Melbourne Convention 2011

Well this time last week I was at Convention - how fast time flies.  It was fantastic - so much fun and so inspiring .... now to find the time to put some of those ideas into practice.

But I thought I'd show you some photos.  One of the major highlights for demonstrators is meeting up with other like minded women (and the occasional man) who are all passionate about the same thing.

I was very fortunate to meet and have a chat with Karen Cumming and Tracey Hanshaw who organise the Cards for the Troops - Karen is the brains behind this scheme and has been out to the depot in Sydney where the parcels are put together - it was amazing to speak with her.  Both of these ladies give so generously of their time.

And here is a wee sample from the 500 photos I took over the three days - is that obsessive? LOL

My roomies from last year - the lovely Christine Blain and Judy May

Some of my roomies this year ...
across the back we have Kathryn Rudderick, Dianne Dunk, Ros Davidson
and Nicole Nation
and in front we have Genna Gifford, Margaret Knoops, Alisha Watson
and Rachel Woollard 

Nic and I (or is that Nic and Nik) at the Awards dinner

Two of my most favourite people from the Home Office - Bonnie Thurber and Shannon West .... these ladies are just awesome and if you can, you simply have to see them in action - beautiful people.  Sadly I didn't get a photo with Shelli this year - I really do admire her business drive and passion - she is one very dedicated and clever lady.

Bonnie Thurber demonstrating how to make a lovely fascinator, would have been perfect for THAT wedding - isn't she a scream!

I've been looking through the photos trying to pick out some from the Workshop Wows and other demonstrations we saw, but honestly, we saw that much 'new' stuff that finding something I can show you is very difficult.  Teneale Williams did show us how to do the 'Teneale Bow' - watch out for a few of those in the coming weeks and the lovely Delys Cram showed us a few scrapbooking ideas.  There was so much to take in - it really was very exciting.

Yes camels were in the Convention centre - this year's Incentive trip is to Broome - they were huge and Shelli said they were smelly (she's hiding just behind the camera man!).

There was so much to see and digest .... rows upon rows of swap ideas, new products ideas, new colours, new goodies you are going to love, memento mall purchases (will take photos in the daylight - very yummy goodies) ... so many ideas are now swimming around my head so I am clearing a few hours over the weekend to sit down and have a play.

I'll be back next week with some projects to show you.

And if you are reading this and thinking .... 'I want to go next time' ... well you can, we are off to Canberra in May 2012.  Want to come?  Just ask me how!

Happy stampin!

Nikki

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Deal of the Week 3

119750 page 137 Daffodil Delight 5/8'' (1.6 cm) Satin Ribbon was $16.95 NOW $11.87
119963 page 137 Certainly Celery 3/8'' (1 cm) Taffeta Ribbon was $12.95 NOW $9.07
109112 page 139 Square Fire Rhinestone Brads was $19.95 NOW $13.97
109113 page 139 Square Ice Rhinestone Brads was $19.95 NOW $13.97

Call me if you want to place an order - 0428 254 952.

Happy Stampin!

Nikki

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Choose $110 worth of free stamps!

Yes it is true .... all workshops completed by 30 June, which reach a total sales value of $450, will receive a special BONUS - instead of the usual $40 of hostess dollars to spend you will receive an additional $70 - a whopping $110 to spend on whatever you choose ..... plus a free Hostess stamp set - WOW.

This is just one of the specials Stampin' Up! announced at this year's Convention.

Book a workshop with me - lots and lots of week nights and weekends free during May and June so there is plenty of options - call me NOW to get $110 worth of free stamps.

No time for a workshop - call me to organised a catalogue party .... several copies of the catalogue in a bag with samples and order forms ... just pass this around your friends, neighbours and work colleagues ... collect the orders and the hostess benefits are yours .... including a special gift from me.

Come on you know you want to!

Nikki

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Convention News 2011

(The stage - gotta love those stamps and border punched bits)

I am one excited little bunny!  Convention 2011 has started.  Now I did wonder ... this is my second year at Convention - would I find it so exciting? Well let me tell you ... oh YES ... it has been even more exciting than last year.

Some of my lovely friends

I had butterflies yesterday as a frenzy of emails went round how about to get to the accommodation (there are 11 of us in one house in Fitzroy), who was meeting who and where .... collecting the lovely Nicole Nation from Tassie from the bus stop (I hope to goodness I don't loose her whilst she is here - her husband and girls will shoot me :) ), Nic spent the night with me before going to her very first Convention ... all exciting stuff - even if Spencer did eat her luggage tag from her suitcase within five minutes of her being in our house - very embarrassing :)

Is this cute - one 'huge tag' up on stage

And yes the first day didn't disappoint .... the best news I heard (apart from secret squirrel stuff like new stamp sets and new promotions- I am such a tease aren't I?)  .... was that you can now become a demonstrator without the need for an ABN - yep that's right ... no ABN!  

A Workshop Wow presentation - so many ideas

So if you are sat at home thinking ... 'I want to be a part of that', or 'that is so much fun I want to go next year', or 'I don't want to run a business I just want to be a hobbyist and the ABN was too scary or too hard' ... now is the time to sign up.

Its easy, the kit is brilliant value for money ..... and you get to come to great events like this.  Call me and I'll send you all the information you need.

Well ladies I am off to pack my suitcase, I'm staying at the house with all my friends for the next two nights and I need to get organised.

I'll be back next week to show you some great new technqiues I've learnt, some great new promotions ... (hint:  book a workhop in late May or June NOW!)  ..... and much more.

