A Special Delivery from CTMH!!!

I can’t express how wonderful it was this morning to hear the FedEx truck drive up unexpectedly and deliver this to me…

It is a beautiful CTMH logo tote with a protected space inside for my laptop to snuggle in and a special pocket for my cell phone along with two more pockets that will hold CTMH Idea Books, artwork and business supplies. I LOVE IT and can not wait to use it when I travel to convention in California in just two short weeks!!!

Also included where these darling heart-shaped spoons with the following engraved on them: a pinch of joy, a dash of tenderness, a spoonful of affection, a heap of love. I love what fellow CTMH Consultant Christine Adams calls them…”my Measuring Spoons for Success”!

If you haven’t guessed already, these special gifts were sent by CTMH for my recent promotion to Director…Christine Adams & I promoted to Director in May along with 12 other wonderfully motivated ladies. =) I can not wait to see many of them at convention in July!

I feel so blessed to be apart of a wonderful company like Close To My Heart! They really know how to pamper a girl and make her feel special.

Thank you CTMH!!! I love my job!!!

Makin’ Plans for 2011…Keeps Me Awake at Night

It’s 4 am as I type up this blog post…on Christmas Eve morning….I can’t sleep because I have so many wonderful things floating around in my head. So, I thought I’d blog about them so I wouldn’t forget about them and who knows…something may inspire you as well. :)

Here are a few things I can’t get my mind off of…

2011 Close To My Heart Spring/Summer Idea Book

If all goes according to my email notification, tracking  & FedEx’s reliable deliver, my new 2011 Close To My Heart Spring/Summer Idea Books will be arriving TODAY!!! Merry Christmas to me!!! I still get so excited when a new idea book arrives, even after 12 wonderful years with Close To My Heart! I don’t have a picture to share yet of the new idea book, but I can give you a little teaser to what will be coming in January…

Sneak a peek at great Spring/Summer 2011 Idea book products in the Inspirations Brochure coming January 1, 2011—including amazing deals on new stamp sets and the January Stamp of the Month when you buy the new Wings Workshops on the Go™ kit, all to help YOU start off the new year right.

Dates:
Customer Availability Dates: January 1, 2011 at 9 am (MST) – January 31, 2011 at 11: 59 pm (MST)

You are going to love this newest Workshops on The Go™ Kit, along with all the new accessories, tools, and stamps! I can’t wait to share more about it on January 1, 2011…along with the Mystery Hostess winner of Pamela’s MyCTMH Website Party (click here for more information)!

Next on my mind…

2011 ABC Scripture Challenge

I’m making plans to participate in the 2011 ABC Scripture Challenge over at the Triple the Scraps blog.

I have decided that I will be using Close To My Heart’s MY CREATIONS™ BOARD BOOK

Perfect for creating a child's activity book or their own personal scrapbook. Sturdy material holds up through many uses. (10 pages plus covers of white chipboard, pre-bound, 6" x 6")

I saw this super cool idea at the Close To My Heart Convention Silent Auction…to cut the book down to 6” x 4” so that it will fit inside Close To My Heart’s MY CREATIONS™ RECIPE/PHOTO BOX

I will be able to fit a total of 6  MY CREATIONS™ BOARD BOOKS inside the MY CREATIONS™ RECIPE/PHOTO BOX when the books are cut down! That will also give me plenty of pages to do a two-page spread for each letter of the alphabet with a two-page introduction layout and a two-page closing layout.

If you would like to join me on my 2011 ABC Scripture Challenge journey, you can place your order for the above items at Pamela’s MyCTMH Website (hint: click on the links above to be taken right to each product).

As a reminder, now through December 31, 2010, I’m hosting Pamela’s MyCTMH Website Party in celebration of my 12th Anniversary with Close To My Heart and when you place an order of $20 or more on Pamela’s MyCTMH Website, you will be entered into a drawing for the Mystery Hostess Rewards that I will be awarding on January 1, 2011…AND, you get one entry for EVERY $20 in products you purchase!

One other pressing thing on my mind at the moment…

I have got to get the cover of my new 2011 Memory Logbook by Log Your Memory finishes so I can go have it spiral bound at Office Depot before the 1st of January!

If you’d like to know more about this amazing new planner I’m creating, please see THIS POST or visit…

This is going to make a world of difference in how I manage my family time, personal time and my scrapbooking time!

Well, those are just a few of the things that are keeping me up, not to mention that it’s Christmas Eve morning! :)

Now where is my FedEx man???

Making Plans for the Year Ahead

I took the plunge last night…made a decision and purchased the 2011 Memory Logbook by Log Your Memory!

The 2011 Memory Logbook is your all-in-one memory-keeping calendar, journal, planner and idea book designed to help you capture your everyday, real life memories! Completely updated and revised for 2011 ...

I decided to purchase the downloadable version so I could print what I want, bind it how I want and decorate it how I want.

Here is a description of what is included in the download…

A downloadable print-it-yourself edition of our all-in-one memory-keeping calendar, journal, planner and idea book designed to help scrapbookers of all types, as well as non-scrapbookers, capture your everyday, real life memories!

