have an awesome group and you will have a blast!

    Give it a try!  Join the Fun and pick out your Starter Kit here

    2015-07-23 09.28.28

    Until next time… keep it fun and happy stamping!

    IMG_0783


    NWstamper signature_thumb[9]

    order online button for sig 3_thumb[4]

  • Stampin’ Up Convention 2015–Day 1

    Stampin’ Up Convention 2015–Day 1

    ——————————-

    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.

    ——————————

    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!

    2015-07-23 08.45.48

    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!

    2015-07-23 09.24.36

    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!

    2015-07-23 09.28.28

    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

    2015-07-23 17.19.18-2

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

    2015-07-23 11.46.35

    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

    IMG_0371

    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

    2015-07-23 10.29.35

    2015-07-23 10.31.34

    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…. 

    2015-07-23 10.42.40-2

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

    IMG_0376

    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.

    2015-07-23 10.55.16

    Who loves this die?!

    2015-07-23 10.55.32

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

    2015-07-23 13.56.52

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

    2015-07-23 14.07.58-2

    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

    2015-07-23 12.07.33

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

    2015-07-23 16.10.49

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

    2015-07-23 15.36.43

    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!

    2015-07-23 16.06.52

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

    IMG_0394

    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 

    2015-07-23 16.21.32

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

    IMG_0397

    And lots more:

    IMG_0402

    foo

    IMG_0413

    foo

    IMG_0430

    foo

    IMG_0436

    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??

    2015-07-23 18.50.47

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

    IMG_0446

    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!

    IMG_0459

    Then it was time to party!

    2015-07-23 23.31.07

    2015-07-23 23.00.35

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

    IMG_0465

    IMG_0467

    IMG_0472

    IMG_0474

    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!

    2015-07-23 22.44.36

    2015-07-23 22.08.52

    2015-07-23 22.09.04

    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!

    NWstamper signature_thumb[9]

    order online button for sig 3_thumb[4]

  • 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…

    swap making 2

    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!

    11707780_10204985608909028_477075471889294725_n


    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!

    NWstamper signature_thumb[9]

    order online button for sig 3_thumb[4]

  • 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!

    IMG_5425

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

    Project Samples:

    IMG_5408

    IMG_5411

    2014-07-18 09.06.42

    2014-07-18 09.07.52

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

    2014-07-18 12.51.32

    New Product trials:

    2014-07-18 11.05.51

    2014-07-18 11.07.13

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

    2014-07-18 11.34.36

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

    IMG_5457

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

    IMG_5421

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

    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

  • 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

    IMG_5182

    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!)

    2014-07-17 09.07.46

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

    2014-07-17 11.28.48

    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

    IMG_5195

    2014-07-17 14.23.30

    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

    2014-07-17 11.51.57

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

    IMG_5209

    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!

    IMG_5284

    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!

    IMG_5306

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

    IMG_5336

    IMG_5361

    (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!

    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

  • Will You Join me at Convention (for FREE!)–Registration starts tomorrow!

    Will You Join me at Convention (for FREE!)–Registration starts tomorrow!

    Oh, I’m excited!  Convention time!Convention registration starts tomorrow for this summer’s big event.  Every year for the last 5 years I’ve taken time in the summer to re-energize by visiting Salt Lake City for the Stampin’ Up convention.  Its been an amazing time to get away, be inspired by so many amazing projects, swap cards with other demonstrators, get the inside scoop on what is coming up from Stampin’ Up, get free goodies, and generally have a blast.  So, of course I’m headed back this year with some of the Fun n’ Crafty stampers (my downline group of demonstrators) – especially since they announced that they will be handing out the Winter Holiday catalog at convention and we even get to BUY from the catalog while we are there.  Score!

    But what about you?

    Did you know you can attend for FREE if you join the Stampin’ Up family by purchasing your Starter Kit any time from last July until convention registration fills up?  So, basically, get to pick out $150 in product of your choice for only $99, have access to all the resources and benefits of being a demonstrator, and starting tomorrow, register for convention and Stampin’ Up will pick up the registration fee for you!

    Here are a few pictures from the last 4 years or see lots more photos of these events on my blog here.

    2010 Convention


    Meet Shelli Gardner!


    See amazing displays full of ideas!

    2011 Convention


    Relax and have lunch with a few thousand of your friends. Smile


    See super clever stamping demonstrations!

    2012 Convention


    Family friendly too when you have little ones!


    Did I mention you get free stamps?

    Convention 2013


    Love my Fun n’ Crafty group that all went to convention together last year!


    Swap with other demonstrators for great card ideas!

    So if you are interested in join me, I’d love to have you come with me or at least hang out with my group!

    Learn more about being a demonstrator here

    Sign up today and you’ll be all set to register tomorrow. Smile

    Have questions?  Email me at jennifer@nwstamper.com and I’d be more than happy to chat and answer any questions you have.

    spaced shop now sig bar

    April Online Stamp Club Hostess CodeG4VQJ7VB
    Use this code to get free exclusive tutorials & project kit! Learn more

  • 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.

    2013-07-19 07.58.57

    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)

    2013-07-19 08.35.32

    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.

