Well ladies, not sure if this has been discussed before, but I think it's about time we all got together for an "Extension Convention"!!!  I, for one, don't have many extension people in my area, and the ones there are, are affiliated with particular brands (like GL) and won't talk to you unless you are paying for their astronomically overpriced service!  I'd really like to meet other DIY'ers.  At the convention we could have members of this forum give demonstrations and lectures about different types of extensions.  We could all bring our own mannequin heads to try out the different methods that are being demonstrated.  We'd all bring our fav. brands of extension hair so we could all get to see brands we maybe haven't seen before. Network, learn, experience!!!  I'm not sure where it should be held, perhaps somewhere in the middle of the country where it's equal distances to people living on both coasts.  We can hold it in a banquet or conference room of a hotel (depending on how many people register).  It shouldn't be very expensive at all if we all chip in a small amount.  One of the things I do at my job is event planning, so I'd be more than happy to lend my services for this event!  What do you all think?

sounds like fun, but would still be expensive as well as time off work.

But, I'll go if we can get a good sized crowd.  Im by no way an expert but it would be great to meet other people and just drown in hair

Finger lake? I've got a better one...  Big Bone Lick State park...just being naughty but, that place really exsists. Anyone whose gone to Cumberland lake Ky/Tn, knows what I'm talking about.

Seriosly...how bout Chicago...I need to make an Ikea run!

That sounds like a great idea.  If I can get time off and it's not to expensive I'm in!!

LA or orange county would be great!!

I live way too far away from cali.I'd have to take a plane. But I really would like to learn how to do pinchbraids.And the drive there is much more reasonable.I really need to get a license or something to do hair. I keep hearing about stores that sell everything  from salons like top quality hair for extensions( just for hair stylists). And then there are these conventions.. When can a regular girl like me catch a hair break.But its cool, If you went to school(which i know costs alot of money) then I guess  you truly deserve these perks.I am seriously thinking about going to beauty school,lol .

Going to a general hair convention kind of detracts from the original purpose.  For one, hair conventions are generally more geared towards other hair topics, but when they do have extension exhibitors, it's usually a big name brand who wants to charge you out the ar$e to get their training and use their products exclusively and they generally use only one method.  I'm definitely not looking for that, and there's no reason to go to a convention if you DO want that, you can contact them directly for their training/products.  

Two, the idea of getting our own booth at a tradeshow isn't too ideal because: tradeshow booths cost generally thousands of dollars depending on the size of the show (I handle my company's tradeshows/conventions), AND while it might benefit those of us who have wares to sell, it wouldn't benefit the newbie looking to learn DIY extensions or the people who already have extension experience but maybe just want to learn other methods. 

What I was proposing was more of an "extension only" event for us to come, see, learn, and network.  

Zapevaj, I'm in the Washington D.C. metro area and I could definitely come to Chicago, plus I'm interested in learning pinchbraids.

I hope I'm not intruding, being a newbie and all, but.... I know from being a customer paying out the ying-yang for various methods for the "perfect hair solution" that I would PAY to go somewhere where I could learn how to install my own hair with several different choices  instead of doing whatever the closest extensionist is currently doing at the time.

What about making your OWN extension convention, advertise on the NET for people to come who are willing to learn AND pay a small fee so that you can have your trip pay for itself? Let's see.... 100 bucks a newbie head xtimes Xnewbie= ??The experienced girls could have a trip payed for by the newbies wanting to learn. It's just a win-win situation. I for one am just sooo grateful to everyone here helping me, that I just would like to do something to show my appreciation.

Syren, If you want something done I've heard, ask someone who's busy! I would be able to do it, it's really quite simple! Pick a location where there is good weather, close to airport, not a high price city so when you book a function hall or whatever type of place you want to have the actual convention it won't be too expensive. You can always rent church halls real cheap! Mabey someone is a waitress and can get a free hall? Pick the date, assign jobs and times like Syren will be demonstrating a microlink technique Saturday from 11a-3p on Nick. You could make out a tentative schedule to keep it organized like different events at particular times. Then you print out some brouchures, figure out how many newbies would want to come, then figure out how many pros want to "show" and you could pretty much figure out a price from that. Probably everyone would bring their own supplies too. And of course the girls with their own businesses could sell some products. (shrinkies,combs) for those that didn't bring them.

Think of it....it's only the beginning! Annual Extension Conventions! City to City Extension Conventions! OK I'll stop now.

Syren,

I love your idea.  What a great idea!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.cosmeticenhancementexpo.com/?source=Overture - http://www.cosmeticenhancementexpo.com/?source=Overture

I would go to this for sure.

ANYONE ELSE????????  

Mocha,

That's exactly what my original intent was.  Not that there's anything wrong with the other idea, but I wasn't proposing an event where the more experienced people make money off the less experienced people.  I was proposing an event for ALL DIY'ers to share ideas, experiment with new methods, see other products, learn, network, etc...  We all chip in on the location, and we all bring our own supplies.  More of a community event, not a money making event.   Sure, if some of you want to get together and make money off of newbies, that's your thing, but that's not the nature of what we're trying to do here. 

As I offered in my original post, I plan events as a profession, (mainly tradeshows) and I'd be more than happy to organize a community event like this, but I'm not really interested in doing a "for profit" event for hair extensions.

Syren, I just looked at that Expo site, that looks like alot of fun. I never even heard of anything like that before!  I've dabbled in a few cosmetic surgeries myself, mostly out of country (way cheaper, American doctors)

Luz, I meant to tell you, your portfolio is beautiful! I also checked your website. Great idea for a reality show about people helping people! Sounds like you have a very exciting career ahead of you, and great hair to go with it. Must be wicked fun!