Convention 2011!

The Stampin' Up! Convention is truly a highlight of the year! I always look forward to going because I connect with old friends that I only get to see at Stampin' Up! events because we live all over the United States! Seeing the snow-covered mountains and all the beauty that Utah has to offer is another reason why I love to go!

My sister and I (Pam is in the back left) jumped in a shuttle and made some new friends on the way to the hotel! Sorry, gals, I don't remember your names, but we were all so excited about attending the convention and spirits were high!

One thing we all look forward to at the convention is going through Memento Mall. Memento Mall features all kinds of Stampin' Up! logo merchandise that is usually only available at the convention. There is always a tremendously long line waiting to get into Memento Mall. This picture shows you only one small section of the line! It weaves around forever and you feel like you are never going to get to the front of the line! I spent a pretty penny in Memento Mall, but came away with some really cool stuff that I'm glad I have!

Once inside Memento Mall, there is always a shopping frenzy! You want to take everything home with you - and I pretty much did! Now I've got to face that stinkin' credit card charge!

Here's my sister, Pam D'Urso, Kirsteen Gill, and Vicky Skillman showing their loot from Memento Mall. I outdid all of them put together, I think! Don't tell Randy - he'll kill me!

Here's Jennifer Gulch and Elizabeth Hurst! When Jennifer checked in, she was told that she's a Rising Star, a very prestigious honor with Stampin' Up!, so she got one of those coveted bags that you only get as a Rising Star or as a Demonstrator of the Year! Lucky me, I got one of those bags, too, for Demonstrator of the Year! Jennifer and I will be traveling to St. George, Utah, for the Founder's Circle trip!

One of our favorite things to do each night is hang out in the hotel lobby and visit with demonstrators from all over the United States. You make so many friends that way and the sharing of information is phenomenal. Here is Kirsteen in the hotel lobby working on one of her swaps!

On this particular evening we walked to Murphy's Pub, which has become one of our favorite places to visit while in Salt Lake City. The food is good and the atmosphere is fun! There are usually men throwing darts in the back, which is so unlike any of us! I guess that's why we like Murphy's!

Here is a quick shot of the entrance to the Salt Palace Convention Center, which is where the convention was held.

From left to right are: Heather Klump - Artisan Award Winner of 2011! You have seen me case many of Heather's things. She is an incredible artist and we LOVE hanging out with her in Utah! Julie Kasper is next to Heather. I met Julie several years ago at a convention and we have been best friends ever since! We love to meet up at the convention and hang out together for the week. My sister, Pam D'Urso, is next to Julie. What fun to meet my sister in Utah and be roommates for the week! Having Pam join Stampin' Up! has enriched my association with Stampin' Up! even more! Then there's Pat - one of Julie's recruits. We had such a good time with Pat that we are all hoping she'll be attending the next convention! It wouldn't be as much fun without Pat! Next to Pat is Kirsteen Gill! I loved having time to spend with Kirsteen! That doesn't usually happen in Katy - we have to travel all the way to Utah to spend good time together! It was such a fun week!

A nice shot of the mountains as you're coming out of the convention center. It's so pretty in Salt Lake City. Everywhere you look is something pretty to admire!

This is one of my greatest friends, Judy Garza, from Victoria, Texas. Everytime she and I would attend Stampin' Up! events, we'd always see each other at the Houston airport. We have become the best of friends and Judy is very special to me! As you can see, I'm giving her a kiss! She is a sweetheart and I'm so happy she's in my life! Judy made Founder's Circle, too, so we are looking forward to a good time in Utah in September.

Me, Kirsteen, and Pam got to go across the stage for our recruiting efforts this past year!

We were among the first to see the new Holiday Mini Catalog! You can tell that Vicky Skillman and Tammy Davis, members of The TOPICS!, are absolutely thrilled with it! It is going to knock your socks off - and get ready to write some BIG checks! I want every single item in that mini, and so will you!

Each day we would meet for lunch in the convention hall! Here's a big table of us enjoying discussing what we saw and learned that morning!

Jennifer Gulch and Elizabeth Hurst waiting for the General Session to start! Our group took up an entire row!

The huge Stampin' Up! banners that were all over the place! They were huge, as you can see from the picture!

This is one of my sweet uplines, Denise Waddell! I only get to see her at the big Stampin' Up! events. She is so much fun and I enjoy any time that I get to spend with her!

Here's a picture I caught of Heather Klump dancing! Before the General Session starts, the music is playing really loud and everyone is dancing and clapping! It is such a fun time and it gets you ALL REVVED UP - as it did Heather here!

Here is my sister, Pam D'Urso, walking across the stage for being with Stampin' Up! five years! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, PAM!

Vicky Skillman won a new stamp set and a coordinating punch from the Holiday Mini Catalog! Can you tell she's excited?

For our last night together, I wanted to treat The TOPICS! to dinner on me at Buca di Beppo! We had a wonderful evening - I had the best Tiramisu I've ever had in my life (the Mojito wasn't bad either) - and it was an evening of laughing, laughing, and more laughing! I love these gals - they mean so much to me - and thanks to Stampin' Up!, they're part of my life! Think about attending the convention next year! You'll be so glad you did!