Includes 52 Weekly Challenges based on this year's theme: This Is My Life. Purchase includes both 5.5x8.5 and 8.5x11 page sizes, as well as versions with and without American holidays.

Features include...

Getting Started Introductory Section - Helpful tips for getting started, plus a Story List for jotting down stories you’d like to get documented in the coming year.

Monthly Calendars - Two-page monthly calendar spreads , plus 2011 at-a-glance and a list of 2012 US holidays.

Weekly Calendars - A six-page section for each week with room for notes, journaling or a personal schedule.

Questionnaires - A set of five repeated questionnaires for every month - monthly check-up, holiday wrap-up, celebration re-cap and birthday memories - plus a two-page worksheet to capture once-a-year information.

Weekly Challenges - A question, journaling prompt or other story-starter for every week of the year geared toward helping you capture the parts of your life you most want to document for future reference. Each week includes a sample scrapbook layout for added inspiration.Completely updated and revised for 2011.

Annual & Monthly Themes - This year’s theme - This Is My Life - has an “all about me” focus. Monthly themes include Find Your Focus; Loves of My Life; Feeding the Spirit; Life is So Daily; Time to Work, Time to Play; Relationships; Life is An Adventure; Personal Inventory; Personal Growth; In My Experience; Appreciate Life; and Celebrate Life.

52 Brand New Weekly Challenges - A theme-related challenge for every week in 2011 in one of six formats: Journaling Challenge, Copycat Challenge, One Word Challenge, Real Life Challenge, Picture Perfect Challenge, or Reflection Challenge.

52 Sample Layouts - A sample scrapbook layout to coordinate with every Weekly Challenge, featuring the work of 29 contributing artists.

Inspirational Quotes - A theme-related quote on each monthly calendar.

Updated Photo Ideas - A list of photo prompts in conjunction with each monthly theme.

Weekly Memory Minder Emails - All 2011 Memory Logbook owners receive a free email subscription to Memory Minders for the period of time covered in their book, designed to support, encourage, educate and inspire you to use your Logbook to its fullest potential. Weekly emails will include challenge reminders, helpful tips, chat & event information, advance product news, sale notices, how-to articles and more. (A paid subscription to this email is also available for those who do not wish to purchase a Logbook.)

Cleaner, More Streamlined Design - Improved modular design with a more simple, modern look. The modular design allows for greater compatibility with existing planners, making it easier for you to pick and choose your favorite sections from the Memory Logbook and incorporate them into your favorite planning system.

To purchase your own today, visit…

I’ll be back soon with my decorated 2011 Memory Logbook. I’ll be using Close To My Heart’s January Inspiration Kit, Wings!

It’s a Miracle!

I have earned my Ph.D. Degree with Close To My Heart!

and

First, let me share a little about how I earned my Ph.D. Degree with Close To My Heart…

Close To My Heart offers their consultants a FREE online Training Academy that includes how-to courses in scrapbooking and cardmaking, as well as building a successful business.

This is just one of the many benefits of becoming a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant that I LOVE!

What about YOU?

Whether you love creativity, community, business, or all three, you are welcome here! Join me and discover all the wonderful rewards of being a Close To My Heart Independent Consultant.

Now, on to the miracle that awaits YOU…

Join the National Scrapbooking Month celebration in May with the special Miracle kit offer. It's a beautiful spring-themed scrapbooking kit that includes new, coordinating B&T Duos® die-cut papers, B&T Duos, Irresistibles™ chipboard die-cuts, My Stickease® adhesive images, Flip Flaps™, plus more favorite accessories and papers. We're also including an instruction brochure for easily creating two beautiful two-page layouts—with no stamping required!

To get YOUR Miracle scrapbooking kit FREE or at a discount during the campaign…

Here are the details:
From April 15 (at 9 am MT) –May 31:

• Purchase the kit outright for $19.95
• Place a minimum order of $40 (excluding Studio J™ orders) and purchase the kit for only $10
• Place a minimum order of $60 (excluding Studio J orders) and purchase the kit for only $5!
• Host a Home Gathering with minimum sales of $300 and receive a kit FREE!

From May 1–31, sign up as a new Close To My Heart Independent Consultant and receive a kit FREE!

The newest Consultant Kit is now available and is loaded with all-new products from the 2010 Summer Idea Book!

Contact me at pamela@myctmh.com for more information and to see what’s included in the new 2010 Summer Consultant Kit!

or

You may purchase your Miracle scrapbooking kit  outright for $19.95 or at a discount at http://pamela.myctmh.com beginning April 15th!

Have a blessed weekend!

Make Your Dreams Come True with Close To My Heart!

I have enjoyed making mine come true for the last 11 years and I look forward to making more come true in the years to come…join me today!

There are so many reasons why I love being a Close To My Heart Consultant. Here are just a few…

I love making new scrapbooking & stamping friends…close to home and all over the world! Over the past 11 years, I have met some of the most amazing people and many of them have become close and dear friends of mine…all because of Close To My Heart!

