It Has Come to an End...but WE HAD A BLAST!

I did just have the ultimate scrapbook experience when I joined with 27 other scrappers, north of Dallas, for a fabulous weekend.  I miss these ladies so much but am thankful that I can at least look forward to coming together with them once a year.  It seems like forever to get here and then...BAM...it is over and time to pack up.  (The positive spin on that, I cannot wait to see my hubby when I return home tonight!)

This photo shows my team members and I - some who have been with me 10+ years!  I LOVE that Close To My Heart is what brought us together.  It is our friendships and love for papercrafting that keep us together.  I would not change that for anything.

I was productive this weekend and will be showcasing those creations but I just loved being surrounded by my friends and FUN!  That is what I most enjoyed.

Until next time we can gather together...

It's almost time!

In just four days, I will gather with my Mom and 26 scrappin' friends who will join me for a weekend of papercraftin' fun!  It comes at a much needed time and I cannot wait!

Our theme for this year is "Up, Up, and Away - Soaring to New Heights".  I pray that for all of us both personally and professionally.  We will be using our new paper packet, Balloon Ride, for the planned projects for the weekend and I think they have turned out really cute!  I will share them next weekend after they are released to the retreat attendees.  Of course, the girls will bring plenty of scrappin' supplies of their own.  It is going to be a blast!

We will join at Lone Oak Ranch & Retreat in Gainesville, TX (just north of Dallas) where we will party the nights away!  It if it is anything like in the past, I'll return home next Sunday evening ready for a nap but it will all be TOTALLY worth it!  We missed out on the event last year but I am sure we will make up for it!

I do not know how much I will blog this week as I prepare to leave.  It is tough creating things but unable to share the results since it is mostly going towards secret sister gifts and retreat projects.  I cannot wait to share them all with you as soon as I can.

I will miss those who are unable to join us this year and am looking forward to making new memories.

Ready to see my girls!

More Retreat Fun!

Gotta love the many smiles from the retreat held a few weeks ago.  It's hard to believe it's already been three weeks!  I miss my team members/scrappin' friends!

Here are just some fun photos of some of the ladies who joined me, at their croppin' spots!  These memories...PRICELESS!

Tawna Payton

Peggy Lawrence

Mary Collins

Joy Milligan, Lisa Lawson, Melissa David

Melissa showing off our NEW Idea Book

Glenda Bentley

Terry Morrow, Joy McHargue

Windy Leal

If you'd ever like to join us at a retreat, please contact me directly.  We would love to have you!

Retreat Welcome Sign (and more highlights)

It was fun, arriving at the retreat location, with this welcome sign especially for us.

 

This photo is of the entire group - 39 of us!

 

This is a photo of team Consultants in attendance.

 

 These are first downline team members who shared in this fun weekend with me!

If I haven't told you before...I love my team!

Team Retreat = FUN!

Three weeks ago I hosted my annual Heartfelt Sentiments team retreat!  I was blessed to have 39 fellow scrapbookers in attendance who shared the weekend with me.  Many attendees were members of my team while some of their friends, family members and customers also decided to join in the fun!  We gathered at the Lone Oak Ranch & Retreat in Gainesville, TX.  This beautiful property resembles a Texas-style town, complete with Western memorabilia. 

During the weekend, we enjoyed delicious food, fun gifts, and lots of laughter!  It was a great time as it always is but it never lasts long enough.  However, I am grateful for the time I was able to spend with my dear friends and look forward to next year's retreat.

Here are just a few photos from the weekend.  Stay tuned for more in upcoming posts!

We never went hungry and enjoyed yummy food!

Who would have thought 39 people could crop in one room?  But...we did!

My Mom and I posing for a photo during the beautiful weather we were able to enjoy.

Ahhh...my friends and downline, Melissa, Mary and Jennifer.

Here's my version of a glamour shot.  LOL  The ranch is on some beautiful property.

Sensational Season BLOG HOP!

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!  We will be featuring the March Stamp of the Month (SOTM), "Sensational Season", a set of 10 stamps.  I love the Spring and this stamp set is perfect for preserving your spring-time memories or for your Easter greeting cards!

If you have come here from Angel's Blog you are on the right path! The blog hop is a great big circle, so you can start here and work your way all around.  If you get lost along the way, you’ll find the complete list of participating consultants here.

This month we have approximately 57 Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

I absolutely fell in love with the bunnies in this stamp set!  I LOVE to color but have since gotten away from doing so on my scrapbooking projects because I learned to love the base and shade images we have.  It was good to get back as I used the Waterbrush Pen and coordinating ink colors - Blush, Hollyhock, and Grey Wool - to color in the image.  I love the soft effect the waterbrush pen offered.  To create a "frame" around the focal point, I scored a rectangle on the backside and used a Sanding Block to distress it - perfect to do because our paper has a white core.  This was a fun stamp set to play with!

Now "Hop" on over to Caren's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the SOTM is only available until the end of March, 2011!  Click here to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!  I have additional samples viewable on my website!  Click here to view them!

HAPPY HOPPIN'!

The Retreat is over...

But we had a FABULOUS TIME!  That's where I have been since my last post - preparing for my team retreat where I had 39 team members and guests in attendance!  I will post pics of the weekend after my Stamp of the Month Blog Hop goes out on the first (since I don't want to interfere with it) but I did want to take a moment to share a fun surprise I received while at the retreat.

Friday mid-morning while I was waiting for everyone to begin arriving, one of the guys from the office brought in a floral box.  I knew my hubby had no idea where the retreat was located (lol) - he just knew I was at one - and had no idea who else could have sent them.  When I opened the box, I found gorgeous flowers and a sweet card from my upline, Jody Peck!!!!! She sent it to me and my team as a wish for us having a fun weekend!

Here am I with several of my team members, showing appreciation for the beautiful flowers.

And this was them blooming after arriving home.  Loved the colors!

Thanks for being so thoughtful, Jody!  My team and I appreciated it and they were gorgeous!