Stampin' Up! Convention Updates from 07/31/2008

Each year, Stampin' Up! demonstrators from across the US and Canada gather for 3 days of education, celebration, and motivation. Convention includes time to swap cards, attend business classes and new-product demonstrations, participate in Make & Takes, and enjoy time with the best stampers in the world! This year's convention is going on now and there is lots of exciting news from yesterday's session on 07/31/2008!

• Shelli's Signature Collection: During the first general session of convention, Shelli Gardner (Stampin' Up! Cofounder and CEO) announced the launch of Shelli's Signature Collection, a line of products that span the entire Stampin' Up! product line, including stamp sets, home décor, and accessories. "These will be products that I either personally love or, in some cases, even played a part in developing," Shelli explained during the announcement. The first official look at the initial offering in Shelli's Signature Collection will be in the Holiday Mini. "Now I want to make sure you know that just because a product isn't included in my signature collection, that doesn't mean I don't like it," Shelli pointed out. "In fact, I love almost everything Stampin' Up! offers. My signature collection items are simply products that I'm particularly excited about for a particular reason."
  
• Décor Elements, Phase 2: Demonstrators caught a sneak peek of Décor Elements, phase 2, during the first general session of Convention 2008. Jill Kocherhans, training director, demonstrator services and development, demonstrated darling projects featuring the new images. Although she didn't unveil the entire new offering, there were plenty of images to get excited about, and after the general session, convention attendees were also able to view additional phase 2 images on a wall in the convention center.In addition to new images, phase 2 also offers new colors! Many of the new images will be available in a selection of our exclusive colors, an announcement that was well received by convention attendees. Décor Elements, phase 2, will be available for customers to start ordering on October 1. Many of the new images are holiday related!
  
• Country Living Kit: For the second time, Stampin' Up! will partner with Country Living magazine to offer an exclusive holiday kit. The Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit will include exclusive stamps, a combination of Designer Series paper, and coordinating accessories that will only be available by purchasing this kit. Shelli announced the partnership and kit during the first session of Convention 2008, noting that the kit and project ideas made from the kit would be featured among 20 pages in the magazine's December holiday issue. The magazine will hit the shelves in November 2008.
  

More news should be announced today and I will be sure to let you know when it is! The new catalogs look beautiful and the products are said to be simply to die for! I have placed a pre-order of some of the items to share at my upcoming catalog release party and my catalogs are "in the mail" and I hope to receive them soon!

I am quite envious of the gals who are enjoying the Stampin' Up! convention experience and I am making it my goal to be there in person next year so that I can send you first-hand accounts and photos from the 2009 convention, but for now you can enjoy first-hand reports from my demo cyber-friend, Kristy, at the Stamp Garage!

Thanks for stopping by... and have a happy day!

Katie