Here are the pictures I've been promising. Are you ready? There are 44 of them – but that's just a small fraction of the over 1000 I took while on my Mediterranean Grand Vacation that I earned through Stampin' Up!

I thought I'd start by first sharing all the goodies Stampin' Up! gave to each achieving demonstrator. Check this out! This was the last picture I took the day after returning home (while unpacking and before putting everything away).

Our trip began on Wednesday, May 18th and ended Sunday, May 29th. My mom and dad joined me and my husband Tim on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We flew out a few days early to enjoy Barcelona, acclimate to the time change, see more of Europe, and be ready to board the ship right away on Sunday, the 22nd when the official Stampin' Up! cruise would begin.

May 19th-21st – Barcelona, Spain (May 18th – in flight)

The view from the Hotel Granvia, where we stayed.

Motorcycles and scooters are the preferred mode of transportation there. And they were everywhere!

We visited Park Guell to see many of Gaudi's architectural works which are also abundant throughout the city.

We got to see nearly all of the city from the open-topped Bus Turistica. It was worth the two-day pass! The buildings are beautiful. And the history of the city is amazing.

This was a favorite stopping spot…the Sagrada Familia Church – another Gaudi masterpiece.

Yippee! We Stampin' Up! demonstrators love UPS!! (I just had to take a picture.)

On our last day in Barcelona, we took the subway to the beach and toured that area. We finally found a seaside restaurant serving excellent seafood. Yum. LOL

Later that evening we made our way back to the Gothic Quarter, witnessed dancing and live music in front of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and enjoyed wine and dessert nearby at an outside table where I was able to take this photo.

May 22nd – got on the Norwegian Epic ship!

And our room had a fabulous balcony!

May 23rd – a day at sea

This was a day of rest (especially for those that flew in the day before). So Stampin' Up! hosted General Session this morning where we were able to watch new product demonstrations.

Afterwards we received our swaps and were able to visit the Hospitality Room to see all the wonderful creations everyone had made for their swaps.

May 24th –

Our first port was Naples, Italy. We visited the ancient ruins of Pompeii.

We were bussed to Sorrento, a charming village high in the hills above Naples, where we were treated to authentic Neapolitan Margherita pizza.

Here are my parents and my friend, Terri Gaines at the restaurant before lunch.

We shared a table with several others including my friend, Julie Davison.

The last part of the tour that day included a drive to the Amalfi Coast.

I love this photo that I took of my parents there.

May 25th –

Rome!!
Our day two port (Civitavecchia) began with a drive into the city of Rome to the ancient Colosseum.

We also stopped to make a wish at the Trevi Fountain, another famous landmark.

We saw the Pantheon (not to be confused with the Parthenon in Greece).

The final stop in Rome brought us to Vatican City, where we toured the Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and square.

May 26th –

At our third port of Livorno, Italy, we were driven by private tour van into Florence, the jewel of Tuscany.

Our private tour of Florence for just six of us was more relaxed, and we had time to wander in and out of charming shops.

We also had time to savor the world-renowned Italian Gelato (ice cream!!). Mine was of course dairy-free.

Florence was also filled with breathtaking architecture.

One of my favorite moments was seeing Michelangelo's Statue of David.

We lunched at a secluded hilltop restaurant overlooking some of Tuscany's most beautiful countryside.

My dad and Tim partook in the delectable Steak Fiorentina, famous in the region for both its size and taste.

The day in Tuscany ended with a visit to Pisa to see the famous leaning tower.

May 27th –

 The next stop was Cannes, a ritzy city on the French Riviera.

We didn't have an excursion booked for Cannes, allowing us to lazily shop the stores and markets.

The marina in Cannes is filled with luxurious yachts and sailboats.

May 28th –

 Final port, Marseilles, France! We booked a private tour for just us and my parents. Our delightful tour guide gave us a very informative and thorough tour of the city.

Marseilles is also rich in architecture.

Our guide took us to a hole-in-the-wall spice shop, where virtually any spice found throughout the world could be purchased from open spice bins.

Marseilles also has ancient ruins, like these from the 6th century B.C., recently unearthed.

Charming residential side streets of Marseilles.

Sunset over the Mediterranean Sea from the deck of the Norwegian Epic.

Another big thank you to my customers, hosts and hostesses, blog followers, team members, fellow demonstrators, Stampin' Up! staff and my supportive friends and family! I can't even tell you how much this trip meant to me.