Stampin Up Convention- Canberra 2012- Day 3

Hi Everyone,

Well we're up to day 3 of the convention review LOL!

Each morning kicks off pretty early up by 6am or so, out the door of our motel by 7ish off to breakie (depending on how well you get organized in the mornings depends whether you sit for a full breakie or grab a coffee etc and keep walking LOL!) But we were pretty up and at it girlies so we got to do nice cafe breakies with our roomies and fellow demo buddies- these moments are to be cherished in thought when we're all back home doing our daily routine!

Then it is set off on foot and on this particular morning a little rainy, I found the weather quite doable though much like my hometown Toowoomba which in the thick of winter can get to various minuses, most probably Canberra gets a bit cooler on occasion, but definitely not 'balaclava weather' as I had thought it might be outside. 

I should note here too that Canberra is a lot quieter without the 'hussle and bussle' that our other cities have, lots of parks, open spaces, with beautiful Amber trees lining the rivers, much more tranquil than one would imagine a 'capital city' to be.

Closes to us in the foreground of this pic as we set off to Convention for another day- Delys Cram and Liz Hicks with her gorgeous skirt and a few new Stampin Up umbrellas getting used.

Some of the first Demo Presenters for the day doing some 'wows' (wow's are presentations demonstrated by fellow demos, on stage at conventions and regionals) on different ways of using our current products and tools, always great and very popular!

Beth Stewart was one of the first up and done a lovely presentation with various projects using the Bigz die- Elegant Bird.

I have done a bit with the bird die buy I adore the projects and different points of view that Beth brought to us - totally WOW!!!

Now which presentations happen which day is a bit of a mesh to me now but another one that was quick (10min) and a fantastic idea was from Sarah Klass - (a WA demo) on different ways to use our Bigz dies to get alternate effects to extend their use. If you click on her name it will take you to her project presentation. I am working on the concept at home in practise LOL!

Further along another presentation from Kim Gavarra (a Brissie Demo) showing new ways with punch art. The Blossom punch got a nice look in as well. Again click on her name and you'll get a looksie at some of what she did- here is a few other pics as well.

One other presentation was done by a NZ demo- Liz Hicks, this is a girl after my own heart in Scrapbooker land. Her ways of layering stamps and papers, gives one no excuse anymore to not be able to take a project from either -clean/simple/straight lines or turn it into an alternative layered dimensional work of art.

She particularly brought focus to using sheets of vellum that had cut out die shapes (the negative) and used these then as masks- sponging and dubbering effects with ink.

 Stamps were also dipped in a bleach 'paper towel' sponge and given another 'layer' effect. These are ideas that scrapbookers have played with in the papercrafting world,so it was great to see it marrying with the stamping world. Her finished works reminded me nicely of the Basic Grey papers I've been a forever fan of for the last decade. But hey you can make your own.

(credit of this photo must got my fellow Qld demo- Julia Quinn) of Liz presented works)

Of course before these general sessions and wow presentations we get to listen to and ask advice from experts demos and staff at various all very informative and helpful, one has to be there to get the real vibe and buzz and its not to be underestimated in the slightest even for the most cynical minded LOL!

Another awesome day and as you can imagine your mind is abuzz with ideas and concepts.

On the eve of this friday night many of the attendees did a Creative Class (a first for convention goers) as an extra special deal. I didn't elect to do this at the time of booking for convention due to tight finances, but I regretted it muchly seeing all the value that my roomies got from the class package, the papers alone are awesome,  not forgetting another opportunity to create with friends, I shall never miss out again!

Here is a little of what it looked like peering in LOL!-

(note-*some photos  below C/O other demos shares)

Throughout the general sessions are 'Prize Patrol' - yep free stamp sets and product (not yet released in our countries) given away to lots, sure puts a buzz in the air!

Well that was another days share, by now in the process you are just enjoying it so much, getting tired, sleeping easy at night and wishing it would never end, and thankful you still have another day and night to enjoy it for one more time until next year!

                                                                                       Enjoy - Ruthy 

Stampin Up Convention Canberra- Day 2

Hi Everyone,

Well early start to a very full day of Convention activities.

We walked from the motel to convention and narrowed it down to a quicker route (my heeled boots were thankful) and on arrival demonstrators who hadn't checked in the day prior were doing so on this thursday morning while some of us were attending rehearsals or joining in on the swapping process.

