Meeting Amy Atlas Events

Last week I recapped my experience at BASH. Actually I just barely scratched the surface with that post.  There's so much more to tell you that over the next few weeks BASH recap posts will be popping up here and there among the party fun.  One of the items I hinted too was how I talked to Amy Atlas. Remember when I said, " you should have seen the way I talked to Amy Atlas". Let me explain. 

Amy Atlas for those of you who don't know is THE dessert table guru.  She started the whole thing really.  BASH admin, Michelle from Maddy Cake Muse brought Amy Atlas to BASH to talk to all of us about how she sets her stunning dessert tables. We got to hear all her little tips and tricks.  I of course focused on her shoes.  I'm my most comfortable in heels so of course I zoomed right in on her pair. 

 After hearing all the great information Amy Atlas had to impart on us, Michelle, the BASH admin told us all to please let Amy eat before we started bombarding her with questions.  Per human nature people didn't listen and Amy had to answer questions and do photo's with people as she made her way from the stage to her table to eat.  She was so gracious about it.  I was standing talking to Swishprintables when BAM, Amy Atlas was right there in front of me! Now in the party world Amy Atlas is a BIG celebrity. So what do I say to her in a matter fact-tell it like it is voice, " Have you been able to eat?" Amy responded, not yet. To which I said, "You need to eat! (my arms opening in a wide body-guard stance) I'll run interference for you and when people try to approach you I'll say Back Off, let the woman eat".  Amy laughed and made her way to her table where she was able to get some food.  I think the people around me were a little stunned about how I just talked to Amy Atlas.  No question for her, no star struck look or oh my gosh can I get a photo with you. Noooo, I was all in your face conversation.  It's the extrovert in me. 

Of course I got a picture with her later at her book signing.  I didn't buy a book but that's because I already have it! The colours burst from this book and I LOVE that.  I am such a colour person.  When it was my turn to get my picture with her I asked her is she ever got something to eat that night and we had a good smile over that. 

One of the most amazing eye-opening experiences I had at BASH was not in one of the classes and was all about timing.  If my BASH roomie and I hadn't have slept in, if we would have skipped breakfast we wouldn't have had the opportunity to have breakfast with Amy Atlas.  My roomie and I joined 4 other party girls for breakfast and had just sat down after ordering when Amy Atlas walks in and asks if she can join us. HELLO! of course you can.  You could feel everyone's excitement at the table and as Amy Atlas says she needs to find a chair, me, Ms. Extrovert jumps up and says, "go order your breakfast, I got the chair" Amy Atlas, if you're reading this and need a personal assistant, I'm on it ;)  
This is what conferences are all about. Little pockets of chance encounters filled with meaningful conversations.  I touched a little on the conversation last week. 

The conversation started off with Amy Atlas asking us how we liked the conference, did we get a lot out of it and our thoughts on her presentation.  She likes to learn what works and what doesn't so she can improve on her presentations.  Then the conversation took a meaningful turn.  Amy Atlas began telling us about the struggles of being a mom and a successful business woman.  I could see everything Amy Atlas was saying resonating deep with all the women at the table.  Except me. I don't have kids and my man is totally fine with all the time I spend on Fizzy Party. He has hobbies that he spends a lot of time on too so he gets it.  The conversation was also about perfectionism and how even though you're not telling your kids to be perfect, they see you obsessing, stressing, hyper focusing when you're planning a party, doing a photo shoot etc. that everything HAS to be perfect.  Tears were welling up in these women's eyes as Amy Atlas spoke of how deeply this perfectionism can affect your kids.  Kids shouldn't have to be worrying about perfectionism. 

All the women at the table, except me, told stories of how their perfectionism has affected their kids.  It was also discussed how being a perfectionist can lead you to be so focused you don't live in the moment and enjoy the party.  All this talk of perfectionism, I couldn't relate.  I'm just not like that. If I do a photo shoot of my party and get the pictures back and there's a straw or candy a little off, I just say, meh.  I don't feel stressed before my parties like I heard a lot of the party people saying they are.  I'm not stressed during the party either.  I'm enjoying the party, I'm living in the moment.  I told all the women at that table I wish I could give you a little piece of my meh attitude.  

While I waited for my plane in the Phoenix airport I flipped through Instagram (@fizzyparty) and came across a great post by Amy Atlas.  She said, "@Fizzyparty, thanks for spreading the 'meh'- Miss Party Mom  and I were grabbing your energy.  Who really cares about the straw anyway, right. Here's to more messy, non-makeup, tear filled women, warm hearted breakfasts with sky high pancakes and lots of syrup". 
I was so touched when I read that.  

I took away a lot from this chance encounter and it has me focusing my goals for Fizzy Party. 

Pre-BASH Conference Recap

A few weeks ago I attended my first ever blog conference.  BASH  Conference is specifically geared to party planners, event stylists and party bloggers.  So of course this was one conference I HAD to attend. My blog after all is about parties!  If I wasn't a party planner, stylist or party blogger I wouldn't have attended because all the classes were geared toward the party industry.  That would be like me attending a food bloggers conference. HA HA! Can you see me at a food blogger conference? I don't even cook!

I'm going to break up the conference recap into two posts because there was so much information and because I was in Arizona for a week. Lucky me, my parents have a house there :) They're getting tired of the Oregon damp wet grey winters and I can't blame them. Sun and blue sky's in the winter months, sounds good to me.

1. My feet on the famous Portland Airport carpet. This carpet made CNN, The Huffington Post  and has it's own Twitter page. Keep Portland Weird. You see why I had to take a picture.  2. Off I go! I feel I should disclose this plane picture was taken in Phoenix, the sky is not that blue in Portland in January. 3. Gorgeous Mt. Hood. I picked the perfect seat on the plane. Not only did I get this great view but my seat mates were two very fun older women. I say older because both are retired. I've got YEARS before I can retire.  4. The view from my parents backyard in Phoenix.

As I mentioned above, I was in Arizona for a week instead of just 3 days for the conference.  I flew in early to spend time with my parents and to visit a few party bloggers who lived in the area.  My first visit was to Tikkido's  for some delicious wood fired pizza in the outdoor oven she built.  Tikkido has the perfect outdoor set up. It's what I'd love to have except it would need to be under a cover or covered for more than half the year. It rains and or is damp a lot in the Portland area. I had a lovely visit with Tikkido and her neighbors who she also invited over for pizza.

1. BellaGrey Designs  flew in a day before the conference so we could visit some of the party shops owned by party bloggers.  2. This was the first time I met BellaGrey Designs in person but we felt like old friends because we've been chatting for what seems like years online. 3. The TomKat Studio recently opened her shop in a mall in Chandler, Arizona. It's full of bright fun party items. 4. If I had my own Fizzy Party office this pillow would be sitting in a comfy chair in it. It's bright and peppy and little did I know how true this saying would be after attending BASH.

The other shop BellaGrey Designs and I visited was Petite Party Studio which is just down the road in Gilbert, Arizona.  Petite Party Studio's shop is located in the historic downtown area.  The shop is cozy and warm and not only carries party goods but has other items on hand as well.  The owners are super fun and you just know they love what they do.

1. Party girls don't travel light. 2. BellaGrey Designs and I went for the VIP BASH tickets which included a limo ride from the airport to the Wigwam resort. We got to ride with 6 other party stylists, bloggers and planners. 3. The view from our room. Isn't it gorgeous! We never did get a chance to use the pool or hot tub but it was a wonderful way to start each day with that view. 4. Being a VIP we got a great swag bag filled with fun party items. I made the masks, all different, for the VIP bags. That's another post.

Come back on Wednesday to hear all about the conference and my thoughts on it.