Can you feel it? The electric excitement in the air that tingles all the way down to your papercrafting fingertips? We sure can! This feeling can mean one thing and one thing only—it’s nearly Convention time!

In an effort to release some anticipation so we don’t burst, we’ve compiled a list of tips for you to read before Convention. How crucial you deem these tips to be is completely up to you. 🙂

1. Bring your running shoes—better yet, bring your tracksuit! When the race to find Sticky Boy begins, you’ll want an athletic edge to be able to sprint to this adorable little guy once you see him. Don’t know who Sticky Boy is? Do yourself a favor and check out this spunky stamp’s Facebook page. Really, right now. Do it. You’ll thank us later. Your running shoes will also come in handy for the Operation Smile 5K on Saturday morning!
2. Tell all your friends and family not to worry when you don’t respond to their texts, phone calls, and emails during Convention. No, you didn’t get sucked into a Cricut® machine or embossed to a card. You’re just having loads (paper loads!) of crafting fun and taking a well-deserved vacation.
3. Starting today, prime your finger muscles with some conditioning exercises. They’ll be doing a crafting and note-taking marathon! Our favorites? The “adhesive slide,” “scissor crunches,” and the “ink-n-stamp.”
4. Bring a pack of pens and paper for keeping notes. Say it ten times (if you can!) then do it. Better yet, bring the dazzling notebook you ordered as a logo item. You’ll be inspired by so many amazing ideas at Convention that you’ll write a novel with all the novel ideas you’ll get!
5. Understand that Artwork Awe Syndrome is a real disease, and that there is nothing you can do to prevent it. AAS’s primary symptoms include stopping dead in your tracks, dropping your jaw, gasping, and staring with widened eyes, accompanied by temporary disorientation and an inability to speak or form coherent thoughts. AAS is caused when one sees exceptionally beautiful, fun, or innovative papercrafting artwork. All Conventions goers experience AAS at some point, so don’t fret when it hits you. Everyone will understand.
6. Leave extra space in your suitcase. No, not for your shoe collection (though we totally wouldn’t hold it against you if you did). We’re talking about space for all the goodies and giveaways we’re going to share with you!
7. Pack a flashlight. Your creative gears will be turning so rapidly that when your roomies go to bed, you’ll be wide awake crafting under the covers.
8. Be prepared to feel very, very important. Like, Disney princess important. People will come up to you and ask for your business card. They’ll “ooh” and “ahh” when you share your unique crafting ideas. You’ll attend a glamorous Awards Banquet, which is basically a ball. And you’ll be staying in luxurious hotels. If these don’t make you feel important, we don’t know what will.
9. Go to your crafting space and pull out your Christmas stationery. You’ll see so many new and exciting Close To My Heart products at Convention that you’ll want to write them all down and mail your Christmas wish list to Santa right away!

Is it obvious that we’re a bit giddy in anticipation for Convention? Maybe a little too giddy. Giddy enough to have made up this entire list. For some actual tips about how to best prepare for Convention (especially for you first-timers), visit our Close To My Heart Facebook page. There you will find really fantastic advice from our lovely Consultants on the June 20 post.

For now, we’ll try really, really hard to contain ourselves until Convention. Wish us luck. See you in Anaheim!

Leave a comment