During that time I also caught up with some pals I've gotten to know over several get togethers like my matey here- Theresa Azzopardi

After this quick morning catchup and swapping process the rest of the attending JAI team and I went and had breakie at Milk n Honey where I finally met more of the team face to face.

(photo C/O of JAI team sister- Tina Gillespie)

L- R- Tina Gillespie, myself, Delys Cram, Christine Blain, Chantell Randell, her sister Nadine, (coming down from back - right side- Trish Radacs, Patrice Easton, Kim Badelt and Nikki Spencer. 

Tina Gillespie, myself and Delys Cram

Kim Badelt and my other roomie Nikki Spencer

two more JAI roomies- Trish Radacs and Patrice Easton

sisters- Colleen Randall and Nadine from NZ

It was a rather quick breakie get together for myself as I had to make it back to the convention centre to take over from Belinda at the Tools table. Tina gave me company on the walk back, which was a nice opportunity to get to know her better.

While seeing to my post for brief on our activity at Product Playground I got to meet the demo who would be taking turns with myself at the 'Tools' table in the resource centre-Belinda.Hennessey. She also had a display in the Product Playground with her gorgeous works of art which includes hours I'm sure of fussy cutting and 3D displays.

Belinda Hennessey and I ready to take part at demostrating and answering questions at the Tools table. We both did 2 hrs on the thursday, 30 mins on the friday and 45 mins on the Saturday- phew! 

Our table is looking a bit messy by now as we've been hard at it LOL!

This one was taken on day 1 session by Monique Fielder . You can also see the lovely NZ demo friend  Vicki Were beside me.

Shown here with Belinda are some of the other demos who were working on other tables alongside us during these sessions.

I also got to meet some other demos - name to face which was awesome!

This lovely lady- Kay Jacobs was someone who made me feel very welcomed on the boards of Stampin Connection in my beginning days of a demo and we have kept in touch ever since.

The gorgeous Tania Willis - turns out we're both fans of each other's work, I know I have admired her projects from day 1 as a demo!

Same applies with the lovely Deb Ferns, I have even CASED a card of her's with product from the last Autumn/Winter mini.

With the awesome Stampin Up staff girlies. These young ladies are so much fun and very supportive to us fellow demos! Its great as you attend each event you get to better acquainted and more comfortable with everyone. Cate Lynch on my right also lead the new Convention song - "I AM", - again this year with a lot of the other staff in support.

And as they do every other year, there is always a memento backdrop, to which you can catch a shot and meet Shelli and together with your fellow demo buddies. I loved the nostalgic backdrop theme they had this year and being black it didn't compete with other colour choices others were wearing- thats important to my photographic and scrapbooking side of the brain LOL!

Here is the JAI team for the ones who attended Convention this year, sadly we were missing a few too.

Fingers crossed for next year in Brissie :-)

L-R- Christine, Tina, Kim, Delys, Trish, Chantell, Patrice, myself and Nikki.

And the convention would not be the same without our photo with our memento and CEO Shelli Gardner herself.

 and we do similar all again- have photos with our demo friends,  on the Saturday night all decked up in our finery!

Following all the morning-till lunch activities we then settled into our first of general sessions- which was opened by the 'new' yearly convention theme song- I Am lead by Cate Lynch and supported by the office staff- they are multi- talented!

then opening address by Shelli, Aussie Manager Aaron and so on. What happens in which order fails my memory now because its pretty well and pleasantly I might say- full on here on- motivational talks, 'business advice' and my fav- product presentations with sneak peeks on new product. Each year you wonder if one can exceed the other, well this was my 2nd convention and without hesitance I'd have to say yes!!!

I'm sure a lot of you have seen such entries or reviews of this years Australian/NZ convention by now and I hope you have enjoyed my day 2 journey of the same as well.

Enjoy - Ruthy 

Canberra Stampin Up Convention 2012- Day 1

             Hi Everyone,

We are now a month outside of this event so its way time I shared my highlights or memories of this years Stampin Up convention which was held in Canberra- Canberra National centre- May 31st- June 2nd!

To double the pleasure of attending Convention was the reality that I was going to meet my JAI girlies for the first time in real life and roomie with some as well. Since being invited on team these girls have been an immense support to myself and a great encouragement  also to my Stampin Up journey. I am impressed by their 'realness' and willingness to help and share, I hope they find the same equally in me.

