One of the best things about convention for me is the PEOPLE. I have made so many new friends through Stampin' Up! and connecting with them at events is the highlight for me! For weeks ahead of convention I was emailing all my buddies deciding on meeting them for breakfast, sitting with them at the lunch tables, or meeting in the hotel lobbies. 
The first day of convention is the day to go and pick up your convention bag, sign in, and go to the awards booth to see if you have gotten any awards. I was so nervous... just wondering if I had made it into the Founder's Circle this year or not! When they handed my Founder's Circle bag, I just started crying! I couldn't believe it! This is the bag for this year... a cute canvas backpack!
Here I am with Tiffany Bauer, from Indiana, who was Rising Star #1 last year, and Robin Merriman, from Virigina, who was Rising Star #1 in 2007. Later that week Robin was named to the Advisory Board, the highest honor in Stampin' Up!
This is my good friend Lee from Florida. We first met online, and then 2 years ago at Leadership in Palm Springs in January 2008.
On Friday all the 2008 Rising Stars met for lunch. We had a great time together, and swapped cards and talked and laughed together. Only Carolyn Serviss from Phildaelphia was missing... and greatly missed! Here we are being just silly, and below you will see us being a little more serious! Thanks Tiffany for making this happen!
!
Jeanna Buchanan is a friend from Las Vegas that I met at Leadership in Palm Springs also. It was great to see her again!
The darling gal on the left here is Missy Shipman. She is a sweetheart that I met at Founder's Circle last year. She was another speaker this year, and I hear she was AWESOME! (I can't wait for the DVD to come so I can hear her presentation.. she was speaking when I was, so didn't get to hear her) In the middle is the ever wonderful Bonnie Thurber, head of the Training Department at Stampin' Up! She has become a dear friend. She is one of the staff members that will be at the Founder's Circle trip in September, so I'll get to see her again soon.
I'll be back tomorrow with some projects for you!
