Oh my word - Convention 2009

WARNING - VERY LONG POST!

Oh my goodness I have just had the most amazing amazing time at the First European Stampin Up convention in Bad Homburg, Germany! I have so much to share that you need a cuppa and a spare few minutes!

SO on Thursday morning I set off to meet this lovely bunch of ladies at Manchester Airport, from left, Joanne, Monica and my lovely Jeannette. Now I do have to thank each of these ladies for getting me through the flight there! I HATED it and cried like a baby but they looked after me! Thanks girls!

Here is the hotel. I even spoke lots of German this last few days, not spoken it since 1991 so was a challenge but I was very chuffed to speak to the taxi driver in German and also check in too!

Me and my roomie Nicci! OMG we have had such a laugh and late night chats too! Thanks Nicci xx

The first morning (Friday) was spent swapping cards with all the other demonstrators. I received some fab swaps and it was great to mingle with the other demos. Here is my lovely SJ and Nicci

Of course Convention would not have been Convention without the Founder and CEO of Stampin Up, Shelli Gardner! What an amazing lady she is, she took time out to speak to many many demonstrators and never seems to tire of having her photo taken! PLus she always looks amazing!

Me and Shelli, gosh I feel so short!

Now here is a photo of me and the lovely lovely Chris who looks after us on the phone at Demo Support! I have been speaking to Chris on the phone since June 2008 and have never met him so it was very exciting for all of us demos to finally meet him! We also have the lovely Eileen but I don't think Eileen will appreciate me popping it on my blog as she is not looking her lovely best!

During the afternoon sessions there were a number of Prize Patrols and I was really really lucky to win the free stamp set Love you Much!

On the Friday evening we had a Gala Dinner and then the Awards ceremony which we all dressed up for

Me and my lovely upline Monica

Thank you Zoe for taking this photo of me, I think it is my favourite!

NOW FOR THE EXCITING NEWS!!!!

I was so honoured and thrilled to win a number of prizes at the Awards night!

I came 3RD Place from the UK in Sales figures

I came 1ST place in the UK for recruiting

But the most thrilling news was that I came 2ND in DEMONSTRATOR of the YEAR from the UK!!!!! I honestly was so shocked and so so so happy to share the stage with all the other wonderful winners!!!! A big big thank you to all my lovely customers who helped me achieve this and of course to my lovely team Julie's Jems, without whom I could not have done any of this!

Here are all my prizes, I won a Burberry necklace and scarf and loads of stamp sets and I also won £750 for the Demo of the Year comp. I am taking my boys to Disney Paris with the winnings, a trip I would not be making without Stampin Up!

Prizes on our table at dinner

On the stage with all the top sales winners, I am next to Shelli! Can you believe it!

Aswell as the awards another special part of Convention was meeting lovely people and finally meeting people I have only known "online" or on the phone!

Here is my lovely friend down south, Jo! A lovely lovely girl, she makes fab cards and is a treasure!

One girl I would have loved to see there was my friend Michelle Allen whom I chat to a lot! I know that Chris missed her too so we wrote this note and took a photo to send to her!

You cannot read it very well but it says "Hi Michelle, See You Soon, Miss Ya "

Hope to see you next year Michelle!

I am obviously still on a high but its back down to earth and back to business!!!!

If you are interested in joining my very successful team please contact me asap, next year could see you walk the stage just like me! Believe me its a very very special feeling!

Back tomorrow with a project I hope!

Jules

xx