What A Trip! What A Conference!

Traveling is always so much fun! (Lots of work, too!) I love going to new places, seeing new things, and meeting new people. It can also be stressful so going with an attitude of gratitude makes it much more enjoyable. On my trip to Long Beach this past week for the annual Close To My Heart Leadership Conference, I spent oh, probably 3 1/2 to 4 hours in traffic on the LA freeways. Talk about trying my patience. I now know how easy it is to rear-end someone in that kind of traffic...the poor fellow in front of me made the mistake of glancing down at his cellphone and accelerating at the same time. Not a good idea...

I have some incredible announcements to share with you so grab something cool to drink, pull up a chair (and a friend!) and be prepared to be WOWED!

To begin with, check out this amazing layout. It's the beginning of something so big and wonderful that you'll pop with excitement!

Announcement 1: Studio J

The folks at Close To My Heart corporate office are absolutely brilliant. Beginning in early 2010, you will have the opportunity to scrapbook online in a digital environment. This, however, isn't any old digital environment...it is exclusively a Close To My Heart digital environment where, with a click of the mouse you can add your photographs to any of 40 exclusive Close To My Heart layouts, add embellishments such as My Stickease, change the color of your paper and ribbon or reposition your title. It's completely amazing...and that's just the beginning! With the look and feel of classic Close To My Heart scrapbooking, you're sure to grow your scrapbooks much quicker. I plan to incorporate both classic and studio designing in my scrapbooks. I hope you'll join me.

For a preview of what's to come, head on over to Close To My Heart's homepage and click on Studio J. The excitement begins now...!

Announcement 2: August Customer Special

Close To My Heart extends a big Thank You to its loyal customers this month by way of FREE products. With any $100 purchase, you will receive the August Stamp of the Month, It's Your Day, along with a FREE package of My Reflections Background & Texture paper AND free tax and shipping/handling. You won't want to put this off, though...the offer is effective from August 3 - 17. Take advantage of it by calling me (760)873-3994, e-mailing me, or placing your order online at my http://laurie.myctmh.com/ website.

One of the best things about being a Close To My Heart consultant is being able to spend time with my sister consultants. Over the years many of them have become my not only my friends but also my inspiration. I love these people! I'll post some photos of some of my friends tomorrow along with some highlights of the Director's dinner.

Until then!

No More Excuses!

There are no more excuses for not having time to scrapbook! One of the most exciting announcements of our Leadership Conference was made today. I'm excited to share a whole new world of scrapbooking with you...Studio Scrapbooking. This online experience will be like none other and you will have more time to enjoy Classic Scrapbooking. With Studio Scrapbooking, all of your scrapbooking will be done in the digital world. With Classic Scrapbooking, nothing changes...scrapbooking is as wonderful as it's always been. You can choose to do one or the other or a combination of both. More details will be forthcoming but for now, I'd like to share a Studio Scrapbook layout example that was given to consultants a short time ago. Yes, this is all done on the computer!
















Watch for special online training sessions where I will introduce you to this new method of scrapbooking with Close To My Heart.

I'm off to spend the evening with my sister consultants at Disneyland...thank you Close To My Heart for treating me to a fun evening!

Laurie

Leadership News!

Lots of great things are happening at the Close To My Heart Leadership Conference here in Long Beach, CA. Where do I start when there are so many fabulous announcements to make?!

The new Fall/Winter 2009 Idea Book is a huge hit and with tons of new products, you'll be as anxious to have it in your hands as I was. It has been redesigned and you're going to love, love, love it! Several of our products have also been redesigned. My favorite it the new Soft Set Eyelet Tool. Ladies in my workshop groups...we're going to be doing a lot more setting of eyelets!

The most exciting news is that Close To My Heart is introducing an online digital scrapbooking product. If you don't think you have time to scrapbook, you'll think again after the debut of Studio J! More details to come.

Here's my friend, Chris, and I beaming ear to ear because we were all given a beautiful organizational tote! (I love the perks of being a consultant:)



Who knew that 15 years later I'd be celebrating an anniversary with Close To My Heart? I received this beautiful pin as a thank you for my loyalty and service to Close To My Heart. Can't wait to see what the next 15 years bring!



For now, I've got to get back to class so I don't miss a thing. California Adventures awaits us tonight as we have dinner and off to enjoy some rides.

More to come! So long until next time!
Laurie

Big Things - Small Packages

They say big things come in small packages...no kidding! One of the best gifts I ever received was a little hand stamped brown paper bag filled with my favorite candy, Hot Tamales. (I've been known to hide Hot Tamales from my family then pull them out once everyone has gone to bed. Yeah, I know...closet candy hog....but it works!)

Here's a cute idea that is incredibly simple to recreate. Just take a brown paper lunch bag and cut about 4" off from the top edge. Cover the front and back with a piece of solid cardstock. Layer with coordinating background and texture paper such as Silhouette. Add embellishments to your heart's desire. A ribbon handle completes the gift bag. Don't forget to attach a hand stamped gift tag!

For this cute little bag, I used our Big Pinks as the center focal point, distressing them a little bit with brown ink. (Brown and pink always go together...it's one of my favorite color combinations.) Although this Silhouette Background & Texture paper is predominatly black, there are also tan flowers. You know what I should have done? Color a few of the tan flowers pink. Afterthoughts are great, aren't they?

