I am back from a very busy 3 days at the brand new SNAP conference near Salt Lake City, Utah, where I spent time with some of my dearest blog friends. Those conferences are tiring, but they sure are fun. Connecting with my blog friends is such a huge part of blogging for me and I have some of the greatest group of women surrounding me in this blogging world we are in.
Tauni did a great job with this creative crafting/DIY conference and as Haven will be, this is the first year of the conference. Haven will be here in just 2 short months, so we have more to finalize and then we’ll be ready as well.
We started on Thursday with flying into Salt Lake City, Utah and driving out to an area called Thanksgiving Point, a beautiful part of the country with mountains in the background.
This is not something you see in Georgia! Beautiful majestic mountains covered with snow.
It’s spring in Utah, so the tulips were in fully spectacular blooms.
We were lucky and got some really nice spring weather. Crisp and cool, but sunny skies for the most part.
Thanksgiving Point was a really nice area with shops and restaurants, hotels and meeting rooms.
Take a look at this glorious view!
We had dinner in this pretty red barn every evening.
A gazebo outside the hotel was a pretty backdrop.
I met up with my pals, Traci and Beckie at the airport and after checking in the hotel, we quickly ran into many of our blog friends along the way, like Shelley from House of Smiths. Those Utah girls are very fun and welcomed us all with lots of hugs.
During dinner in the barn, it was decorated with lots of creative pretties.
Simple displays on the table were a nice touch.
My friends, Beth, me, Traci, and Kate. It was great getting to spend some time with my Haven girls.
Traci and Kate at dinner. We talked a lot, as you can imagine.
Mandi is one of the SNAP hostesses. (Mandi and Beth)
Mandi with Vintage Revivals, a very creative gal. And tall too, some of those Utah girls are really tall.
Dinner was delish!
All the classes were very interesting and we sat in on some good ones. My friends and I spoke on Saturday a.m. My panel was on sharing personal stories on our blogs (The Power of Personal in DIY) and my friends, Beckie and Traci were on that panel with me. We all spoke about how we have shared our personal lives on our blogs and how we do that.
Beth was on a style panel and shared vignettes and how to put them together. She did a fabulous job!
Here we are being silly in the Homes.com booth. (Beth, Beckie, me and Traci). I love these girls!
We met up with so many blog friends that we have known online for awhile and finally got to meet up in person. (Me, Wendy, with The Shabby Nest (loved getting to hang out with Wendy too), Ana White, and Beth). Ana White is a powerhouse blogger in Alaska and she will also be speaking for us at Haven. The girl has some major building and carpentry skills and has a huge site where she shares all sorts of plans for building furniture. She started her blog because she couldn’t afford to go and buy the furniture she wanted, so she built it! And shares the plans with everyone for free. We are SO excited to have her at Haven too!
Ana spoke on a panel along with Shelley, Emily (Decor Chick) and Centsational Girl Kate, and they all shared their ideas on style. It was a great session to be sitting in on.
Mandi introduced everyone and they each took a turn speaking.
All these girls are very talented and had plenty to share.
On Friday evening, a handmade marketplace, The Queen Bee Market, was set up in the barn and shopping commenced! I didn’t buy anything, but it was fun to look.
SNAP had some great sponsors and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Tauni, the founder of SNAP, did a wonderful job putting it together. I know firsthand that it takes a LOT of work putting a blog conference together, so my hat is off to her for pulling it off so smoothly.
Blog conferences are so much fun. Exhausting, but fun. We don’t get enough sleep, we stay up too late talking, but the connections and friendships formed are priceless. I roomed with Beckie, Beth, and Traci and we had the best time. Hanging out with all my girlfriends is energizing and so enjoyable. I love all these girls so much and am so happy to have them in my life. We only wish we didn’t live so far from each other.
Haven will be here in 2 short months and boy, have we got a lot to finish up! Between renovating a house and finalizing this conference, I’m going to be one busy girl!
Great re-cap! I wish I could’ve gone too but glad that I can ‘see’ how awesome it was through others re-caps! Can’t wait to finalize everything with Haven and just get there!!! 🙂 xo
Rhoda, I enjoyed reading your recap of the conference. In my previous career, I always came back from conferences reinvigorated and ready to take on the world! Hope I get to attend Haven!
I wish I could have attended SNAP, but I can’t wait for Haven!!
Looks like you all had a fabulous time at SNAP!! I follow a lot of the ladies who attended on Instagram & saw all kinds of fun pics throughout the conference!! I was swooning over all the cuteness at the Queen Bee Market too!! Maybe next year I can attend SNAP!! Looking forward to Haven though!!
Sadly, I missed your panel, but I heard it was great! I don’t have a hard time sharing the personal on my blog, I’m like Shelley, I can’t NOT share! I just found you from the idea room linky, though I didn’t get to meet you at the conference, I’ll get to know you through your blog;)
Rhoda,
For those of us that cannot attend, you are our on-site reporter giving us the scoop and keeping us in the loop. Looks like a great time was had by all in attendance.
Your Friend,
Deborah
Hi Rhoda! Looks like so much fun! How nice to get to meet so many blog friends. Thanks for sharing these special times.
Be a sweetie,
shelia 😉
It was so good to meet you Rhoda. We really appreciate you being so willing to come out and share your amazing and inspiring story with us and the other Snap Attendees. So glad you enjoyed it! Good Luck with Haven. I am sure it will be fabulous with all of you amazing women behind it! I just love your site!
SNAP was awesome! It was my very first conference and I can’t believe how much I took away from it. I never knew how inspiring and exhausting conferences can be! I so wish I could be coming to Haven but I’ll be there next year for sure!
Kari
Newlyweds on a Budget
Oh that looks like so much fun! It looks like you enjoyed yourself. Is it going to be every year? I might just have to see about going next year since it’s not that far from my neck of the woods. You are so lucky to know so many nice blogging ladies. Have a great week Rhoda!
Hi Rhoda!!! So great to finally meet you! I kept thinking you in person are such a true representation of your blog, and it was just a pleasure to be in your company and very much appreciate your graciousness. I cannot wait for Haven!!! Ana
Hi Rhoda,
The last line of this post (“We only wish we didn’t live so far from each other”) gave me the courage to ask what might be considered a silly question. Will there be a way at Haven to identify bloggers by state/region? I’m sure everyone would love to meet and hang out with everyone, but being able to see or know who’s local to you would be helpful in forming lasting bonds as well. I’m not sure how to accomplish this (a directory, an ice breaker game, labels, etc.), but I just wanted to throw the thought out there. I’m a super new blogger and won’t know anyone so narrowing down those who live closest to me makes the most sense as far as connecting.
Utah is such a beautiful state…Always loved driving through it…Looks like great fun and enjoyment had by all…Looking forward to the Haven Conference.
Rhonda, I appreciate that you share photos, words and links of the conferences you attend. They always look like great fun.
I hope to attend my first blog conference, in Las Vegas, this October. (right in my neck of the woods)
Thanks for sharing with us, Rhoda! So sad to have missed hanging out with my blog friends (being here for mom was much more important) but looking forward to Haven! Looks like you all had so much fun!
Rhoda, it was so lovely to see you again my friend! I am so very glad you could join us this year and hope you will be back for many more…
xoxo
Tauni
Rhoda it was so great to meet you! I agree with you: the scenery in UT was fantastic! I am really looking forward to Haven and doing a little exploring in Atlanta too. 🙂
It was so fun meeting you! I really enjoyed your panel!! You are such a strong person and I admire you even more now!!! XOXO, Tam