It only took a week, but I am finally sharing my SNAP! conference recap!
I had so many photos to dig through, y’all. I did so much better this year than last year on the photo taking!
And, you know, photos of actual people instead of just things.
I definitely came out of my shell more, but probably because this was my 2nd conference, and I felt a little more confidant and knew more people.
Warning: This post is extremely photo heavy with loads of information.
If you’re thinking, “not another SNAP! recap!” just keep in mind that this post is as much for me as it is for you.
I don’t want to forget any of these details!
1 – Once again SNAP! was held at the gorgeous Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, UT.
2 – I was able to stay at the Marriott on site and the view was to die for!
3 – More mountain views. I just love them!
4 – The first night there a bunch of us went to the infamous Cafe Rio to eat. Oh.My.Yum. Can I just say the sweet pork quesadilla was AMAZING! Can it be delivered to TN??
5 – I have to give a shout out to my friend Amy who made this amazing tote bag for me that I carried around during the conference! I so wish she had a blog for her amazing crafts. *hint, hint* I got tons of comments on it!
6 – I also sported my DSLR and The Poppy Shoppe camera strap cover which happened to match my tote.
1 – SNAP! started off with all of the bloggers registering and picking up our swag bags (more on that awesomeness later!) This year we received a paper schedule which came in super handy! As well as a ticket to the tulip festival, which I sadly didn’t make it to this year – too cold, and a discount card for shopping on site at The Emporium.
2 – The SNAP! ladies are always up on their decor! The Show Barn was all gussied up with these fun bright paper lanterns.
3 – No detail was left out. We had new centerpieces on our dinner tables each night!
4 – We had 3 keynote speakers including the amazing Lisa Leonard.
5 – The R House Couture gifted us with stamped necklaces echoing this year’s conference theme: Creating Joy.
6 – There was a door decorating contest this year at the on site hotel. We went all out! (There might have even been schematic draw-ups!) Unfortunately we didn’t even get an honorable mention. But our door did make it into a local newspaper article! And we had tons of compliments from other conference attendees and even other hotel guests and staff!
7 – The food, as always, was amazing!
8 – I met a TON of great bloggers! I still need to go through all of the business cards I collected and get to know everyone even better. I always love putting a face to a blog name I already know.
I have to gush on my roommates for the conference, Bev and Kara. Both are just darling and so super fun to be around! They had me laughing until I was crying at times!
And can we talk about super generous? We exchanged roomie gifts (you can see what I gave them here), and there was just so many adorable things and more! Not to mention they took the time to include handmade items.
These are definitely treasures!
I have to mention our “honorary” roommates, too. We had adjoining rooms with Viv, Jennifer, and Heidi and the adjoining doors were almost always open. These girls are so much fun!
The various classes we were able to attend at this conference were mind blowing. I walked away last year with my mind blown, and the line up this year did it again. There is always something new to be learned in the blog world!
1 – There was a pajama party the first night of the conference, and Basic Grey had put together a mini album kit for us to make for our SNAP! memorabilia! There were also several of the conference sponsors/vendors present doing make & takes. I stained a cute frame with some of the new colored stain from Minwax. I also did a few of the hands-on classes during the conference where I made the spring sign (from Poppy Seed Projects) and the terrarium necklace.
2 – This woman moves so fast I couldn’t get a clean photo of her! Beckie taught an amazing class on monetizing your blog.
3 – In the Annie Sloan chalk paint class we were able to paint some wood and apply wax to see the effects it had.
I’m sold!! I’m ready to use some in my home!
4 – My wood molding. I love the coverage this paint has, and the fact that you don’t have to distress it (like I thought you did).
5 – Court of The Keyword Academy taught us how to make Google love our blogs.
6 – I couldn’t resist taking the succulents and terrariums class from Cynthia Bee. I went to her class last year and loved it!
7 – In Cynthia’s class this year we made these absolutely adorable terrarium necklaces. You can find the how-to on her blog.
8 – I also won the coolest aloe plant in this class! Unfortunately I chickened out taking it home on the airplane. I was afraid it would be confiscated.
1 – The sponsors were super amazing and super generous! Our swag bags were overflowing with goodies and several of the vendors had even more things for us at their tables!
2-4 – The swag. I’m just blown away by everything we received!
After last year I planned accordingly and brought an extra empty duffle bag with me specifically for swag!
5 – I have to give a shout out to Duck Brand for the neat little pen they gave us. I didn’t even realize it did this until I got it home! There is a metal tab along the center of the pen that pulls out and there is a project tutorial the rolls out. So clever!!
The highlight of Friday at the conference is the Queen Bee Market, a vendor fair of handmade items.
1 – The market is set up in the center of the Show Barn at Thanksgiving Point, and we all dine on dinner up in the rafters. The market is roped off until its official opening…
2 – …and then the craziness ensues!
