I started the day on Saturday catching up with friends and getting photos with those I had not had a chance to do so with yet, including Rebecca Bernzweig of MA here. Check out the pillows made with fabrics that match our Cottage Wall DSP!! Wish we could have brought one of each home...
I had my session of My Digital Studio training at 11 am with Penny Thomas and Susan Elise Morton sitting on either side of me. I learned a lot and the possibilities with this new digital scrapbooking software are endless! Afterwards, I grabbed lunch with Debbie Moczek, Susan Elise Morton and Bonnie Thurber - here we are at the dessert bar. We opted for the lemon pudding - it was quite refreshing after our gourmet pizza buffet lunch.
While everything I had learned in my MDS session was still fresh in my head, I decided to go and retrieve my laptop from my room and sat with Laura Milligan of OH, Patty Bennett of CA and Dawn Griffith of MI to work on pages for a Founder's Circle scrapbook that I hope to have printed before the end of the month.
![IMG_7166 [640x480]](https://unfrogettablestamping.typepad.com/.a/6a010534cd912e970b0120a5eedc08970c-320wi)
Look at this great photo I got of the fabulous Stampin' Up! event team who put this retreat together for us - they are the best! Corey, Kelly, Kellie Sue and Bonnie are just simply amazing! I guess they are Shelli's Angels!!
![IMG_7181 [640x480]](https://unfrogettablestamping.typepad.com/.a/6a010534cd912e970b0120a5982005970b-320wi)
Later that evening we had a bus ride out to a secret location for our finale dinner - turns out it was the same country club that we went to last year, just a different facility on the property. We walked through a rose trellis to reach our tables... the view was amazing and the company was even better!
![IMG_7217 [640x480]](https://unfrogettablestamping.typepad.com/.a/6a010534cd912e970b0120a5982071970b-320wi)
My table mates included, from front left: Patty Bennett, Ruth Bingle and Dawn Olchefske as well as Kelly Acheson and Debbie Moczek. We started with a yummy fruit and spinach salad and I chose the pork entree for my main course. When we sat down we were specifically instructed not to open the boxes at the table. Being curious, I shook the container thinking it was another beautiful necklace. When Shelli announced that we would all be opening our boxes simultaneously to release 2 live butterflies I cringed, thinking I surely had killed my butterflies. Luckily, as you can see, they were only slightly dazed and one crawled right to the floral centerpiece and posed for this picture!
As this gorgeous sunset took place, I received this wonderful dessert sampler of tiramisu (my favorite!), carrot cake and a chocolate covered strawberry. Shortly thereafter a huge storm blew in, forcing us all inside. Bonnie Thurber shared a wonderfully uplifting story about her sister and we ended the night with one more pillow gift of a beautiful silver butterfly charm which I am now proudly wearing all the time... sorry, I haven't had a chance to take a photo.
Once we got back to the hotel, I decided to hang out in the lobby and get some last-minute sharing/chatting in before going to sleep... I spent some great time getting to know Heather Stevens (one of the Rising Stars) and laughing with Jeanna Cable and Colleen Magness. It was almost 2 am when I finally called it a night. It was so sad knowing it was going to be over in the morning... which came very early since I had an 8 am shuttle to catch back to the Las Vegas airport for my flight home.
Thank you so much for sharing my Founder's Circle experiences with me! I do feel so blessed to have been able to attend for a second time and will work very hard to try and earn a spot again next year. Thank you to all of my wonderfully supportive customers and downline who have helped me to get there!!! You ROCK!!