What an exciting few weeks it has been!

It seems that I’m a bit behind in blogging, so today I’m here to do a catch-up post and then I can get back to sharing projects and ideas here on my blog. Thanks for spending some time here. xxx

We have just returned from the bi-annual Stampin’ Up! conference which we call OnStage (You can watch THIS HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO to see what it was all about).

This event is held in April and November each year. If you’ve been a regular visitor to my blog you might remember that last November I attended the event over in Salt Lake City (and did a stopover in Hawaii too). This year I stayed a little closer to home and attended the one in Melbourne, Australia with dozens of team members and hundreds of demonstrators from all over the country.

With such a big group we thought it would be fun to extend the weekend by holding a team function on the Sunday. This turned the weekend into something *totally amazing*, but I slept well when it was all over – hehehe. 

 

CentreStage Leadership Event 

The theme this time was Black & White as we celebrated Stampin’ Up!’s 30th birthday. We did some helpful training and a lot of socialising. Dinner was delicious and so was dessert – an amazing buffet!

I was thrilled to receive a beautiful gift from Stampin’ Up! for being in the Overall Top 10 in Australia. A huge honour to get this lovely leather bag and purse. 

 

To make it even more exciting, we got a copy of the upcoming Occasions Catalogue which will go live in early January. PLUS we got a copy of the 2019 Sale-a-bration brochure which shows all the items that we can earn for FREE with a qualifying purchase between January and March 2019! 

[Sorry! We can’t share the inside pages of the catalogue yet but if you would like to join Stampin’ Up! you can get your hands on these new products in December.] 

 

 

We also heard some VERY exciting news. Stampin’ Up! is introducing CLING STAMPS!

 

 

These are actually the same red rubber that we’re used to, but the labels are new and improved. They are super tacky and – as the name suggests – they *reeeeeeally* cling. A lot!

You won’t have any problems keeping them stuck on your block. No need to have clean blocks or add glue to your stamps. They will stick… stick… stick! 

We are also phasing out wood-mounted stamp sets.

Only 4% of stamp sets sold are wood-mount, so the time has come to remove them from our product line so we can all have room for other more popular goodies. Wood mount stamp sets – including background stamps – won’t be in the next annual catalogue in Australia. I used to buy all my background stamps with the wood block, but now that I’m using the Stamparatus it’s clear-mount (or CLING mount) all the way for me!

 

OnStage

 

The official part of our convention kicked off on Saturday morning. The queue was already long at 7.20am but we were all excited to be there so it was a happy wait. When we got inside we were greeted with a gorgeous box and inside was our reversible bag, pens, note pads, a stamp set, lucky number badge (for Prize Patrol gifts) and more. 

 

We heard heartwarming stories of how Stampin’ Up! has enriched so many lives over the past 30 years, just as it has mine over the past 11+ years.

Each year there is a ‘theme song’ which is catchy, inspiring and uplifting. I LOVE this year’s song! Best of all, you can buy this song as a digital download and all money will go towards Autism organisations, including Aspect (Autism Spectrum Australia).  

(link to Love, Live & Share It Today video)

 

 

We learnt more about the new products that are coming out, and saw a number of fabulous presentations on the big screen and then could have a closer look over on the displays later. 

 

 

And did I mention the giveaways? There were plenty including all-attendee giveaways like this one… 

 

In fact, this is the huge pile of loot that I brought home at the end of the day. (To be honest, I found a few more bits and pieces like the pens and the Greece Incentive Trip pin after I took this photo – oops). 

 

 

Team Day

The fun continued after the doors closed at OnStage. 

With the help of my amazing team leaders and upline, we hosted a Post-OnStage Team Event and invited all our team members to attend! Not all could make it of course, but we did have a brilliant day with nearly 70 people. 

We created, ate lots of yummy food, swapped projects, admired the displays, did a little training with our visiting guests (including the Regional Sales Director of Stampin’ Up! from Salt Lake City, Utah and our own Demonstrator Development Manager from Sydney), and everyone received a gift! We also created our own Punch Guide to use as a handy tool when trying to find the right punch to fit stamped images.

All of our attendees received a personalised, lined case [ordered from Emma at Acacia Grey Studio]. 

 

 

We finished these off with a some Powder Pink Shimmer ribbon as a zipper pull and sealed the ends to prevent fraying. 

 

We are already looking forward to our next get-together. In April 2019 we’re off to Auckland, New Zealand for the next OnStage event. Woohoo!!!

 

Customer Appreciation Event  

We have just finished our last official stamp club/class for the year, so we are finishing off next month with a Christmas party and a free Customer Appreciation event. I’m so excited about this event!

We are also making plans for the coming year of classes. If you – or someone you know – would like to join a regular group for creative fun, art therapy and cardmaking, then please get in touch.

Classes are in Creswick, Victoria, which is a pleasant 20 minute drive from Ballarat in central Victoria. We have attendees come from as far as Melbourne and Geelong – so if you don’t mind a drive you are most welcome to join us. This really is a gorgeous part of the world, so if you can find the time to get away from it all once a month, then a day in the ‘country’ with a couple of hours of stamp therapy could be just what the doctor ordered. 

I’m currently building a waitlist of interested people for my 2019 classes and events, so if you would like to be on that list please message me. Existing stamp club members get first option to continue, but I may consider adding an extra class or two if my schedule permits. 

 

A day in the life…

On the home front, we have had ballet and dance activities galore, plus my big boy turned 18 years old this week AND he finished his last Year 12 exam! Not quite sure where the last decade or so went. It seems like only yesterday he was learning to read and playing with Lego, and now he’s embarking on his own life’s journey. Well I’m proud to say that he’s grown into a lovely young man and I’m excited to see where he’ll go in life. 

Christmas is racing towards us, but it’s definitely not too late to get creative this year.

Would you like to make your own Christmas cards? What about tags, gift packaging, or decorations? Check out all the Christmas products in my online store here> SHOP THE HOLIDAY CATALOGUE.

Handcrafted projects are not only a beautiful way to express our creativity, but they are the perfect way to share a piece of ourselves with those we love. 

 

 

COMING SOON: Online Extravaganza

 

Phew, this has been a big post!

Well, if you’ve stuck with me this long you can be rewarded with a bit of a ‘heads up’.

Stay tuned for an Online Extravaganza from 23-28 November. I’ll share news about that once I know more, so make sure you’ve subscribed to this blog or follow me on Facebook. 

 

 

Snowflake Showcase – Available November only

There’s still some time left to get your hands on FIVE new products that are ONLY available in November. Watch THIS VIDEO to learn more. 

1. Happiness Surrounds stamp set. 14 photopolymer stamps suitable for all-year-round use. 
2. Snow is Glistening stamp set. 14 photopolymer stamps with unique detail. 
3. Snowfall Thinlits dies. 20 dies with intricate details. These dies co-ordinate with both the Happiness Surrounds stamp set AND the Snow is Glistening set. 
4. White Velveteen sheets. 2 sheets per pack. They velveteen sheets can be sponged and coloured, and are the perfect ‘feel’ for snow projects. 
5. Snowflake Trinkets. 20 per pack, these embellishments have a low profile and feature a rhinestone embedded in each one. 

 

 

 

Thanks for hanging out with me for a while. Please drop me a line in the comments below to say Hello, and to let me know you were here. 

Happy stamping, 

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