Stampin' Up! Founder's Circle 2013: Day 3: Kanab & Tuacahn

On Friday, we got up early and took an hour and a half bus ride to Kanab, Utah to visit the Stampin' Up! manufacturing facility. I was able to tour the Kanab plant last year when I was here for Founder's Circle Retreat, but it was just as exciting and awe-inspiring to see how our stamps are made!

This year, they allowed us to take pictures inside!! I will post more pictures later, but here is one of me helping out! I took the rubber sheet from the oven and moved it to the cutting board, where I cut it into four sections and the peeled the rubber sheets from the mag plate. Each of the four sheets had four stamp sets on it.

We saw LOTS of sneak peeks laying around at different stations and let me just say, the Occasions catalog is going to be a budget-buster!!! Of the 8+ stamp sets that I spied on the lines, I could see them all in my collection!!

In addition to the tour of the manufacturing plant, we got to tour Shelli's apartment and do a make and take. These little Gingham Garden notecards are just my style! I love them!!

After a catered lunch with the employees, we went to the Jacob Hamblin Community Park in Kanab -- otherwise known to Stampin' Up! enthusiasts as the Rubber Park! Stampin' Up! donates chopped up rubber bits to cover the ground around the playground. Visiting the park is always a highlight of Founder's Circle retreats and since we didn't get to go last year, I was so excited to put my feet in that rubber!

Meg Loven and Me

Rachel Tessman and Me

 On the bus ride home, we played Bingo and won prizes to add to the stash of gifts we received during the Kanab tour. Good thing I have lots of room in my suitcase!! I'll have to take a picture of all the goodies I'm taking home before I pack!

After a short rest, a video chat with my family, and dinner with friends, it was time to leave for Tuacahn Amphitheatre! We saw Mary Poppins and it was spectacular!! Of course, we couldn't take pictures during the show, but the special effects with the flying and fireworks and "magic" were truly incredible!!

 

I was exhausted by the time we got back to hotel around 11:30 pm! I almost forgot there would be a pillow gift waiting for me! Here's what I found on the bed:

 I love the way they package everything!! Notice anything new on the page? I spy a new Expression Thinlit...it says "smile"! And check out the glitzy gold trim hanging below the tag! We got a roll of this for our make and takes! The clothespin holding the tag lots adorable and makes me wonder if we'll see that again, too! The package was an odd shape. I wasn't expecting this when I opened it!

It's a beautiful holder and/for a brand new Craft & Paper Scissors!

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Featured Stamp Set for September: Wetlands

Stampin' Up! Founder's Circle 2013 Retreat: Day 2 Highlights

The fabulous thing about the Founder's Circle Retreat is that there is a lot of free time to do whatever you want!

Today, I went on a Canyoneering excursion! We rappelled and hiked a little in Yankee Doodle Canyon, about 45 minutes from St. George. The views were incredible! I am anxious to get the photos from our guides and will share them on another day!

After our morning adventure, I went out to lunch with friends and then video chatted with my family to sing Happy Birthday to my son Thomas. I'm so sad to miss his 10th birthday, but he had new Legos to play with and an awesome birthday cake (thank you, Wiko!!) to help ease his pain. lol He's 10! I don't think he cared as much as I did that I wasn't there!

Later in the afternoon, I hung out in the Hospitality Room and worked on my make and takes. I finished two of the four projects.

Here are the cards I made today:

 I played the horseshoe game and got a ringer! My prize was all three packs of Designer Paper that they were offering. Woot!! And our special treat for the day was a Trail Mix buffet. They had everything set up so that we could mix our own jars. So fun!

At night, we had the pajama party and Swap & Share. It was a little different this year. They gave us each a book (How Will You Measure Your Life?) with a forward from Rich Jutkins and then several demonstrators shared how the book touched them. I got a little teary listening to their stories since I could relate so much to their struggle to balance their Stampin' Up! business goals with their family life. I'm looking forward to reading the book!

Here I am lined up with over 100 other demonstrators to participate in the swap. We were lined up down the hall and around the corner and another corner and another corner. So many fabulous card ideas! I'll post my card later! I forgot to take a picture of it!

I capped the night off with a movie in my friend Dania's room. It was nice to relax and have some popcorn and laugh!

Whew! What a full day! Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Click HERE to Order Stampin' Up! Products Online, Anytime!

NEW! Hostess Code Club
Free Make & Take Kits, Hostess Rewards, & Access to Exclusive Projects & Tutorials
Learn More | Order Online
September Hostess Code: UA2HWWVE
 

Stamp of the Month Club: Get a new Clear Mount stamp set each month plus three completely finished hand-stamped cards! Learn More
Featured Stamp Set for September: Wetlands

Stampin' Up! Founder's Circle Retreat 2013: Arrival Day

I made it to Utah!! My phone, however, did not! Apparently I dropped it in the Las Vegas airport. The good news is that I have an ancient flip phone that no one in their right mind would steal, so it got turned into Lost & Found, where is safely awaits me when I leave on Sunday.

Since I didn't get to St. George until almost 4:00 pm, there's not much to report so far!

After I arrived, I had a quick lunch and picked up my nametag and Founder's Circle yearbook. It has pictures of all of the Founder's Circle Achievers. My goal is to meet all 120 ladies...or at least those who are here and have them sign my book! So far, I've got 19!

I played the horseshoe toss game and won a package of Season of Style Designer Journaling Tags. Then I went up to my room. One of my favorite things about Founder's Circle Retreat is having my own room! I don't have to share! I really enjoy having a quiet space all to myself! Here's is the cute chalkboard door dec hanging on my door.

The only activity we had was the Welcome Dinner. Our name tags had a candy name on it and we were seated in groups by candy name. We are the Chick-o-Sticks!

Here's our gorgeous table setting. At each place was a jar of homemade jam for us to take home! YUM!

My new friend and fellow Chick-O-Stick Jennifer Blomquist said people have mistaken her for me! What do you think? We could definitely be sisters!!

I was excited to get back to my room to find the first pillow gift -- a package of brand NEW Stampin' Up! products for our make and takes. Wanna see what's inside?!

Too bad!! I can't show post pictures of these unreleased products yet, but the cute shaker tag offers a couple clues! How's that for a tease?!

Now it's time for me to get some sleep! I'm getting up bright and early for a Canyoneering Adventure!

Click HERE to Order Stampin' Up! Products Online, Anytime!

NEW! Hostess Code Club
Free Make & Take Kits, Hostess Rewards, & Access to Exclusive Projects & Tutorials
Learn More | Order Online
September Hostess Code: UA2HWWVE
 

Stamp of the Month Club: Get a new Clear Mount stamp set each month plus three completely finished hand-stamped cards! Learn More
Featured Stamp Set for September: Wetlands