SNAP Conference: The Recap
I went to SNAP! Conference this last week. It was awesome!! The classes were so great and I was so inspired and invigorated. I left each class with a new resolve to try harder, work smarter, and to be proactive. I hope you see some big things from me this year!
I was lucky enough to spend most of the conference with y lovely and hilarious friends including: Amy from Mod Podge Rocks, Jen from Always in Wonder, Bev from Flamingo Toes, Viv from The V Spot, Michele from The Scrap Shoppe, Alexa from Swell Designer, and Christina from Pearl Gateway. Somehow there are no pictures of all of us though.
Left to Right: Me (and Ellie in the stroller!), Amy, Christina, Jen, Bev, Michelle
The first day we had a long break and decided to walk around Thanksgiving Point garden since it was the Tulip festival. So gorgeous! This is me and Bev’s engagement photo 🙂
I want to give the funniest woman award to this lady on the right–Alexa Westerfield. She’s got this awesome Texas accent and says the funniest stuff. (That’s Jen on the left.)
I had my bebe with me a lot of the time, although I was able to pawn her off on my mom and bff for a couple of days which made things easier. The adorbz next to her (Miss E is on the left) is Sumo’s baby H. I can’t believe I didn’t take any pics with Summer–she’s awesome and we are in similar stages of life: 3 kids, new baby. I can’t wait to move to Utah and play with her!
Left to right: Kristy from Diary of Dave’s Wife, me, Kelli from Lolly Jane, and Kristyn from Lil’ Luna. My AZ buddies! Totally missed Kristy (Kelli’s twin) but she is currently HAVING A BABY. Good luck Kris!
And the Golden Girls! Left to Right: Karen from Graphics Fairy, Heather from The Sewing Loft, Jen, Sara from Mom Endeavors, Amy, Viv, Me, Katie from Sweet Rose Studio, and Alexa (Bev is taking the picture!)
I was kinda lazy about taking pictures this year. I didn’t feel like bugging people to take pictures of me and whoever and I looked like a whale in most of the pics. But it was so much fun to hang out with all these amazing and talented ladies who share so much in common with me. There’s nothing like it!
Tauni and her team did such a great job executing this conference. There was a HUGE bag of swag (that I had to leave in Utah at my in-laws b/c it wouldn’t fit in my bag) and yummy food. Everything really was just amazing. The Queen Bee Market was also part of it and oh my sheesh it was awesome. There were TONS of booths of handmade goodness and despite waiting in checkout line for an hour (fortunately with my BFF who came with) I got some super cute stuff.
I just have to mention one little caveat: I don’t want anyone to think that these blog conferences are nothing but rainbows and lollipops the whole time. There have been times when I’ve felt like a loner because it seemed like everyone had friends to hang out with but me. And I know I’m not alone in feeling that way. Some bloggers can be a little exclusive in their groups and I’m sure that some even viewed my little group that way. But I wasn’t with my friends in the classes on Saturday and I spent most of that day pretty much alone. It’s not like I have to be with people at all times but it’s hard to not feel lonely when you are surrounded by people gabbing it up. But I wanted to go to the classes I wanted to go to and I wasn’t going to worry about maybe being alone during that time.
That being said, I still feel like it is 100% worth it to go and I so miss my beautiful lovely friends already.
Thank you for your recap! I almost went to SNAP this year and it didn’t work out in the end, but I’ve been thinking about attending next year if there’s another event. My biggest concern, though, is not having a solid online social circle. I really would be the girl showing up alone with no one to meet. That’s the biggest turnoff for me since I want to come home feeling positive instead of lonely.
Looks like a really beautiful event – – so wonderful to hear that it inspired you!
(and CUTE babies, too!) 🙂
I did come back feeling positive mostly because I developed better friendships and was very inspired. If you want to meet other bloggers online you should start tweeting them or participating on their FB fan pages. Also do the Twitter #crafterminds chat Monday 4 pm EST. That’s how I first started to meet most of the ladies I hung with!
About the “caveat”… I felt about the same way… I tryied to talk to some people and I wonder if they didn’t really want to hang out with me because I don’t have a big blog.. But what some bloggers don’t realize is that I am a “big reader” too and as I heard once it’s worth investing in a current “client” than have to find a new one, if you know what I mean. The conference itself was great though! 🙂
That is so true Patty–I would have hung out with you!
