Thursday, July 19, 2012

Convention First Day Fun and Blog Candy!

Hi everyone,

* I have edited this post to add more pictures and information.

Well, today was the first official day of Convention.  It was a fabulous day!

Here we are waiting to get in to the Main Stage area.  There were over 3500 Demonstrators in attendance this year.  It was LOUD and EXCITING!!!




The Theme of Convention 2012 is "I am...".  This was the main stage.  Loved it!




Here "I am" in front of the stage...



The Main Stage opened with this fabulous video playing on the big screens.  The end of this video actually happened - the dancers came out on the stage to finish the song.  It's a fun and catchy song - I'm sure you'll love it too!!  It was filmed at the Riverton Home Office with the Stampin' Up! employees doing the "lip dub". 

Shelli Gardner (co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up!) then greeted us this and we had a wonderful Main Stage presentation.  After that, I attended two fabulous classes.  


The first class was called "I Am Savvy" and we learned fabulous new techniques and tricks for using Ribbon (presented by Dawn Griffith), Fabric (presented by Laura Milligan) and Simply Sent Kits and Simply Scrappin' Kits (presented by Megan Wheeler).  I especially LOVED Laura Milligan's fabric ideas.  I am absolutely going to plan some class projects featuring fabric and the Big Shot!!!

After that we went to a class called "I Am Open for Business".  It was a class to work on how to meet new people to share Stampin' Up! with.  I have some fun, new ideas to try.  I really enjoyed Carrie Cudney's information and ideas.  I thought it was great how she brought everything back to the idea of "going fishing".


Here "I am" again later in the photo area!







It was awards night tonight and I was so proud to see Catherine (who is my upline) awarded for being one of the top 20 Demonstrators in Canada.  As a result, she was awarded the Founder's Circle Award and will attend a special event this fall.  (They give this award annually to the top 100 US and top 20 Canadian Demonstrators.) Wow!!!  She got a beautiful bag as a gift for receiving Founder's Circle.  




Now on to the fun...I know many of you are probably here to enter the Draw for my special CONVENTION BLOG CANDY!

In order to enter the draw, you need to leave a comment on this post, by Sunday at midnight, telling me something you want to learn how to do with stamping and/or Stampin' Up! products.  It could be a technique you want to try, a product you want to learn about or projects you want to work on.  Please put your name on the post.  I'll do a draw for the number of the post that will win on Monday morning!!!  :)

What will you win?  A stamp set from the new Catalogue called "Lovely & Lacy" (I already bought it and I got a second set here at convention so YOU can have it!)  I will also put an exclusive Convention Memento Mall item with the stamp set.  It's a great prize so make sure you enter the draw!

(This fabulous card uses the Lovely & Lacy stamp set!)


I bought all the sweet little gifts you will receive if you place an order of at least $50 by Monday, July 23 at noon.  You won't want to miss out on the free, fun stuff!  Scroll down to past entries if you want to read more about this.

Night, night!
Andra

ps - if you're on Facebook, you can find me: Andra McLeod Donbrook, and be my "friend" and see some pics of me from Convention.  Just a few so far, but there will be more!

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like you are having a wonderful time!
I'm game to try any of the new things you are learning. I could also use some refreshers on things like embossing.
I think it would be great to also learn some new colouring techniques. We discussed this earlier, and this is a skill that I would also like to learn/improve.
Have fun!
Terri

Liz said...

It sure looks like you guys are having a fun time! I would like to learn new techniques, but more important to me would be using some of the product I have. I would love to learn a project using small paper scraps or a class learning how to use the Stamp a ma Jig which i bought eons ago and have never used.

Gwen said...

This all sounds so exciting! Using the Big Shot with fabric is something I am really wanting to know more about. I have seen many examples using fabric, but am not sure how to get started. Looking forward to hearing (and reading)about all your new stuff!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you are having a fun time! After seeing your post about the pin wheel, that's what I want to try. I have so much paper and that would be a really neat way to use some of it up.
Theresa

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great time! I saw a post somewhere using a coffee filter and re-inkers to make a background for a card. That is something I would like to try.
Bev T.

Anonymous said...

Lisa Landgraf says: I am glad that you are having a great time at convention. I'd like to learn more about embossing. I have the tools at home, but haven't used them yet.

meegs_rt said...

I just love the new inspirations you are posting! Even the background of your new blog has me thinking about colour combinations I haven't tried yet!

Unknown said...

What about a class that involves learning how to mount the wooden stamps the proper way and maybe how to organize all the Stampin' Up materials for best use (some of us have small spaces to store our Stampin' Up goodies and are too lazy to look online or think of creative ways to store everything). It could be more of a little conference. Lol.

Seriously though(although I was being serious) I would love to learn how to use projects only involving marker techniques (does that even make sense?). I own all of the markers but none of the stamp pads so I would like to see all the things I can do with these little guys.

Unknown said...

I don't expect to be entered into the draw twice, but I wanted to ask if we could do a project (I really want to make some sort of wreath... I love the pin wheel wreath that you show in your previous blog entry). I love projects so much as I never create them on my own because I am either: a) lazy, b) overwhelmed by the thought of the word "project", c) I feel like I don't have enough of the supplies/tools (aka The Big Shot) or d) All of the above

Anyways, any projects at all would be great. I once made a cute box with some of my favourite Stampin' Up friends but that's as far as I've gone in regards to a project.

Unknown said...

Okay, last comment... I would really love a BOOK THEMED night. Prehaps we could cover/decorate a book or journal, make a book mark, make cards with designer paper with words on it or what not. I just love books. A SPORTS THEME would be super fun, too... if that is even possible. I thought I saw some new sports stamps in this catalogue.

Laurie said...

Ha Ha Courtney said it all. I'm just entering to win now. Nice choice of top to wear crossing the stage and congrates. See you soon my friend.

Anonymous said...

Joan Said.
Looks like a great time you are having. Congratulations on your achievements. I love all your projects.

Jennyroo said...

Glad you're home and had such a great time, Andra. I've never used watercolour crayons before, maybe it would be fun to try?

Susan said...

Andra, congrats on your achievements. Looks like you had a fabulous time with great friends. I am always up to learning something new. Thanks for the chance to win!! Susan

Anonymous said...

sounds like fun!! Thanks for the updates and pictures! And chance to win!

Shelley