Founder's Circle - Day 3

What a fun-packed day it has been so far!  I stayed up way too late blogging for all of you last night, so 6:30 got here really early.  After a yummy breakfast, we boarded buses to Kanab.  It's about a 2 hour bus ride through gorgeous countryside.  Do you call desert and red rocks countyside?  I was thrilled to have been promoted to the "previous achievers' bus" this year.  Shelli and her daughter, Sara, rode out with us and led a discussion.  I guess that's a better way to put it.  The intention was to ask questions, but they only ever asked one.  They received a great variety of answers in return.  And, before we knew it, we spotted Cherokee standing on the corner of the road with a big Founder's Circle 2011 poster.  And that's when the tears started flowing!  We learned today that the employees at Kanab compare our annual visit to demonstrators excitement over convention.  This is the biggest day of the year for them.  They all make personalized, stamped name tags, hold HUGE signs, and clap and cheer as we disembark the buses.  It's truly a moving experience.  My picture of Cherokee isn't the greatest - the bus driver didn't realize he should slow down for that photo op.

Kanab is where our stamps are made.  They are all made in the United States.  Even one of the manufacturers of wood blocks is just 4 short miles away in a neighboring town.  Due to the decreased demand for wood, we learned that the vendor has purchased machinery to start making our clear mount cases.  What a wonderful opportunity it is that we can support the local community.  I was also surprised to learn that years ago Shelli was STRONGLY advised to move the manufacturing facility but she ignored the advice to keep manufacturing in Kanab - a town that is very dear to her.  We learned that Stampin' Up! is also working on moving production of ink pads to Kanab as well.  We were able to see the beginnings of the production line - but all of the supplies are not in place for production yet.  But, very shortly, your Regals Ink Pads will be made in the very same room as your stamp sets!

I snapped the cutest picture of Shelli as she was holding the door for us to enter the facility!

Many of us gathered in the main room for pictures.  I have so many to share, that you'll just have to check out my Facebook Albums to view them all.  I can't possibly post them all here.  One of our first stops was the apartment.  There's an apartment over the facility where Shelli, her family, and visiting corporate team members stay.  I believe we were the first group to go up - right after Shelli.  I didn't spend much time exploring as I had seen it last year.  Instead, we stood in Shelli's kitchen and chatted.

We only had about 10 minutes to visit before we were whisked away to make stamps.  Because we'd all been there before, our tour guide didn't go into many details.  However, we stumbled across a stamp set that was being made that none of us recognized.  Something new from the Occasions Mini?  I was shocked that they'd make a mistake like that!  I didn't jump in on too many of the production steps as I had done a lot last year.  However, I did try my hand at die-cutting a stamp set!  I also packed a clear mount stamp set.  And then, they let us know that we could help ourselves to one of those brand new stamp sets we'd spotted earlier!  It wasn't a slip at all!  So, I jumped right back onto the packing line and boxed up my very own wood mount stamp set.  I sure hope I got the blocks correct!  I have no one to blame but myself!  I have no pictures inside the facility as none are allowed.  Boo hoo.  At every turn there was something fun I wanted to snap.  But, I'll just have to remember it in my brain.

After a quick question and answer session, we ran outside to get photos in front of the rock.  Each Stampin' Up! building has a large boulder out front and it's tradition to get your picture taken in front of it.  Claire and I posed for this one.

We reboarded the buses where we got to choose a piece of a mag plate that we could turn into an ornament, a charm, or even a key chain.  Next up was lunch in the park.  Lunch is always packaged up in some cute container.  This year it was an adorable basket lined with a cloth napkin.  Wrapped inside was a turkey sandwich, potato salad, and some veggies.  For dessert they served up Creme Brulee and other assorted cakes and pies.  We took lots of rubber photos.  I'm sure glad I squeezed in a pedicure before the trip!

It was a GORGEOUS day in Kanab.  It's usually very hot.  But today it was 74 degrees with no humidity.  There were several moms with their kids at the park.  I'm not sure what they thought when 100 women invaded and took over the play set!

We then headed back with a quick stop at Denny's Wigwam - another Founder's Circle tradition.  The ride flew home as we played bingo and were awarded door prizes.  My luck continued when I was the first door prize pulled and I won bingo twice which got me a pack of buttons and two rolls of ribbon.  When we disembarked at the hotel we then received a package of Paisley Petals DSP!  It was quite a lot of loot!  We hurried into the Gathering Place to play Plinko.  Today I won a letterpress plate.  WOW!  The goodies sure are adding up!  Here's what I received today!!!  And, we still have a pillow gift (I hope) tonight!

Well, it's about time for me to head downstairs so I can board my bus to Tuacahn to see the Little Mermaid.  I do have more photos from today to share.  They will probably go up tomorrow.  Thanks so much to EVERYONE who has entered for a chance to win yesterday's blog candy!!!

Comments

[Judith]

Thanks for sharing allll about your amazing trip!