The Best Part of Convention

Everyone says the friendships they've made through Stampin' Up! are the most valuable part of their lives and I have to agree! A lot of really, really cool things happened this year and I have lots to share with you, but I am going to start with my friendships.

First up - BFF, Kim Sinclair. She is the best and I can't imagine going without her! We live far, far apart, so seeing her at convention is what I look forward to the most.

Plus, she is so helpful to me...she makes sure we safely cross the street, she listens when I'm not, she takes pictures for blog friends who stop to say hi, she tells me when it's time to go (cuz I have a teeny tiny talkin' problem!), she plays nasty tricks on me that are very embarrassing, she carried my Founders Circle bag for me all week ... ok, more on those two later. *Ü*

And she wonders why I call her the paparazzi!

Stampin' Up! is full of creative people, but I gotta tell ya...I think my friends are some of the MOST creative. Here I am with Lorri Heiling one of my very dear friends.

She brought me an Inking Idaho mug full of coffee beans and three of the most beautiful Gerber daisy pens you've ever seen. This picture does not really show how pretty they are!! Amazing talent in that little tiny body of hers! Love ya Lorri!!

A couple of my other friends Jennifer and Ronette have joked for years that they should start a Drinking Idaho spoof blog...like what my tutorials look like after a few drinks and laughs...but I have never really thought of a Drinking Idaho mug!! Hmmm...may have to start selling them. Ü

Diana Gibbs - Multiple time Artisan Award winning Diana Gibbs, that is...such a lovely lady and a hoot to around. Her BFF, Tracy didn't make it to convention this year, so she palled around with us, Rhonda Morgan and MAMMa. We loved every minute of it!

Works of art I will treasure forever from Diana!

I've been friends with Jennifer Picard for a couple years and finally got to meet her at Leadership in January. This was a BIG year for Jenn - she was one of the Artisan Award winners!!!!! Congratulations Jenn!!!

After dinner Saturday, we all went up to Jenn and her roomie Sandra Farrell's (who was an Artisan Award winner also!!!!!!!!!!) room to check out the Artisan Award swaps from the dinner they had with Shelli, the other winners and the Concept Artists. Unbelievable creativity, what a honor to have her share those with us! Thank you Jenn and congratulations again to you and Sandra!! My pix with Sandra was super dark, so I hope she sends me hers. Ü

My friend Connie Collins was another Artisan Award winner this year! Out of 40,000 demonstrators, thousands of them try out for Artisan Award but Stampin' Up! only chooses 10 winners...what were the odds that 4 of my friends made it this year! So cool!!! Congratulations Connie!

Only Connie would think of covering flip flops with fabric and iron on adhesive! Aren't these darling?! I've bought a lot of candy to match papers I've worked with, but I can honestly say I've never shopped for flips flops to match SU! fabric! Love this idea!!