    2013-07-19 09.27.242013-07-19 09.36.422013-07-19 09.45.57

    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.
      2013-07-19 15.08.26
      This is available TODAY and you can check out the details here.

    You can even see what stamp I created that afternoon

    IMG_2623

    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.

    2013-07-19 19.12.40

    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.

    2013-07-19 21.14.042013-07-19 21.15.462013-07-19 21.11.41

    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.

    spaced shop now sig bar

  • It’s Stampin’ Up! Convention Time!!

    I’ve been getting super excited over the last week as convention approached and I started getting exciting wondering what amazing ideas I’d see, what new products would be revealed, and have a chance to hang out and reconnect with some wonderful people.

    As I do each year I’ll be posting live updates to my Facebook page (as long as my battery holds out each day) and I’ll give you the full scoop and pictures each night here on the blog.  So even if you can’t be here in person, you can still participate in the excitement and get a feel for it with me.

    Travelling to Salt Lake City!

    So, today was my traveling day and I was very lucky to have 4 members of my group plus a great stamping friend traveling with me from Seattle to Salt Lake City.  We hopped on our plane last night and were treated to the most amazing sunset as we came in to land in SLC.

    salt lake city sunset

    We got our bags and a shuttle and headed to our homebase for the weekend – the Radisson at the convention center.  Check out the cool wall art about the nice beds:

    Convention 2013 Radisson hotel room

    And while I should really be sleeping in that bed right now (since breakfast comes waaay to early in the morning), I thought I’d show you some of the other fun things I brought with me to kick things off. Smile

    1.  My nametag & convention buttons!

    My first year at convention, I saw people with their lanyards full of pins and buttons and I realized that many people collect their convention pins and acheivement pins on their lanyard and I set out to start collecting mine.  It’s taken me 5 years, but I love that it is getting more full.  I know… its silly, but sometimes the little things make it more fun!

    convention 2013 name tag and lanyard

    Plus with 6,000 demos in attendance, they are checking badges this year and so I got to make it fun to look at!

    2.  Swaps!!

    What would a Stampin’ Up! event be without swaps?  I started out with making a ton of this Flower/Doily card… it was fun and easy to make a bunch.  But when I was done, I had made 76 cards and I decided a few days ago that a few more wouldn’t hurt and so I made the Christmas cards as well.

    Flower Shop Doily Card

    stampin up convention 2013 flower shop swap

    I used the new Flower Shop bundle to create the cute flowers and then just accented with one of the Whisper White doilies.

    I decided I needed a few more swaps and I thought of this fun way to use the new Christmas Collectibles stamp set.
    (psst – sneak peek alert!  New holiday catalog goodies including the new stamp set, punch, and embossing folder.)

    Christmas Collectibles Ornament Card

    stampin up convention 2013 christmas swap card

     

    3.  Fun n’ Crafty group gifts!

    And finally, I put together a little Convention Survival Kit for everyone in my group since it was the first convention for many of them.  Some people have the tradition of downline gifts and roommate gifts… I just was excited to have so many downline and friends going with me I wanted to put a little something together for them.

    Stampin up convention 2013 survival kit

    • I figured a few emergency snacks and mints would be nice.
    • Wet wipes for cleaning up after snacks or when you are stamping during make & takes and need a little extra clean up power.
    • Some tissue, because there is always some touching story or presentation that gets the whole room crying!
    • Chapstick – I swear, I always forget this and buy a new stick every year when I am here!
    • Band-aids were supposed to be in the bag, especially for when you are walking all day and your shoes start rubbing
    • …and of course a cute bag they can reuse each day to easily find their essentials.

    Today they get their handmade gift from me… but I’ll save that surprise for my next blog post!  Ooh, I can’t wait to give everyone theirs!

    So, today will be a day full of Stampin’ Up! home office tours, swapping, opening session, and a big party afterwards!  I’ll post as I go on my Facebook page and then back here later for the full report.

    I’m so excited!

    Now for a few hours sleep while I can….7:15am comes too early!

    spaced shop now sig bar

  • Convention 2012 Here I Come!

     

    Alright, I’m going to warn you right now that today’s post is going to be a total photo bomb!  Some folks have asked where I get my ideas or have said I am so excited about what I do – so I wanted to share with you where some of that comes from and how you can get in on it too!

    The annual Stampin’ Up! convention!

    I was so excited when registration for the Stampin’ Up! convention 2012 opened up earlier this week that I registered in the first 15 minutes!  This will be my 4th convention in a row and my 2nd where I’ll have a baby with me.  I get so many ideas, learn so much, and have a ton of fun that I can’t imagine not going each year.

    If you can see yourself getting excited about a sneak peek announcement with 3,000 of your stamping friends…

    If you LOVE seeing the most A-MAZING project ideas with things you probably have in your home already…

    If you want new ideas for how to share your love of crafting with others…

    This is the place to be. 🙂  Here are some photos from my trip last year so you can see what I mean.

    If you are interested in learning more about coming, shoot me an email and I’d love to give you the full scoop!  Already registered?  Leave me a comment, I’d love to see who all my stamping buddies are that are coming with me to Salt Lake!

