I love an excuse to travel!

As I have mentioned before, Close To My Heart has brought so many blessings to my life...including allowing me travel regularly to familiar places and others I have never visited before.  This year we will head to Washington, D.C. for our National Convention and I cannot wait!  While I have visited D.C. twice before, I am excited to share in this experience in the company of my best friends. 

Two years ago we traveled to San Antonio for our Regional Celebration.  We had such a great time checking out The Riverwalk and learned great tips and techniques from our corporate training staff.  These layouts commemorate those good times!  Enjoy!

So pretty AND organized!

I love organized things and absolutely love Close To My Heart's Acrylic Organizers that also look so pretty.  I have several of these - two filled with brads and other fun goodies seen here, another filled with eyelets, another with our cute Ribbon Rounds, and one filled with our acrylic blocks.  I love how pretty everything looks and how easy it is to access what I need with ease.  They pack up very nicely for me to attend crops and retreats.

If you need an organizational method for these kinds of items, I highly recommend them!

I love to cheer!

Most of my friends know cheerleading is one of my other passions (besides scrapbooking, that is).  I have cheered as long as I could walk and talk, growing up with my dad as a high school teacher and Basketball Coach.  My sister and I were the cheerleading "groupies" growing up, having our own homemade uniforms (made by my Mom) and cheering on the sidelines. 

I began my "official" cheerleading career in 8th grade, cheered through high school (we were State Champions my Senior year), and then for three years in college.  I was even a Cheer Camp Instructor for several summers, traveling throughout New Mexico.  I then became an Assistant Coach at my alma mater, Silver High School, my Senior year in college and then became the Head Coach there (where we were also State Champions).  Since then I have coached at a couple of schools in Florida, North Carolina, and this year, in Kansas. 

Last year I took over the Junior Varsity Cheerleaders at WRHS after they experienced a frustrating situation after tryouts.  While I went in solely trying to provide a positive cheerleading experience for them, I walked away with many fond memories.  All in all, it was a smooth experience with lots of fun and laughter!  I enjoyed being around these girls, meeting at The Grille before home games, and sharing in some good times at fundraising events and our end-of-the-season sleepover.  I hope it's not the last time I see these girls and thankfully, I do keep in touch with several of them.  I am proud of my commemoration of our fun times together and hope they had as much fun as I did!  Enjoy the layouts and be sure to check out my stinkin' cute, paper-pieced cheerleader at the bottom of this entry!

 

 

 I used the Paper Dolls Cricut cartridge, borrow from Sharron H. at my team retreat, to create this darling little cheerleader!  I was so proud of how she turned out and received many compliments about her.

My Creations Journal

Have you ever made something that you like so much you don't want to use it?!  Isn't that pathetic?!  I find myself doing that a lot with things I alter...like I can't get the products again and recreate another one!  :0)

This cute NEW My Creations Journal, one of our newest products, is awesome!  I wasn't sure how I would like it but once I received it...I LOVE how you can easily alter the cover, changing it out as often as you like!  It allows for so much personalization although I totally copied this design from the Spring Idea Book.  LOL  (Gotta love a "catalog" that serves as an Idea Book as ours does!)  Despite copying, I made two versions - one for me and one for my friend, Kristy - and each is still very much personalized. 

This Journal was made using the Veranda paper pack.

I received these ribbons from my Secret Sister, Kristi S., at the retreat and loved how vibrant they were!  I think they went great with the Caboodle Paper Pack and finished off my journal with a nice touch!

STAMP SETS USED:

Authentic D1401

Classmate Alphabet D1303

Topnotch Cards

My friend, Chris G., created these cute cards for a workshop I will hold in early April using the March Stamp of the Month and the Topstitch paper pack.  This was one of the projects shared at the retreat last weekend.  They were a BIG HIT and I hope you will join me!  Contact me for details or you can do a long-distance workshop in the comfort of your own home!

This is the cute little handmade box they go in (with a cute little handmade bow).

I love my team!

Who would have thought, over 11 years ago, that I would have a team of almost 100 Consultants?!  I joined Close To My Heart because of my love for the products and what I could create with them.  Since then, I have developed meaningful and long-term friends with women I would have not otherwise known had it not been for CTMH.  I'm lucky enouhg to connect with them at least once a year at our team retreat or CTMH events.

Members of my first downline who joined me at the retreat.

This is s a photo of the Consultants who were at the retreat. 

Most are members of my team with a few off-team, Consultant friends!  :0)

All 34 team retreat attendees!  We had a FABULOUS TIME! 

It's a GREAT time to join Close To My Heart!

Dare to dream by being your own boss with flexible hours and unlimited earning potential when you join Close To My Heart as a new Consultant this March. When you join, you will receive these four new stamp sets free! 

The retail value of the free stamp sets total $91.80 which nearly covers the price of your New Consultant Kit*. When all is said and done, you will receive more than $400 in fabulous new products to get your dream business started. Now is the time to make your stamping dreams come true! Contact me about joining my team!  I'd love to have you!

* Purchase of the $99 US/$115 CAN New Consultant Kit is required. Tax and shipping/handling are required on the New Consultant Kit. There is no additional tax, shipping/handling for the free items. Free items are the May-August 2010 Stamp of the Month sets. Offer valid March 1-31, 2010.

The Ballroom

It's amazing all the stuff and people we were able to fit into the Lone Star Ballroom this past weekend for the retreat.

 

This photo shows the room before the madness began!  There were a total of 34 spots, each person with their own table.

We moved in!  We could have stocked a scrapbook store!

Here is Lulu at Lupita's station.  She had a complete set-up, didn't she?

Here is how a quad looked with all the fun.  These girls - Kim, Julie, Mel and Pam - kept their workspaces better organized than some! 

Retreat Goodies

I always enjoying giving out goodies at the retreat and this year it was no different. 

These are the place cards I made for each person's croppin' space.

These are some cute Ghiradelli candy matchbooks that my friend, Pamela, shared with me.  They are stinkin' cute!  You can find directions by clicking here.

This is what each person's setting looked like.  Wrapped in Blush wrapping paper was a My Creations Journal.  I issued a challenge for decorating this cute new product with no stipulations other than they had to be done by 10 a.m. Sunday morning.  (Look for photos of the winning items coming soon...)

This was another gift, placed at each spot on Saturday morning.  It is the 6x6 album and a dauber that were necessary supplies for the creative projects.

What it's all about...

Today I feel so refreshed after spending time with my Mom and Consultant friends for a fun girl's weekend!  We had such a fabulous experience at Lone Oak Ranch & Retreat in Gainesville, TX.  The hospitality was great and the atmosphere, spectacular!  I couldn't have asked for anything better other than having a few more of my Consultant friends with us!

The #1 driving force for me in having a Close To My Heart business are the relationships. I have been blessed to know friends I would have not otherwise known. I LOVE attending CTMH-related events, including my team retreats, where I can develop friendships and form new ones while sharing a common interest.

Me, Amanda and Cindy

My Mom, Me, and Cindy

Me and Melissa

Lupita, Mom, Me, and Lulu

Dorothy, Xellina and Melissa