You are awesome, Heidi!! So glad we got to meet and hang out. 🙂 I totally agree with your next to last paragraph. I felt the same way from time to time. I’m not much of an extrovert or live in Utah or been to a blog conference before which all seemed like strikes against me as I sat in some classes alone. 😉 And your baby is the CUTEST!
Thanks Michele! You are so super easy to talk to I feel like I’ve known you forever. I should have, geez!
Heidi!!! I miss you already! 🙂
Love the recap – the pictures are awesome! I’m so glad we were able to spend so much time together! 🙂
And that magical moment in the Garden when you proposed…hahaha!
Awww – this makes me sad. I hope to learn more about your and Bev’s engagement in the paper!
Are you sad because I’m engaged to Bev? 😉
Sorry I missed not being in the first photo! I got all MIXED up. I thought The Tulip Garden was a restaurant. Oh boy! Oh, and my accent is Kentuckian, but I can understand the TX thing. People have said that before about me!
And I also relate about the classes/not knowing anyone thing. It can be awkward. I found most of the ladies were nice and welcoming even if you did come into their group. I don’t know that most ladies would be that way!
Yeah, that was actually kind of hilarious. I think I might have known the accent was from Kentucky but you said something about Texas??
Loved meeting you! (And loved your Cafe Rio menu suggestion!) I miss Ellie too.
xoxo
You too Viv!!
Love the picture of our babes! And I’m bummed we didn’t get a picture together, too. Can’t wait until you get up here so we can play! 🙂
Yes, lets go to the zoo!
So glad you came and had a good time. I can’t believe I never even had a chance to talk with you. I saw you once at dinner and I was busy running around. I felt like I didn’t get to talk to a lot of people! So fun to see your little girl getting so big! Let’s do that giveaway when you are ready!
It was great, congrats on an amazing conference. I will email you about the giveaway for sure!!
Great engagement photo! I bet your husband was surprised to hear you came home engaged:) I’m glad i said hi to you at the end. It’s true that there are “groups” which is so….dumb. I’m definitely a floater. I can’t stand exclusivity! I’ve read a few people’s recaps and they all mentioned that. Too bad most of those in the groups don’t read all these blogs. They just promote those in their group. You are so cute and so is your baby! I’m glad she was there. I can’t wait to meet you again and I’m excited for your next “amazing” tutorial!
Michelle
Thanks Michelle–we’ll let you know when the big day is 🙂 I’m so happy I got to chat with you!!
Heidi–Glad to hear you had a good time too! We didn’t cross paths, but I figure I met about a third of the people who attended, and that’s pretty good, especially for 3 days that were so packed. Maybe next year 😉
Thanks Steph! I read your re-cap post…go Cougs!
Yay Heidi! SO GLAD you had a pic of us together. I stole it and added it to my recap. We didn’t talk much, boo!-but let’s do a playdate next week so we can all de-brief and let the kiddos play.
Glad you’re my friend. Love you, girl! XO
So fun to meet you Heidi. I recognized you right away and thought of you as the puff quilt queen! I had a great time visiting with you and seeing your cute little baby in her pink tutu…oh, she’s cute!
It was so great to meet you in person Heidi!! (even if it was for only a few hot minutes at a time) These events go by so fast and this time around I did the same as you- no real pictures. Sometimes, it is just so important to enjoy the moment and soak it all in.
~Heather
Good to meet you too!
Heidi, I am so glad that you came to SNAP! this year. It was so nice to see a familiar face 🙂 I wish we had more time to spend together…I felt that was the one area I would have liked to have improved. Next year, I vow to have more time to just hang with my friends.
xoxo
Tauni
Tauni–the conference was amazing. You and your team did a fantastic job with everything. I loved it! I will be back next year. Let me know if I can help out with anything!
Heidi —
You are so cute. I am sad I was running around so much that I didn’t a photo with you or get to talk to you much. You are so cute and I am excited you are moving up here. Yay!!
xoxoxo
Jen
Aw thanks Jen!
Heidi, I’m seriously bummed that we didn’t get to hang out at all! Thank goodness you are moving to Utah soon so we can remedy that!!! You and your cute “E” are adorable!!! XOXO, Tam
Yeah it was crazy-so many fun peeps to visit with! See you this summer tho!