Til then

Happy Stampin!

Nikki

03428 254 952

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Convention 2011 - The Swaps

Have you noticed how quiet blogland has been this past week?  That's because all of us Stampin' Up! demos have been beavering feverishly away - making swaps and organsing our lives so that we can be in Melbourne from Thursday to Sunday - mingling with the US and Australian Home Office staff and fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators.

I love it .... its taken a bit of organising this year with my husband being away ... but thank goodness for my best mate Tracy - my kids are so excited to be staying with her this weekend and I thank her from the bottom of my heart xx

So what do have to show you today .... 70 swaps .... yes that's seven .... zero ..... not the 100 I wanted to make but one week ago today I had none - so I am extremely happy with 70 - and thank you Olivia for being the Big Shot queen and turning out all the butterflies and top note dies for me ... love you xx

These worked out quick and easy to make and would be a great card to make for those moments when time is of the essence!  I made four different colours versions to suit all tastes:

So Saffron and Regal Rose

Pink Pirouette and Baja Breeze

Daffodil Delight and Pacific Point

Basic Grey and Melon Mambo

Sorry for the terrible photos - taking photos at night is never good is it.  So in return for my 70 cards, I should come home with 70 other swaps from other demonstrators - so if you are a workshop lady - be prepared to be inspired with all the new ideas I'll have to show you.

Now I'll be home tonight (little thing called two kids and another day at school to organise - doh), so I'll upload some photos of the day for you to see tomorrow.  After that I'll be staying in the city with a heap (quite literally) of other demos until Sunday  ... but I will keep you updated with what's new and what's coming from Stampin' Up!

Nikki

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Deal Of The Week - Big Shot Dies and Pastels

• 120963 142 Stampin Pastels New Color Kit (19) was $28.50 NOW $22.80


• 115957 151 Thanks Embosslits Die was $21.95 NOW $17.56


• 114513 151 Sweetest Stem Embosslits Die was $21.95 NOW $17.56


• 113483 155 Pennant Bigz XL Die was $74.95 - NOW$59.96

Great offers this week -Big Shot dies are always a great investment.

Please phone or email me if you'd like to place an order - 0428 254 952.

Back tomorrow with Convention news :)

Nikki

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Stampamemory Challenge - May 2011 - Colour

There's a lot going on during the first days of May - click on the OLW link if you are looking for the OLW update, or scroll down for the May specials .... but read on for the SAM Challenge and a new scrapbooking layout.

It's challenge time again at Stampamemory - click here to see what the rest of the Design Team have come up.  I've taken this colour challenge quite 'loosely' shall we say!  I chose Pacific Point as the blue, Not Quite Navy for the black and More Mustard for the yellow/green and I chose to ignore the pink!

Blueberry Crisp DSP is one of my favourites and I've wanted to make bunting ever since I first saw it on a layout about a year ago.

I love that the Defining Alphabet stamps fit so nicely inside the 1" circle punch - never noticed that before and it made the title quick and easy to create.  I've raised up the little circles on Stampin' Dimensionals.

All the edges have been 'daubed' with Pacific Point.  And the bunting has been hung on Linen Thread.  Here's a close up of the journalling ...

Why not have a go at this challenge this month - you can do what I've done and pick just a couple of colours you like or go the whole hog and match up the lot - whatever you decide to do, don't forget to share it with us and have fun.

Happy scrapping.

Nikki

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One on 1 Blog Hop - April Update

Yes a whole month has sped by and it is time once again for a OLW update.  You may have arrived from Lynne's blog, if you have hello and welcome; if you are a regular of this blog, hello .... time to be inspired by my fellow blog hoppers!

This month's task was to write a note to yourself - reflecting where you are now and where you would want to be one year from now.

I found it hard to write to myself .... not sure why, but as I am embarking on a year of change I am embracing all the monthly tasks and just 'not thinking too much .... just doing'.

I am enjoying the journey and love reading how everyone else is embracing their word and including it into their every day life .... being one third of the way through the year I am so pleased I started out on this journey.

Hop along now to Monica's blog for more inspiration and I hope to see you again next month.

Nikki

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Deals Of The Week

 

Oh yes they are back - all throughout May .... some savings are as much as 40% ... and here are the first lot of specials which are on sale until stocks run out or 10 May whichever happens first:

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
121578	37	Tag Alongs Wood-Mount Set	$31.95	$19.17
120468	59	More Monkey Accessories Clear-Mount Set	$23.95	$14.37
121550	59	More Monkey Accessories Wood-Mount Set	$29.95	$17.97
120003	75	Cottage Garden Clear-Mount Set	$24.95	$14.97
119163	75	Cottage Garden Wood-Mount Set	$32.95	$19.77
121494	98	Compliments to the Chef Wood-Mount Set	$35.95	$21.57

Some lovely stamp sets.  My favourite is the Cottage Garden set.  Here are some examples I made from a long time ago.

And more recently a scrapbooking page:

Cottage Garden matches the Sunny Garden DSP perfectly.

Now there is a rumour that these stamp sets will not be in the new Ideas Book and Catalogue when it is reissued later this year - so if you love any of the above sets call me so that I can place the order for you - don't want you to miss out.

New deals will come up every week during May - on a Wednesday ... so watch this space and your inbox and I'll keep you up to date.

Nikki

0428 254 952

One on 1 - Coming Tomorrow

April update - tomorrow at 1.00am!