I'm off to Long Beach tomorrow for the Close To My Heart Leadership Conference. I love these annual events because I get to hang out with fellow consultants who are also great friends. I don't know but I think we'll have a sneak peek into what's coming in the Fall/Winter Idea Book. But you'll have to wait! (Sorry but it's only fair to my fellow consultants:-)

I'll keep you updated on the latest and greatest things happening this weekend, including an evening at Disneyland! (I'll bet you didn't know I'm addicted to rollercoasters:)

It's A Zoo Around Here!

I'll bet you can relate from time to time! Some days the phone doesn't ring once while other days it doesn't stop. With a home-based business, both are welcome sounds so I'm not complaining! It's just that, well, some days it really feels like a zoo around here. Like this weekend... or, the last few days anyway. You see, we have some really good friends who are professional photographers in our area. I've been blessed to assist them from time to time. I love working with them and seeing their creativity full on. They are amazing! The gentleman had a medical emergency a few days ago and with a wedding yesterday (Saturday), they were unable to photograph it and asked me if I would. So, I had the privilege of filling their big shoes. Between making last-minute arrangements with the bride, gathering my equipment, and preparing for the shoot, well, it felt like I was in a zoo! So, I thought it would be fitting to share this card I made recently since it has that cute little zoo theme.


Recently my sister-in-law had a birthday when I wasn't quite ready for it so you know what that means...yep, she had her birthday without a card from me. When I designed this card originally, it occurred to me that it would make a perfect belated birthday card! What better excuse could I come up with than "It's A Zoo Around Here!" That being the truth, I mailed it off hoping she'd understand my tardiness. She did...and she loved the card!

I should tell you that the red section of the card at the top is secured only by the red brad in the center of the flower on the left. So, the red section flips open (upward and to the left) to reveal the birthday message (with more excuses) that I wrote. Good thing she loves me unconditionally! And, just to get back at me, I'll bet she sends me a handmade card that arrives on-time for my birthday! It's A Zoo (#C1360) is used with Animal Cookies Paper Packet (#item X7112B). Other fluff and fun are ribbons, brads, and paper flowers.
Well, the wedding went very well and I captured the special moments of the day. My favorite photograph is of the ring-bearer handing a bouquet of flowers to one of the darling little flower girls. It's just precious! Maybe I'll have to share that particular image with you soon.

This is a busy week coming up. I'm accompanying my daughter to an out of town wedding the first of the week then a few days after we return, I'll be attending the Close To My Heart Leadership Conference in Long Beach. (I sure hope it's cooler by the sea!) From there, I will meet some of my family in Pismo Beach for a couple of days spent relaxing in the hot tubs, eating Old West Cinnamon Rolls or dining in a tiny shop called Splash eating the best Clam Chowder there ever was! Are you jealous yet? Ah, don't be...let me report to you THEN you can be jealous. In any event, it's all in fun and I look forward to sharing my new adventures with you again soon.

Until next time! Enjoy today- for that's all we have.

About Me - Tribute Side 2

The wonderful ladies in my scrapbook groups never cease to amaze me! They can take the same Close To My Heart papers, same stamp sets and colors, and the same instruction from me at the same class yet come up with scrapbook layouts that are completely original! The second side of this layout (pictured here) is a perfect example. Some ladies added just a photo or two in the center square while others used the center area as a background and built around it, adding 6-8 photos on the entire page. They always inspire me and get me to think outside of my box.

I have a tendency to design my layouts rather symmetrically (in my safe little box) but a few of my customers never follow my design. They'll tweak and turn photo mats, add a little extra color here or there, and come up with a totally new twist on my original design. One of my gals makes it her mission to be different! And I always look forward to how she'll change my original design.

You may say that this design looks a little crooked - it's meant to! I used Endless Friendship (#D1354) and Bella Paper Pack (#X7114B). It's a simple design so take it and make it your own.

See you again soon!

About Me - Tribute Side 1

In a previous post, I mentioned that my scrapbook groups are devoting this year to scrapbooking all about themselves. It's been so cool to watch them get excited about actually doing some scrapbooking for themselves! So far we've completed 6 layouts...you'll see them pop up here from time to time, some with photographs and some without. Either way I hope you'll be inspired by the stories from some of my gals and the creative layouts we are making.

This is one page from the Tribute layout. I chose to create a Tribute page so that each of us could remember someone special, either living or not. I left that choice up to each of my ladies. One of my gals completed her layout featuring her 92 year old aunt who is still living. Her journaling included a letter to her Aunt Fern. In the letter (as journaling) she told her Aunt how much she loved to share stories over a cup of coffee. She expressed how much she treasures the values and beliefs her Aunt is passing on to her. I can't think of a more fitting tribute than to write a letter that doubles as journaling and to show appreciation for the legacy her Aunt is leaving.


I've chosen my Tribute page to be about my grandparents. Although they are no longer living, their legacy lives on in my life on a daily basis. This layout will be a celebration of them and their lives! I hope you like it and use it as inspiration for creating your own Tribute layout. I'll have the second page soon.

The Close To My Heart products I've used include Bella Paper Pack (#X7114B ), Endless Friendship (#D1354), Homestead Alphabet (#E1007). The colors in cardstock and ink are Hollyhock, Olive, and Colonial White.

Until next time ~