Woohoo - I have emoticons 
. I love these little suckers and have been trying for ages to see how to get them on here - finally did it with some help from Marelle and her link to here! So expect to see lots more of these here 
, I tend to go a little overboard with them
Now to find out how to get the dancing bananas here 
(and yes I am procrastinating
)
... before I head off to bed. Have been busy cleaning and creating lately..... I think the meds are finally starting to work and I'm feeling more human and 'normal' again now - hurrah for that!
This one is a bit of a cheat - since it was one of the make and takes that we did at convention - but I just wanted to share it with you all - I love the photo that I found to pop on it - aren't they just so cute? Shame it doesn't stay like that, they're normal siblings now - annoying each other etc etc....but I still manage to find some sweet moments like this even now, and it does make my heart melt when they so obviously love each other. Especially when I see Patrick being patient and loving with her, despite the fact that 2 year old sisters can be extremely annoying to a 9 year old boy! ;)
Ok thats enough 'warm fuzzies' for now - off to bed with me!
OK yes I am a tragic - but this is about the best photo I got snapped.... isn't she just gorgeous! For those that don't know (is there anyone out there now that doesn't know who this beautiful creature is?) - this is the one and only Shelli Gardner! And this was definitely one of the highlights of an absolutely fantastic weekend - meeting and chatting to Shelli. I just can't believe that she is so down to earth, caring and most of all just a genuine lovely person. She is soooo sweet. And just simply stunning too.... hard to believe this woman is both a busy CEO and a grandmother to many - she truly is an inspiration.....
OK more pics later - but I just HAD to get this one up there LOL!
It’s a fantastic one if you’ve been considering joining our demonstrator family, as the starter kit is reduced in price to $299.00, for a kit valued at about $585.00! It’s awesome value, and you can customise your kit, changing stamp sets for any of equal of lesser value, and even changing the colour selections! Stampin' Up! has all sorts of demonstrators. From people joining to make the most of the discounts for themselves and friends, to people looking to fund their own hobby budget/addiction, to people looking to add a bit more to the family budget, or saving for a particular goal, to people running it as a business.
This is the promo that I signed up under too – a whole year ago! Oh my goodness, I just can’t believe how quickly that time has flown. I would never have dreamt 12 months ago that I’d be in the position I am now – this is truly the most amazing and gratifying thing that I have ever done. It may sound corny – but it truly has changed my life, and made so many of my relationships grow, both old and new.
If you’d like a closer look at the flyer, let me know and I’ll email one to you. I’m always happy to answer any other questions you might have about becoming a demonstrator too! 
Seriously though – if you have been ‘on the fence’ or considering signing up, now is the time – why wait??? It is an amazing job, I just love going to work now – I still can’t believe that I’m getting paid to have this much fun!
To be eligible to receive the discounted kit price, your Demontrator Agreement forms and Starter Kit order forms need to be at head office by
Oh my!
What an exciting, fun and tiring couple of days and nights that was!
Convention is just the most amazing thing I've ever experienced - I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it now (how embarrassment!). It was so cool to meet people that I've 'known' for a couple of years online but never met in real life.... and to catch up again with other friends that I haven't seen in ages.
It was such a blast! I really don't have the words at the moment to describe it all...maybe that's the sleep deprivation starting to affect me, I don't really function all that well after 3 hours sleep for 3 nights in a row! LOL! My party started on Thurs night when Carol, Jenni and Kerri arrived from various parts of the country..... they were my house guests for convention - and I have to say I had an absolute blast catching up with them all, and having a few drinks and chatting and laughing. Then my downlines Leonie and Sharon (our extremely patient 'vengabus' driver) arrived on Friday morning to take us into Sydney... well Leonie was here on Thurs night too for a drink and a giggle and a natter, and was back again on Fri for the convention fun!
