And Two Snaps for your Conference

One more SNAP! Post.
I tried to make these posts something that everyone can learn from. Not just a “look I went to a conference!” post.

• The First SNAP! post was about how to decorate on a budget and think outside of the box. (i.e. going to a hardware store like LOWES for decor.)

• The second SNAP! post was about the panel I was able to participate on about how to spot trends and make them part of your life and even has a free printable poster of my favorite quote.

• This third post will be just about the conference, and what I learned by participating in it.

These girls have been lovingly dubbed “The Snappettes“.   And are all the fabulous minds behind this creative conference.  We were led by our fearless leader Tauni Everett.  This conference has been her dream. From these girls I learned:

• Girls CAN be friends, work together, play together, and not need to compete with each other.
• 13 heads are better than one.
• If the outlet in the girls’ bathroom doesn’t work.  Use the boys one.  There’s not that many boys there anyway.  (And having pretty hair is super important)

I knew when we scheduled the conference that the very first day fell on my daughter’s 5th birthday.  Which is NOT optimal.  Immediately Tauni told me I didn’t have to participate Thursday.  But….for real?  Are you kidding me?  With as much as I was in charge of?  Unfortunately I have a very special kind of OCD.  And that was NOT HAPPENING!

So instead of not going on Thursday, Tauni decided to let my daughter celebrate with 350 friends.
Oh.
My.
Word.

She couldn’t have loved anything more.  Particularly when she got to take home the top layer of the world’s greatest SNAP! Cake from the fantastic Ashlee at Topsy Turvy. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to her.  She posed for photos.

What did I learn on Thursday?

• My daughter is SO ME it’s nearly freaky.  And is not afraid to get on a stage.  In fact, she loves it.  Which is DOPE!
• I also learned that regardless of sore feet, awesome shoes are always worth it.

Friday was the opening of The Queen Bee Market.  I spent a lot of the day making sure details were still being taken care of.  And resting in a lounge chair that my darling friend Char got for me.  (since sitting is super difficult for me these days)  It has been named the “orbital lounger” and is probably my new best friend.

• The Queen Bee was FOR SURE the best handmade market I’ve ever seen.
• My bag kept getting fuller, and fuller, and fuller.

It for sure got some new bling from Miss Plunkett

And oh my GOSH!  A girl can never have too much HoopLa.  I should make a shirt with that on it.

Of course I did some serious damage at the Whippy Cake booth.  I am die-hard Whippy.  I went in determined to pick one.  I left with 4.  Nice.  It coulda been 7. (addict much?)

Things about this conference for me:

1. I was over a TON of details that I felt very responsible for.
2. I was pretty sick.  And in pain most of the time.
3. I had no late nights.  (okay ONE late night when Char and I discussed 80′s sitcoms…and then…after Ambien….I somehow made 2,389 empty iPod playlists.  Which…..is unexplainable.  And hysterical)

Still, I was SO PROUD to be a part of SNAP!

I for sure had some ridiculous star sightings.  And got pictures with NONE of them.  But Rhonna Farrer and Courtney from Pizzazzerie…..I officially apologize for dorking out on you.  I swear I’m a normal person.  Well, not normal.  But fun.

Thank goodness a few people physically GRABBED me and stopped me for pictures.  Because I would have left with 47 pics of fuzzy ball centerpieces.

One time Megan from Brassy Apple photoshopped our faces onto a picture from the Sisters feather dance from White Christmas.  And after that, I pledged my love to her forever.

If you have never seen Brooke from The Crafting Chicks jump on a trampoline.  Your life is probably not complete.  Just sayin’.

Last year Kristyn from Lil’ Luna had JUST had a baby.  And still managed to pull off a GNO that I pretty much peed my pants over.  It was at that moment that I decided to worship her.

It was SO much fun to be on the trends panel with Jeanee from Trendboost.  We were gonna get a whole panel pic…but I think Mandi and Jen were off being uber popular.  So it was just me and Jeanee working the camera.

Kristy from Diary of Dave’s Wife is one of the only girls I know that appreciates my love of ridiculous high heels at inopportune times.

Amy from The Idea Room….well….I can’t even think about her without crying.  She is one of my best friends.  And I know she doesn’t mean for this to be public knowledge.  But she drove a LONG way to clean my house before SNAP! because I was unable to do it.  And I still bawl, every time I think about how amazing that was.

I already publicly professed my girl crush on Becki from Whippy Cake.  And I guess I tried to kiss her.  She doesn’t look that thrilled about it.

Aren’t you kind of DYING over Tara from TaraDara’s dress?  You’ll really freak when you hear she got it at Goodwill.  What the?  Actual awesomesauce, right there.

Aw……Crap I’ve Made.  The only reason working our BUTTS off on SNAP! was worth it to me?  Because when we finished our epic sign….you hugged me.  And now I feel complete.  Like, you are the Renee Zellweger to my Tom Cruise.  You complete me Coester.

I have read some AWESOME re-caps of SNAP!  Some make me laugh out loud, some make me cry, most made me wish I could have played all weekend.   Mine is gonna have to be different than that.

But let me just tell you.
This community is amazing.
They are lovely people.

I was asked about my health at every turn. People reminded me to lay down and take my meds….which I promptly ignored. But still.

The Snapettes came to my house and tied asterisks for hours. Some even sacrificed their Silhouette cutting mats for them.

People noticed the little tiny details that we agonized over. Score!

Mostly, I needed to go and read all of your delightful recaps to feel what you were feeling.  And it made my heart SOAR!

If one person was inspired.
If one person got a moment to breathe.
If one person met a new friend.
If one person grew her self-worth.
If one person laughed.

If one person learned to “just be YOU”.

Oh my goodness it was worth it!