Highlights from the Stampin' Up! on stage event!

Hellooooo out there!!!  I had very grand intentions to blog everyday when I was in Salt Lake City but the event schedule was JAM PACKED so I had almost no time to myself. 
I actually had no time to go to my favourite, tried and true restaurants that I love to visit when I am in Salt Lake City.  No Cheesecake Factory, No PF Changs, no Mexican food. 
That's how busy I was!  If you know me, you know how I love to eat out so missing those restaurants was a real loss.

However, there were so many exciting things that I can't dwell on missing cheesecake.  I'm hoping pictures will be worth a thousand words so here we go....

The first thing to know about Stampin' Up! events is that they are fun!  Being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is so much about fun, friendship and stamping. Sometimes it seems like the business side of it is forgotten because we are having so much fun! 
Can you imagine begin among 2000 people all who love stamping as much as you?  I am considered completely normal when I gasp at a swap card or get short of breath when I new stamping tool is announced.  (if you think I belong in an insane asylum then maybe you had better stop reading this blog post now) If you can relate a little bit to what I am sharing then carry on...

There are Prize Patrols where new, not yet released stamp sets are given away depending on the colour button you received at check in.   (in case you missed it...I'll say it again: NEW, NOT YET RELASED STAMP SETS)

There is card swapping and seeing friends that you've met at previous events.  It is a very common story that you'll meet new friends just standing around.

This group of people are all part of a training group led by demonstrator Ronda Wade.  We learn together about stampin business stuff and we encourage each other.  It was very cool to meet people that I had only seen online.

Here's Carrie from the Canadian office.  She handles so much...including product exchanges for us and more!

 Here's my friend Linda Yamamoto.  People often mix us up. It must be the asian connection and the fact that we both have rehab backgrounds.  (she's a physiotherapist while I was an occupational therapist)

On one evening someone organized an Advisory Board Alumni dinner.   (Read about when I was appointed to the advisory board HERE)  Although there is no more Advisory board since Stampin' Up! has gone to a model with different leadership councils, all of us past Advisory Board members sort of feel a special sisterhood.  I suppose it would be like being members in a special club or sorority. 

Here's Jennifer Cotton and I.  We served together on the Advisory board in the same year.  She's one of my closest stamping friends now although we mostly only keep in touch by text.

Here's myself with Dawn Griffith and Jennifer.  We are missing 3 of our group who served with us in the same year but it was so nice to visit together. 

Here's Missy Shipman.  One of the sweetest ladies I know.  

 The thing that's awesome about getting together with these ladies is that we all understand the amount of passion and perseverance that goes into our Stampin' business.  We can be honest about the ups and downs and so it was a wonderful evening of connection and friendship.

The convention sessions are super fun.  I may be biased but I think the Canadian business manager Dale Hampshire was the most fun emcee of the entire event.   So proud to be Canadian.

 When I say the event is fun.  I mean it's fun!  There's rocking music where you can dance around and swap cards.  You can take photos with Stampin' Up! staff.  It's perfectly acceptable to wear Paper Pumpkin Scrap bin containers on your head. 
Yeah  it's that kind of fun.

It was so awesome that 7 of the Team S.T.I.C girls also flew in for the On Stage event.  We had to get a purple shirt photo of course!  It's so great to enjoy the event as a group.

One of the most memorable experiences of the event was the recognition.  I felt like a very proud Mama bird when Team S.T.I.C girl Zahra was named #5 demonstrator in Canada and #87 globally.  There are about 49,000 demonstrators in the world so being in the top 100 is an amazing achievement. 

This grandma bird also felt very proud of Selina who earned a performance bonus for her leadership and earned her first incentive trip! 

I was humbled to learn that for the second year in a row I ranked #1 in Canada.  Simply a miracle and shocking. 

I was also surprised to learn that I was #15 in the world.  This was unbelievable to me.  

All these top Canadian demonstrators inspire me and many are dear friends

This photo says it all! 

Team S.T.I.C incentive trip earners!

A photo with the CEO Sara and co-founder Shelli

I can not say enough how thankful I am to God for the amazing experience of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  I'm thankful for all you wonderful people who stamp with me and the amazing Team S.T.I.C. who inspire me everyday. 

I shall carry on doing the best I can to serve my team, friends and customers!  Thank you for your support!