Taste of Summer

May is National Scrapbooking Month

Taste of Summer : Exclusive paper pack & stamp set

In the month of May purchase our exclusive paper pack for $8.95.  No minimum purchase required.
This pack contains 2 of each of the 6 double sized papers shown.  A scrapbooking & cardmaking workshop will be available.
   

This exclusive, coordinating stamp set is available separately for $17.95.  More details will be on my shopping website on May 1.  
 

Why I've been with CTMH for 8 years

Today is my 8 year Anniversary with Close To My Heart.  I never imagined how my life would change when I decided on a whim to sign up April 24, 2007.  

When I joined CTMH, I was looking for the discount and to share with friends.    
Now, I truly enjoy teaching classes, scrapbooking with my friends and sharing my love for CTMH!  I have earned 3 All-expense paid incentive trips to places I never thought I could afford to go to.  I have been able to take my family on other vacations that we never dreamed we could do.  I am recognized on stage at CTMH Conventions and am even teaching others.  I have a team of CTMH sisters all over the nation that I adore!  I enjoy mentoring them AND learning from them!  This is truly my dream job!!!

Bu, I have a lot on my plate, I admit it!

I constantly am asked HOW I do it..... and of course WHY I choose to do it all.

So here's my story.... I am married to a High School baseball coach (and teacher).  He's been coaching since we met.  His aspirations have always been to coach in college, but for now, he loves coaching at the High School level. Coaching baseball is not just a March through May thing.... its YEAR ROUND!  He starts up at the end of August with fall ball.  That ends at the end of October or so.  At the end of November, they get into try-outs and winter ball.  They are in full-fledged baseball season as soon as winter break ends.  Games begin at the end of February and end with the Valley Championship at the end of May.  As soon as that is done, they try-out for summer ball.  That lasts until through mid-July.  So our summer begins then and ends when I go back to work the second week of August. 
This demanding schedule of the baseball coach gets harder every year!  I signed up for this (as the wife) and I support it. 

I am a full-time teacher too.  I teach elementary school Physical Education. I have been teaching 14 years and I love it (again).  I had a rough couple years, but am back to doing what I love.   

I am a mom of two young kids.  They are now 9, in 3rd grade and almost 7, in 1st grade.  These two alone are enough to keep a mom busy ALL THE TIME!  Between baseball, basketball, football, gymnastics, girl scouts, there's never a dull moment and rarely down time. I am such a lucky mom though!  They are truly the light of my life!!!

So HOW do I do it????
*PASSION!---- I have a true passion for memory keeping and helping others preserve memories for years to come. I have the fire, desire and passion for it all.  If I'm going to do something, I'm going to give it my all and get it done!
*EXCITEMENT--- I am excited about my "jobs".  They are not really jobs to me, they are fun!  I try to ooze that enthusiasm. 
*SUPPORT--- for the most part, I have the support from my family.  As long as I put in the time with the fam, they give me the time I need to do what I love to do!
*SLEEP--- while they sleep, I work.  I burn the midnight oil many nights.  I'm the last to sleep and the first to rise.  I don't do naps.  Luckily, I can survive like this! 

WHY do I do it all????
*LOVE--- I love baseball!  I love teaching!  I love my husband and kids!  I love scrapbooking! 
*JOY---- The look on my customer's faces when they create something that they LOVE!  The excitement of my kids when they can create with me, when I make them something or when I show them scrapbook pages of them.  The smile on my hubby's face when I can say "the business paid for that".  

8 Year Anniversary

Tomorrow I celebrate 8 years with Close To My Heart!  

How fitting that I spend my Anniversary working my CTMH booth at Scraptacular Getaways!

To celebrate.... I'm giving away 8 sets of 8 cards!!!!!  The first 8 people to place an order on my website, will get a set of 8 cards!  I will mail them to you next week!
(Order $40 or more, valid April 23-26, or first 8 people)

Here's a peek at what you could get in the mail...

THANK YOU for supporting me over the last 8 years!  I truly love serving you!  

Blossom Cardmaking Workshop

Have you seen the new Seasonal Expressions 2 Idea Book??  It is FULL of fabulous new products.  

My favorite new product, possibly my favorite product in a long long time, is the Blossom Cardmaking Workshop on the Go Kit.  The stamp set that comes in this kit is A-DOR-ABLE, and the cards it makes are super cute!  

Many times, with the Cardmaking Workshop kits, I will create one or two of the cards as directed, then change up the stamps, flip the patterned paper over and make the cards different.  Not this time, I created all 15 cards as directed!  

On this one, I used washi tape in lieu of the washi stamps, thinking it would be easier.  It wasn't easier, and I actually like both looks.  

You can never have too many Birthday cards.  

Take a look at what comes in the Workshop Kit:

Pick up your Blossom Cardmaking Workshop on the Go today :)  

And while you're on my website, don't forget about the Deal of the Day!

What's in the Grab Bag??

The Deal of the Day promotion is well under way and grab bags are starting to come in the mail!  

I purchased the $115 grab bag and I received it this weekend.  I made a video to show you what's inside!  

Here are some photos of other grab bags:

Check out the details:

Love a great deal? How about 30 days of great deals? During the month of April, you have the opportunity to score a deal every day with Close To My Heart! 

What deals are we talking about? Each day during April, while supplies last, we’ll feature a random grab bag filled with current and retired Close To My Heart products available for purchase at a major discount. To grab your bag, simply place any current, full-priced item in your online shopping cart on my WEBSITE and you will be eligible to purchase as many grab bags as you wish (while supplies last)! 

Grab bags will be featured at five different price points throughout the month

Some grab bags will contain product with more than DOUBLE the retail value of the price you pay! Grab bags will be available for 24 hours starting at 3 pm MDT each day and only while supplies last—so visit often and early! Remember that grab bag tiers will be featured on a random schedule throughout the month, so seize the opportunity to purchase from the grab bag tier you’re interested in when it becomes available because it might not come around again!

Dates: Offer valid April 1, 2015 (3:00 pm MDT)–May 1, 2015 (2:59 pm MDT).

Artfully Sent Wedding Card

A couple weeks ago, the hubs and I went to a wedding.  At the last minute I realized I didn't have a card (already made), so I whipped this one up quickly.  I was inspired by this card that my friend Holly made.  

I cut the card base out of Colonial White Cardstock.  The card front was cut from retired Timberline wood grain paper.  The inside of the card was cut from Kraft Cardstock.  All accents were cut from Silver Glitter Paper.  I wrapped some burlap ribbon around the edge to finish it off.  It took me longer to pick out the papers and colors, than it did to make the card :)

The great part is, every cut was made from the same key on Artfully Sent, at 7"