Leadership Conference - Day 3!

What a fun day this was! I love going to Stampin' Up! events and meeting my friends from all around the United States! This is a new friend I've made, Holle Wiktorek, that I met on the Founder's Circle trip this year! She was the gal who told me about Karen Burniston (the woman who designed the Christmas Tree Die, the Three-Tier Cake Die, and the 3D Ball Die) living in Katy, Texas now and hooked me up with Karen! Holle is the sweetest thing you will ever meet - and her Tennessee accent is just adorable! I can't wait to see Holle this summer in Utah at the Stampin' Up! Convention! Today everyone received a freebie - a packet of the Red Glimmer Paper, the Glimmer Basics Brads, and the Champagne Glass Glitter! Stampin' Up! is always so good to us by giving us free products - and we all LOVE free!

We also received a nice FREE bundle of the Something to Celebrate stamp set, the Springtime Vintage Fabric, the Sweet Stitches Buttons, and a My Digital Studio CD.

For the last night, we ate at a Mexican restaurant that served some Margaritas that I've never heard of before - more precisely a Strawberry/Jalapeno Margarita - so we just had to try it!

At every Stampin' Up! event there is something called the Make-n-Take session. We all look forward to it because, of course, we get to stamp! Here is the big hall we were all in making unbelievably CUTE make-n-take projects!

Here's my table below with my sister Pam D'Urso from St. Louis, Missouri, and my friend Julie Kasper from the Chicago area. WE HAD FUN!

There were lots of interesting product boards and displays for us to look at. Now I wish I had taken more pictures. The picture below is artwork using our Blossom Petals Punch! Isn't it gorgeous?

The picture below is artwork using our Sweet Buttons Embosslits, the fabric-covered brads, and to the far right, our Sweet Stitches Designer Big Buttons. Cool, huh? I would have never thought of doing that!

It's time to head home and get back to work! I've had fun, but it will be so nice to see my hubby and kiddos - and Otto, too! There's just no place like home!

Leadership Conference - Nashville, Tennessee

I am in Nashville, Tennessee, attending the Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference and it's SNOWING! It was so beautiful watching it fall on Tuesday night and I just couldn't quit commenting on the fact that it's SNOWING! I had to remind everyone around me that I'm from Texas and we don't get to see that very often! Below was the view from the Radisson this morning outside my room. A pretty blanket of white snow - AND IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOO COLD HERE!

I am staying at the most incredible place - the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center! Someone told me there are 4,000 rooms here and it is the biggest convention center I have ever seen - and the most beautiful, too! There are lots of restaurants and shopping available, as well as coffee shops - and it's all under one roof. Everywhere you look, there is something you want to take a picture of! It is absolutely gorgeous!

They still have their Christmas decorations up here - and they are phenomenal! I have never seen such beautiful scenery. Colorful flowers and greenery is everywhere and the orchids here are to die for! Below is a hot air balloon hanging from the ceiling!

This is me and my friend Julie Kasper from the Chicago area! We are heading off to the Manager's Reception - and it's always a surprise where we are going! We were given these hats to get us ready for the destination!

We all boarded busses and were taken to the Wildhorse Saloon, where we had a barbecue buffet and then listened to several bands. The gentleman below is a well-known artist, but unfortunately, I didn't recognize his name and I can't remember who he is! SORRY! Do you recognize him, perhaps? His songs were beautiful.

Here's a shot of the inside of the saloon! It's BIG!

All the demonstrators were then given a lesson on line dancing. The shot below is everyone getting their lesson! It was really fun!

Brother Trouble then performed for us and it was a very lively and entertaining evening! They were fabulous and I must admit my toe was tapping!

Tomorrow, all of our classes start! I've seen so many of my Stampin' Up! friends from across the United States - people who mean so much to me. I'm really having a wonderful time! Stampin' Up! is such an amazing family and I'm so happy to be a part of it!