Firstly my wonderful experience began straight after leaving home when I spent an overnight stay at my long time friend and downline team member- Janet Wallace's home. Her hospitality is second to none!

Both she and her hubby Al took me to the airport bright and early at 5am before heading off to work themselves. All went as smooth as, which was great as this was the first time in my life that I had travelled like this- solo.

Arriving at the airport it wasn't long before I soon found (or they found me too) demos making the same journey down south which included this gorgeous lady- Suzanne Bannard from Ipswich Queensland.

this photo was later taken at our Convention Gala Dinner

Suzanne and I.

there at the airport we spotted a few others too from memory- Tina White and Kim Gavarra, also Brissie located girls and a few others whose names escape me. (I'm 2 hrs off Brissie) 

We had a great flight and arrived 10ish in the morning.

At the airport both Nikki Spencer (a JAI team buddy) and I were kindly collected and met for me the first time for both by Kim Badelt. Kim was so lovely in taking us to the motel and showed us over Canberra the rest of the afternoon and at other times too. This connection made the whole experience so much sweeter. 

Kim Badelt and I - also taken on Saturday Night SU Gala dinner.

After settling in to our motel and meeting the lovely Delys and her sister Andrea Morgan (our other roomies) we went to the Convention centre to deliver my projects for display in the Product Playground. They were well received and endorsed with approval from Shelli too.

We then made our way for some lunch together Kim, Nikki, Delys, Andrea and I. Lots of laughter and side-splitting good times in next to no time at all. 

From here we ventured to the National War Memorial for an afternoon of sightseeing. It has always been high on my list of 'must sees' ever since a few of my children had done school excursions there many years earlier.

  

This photo above was taken standing within the war memorial . It fasinates me how everything is so 'in line' with each other and that the parliment should be aligned with the Miltary. I'm sure its all for a reason. Canberra is referred to as a 'planned city' and this is very obvious in its design.

Did you know that before the Australian Capital of Canberra was established, parliamentary meetings were conducted in Melbourne from 1901 to 1927.

Then from 1927 until 1988 they were held in what is now referred to as in the above photo- The Old Parliament Building. It is now a museum of Australian Democracy. It was always meant to be a temporary location for parliament  in preference to be given to the permanent spot for the new parliament building we have now. I personally think it looks more grand than the new. Another thing I wonder why are parliament buildings always white??? I must say its about the only thing of parliament I'm sure in any country that is that 'optimistically pure' looking.

The New Parliament House opened in 1988 Bicentennial year.

It sits on Capital Hill with a huge Australian flag resting on its peak.

Much of the building is rested beneath Capital Hill and when looking from above, it is said that the design is of two boomerangs enclosed in a circle design. It is 300metres long and 300 metres wide and the site covers 32 hectares of land. I didn't get to see inside the building as time didn't permit with our convention scheduled- that will have to wait for another visit to Canberra. The SU Demos that had obtained 'Manager' status were rewarded with a visit and dinner there on the Thursday night. Apparently though they weren't given a guided tour, which I think was a surprise! I'm sure it was fun all the same.

As I noted earlier in this post that the New Parliament House and the Old Parliament House are in line with each other along with the War Memorial on Mt Ainslie in the area known as the Parliamentary Triangle.

 Interesting fact-there are similarities with the design of Canberra and that of Washington DC (USA). Both consist of triangles that link up the House of Government with other monuments and important places. 

After a satisfying day of touring, we returned back to the Convention centre to check in (Wednesday 30th- yes earlier opportunity this year at 5.30pm) and collect our bags etc- how awesome they are too- very impressed. So many departments, the only problem then was remembering where one put everything LOL!

Delys, Nikki and I had our photo taken by the professional photographer after collecting the bags but somehow never made the 'cut' in the highlights LOL- must have been a bad shot heheehe!

Feeling pleased with ourselves but ready to settle in we walked endless blocks  in a circle (it all looks so small and close on the map hey ) home to our motel, got comfy and had good convo and giggles with my roomies- Nikki Spencer, Delys Cram and Andrea Morgan- these girls are a blast, I would do it over again in a flick!!!

That concludes arrival/check in day.- episode 1 

Enjoy - Ruthy