I love the generous discount Close To My Heart gives me on every scrapbooking & stamping purchase I make! I can determine how much that discount will be too…starting at a generous 22% off my regular monthly purchases! I determine how much more I get by how much I want to work my Close To My Heart business. The sky’s the limit!

I love being able to work my Close To My Heart business from home and around my family’s schedule. I can choose how many events I want to work and when I want to work each month so that I can bring in extra income for our family activities. I can use  that extra income to pay for such things as my own scrapbooking & stamping supplies, my older children’s extra curricular activities and my trip to Close To My Heart’s Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. this summer!

I also love the challenges that being a Close To My Heart Consultant allows me. I have had many wonderful opportunities to teach  locally and at several Close To My Heart events over the years. I have earned a Western Caribbean cruise courtesy of Close To My Heart and I am currently working to earn an Eastern Caribbean cruise that I can take my family on in March 2011!

There are so many more wonderful reasons I love being a Close To My Heart consultant. If you’d like to know more, please email me at pamela@myctmh.com. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have and I’d love to help you make your dreams come true when you become a Close To My Heart consultant today!

Click here for a complete list of items included in the above Consultant Kit…all for ONLY $99!

***MARCH SIGN-UP BONUS***

Get the below FOUR stamp sets absolutely FREE with your Consultant Kit…all for ONLY $99 when you sign up by March 31st!

But wait…there is MORE!

Click here to sign up TODAY…Faster, Simpler, Easier…than ever before!

It’s Gonna Be a Banner Year…I Just Know It!

This past Monday was the deadline to postmark my Extravaganza submission. If you don’t know what Extravaganza is, it is an amazing experience at Close To My Heart’s annual convention. This year convention will be held in Washington, D.C. in July.

I can still remember attending my very first Extravaganza at the San Antonio CTMH Convention in 1999. I was in awe and there was no turning back after that experience. The talent was amazing and it just keeps getting better and better.

I have had the honor of teaching at Extravaganza several years now. My first experience was in 2002 when I taught Marketing Magic with my bff, Cindy Denning. Several years later I partnered with the ubber-talented Katy Donaldson. We taught Interactive Page Protectors in 2005 and Out of Your Element in 2006.

This year’s Extravaganza will be different from any previous ones as we are apply individually and will be teaching individually as well. My hope is to be one of the 32 teachers selected…hopefully along with Katy, who also has applied. We wait and see…

Until we hear, I thought I’d share a few of my projects with you. I realized after I mailed off my submission that I forgot to get pictures of three of my projects. Luckily, I will get them back whether I’m chosen or not to teach.

I have been seeing banners everywhere on the web, whether it’s on a scrapbook site or a party themes site. I recently read in a review of the Winter CHA that banners were a hot trend for 2010, so I thought I’d try making one using only CTMH products and here are my results.

  

I’m extremely pleased with how it turned out. I put a lot of thought and detail into it and I hope it makes an impression. I used the featured technique from the February episode of CTMH TV…check it out here!

Next up is my layout submission. Creating a layout was one of the requirements for the submission and I chose to also incorporate a banner into the layout to carry out a theme. Be sure to check out My First Video Tutorial to learn how to create the ‘kissed’ banners…I used a stamp set that was originally intended to use to make Christmas trees!

For my titles I chose to incorporate our new Primavera Rub-ons along with some Color-Ready Alphabet stickers. I sponged the stickers with Colonial White Exclusive Inks to coordinate with the cardstock and rub-ons. The B&T Duos paper I used is from the Jingle Level 2 Paper Packet.

The banner was created using My Acrylix Stamp Set, D1315 Evergreen.

Thank you for stopping by and I’ll let you know as soon as I know whether I was chosen to teach at the 2010 CTMH Convention/Extravaganza to be held in Washington, D.C. in July!

Have a blessed weekend!

Setting My Sights on 2010!

“Focus on Your Potential instead of Your Limitations” ~ Alan Loy McGinnis

2010 will be the year that I will FOCUS on my potential instead of my limitations.

Stay in Focus

by Michael Charles Messineo

Stay in focus on your goal, don’t let the outside win.
If your center tends to move, your focus surely spins.
One look back can’t change the past, but lets you twist the now.
March past doubters who are wrong, and show them closely how.
Interruptions come and go, distractions are the norm.
Stop and regroup, bend the course, create your special storm.
All around you moving slow, the influence looks real.
Marching forward stay ahead just break the rules then heal.

***

To help me stay focused on the business goals I have set for myself in 2010 , I created this cute little 4x4 Easel Card that I can set on my desk to remind myself of my potential instead of my limitations.

Oh, if you haven’t noticed, I’m giving you a sneak peek at some of the fabulous new products from the 2010 Spring Idea Book that will go live on January 1, 2010! Be sure to check back January 1, 2010 for the January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop to see much more!

On this project, I used the darling new Topstitch Level 2 Paper Packet & My Stickease Assortment along with the new My Acrylix Stamp Set, Togetherness and the exclusive My Acrylix Stamp Set, Love is in the Air from the Topstitch Workshop on the Go Kit.

You probably would like to have the instructions to create your own Easel Card, right? Well, you can find the instructions by clicking on the thumbnail below…

Enjoy!