Close To My Heart MyCTMH Scrapbooking and Stamping CTMH

October Class

My October Class is coming up real soon and I'm excited that we will be creating this Christmas Box! I use mine to hold treasured handmade cards and other treasures that my friends have given to me. But there are many other uses for this. I absolutely love anything handmade, don't you? It means that someone has taken time out of their busy schedule to create something for you! That means a lot, especially in today's society.

It's still not too late to sign up for this class! There are still a few seats open.

Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 9:30am-12pm.

Altered Christmas Box. Price $30.00. 

All materials will be provided.

Keep checking back at this post to see how many spots are left. {2 spots left}

Sign up at Katie@thestampgarden.com 

Come Play!

My Creations Memory Keeper Box - Close To My Heart

Here's a neat idea. Use Close To My Heart 's Liquid Glass on your stamped image and layer with glitter. I used the Holiday Trinkets stamp set for my ornaments and the new Jingle paper packet. The original CTMH artwork on page 8 of the current Fall catalog inspired me to create an altered Christmas memory box. The ornament strings were hand drawn and all embellishments are from Close To My Heart. The glitter stack is discontinued, but I hope Close To My Heart will bring something similar back! I love mine! 

Supplies List:

Item# D1366 Holiday Trinkets $22.95 (set of 14 stamps)

Item# X7115B Jingle Level 2 Paper Packet $12.95

Item # Z679 $6.95 (2oz) 

Glitter

You can shop for these supplies here. 

Documenting Your Goals the Scrapbook Way

Having some form of goals in our life helps us to better ourselves. Goals that help us to accomplish even daily tasks, monthly, or even yearly. All goals can be efficient.

Right now I am going through and refining some of them. I have so many. I used to have a goal bucket where I would write down on slips of paper some of the goals I wanted to accomplish. Then, I would place it into the bucket and each month I would pull a slip of paper out. Of course my bucket was decorated, but did I ever accomplish the goal? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. The ones I didn't made me frustrated, but letting go of failure is also a part of achieving. So this was a great learning process for me.

Now I use a scrapbook to help me gather up my list of goals. It's not very pretty, but the idea is to write & document a pictorial journal. I have magazine clippings, jotted down sidenotes, drawings, and goal-maps. My goal maps are just quick outlines of a step by step process.

Later today I hope to share with you my goal book photo. It's a 6x6 album and small enough for me to carry around and look over.

So, what are your goals and how do you want to accomplish them?

Close To My Heart Everyday Celebration Cardmaking Kit

Sharing:

Close To My Heart has a special cardmaking kit that they are offering this month only. I know several of you may be interested in knowing what is actually in the cardmaking kit, so I thought I would make a quick video on the kit contents. This special ends September 30, 2009. 

You can get your kit free by making a minimum purchase of $60 in Close To My Heart stamps, by hosting a Close To My Heart home gathering, or by signing up as a Close To My Heart consultant. 

Visit my corporate sponsored website for more details and to place an order here.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Sept. 11, 2009

Where were you on this day 8 years ago? During the early morning hours on the east coast, a tragic event happened in our U.S. history. I didn't know anyone personally who was killed on this day several years ago, but I do know of one person who went to hunt for terrorists who plotted the tragedy. 

I remember on Sept. 11, 2001 getting a phone call around 9:30am from my husband. I had just returned home after taking my 2nd oldest to preschool. I had no clue what was happening. My husband called and asked me to turn on the television, and see what just happened in New York City. Then, he said that he had to leave very soon for a country called Afghanistan. Again, I had no clue where Afghanistan was. Did you? Already shocked by what I was seeing, I didn't want to hear that my husband had to leave for a country on the other side of the world. He didn't know when he would be returning or even if he would ever be returning. Our children were 5,4, and 2 at the time. I didn't want to be left alone with them, but I came to reality in understanding that the victims who died on Sept. 11th, 2001 would have their lives changed forever. My concerns were nothing beyond comparison to what they were going through. Selfish me. 

Today I am grateful to have my husband. I can only remember the tragic event and offer up my prayers for the families who are continuing to live on and survive without their loved ones. To this day, we should never forget and continue to move forward in honoring those heroes and victims of 9/11. God bless America.

Wowza!

Business:  It's only the second day of September and I've already received several requests from some of you interested in becoming a Close To My Heart consultant. I'm so excited! I can't wait to help these ladies get started on their business and really look forward to getting to know them. Remember, if you sign up this month, you'll receive a FREE card kit from Close To My Heart. You'll also receive my bonus team welcome packet. Email me for details.

