Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference 2014 - Oh Happy Day!

We had such a great time at Leadership.  My sister and I went to take last photos of projects and ideas in the Gathering Place before morning session.  Here's some of those.

Then, at morning session, they played a game on stage based on a real game I haven't heard of called Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me.  They called it Um Um...I Knew That.

It was hilarious.  They competed and prizes went to the demos with the bracelet colors that matched the teams.  Then, since they earned more than 20 points, we got an all attendee give away.

At closing session, Shelli did a presentation and some demonstrations using banners and we had another all attendee free stamp set.  All and all, I came home with 6 free stamp sets, a card kit, aqua painter, Make'n'Takes, small tote, Conference bag, package of salt water taffy and a T-Shirt.

We took a group photo at lunch in the Gathering Place.  It was so wonderful...I can't wait for Convention in July!

Happy Stampin'

Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference 2014 - Hooray for Today

Today after our morning general session, we went to the 3 classes we chose during registration.   Shannon West taught us about QR codes, Carrie Cudney gave us an insider view of the new Occasions catalog which is actually titled Celebrate the Everyday, and a demonstrator who is also a tax expert gave us some tax time tips.

We had a plated lunch: salad, vegetable lasagna, focaccia bread, and fancy apple tart thingy for dessert.  After lunch, we went to the Gathering Place and played with the Undefined stamp carving kit.  I made a hand doing the "Live long and prosper" sign.  Yes, I'm a SciFi geek too!

We also participated in the Paper Pumpkin challenge.  We had 20 minutes to design a card using designer paper and products from the Celebrate the Everyday catalog paired with stamps from past Paper Pumpkin kits.  Here's my design.  I love this new Fancy Foil Designer Vellum with the gold embossing on it.  It comes that way with stripes, dots, and hearts in the same package.

We settled on dinner at the hotel which was a little pricey, but very good.  The rolls were to die for.  I had red snapper with pasta.

Then we went to Stampin' Night Out which was full of stamping demonstrations, an all attendee give away (the Happenings Simply Created Card Kit), and make & takes.  Donna Griffith, Brian Pilling, and Brandi Barnard from the Stampin' Up! staff were the presenters and shared some great projects and techniques.  Here are the make & takes that I finished and the cute little tote they gave us with our supplies in them.

It was a great day.  We have 2 sessions tomorrow and our last chance to hang out in the Gathering Place for display board photos and playing with new products.

Happy Stampin'

Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference 2014 - Houston Happenings

We drove to Houston last night from 8pm to past midnight, settled into our room and woke up to a full day of fun at Leadership Conference.

We walked across the sky bridge to the conference center and checked in.  Check out the cool bag we received with our conference pen, program, logo pin, and prize patrol bracelet inside.  We'll get our free stamp sets later at Make'n'Takes.

General session started at 10am with Shelli.  She looks great and you'd never know that just 4 months ago she was thrown from her horse with multiple injuries and broken bones.

Sara talked about Photopolymer stamps and let us know that future sets will come in clear mount cases and a selection will be in the new catalog.  She gave everyone a free stamping related photopolymer set. 

After General Session, we had a boxed lunch, and went to the Share Fair.

I was asked to present at the Share Fair, and so I gave a 20 minute presentation on business tools in three back-to-back sessions in one of the classrooms.  All the presenters will be doing webinars too for the demonstrators who missed their presentations.  Mine is in February.

Then we poked around in the Gathering Place to see new products...you're gonna love it!  All I can say is it is awesome and comes in 12 colors.

Manager's Reception was tonight too!  This was Laura's first year to be eligible to go, and we had a great time.  It was at the Downtown Aquarium.  Here's some photos of rides, friends, sharks, sting rays, and food.  We fed the sting rays and rode a train through a tunnel aquarium full of sharks...so cool!

More fun tomorrow...can't wait!

Happy Stampin'