3 – I was so excited to win a $50 gift card to the market from SNAP! Amy put together a fun Instagram game for us to play in the days leading up to the conference and I randomly won!
4 – This Instagram photo with my travel buddy Deneen was the winning photo. 🙂
5-7 – These are some of the items that caught my eye while shopping.
8 – I spent my gift card and then some! I’m loving everything I picked up.
9 – I made my first Hoopla purchase! How adorable is this bracelet? I got the matching earrings, too.
10 – A new ring to go with my colored jean debut for the next day.
11 – Last year I saw this amazing business card organizer that Amy from Ameroonie Designs was carrying around during the conference. This year she sold some of them in her booth at the market! And I snatched one up. 😉
The best part, hands down, about any conference is getting to see and make friends!
1 – I mentioned before that there was a pajama party the first night. Complete with photo booth and props!
I love this photo because 1) Heidi looks out for blood and 2) Kara’s expression is cracking me up! Also pictured are Viv, Bev, and Carolina.
2 – Jennifer and Heidi showing off their “blooming” headbands at the Cricut-sponsored dinner.
3 – Two of the sweetest gals, Kellie and Maegan (photo swiped from Maegan!)
4 – One of my new blogging besties, Courtney from Sweet C’s Designs! Don’t you love how we match not only each other but the gorgeous chaise we’re sitting on?
(photo swiped from Deneen!)
6 – My favorite travel companion, Deneen! She was a lifesaver on those layovers and long plane rides.
7 – Waiting in line for dinner with Jennifer and Heidi.
8 – Heidi and I sporting our matching bubble necklaces. Cute, right?
At the closing party there was a photo booth which I think was probably just about the most.fun.thing.EVER!
The lines were long but totally worth it. We had a blast using all of the props!
On Saturday I was lucky enough to participate in the Lowe’s Blogger Challenge. We had no idea what we were suppose to create, only got to talk to our team for 2 minutes before we had to literally RUN for supplies, and we had an awesome Lowe’s helper that worked with us.
And did I mention the entire thing was photographed and videotaped? Yeah, there were wavers and everything.
A huge thanks to Viv for grabbing my camera and snapping photos!!
1 – Ten stations. Fifty bloggers. Complete chaos!! In a good creative way, of course.
2-4 – My team (Team 3: Becky, Vanessa, Jessica, and Melissa) worked hard sawing, painting, hot gluing, and working the cordless drill for an hour (that felt like 20 minutes).
5 – In the end we rocked a garden bench which even had a custom pillow seat!
6 – What we didn’t know is that every team was a winner and we all got prizes!
7 – Our team project was dubbed “the next big thing” which was engraved in the handle of a small gardening shovel. I think I’ll have to hang it in my potting shed as a trophy! We also received a $25 gift card to use at Lowe’s (which I just spent over the weekend!)
8 – Right as everyone was leaving they announced that we were free to take any of the items we had used during the competition. You never saw so many women move so fast! I managed to snag a hot glue gun and sticks, a box cutter, and some electrical tape. We also got to keep our Lowe’s aprons.
Though the experience was slightly stressful, it was a lot of fun! I would definitely do it again.
I perused the Emporium with Courtney and got a few pointers for using my DSLR.
There is so much eye candy there to practice on!
I definitely walked away with a lot of fun memories and mementos.
It almost felt more like a giant party with so many of my friends there.
But I certainly walked away feeling like a better blogger and wanting to be the best blogger I can be and make this a fun place for you to visit.
If you made it to the end, thanks so much for sharing this with me!
If you’re a blogger trying to decide if you should go to SNAP! next year, let me answer that for you…
YES! ABSOLUTELY! DO IT! 🙂
Shannah @ Just Us Four
Tuesday 7th of May 2013
Snap was my first conference and was so awesome! It was also my first time enjoying Cafe Rio and holy yum! Thankfully, they just opened up one near my house in Virginia...score.Great recap of your trip!
Vivienne @ the V Spot
Tuesday 30th of April 2013
Wow!!! What a great recap! It made me realize again and bum out again that I didn't get into the Emporium! :( Next year!
wwilloww
Tuesday 30th of April 2013
Sounds like y'all had some awesome fun!!! Thanks for sharing all your photos.
Deneen@dreaming-n-color
Tuesday 30th of April 2013
Love the recap! So glad to meet everyone and hang in your room! Loved traveling with you too! I feel so lucky to be a blogger and have the opportunities. Wish you were going to Haven with me! Glad you swiped my picture. Viv did good!! Lets get together soon. We have painting to do!!
Heidi @ Honeybear Lane
Monday 29th of April 2013
What a great recap!! It was SO fun to relive the conference through reading this and I miss you guys!!!! I am so excited to see my little curler in that last pic :) I'm so glad I got to hang out with you so much at SNAP, even despite my snarkiness haha. You are one of my favorite people!!