Shelli Gardner!!! Well what can I say about this amazing woman - she is just sooooo beautiful, generous, gracious and motivational. I feel so blessed to have been able to hear her speak, and meet her and give her a hug. Pics later (when I can find my camera!)
AND - I was sharing my house with 2 of the TOP 25 demos in Australia!!!!! Jenni and Kerri were absolutely gobsmacked to find out at check-in that they were part of this select and amazing group..... and so deserved. Actually, 5 of the top25 were part of my uplines group - including #3 Jayne Mercer. Congrats to Jayne, Alisa, Angela, Kerri and Jenni - you are all beautiful and inspirational women and I am so pleased to count you as friends!
Swapping was frantic and fun - and heaps and heaps of great ideas have been generously given to me by fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators. This is such a lovely community to be part of, freely sharing ideas and inspiration would have to be something quite unique in a business, stampers and crafters in general seem to have the most amazing generosity of spirit, and to have the biggest 'hearts' I have ever seen.
Well thats enough for the moment - some updates with pics will be forthcoming either later tonight or tomorrow - I have to go and STAMP!
... and I just can't hide it..... I'm about to lose control and I think I like it!
Yep, the very first Australian Stampin' Up! convention starts TOMORROW.... and I really am SO EXCITED (can ya tell!).
I'm really lucky this year - it's being held here in sunny Sydney, and I have 3 other demonstrators about to descend on me to spend the time here in my humble abode - it's gunna be SO much fun. I can't wait to meet demos that I've only chatted to online, some of whom I've known online since before Stampin' Up! It will also be absolutely awesome to catch up again with some others that I have met once or twice... it's just gunna be a blast!
And you know what? Shelli!!! (founder of SU!) will be here too.... I so can't wait to see her and hear her speak, I truly think this is one of those things that you just have to experience - and it all starts tomorrow. WOOHOO!
We also get some fabbo training from SU! naturally - and atttend a stack of classes about our businesses, and get heaps of hints and tips - see lots of new samples, swap with other wonderful demos.... oh and the best bit - FREE STAMPS to play with on Saturday! How awesome is this company? (that's rhetorical - it's the BEST company!)
Oh and an awards dinner too! This is a chock full couple of days I'd say!
Anyway best get going - cooking dinner for the hoards that are about to descend here (and I need to check that the wine and bubbly are chilling nicely!)
Will chat again soon - and hopefully have lots of news and photos to share too!
My big news….
Well a few of you already know about this, but I had to wait until it was ‘official’ to put it out here for all to see (well for anyone that happens to read this anyway!)…. I have finally quit my job!!!!
Yep, as of Monday just gone I am now officially ‘unemployed’. It was a really hard decision for me to make, but the workplace that I was in was a ‘toxic’ environment with quite a lot of not-so-nice people that really made my time there a living hell. I will miss some people there, I worked there for just on 12 years and have made some very good friends there….but the nastiness had gotten to me so much that I was being physically ill each day before I walked into the lab. As you can imagine this had become very stressful on both me and my family – I tend to take out situations like this on my nearest and dearest, and it truly was taking its toll on both my marriage and my interactions with my children. So as of the end of January I have been on long service leave to work out what was best for us all, and after much soul searching and discussion with my long-suffering husband, we really felt that there was no alternative but for me to leave. We both believe that this was the trigger that started me down the long dark road of depression as well – and there was absolutely no point in me returning to the place just as I’m starting to see that life really isn’t all about black clouds and short tempers.
While this is a very scary time for me (this is the first time since I was 15 that I haven’t had a regular steady job), I’m feeling quite hopeful that there are much better things on the horizon for us all. I’m already starting to regain a loving relationship with my 9 year old son, am enjoying the time I spend with my 2 year old daughter, and am actually talking to my husband – really talking – for the first time in a long time.
And of course this gives me more time, and much more positivity (if that’s a word?) towards my career as a Stampin’ Up! business woman! My head is in such a better place already. The weight has lifted off my chest. I can breathe again.
