It’s hard to believe the fifth Creative at Heart Conference has come & gone. Some people don’t realize that the conference is less than TWO YEARS old!! That’s right – our first conference was in January of 2015!!!! It’s AMAZING how much the Lord has shaped this dream of mine and we’ve had over 200 alumni attend C@H in the last year and a half!!!

Our fifth conference was one of my favorites, although like any “mom” I say that about every single one!:) It’s so hard to pick a true favorite!!!! Our speaker lineup and our attendees helped make Round 5 a truly memorable experience, and I’m so happy to share some of my favorite images with you!!!

Matt and I drove to Denver, CO (over 50 hours of drive time – ah!); we left one week before the conference so it seemed like it took foreverrrr for the conference to arrive!! This was our first conference on the west coast, and our first conference in July; I was nervous, excited & anxious to see it all come together.

One thing I can wholeheartedly say – it takes a VILLAGE,  y’all!! I have some of the BEST team members & volunteers I could ask for. These ladies (& gents) are so servant-minded; they truly love the C@H mission & I get teary-eyed thinking about how much they do for our attendees. They embody the heart behind C@H and live out “here’s to the creatives” to the fullest.

Laura, Ally, Alicia (& Emily) – Three simple words: I love you!! I could NOT do it without y’all!! From the once-a-month Skype sessions to registration to capturing our conference to the logistics of the day-of to the fun goodies in attendee swag bags, you helped everything run smoothly and you GET STUFF DONE! The conference would not run the way it does if you weren’t a part of it. I can’t wait to be together again in November!:) (Emily, we missed you in Denver; it wasn’t the same without you!)

Ashley & E2 – AH. You two bring me SO MUCH JOY!!! You make my life so much easier, ha! “Servant” should really be your middle names!! You serve me immensely & I am blown away by all you do as our Alumni Volunteers. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! I can’t wait for Memphis!!:)

Matt (aka Mr. DSE/C@H) – This guy. While the business is my heart & soul, he’s the backbone. He pushes me, supports me & is always there when I need someone to hear about my crazy ideas. He stepped up BIG TIME this conference, more than he ever has before. I won’t lie – I was nervous, y’all! I think it’s always scary to put pressure on your spouse & I was anxious about whether (a) he would enjoy it like I wanted him to and (b) we would be able to work together efficiently & effectively. Man, he blew me away. Matt, I love you. So much. Thank you for taking the stress off of me; thank you for never once complaining. Thank you for showing me how much you support this mission. I’m so blessed by you.

Jess & Will Bulloss & Liz – Thank you, thank you!! This was the first conference you helped out behind the scenes, and you were a blessing to the team! You stepping up & served our attendees so much. I’m so thankful for you three!!

It seems fitting to share my favorites with you today, because registration for our final 2016 conference opens TONIGHT! Round 6 will take place in Memphis, TN November 13-14 and I just know it’s going to be another memorable one!!! C@H has changed and grown so much in the last few months – to be honest, I really don’t know what 2017 holds. Matt and I are in a season of prayer as we figure out what the next step is for us & this experience. I don’t know what the nature of C@H will look like come 2017, but I DO know that I want to end 2016 in the BEST way possible!!! And having another one of our incredible 2 day experiences seems like the best way to do that!!:)

Okay, enough with all the mushy stuff!!! HUGE thanks to our conference photography team for these images – Alicia Lacey Photography & Bulloss Photograpy. Enjoy my favorites from our time together in July!!:)

VENDORS: Flowers: Something Styled Events /// Gold Foil Print: B is for Bonnie Design/// Coasters: Happily Ever Etched /// Name-tags (design & hand-lettering): Happy Tines /// C@H Mantra Print: Paper & Honey /// @ Keychain & Be Creative print: Nimbi Creative /// Coffee Mug: Prairie Letter Shop /// Agenda: Made for Each Other /// Postcard/Pencil: With Grace & Gold /// Postcard: Bailey Craft Planners /// Postcard/Lollypop: Even Keel

DAY ONE

I LOVE that our speakers/panelist sit in during every session, too!! We should NEVER stop learning and it’s POWERFUL to be learning alongside leaders in the industry!!! 

THE LATE NIGHT TREAT (AKA the best pajama party!)  DAY TWO 

One day I will get a decent picture of me speaking … no one ever said I wasn’t expressive haha!! 

A few items from our AMAZING sponsors!!!