Blogging:  My blog has been updated. I'm still dusting around the area, here and there. So, what do you think? I love the hand drawn flowers and the creative feel. I hope you do too, because that is what I was aiming for. I had some trouble with the background originally, but thanks to my own detective intuition, I figured it out! 

Creativity:  I am playing around with some watercolors and I love it! I must admit that I wasn't a big fan of them before, but after playing around with these creative tools, I am a new convert! Right now I am working on a canvas. I really want to add some dimension to this project, but still can't find the right pieces.  Something will come up, but right now I am going to take my time and enjoy the process.

Fitness:  Tomorrow is my workout day. I work too hard and really need to get my cardio in gear. This workout will include a lot of heavy machines. I'm looking forward to enjoying the workout session with my trainer- who's really my husband. He's very into proper technique, so I'm hoping he can give me tips on how not to break my back. 

Football: Are you a football mom like I am? I would love your tips! How do you stay in control when your son is the quarterback for the team? I don't like hearing other parents around me (who don't know that I'm the quarterback's mom) say things I don't want to hear. Some of them are always armchair quarterbacks and complain about why the coach or the player isn't doing something right. Any advice is welcomed!

Autumn/Winter 2009 catalog is LIVE online now

You can view our new Autumn/Winter Catalog online here. 

To get a free hard copy of the catalog, simply purchase from my corporate sponsored website a minimum order of $30.00 or more. 

Sign up to become a CTMH consultant this month and you'll receive a FREE EveryDay Celebration card kit. Sign up online here. Email me for what I offer to those who join my Stampin' Bees team this month also. 

Free Autumn/Winter 2009 Catalog and my card kit design

When you purchase $50 or more from me, you'll receive a brand new Fall 2009 catalog and my card kit that I designed for FREE! This is the card kit that you will receive. 

You'll get the catalog, card kit with all paper cut for you, embellishments, and also a pdf instruction on how to create the card. I'll be posting a how to video for this soon!

Purchase Close To My Heart products here.

Free Autumn/Winter 2009 Catalog!

Hi everyone,

I'm giving away FREE Close To My Heart Autumn/Winter 2009 catalogs! Place an order of $50 or more on my website and you'll receive your free catalog. You'll also receive a FREE card kit in your catalog packet. The card kit includes a pdf instruction and all the Close To My Heart embellishments you need to complete the card. This is a great opportunity to test drive our products if you have never used them before! I will post a photo of the card as soon as I upload it to my computer. You will absolutely love it!

Shop for Close To My Heart products online here now.

Have Patience

When I was young, probably about age 8, I was determined to be a successful career woman. I told myself that I wasn't going to even get married or even have any children. My idol at that age, surprisingly was this person, Katherine Hepburn.

 

I wanted to be like her, bold, independent, strong, and certainly a career woman that Katherine Hepburn was. She didn't have children, or a husband, which gave me that idea that if she didn't have any of those, then I will be happy and successful like her too! In most of her movies, she played strong characters. She always ended up with the hero in the movie. I'm sure there are many women who make that decision and are indeed happy. 

Fast forward to the present time, and I am sitting here in a house full of beautiful children. Here they are today:

Aren't they beautiful? They are really good children too! I know Heavenly Father blessed me with good, happy little ones because he must have known that I really needed support. You see, my husband is away often, working overseas to help rebuild a country and keep it safe. It can be very lonely for me if I let it take control.I have to stay positive and not think about myself often.  Because that's when I start to feel sorry for myself, and that wouldn't do any good. Life is too short. While he is away, my children help me feel bold, independent, strong, and help me around the house. I've had to change my plans a bit, but I'm proud to say that I am making it work. 

I recently achieved # 5 Top Recruiter status for Close To My Heart, the scrapbooking company I represent. I have to admit that I was pretty upset when I found out. I was aiming for #1 and this year it didn't happen for me. Yes, I know that I have been at the top for the last 7 years, but I have been working with a lot of obstacles the past few years and sometimes those obstacles were put in front of me out of spite and jealousy. And I don't have any bad things to say about anyone. But this moment gave me a bit of self reflection and personal meaning. I could have no children, no husband and be the successful career woman I would like to be. Achieve # 1 Top Recruiter for the next 10 years and would I still be happy?

 

I don't think I would have done it differently. I don't regret my decision to put career plans on temporary hold for my children. Because they grow up so fast, right? My time will come when I can pursue my dreams fully. I just need to have patience.