Convention 2010 SWAPS

My swaps for Convention.

First four are the swaps I made using the faux lace technique for The WOW swap.
I turned the stamp upside down from Friends never fade. I thought it made the perfect Angel.
I used this same stamp for my swap at Linda Hansen's Dinner. It makes a great Christmas card but I decided to just use the greeting "for you" since the samples were going to her group.
Next are my 2 Christmas organized swaps. I was in 2 groups here and this called for 2 layers so I tried to do an easier card that would be easy to be reproduced in a class or workshop. The next card was made from the new cute by an inch for my LNS swap. I cased this from Mary Fish and just changed the objects to the new inchees. The next cards were all general swaps. I love that new Friends never fade so I made the angel again. Cheers to you is always a favorite. I saw a card on Stamptastic that was made for Christmas - loved the colors and thought that would look great as a cocktail card. Fifth avenue floral is such a classic- I saw a card like this on Kismet, Art and Life. They used a non SU set but it reminded me of this stamp set so I did the same basic idea.
I think it came out great. I swapped out of this one first. An apple a day-When I saw this set I knew I wanted to do some type of teacher card. I remembered seeing a card on Kween Bee Kreations- for those of you who don't know, she is Mary Fish's niece. Look at their work. Same neat, classic style. Anyway I took the idea she had and used the apple to make it current. Almost done- I love the new newsprint paper. I saw so many projects done with this. I cased this idea from Susan Raihala- I added the new newsprint paper and changed the punch and greeting.
Finally the bird-I had seen Blue Egg Craze use a bird made out of buttons where she drew in the tail and feet- When I saw the sweetheart set I didn't like the tail so I cut it off and drew in my own tail. I know the feet could use some work. When you reproduce yours you can make beautiful feet. Her design was similar but I changed it up with SU. If you can't figure out the recipe email me and I will give you more detailed info.

Convention 2010 More Bloggers and New Friends

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Recognize any of these famous Bloggers???
Let's start with our hostess for this great evening- Linda Hansen. I have followed her blog since the DAY!!! you know when. I was lucky enough to get in this wonderful " An Evening To Remember" and that it was! Doesn't Linda look awesome. We had an awesome dinner, surprise guest, entertainment and swap here, I was in group 1 of 3. I got 50 truly amazing cards. Next is Becky Roberts- Becky is a nurse also but got to make SU her FT job when her family came along unlike me who continues to toil away and just play on the side with SU. I love her work. Her blog is amazing and you can just see her personality in her work. Darn she has that BFF that she talks about all the time and the BFF even won a trip to Alaska, so no way to sway her friendship.
On to Jan Tink- her blog is a hoot. I have never seen anyone use so many flashing icons, smiley things or go on so many rants about herself all in such good humor. She is a jewel. If you have never read her blog-go there now. Her artwork is awesome also-and she doesn't mind telling you either.
Next Diana Gibbs-#40 demonstrator of the Year! I don't really remember how I started following her blog. I may have seen where someone else followed it and checked it out or it could have been when she won the Artisan Award last year and I went and looked the winners up and added them to my Google reader. Whatever took me there it was well worth it. Diana also created the make and takes we did at this event.
Last but not least are my new friends Ann Marie and JoAnn. Both of these ladies signed up for my Masculine swap that I hosted on Saturday and offered to help me at the beginning of the swap so it was really organized. What a great job they did. I have seen Ann Marie's blog since we have been home and it to is very impressive. I just met them on this evening and both are wonderful friends now and I am sure we will share lots of ideas over the next year and meet up again next year ready to do it all over again.
What a great group of women!

Convention 2010 Blogger Gretchen Barron

Now this is 3 days in a row. Can I get a hand!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is Gretchen Barron for those of you who don't recognize this blogging queen. I was sitting in session on Thurs am and I had an empty seat beside me when a SU worker tapped me on the shoulder and asked if the seat beside me was taken. Of course I said no and tried to move my 4 swap bags and all that stuff I think I have to carry around so I could make it safe for someone to even enter the aisle. Enter this lady and she sits down. Now I kinda look over- I think wow she looks familiar. I sit there thinking to myself- I know I know her. I finally lean over and say is your name Rachel? to which she replies NO! Then it comes to me. You're Gretchen Barron...I follow your blog. As soon as I get it out everyone around has heard it and they are just oohing and aahing too. Gretchen was very modest. Her punch directions/tutorial when those new punches came out really saved the day. I think SU got the tutorial from her :) Gretchen was kind enough to swap cards with me and we had and opportunity to visit again later at convention. It still amazes me that all these amazing ladies I will feature over the next days ( in the order I took their pics) have no idea how we blog followers just think they are great. They are all so modest and sometimes embarrassed by our attention.
You go Gretchen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great work everyday.

Convention 2010 Lynn Pratt

Well onto day 2 for the new blog commitment. On Tuesday Jackie from Orlando and 2 ladies I have paled around with at convention for the last 2-3 years from Maryland-Gwen and Sandy decided to eat lunch at the hotel after a morning of LNS events. I was sitting there and noticed a display on the floor by a table just over from us. Well I knew immediately who that was because I follow that blog--- I went over and met Lynn Pratt. She is just an awesome designer and so nice. (www.stampndesign.blogspot.com) Her mother was with her and of course we just were delighted to meet Lynn and probably acted crazy but her mom was so proud. She told us Lynn's grandma had asked all about convention and didn't quite understand what they were coming to. She had asked if Lynn was going to get a round of applause. I took care of that-- I got my friends to all give Lynn a huge round of applause, plus we all did the wave. Her mom was just toooooooo proud. It turned out her mom was in a masculine swap I hosted later in the week. Lynn swapped me for her last blue shoe. Maybe next year the Potato heads will still be popular and I will get one of those or I will figure out how to make them. I just noticed something else- I think I got the wedding card in the WOW swap I did. Off to check that now.

Stampin Up Convention 2010 Flower Power Party

Well I started this blog last year for convention but just didn't have time to keep it up. I am going to try it again this year. I am going to post my cards and the recipes to the cards I made for my swaps in the next few days as well as a few pictures from convention. I met a few of my favorite bloggers while at convention. Now hold on- I could not locate some and some were not there so this will only be a few as I follow over 200 blogs. I can already hear you saying- That's crazy-but I love them all. First pictures today are of me as a Hippie at the Flower Power party.