LNS events

This post is going to focus on my LNS experience.  LNS stands for Late Night Stampers, a wonderful group of paper-crafters. I came to know about LNS when I was preparing to attend the Stampin' Up Convention for the first time in 2012.  I had sent a message to my upline asking about finding some roommates in need of another person, as most people will share rooms with 3-4 people in each room to help with the cost of the hotels downtown SLC.  I was matched up with Angel and Marie, both from Dallas/Plano TX area, and we clicked so well, they are now my roomies every year.  While doing the initial contact messaging to make sure we were all compatible roomies, they clued me into the LNS events.  I became interested and signed up.  I had so much fun that I signed up for this year's event as soon as I got home from Convention.  This year I was signed up for next year by the end of the first day!

We arrive on Sunday, and even before Convention starts we make our name tags,

have a white elephant type gift exchange of handmade gifts, do 2 stamp camps, 3 shoebox project swaps, a WOW event, a Reunion Party, a Welcome Party, and an 80+1 card swap.  OODLES of crafting, creativity, and meeting awesome people!  And then Convention starts!

I am so happy to be a part of the LNS clan!  I am so looking forward to next year.  I met some really great people this year and am anxious to see them again.  I've already started the pre-planning for my swaps.  I can work out the basic framework for the swaps, and then when the new SU Catalog is released, I finalize the details and start production.  I really enjoy creating the tutorials for my shoebox swaps.  Here are the ones I did this year:

note paper holder

heart shadow box

chalkboard easel card

 

Here is my 80+1 swap card:

Another sweet element of the LNS Preconvention events is that we all stay in the Radisson downtown SLC, and all the LNS events are in the hotel ballroom which is so convenient.  The hotel is very nice, the employees are wonderful, and the rooms are great.  And bonus, this year they had mini fridges in all the rooms.  We even had our reservation in for 2014 halfway through the first day of events.  Because we have such a large group of people that stay at Radisson every year, we get a group rate that is even better than the room rates Stampin' Up offers.  And it is so nice to know where you are staying months (even a year) in advance.  No waiting for SU to open up their blocks rooms just a month in advance and hoping that you're quick enough to snag a room before they're all taken.  Our arrangement with the Radisson is simply awesome!

And when Stampin' Up Convention starts, we are merely steps from the back doors of the Salt Palace Convention Center.  So our walk to the meeting place and main stage area is in air conditioned comfort.  Being SU's 25th Anniversary they had nearly 6,000 demos attending Convention this year.  So long lines for activities was unavoidable.  One cool thing about that was you had a chance to talk to and get to know complete strangers, whomever you happen to be standing next to in line.  I told so many people about the LNS events, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of them joining the LNS crew next year. While we were seating and waiting for the final main stage session to begin, SU had the question "What was your favorite part of your Convention experience?" on the main screen encouraging everyone to text their answer.  I couldn't help myself, I wanted everyone one to know about LNS, so I texted in that my favorite part was the LNS events including the fun crafts and the wonderful people.  And it popped right up on the screen for all nearly 6,000 people to see!

The rest of the year, LNS holds online Treasure Hunts, Blog Hops, and shares projects daily in their Yahoo groups.  LNS includes SU Demos and non-Demos alike. 

If you are an SU demo, planning to go to Convention next year, and want to know more about LNS, feel free to contact me!  If you are not a Demo, you are welcome to join us online, and if you want to attend the LNS Preconvention events, I feel it is worthwhile even if you can't participate in the SU Convention stuff.