     

    imageimage
    Free prizes! (Including products before you can buy them!)Swapping! I get so many amazing ideas each year from fellow demos
    imageimage
    Business and Stamping Tips from Stampin’ Up! and other successful demonstratorsAchievement walks! That is me in the purple. 🙂 I got to walk across the stage for growing my team.

     

    If that wasn’t enough, here are even more awesome snapshots from my time in Utah: Keep reading to see lots more Convention Photos!

  • First Day of the Stampin’ Up! Convention 2011

    My word!  Its been a whirlwind of a week starting with me desperately trying to get swaps made and everything packed and ready to go for convention this year.  But I made it and flew into Salt Lake City on Tuesday in anticipation of a great week…and I haven’t been disappointed! 

    Today was the first day of convention and boy was it a doozy!  Lots of sneak peeks of upcoming products, freebies, amazing ideas, and fab projects.  I’ve been posting pictures on my facebook page when I could so if you want to see a few more pictures, check it out.  But I couldn’t take pictures of a lot of the details I learned so I wanted to share a few pictures and more details!  Enjoy!

    Ok, can I have a personal toot for a minute? :)  Each year they invite people who met certain milestones or achievements to walk across the stage.  I am still working towards that, but this year they added 2 more marches – first time attendees and anyone who recruited in the last year.  Well, Bethani, my downline, got to walk for first time attendee and I got to walk for recruiting!  Yay!

    P7130142 

    Next we had a HUGE sneak peek at the upcoming Holiday Mini that launches in September.  No joke, I am in so much trouble with how much I want out of it.  There are new ribbons (can you say velvet and quilted satin?), new punches including a stocking punch that has a matching stamp set!!, fun holiday dies and embellishments (like mini jingle bells that I have no idea what I’m going to do with yet but I have to get), more adorable fabric (I’m just saying check out my next picture), of course new papers and stamps, and a ton more.  Then they showed us this bag that we could buy in Memento Mall that looks like this:

    IMG_2708

    Know what it’s for?  AAAAHHHHH!  I’m so excited!!!  It’s made to fit the new Simply Scored tool!  That’s right, a super awesome scoring tool.  It takes the best features of what’s out there and adds some, like besides giving you lines every 1/8”, you get a metal tipped ergo stylus, multiple plastic arrows to mark which score lines you are using for a given project, a storage compartment, multiple ruled edges, etc.  I’m so stoked!

    Ok, moving on.  At lunch, I had another amazing experience where when we entered the Gathering Place to get our lunches, we got picked for a You Crew experience.  You Crew is their name for randomly selecting people to have one of a variety of one of a kind experiences and in our case, we got a special table with glasses, plates, lemonade, a staffer who made sure we were well taken care of.  Pretty fun!

    IMG_2695  At the end of lunch, we saw that they had put out a special dessert.  Cookies…but not just any cookies, check out the designs:

    IMAG1469

    Yeah, yeah you say, they have designs.  But these are special designs.  They are Stampin’ Up! cookie stamp designs!  Yes, as in a stamp that can make different impressed images on cookie dough.  How fun is that.  Oh, and the shortbread recipe that comes with it, if it is the same one they used for these cookies, is pretty darn yummy.  🙂

    Finally we finished our day with make & takes, which I still need to finish so I can share with you, and one more session where we saw some great ideas for quick, easy, and inexpensive projects.  Like did you know you can get a package of quick accent stickers, 2 packages of notecards, and make 40 cards in no time flat?  And they are simple and cute too. 

    I know I don’t have many project sample pictures today, but don’t worry.  I’ll have more of the projects and products I can photograph and share posting over the next few days.  And don’t forget to stop by my facebook page to see more photos and updates when I can.

    Click here to shop online 24/7 and start earning your NW Stamper rewards!

  • My new Facebook page – SU display boards and a Fan Special deal

    While I work on writing up blog posts for some projects I’ve done recently, I wanted to share my recent labor of love – a new Facebook page.  I’ve set up a page on facebook at a place to share pictures, promotions, and make it easy for others to share their projects as well.  I’d love for you to check it out.  Right now it has a couple photos posted that will be making their way onto the blog soon but you can get an early look by visiting my Facebook page.   I’ve also posted photos of more convention display boards on the page as well.

    While you are there, become a fan to be eligible for special deals and get samples and information as it comes out.  Once I have 25 fans, I can make the web address for this page much easier to find; so I’d love it if you were willing to be my fan. 

    Visit me on Facebook!

    Facebook Fan Special

    To thank folks for helping me get to 25+ fans, I’m offering a special from now until 8/19.  I’m offering this special to anyone who has become a fan of my facebook page.  Simply place an order of $25 or more and receive the new Antique Brads FREE!  That’s a $5.95 value for free just for becoming a fan.  For example, love the vintage look – try the new Crochet Trim ribbon and the Distressing Kit and get Antique Brads FREE!  Thats a $33 value for $27.  Email me to take advantage of this special offer!

    Crochet Trim
    Distressing Essentials Kit
    Free Antique Brads

     

    See a sample using some of these items in this post –  http://www.nwstamper.com/stampin-up-convention-2010-punch-happy-swaps/