Close to My Heart in 2011 :-)

I am looking forward to the New Year with CTMH. It is hard for me to believe I am going into my 6th year as a consultant for this wonderful company. I have been a customer for almost as long as I have been scrapping and stamping which is going on 13 years. I still remember my very first purchase..... my friend Kim was using these VERY fun layered pumpkin stamps to embellish a halloween page and I just had to have them. She gave me a book to look at because she was just getting ready to close out a party she had and my first order ended up to be over $100.00. That was back when the stamps were still wood mounted and now that they are top of the line clear stamps and blocks I love them even more. Add to that the wonderful, and easy to follow, sketch books for cards and scrapbook pages; gorgeous double sided patterned papers with coordinating white core cardstock in the scrapbook kits; perfectly color coordinated inks, embellishments, and markers; and all the very fun alterable items and more........ what's not to love?

While other direct sales companies have raised both prices and shipping costs, CTMH has found ways to keep their prices the same AND even lowered some in 2010! They do this by finding innovative ways to keep their costs down so as not to have to pass increases along to their customers. In 2011 we are changing from the current quarterly idea book release to releasing them twice a year (February through July and then another that will cover August through January). This change also includes a few other changes. The best one (in my opinion) is over TWENTY more pages in each idea book and these are filled with some fabulous new products..... more details below.

There are EIGHT fabulous new scrapbook kits. Wow are they gorgeous! And remember these will retire at the end of the idea book cycle and they then become an "available while supplies last" item so be sure to get the ones you love by ordering while the idea book is current.

Sophia is a wonderfully fun feminine kit in blush, goldrush, hollyhock, and pear with a beautifully coordinated layered flower stamp set and a cute new polka dot alphabet stamp set. Bliss is a gorgeous new set in neutral tones of  bamboo, chocolate, grey flannel and vanilla cream. This set has some lace and flower coordinating stamps sets as well as an elegant new accessory assortment and you can bring in any additional accent color you want because of the neutral tones. Next is Miracle with bamboo, heavenly blue, crystal blue, and sweet leaf giving it a cool elegance that can easily be used for both feminine and masculine pages. Look for the new backgrounds and borders and delight stamp set that coordinate beautifully with these papers. We also have the miracle irresistibles chipboard set that is so fun with these. The sweetheart kit is perfect for your love themed pages, cards, and altered items. The colors are baby pink, cotton candy, black, and tulip and I ADORE the new sweetheart level 2 embellishment assortment as well as coordinating stamp sets! Wings is another wonderful set that can easily be used for feminine or masculine themed projects with base colors of black, juniper, vineyard berry and sweetleaf. Wings has a very fun new pleated ribbon set that coordinates with it as well as wonderful new stamp sets. Mayberry is another very fun kit with a bit of a summery twist. The main colors are cocoa, honey, olive and smoothie and the coordinating stamp sets remind me of summer fun :-) We also have a nice new designer ribbon collection in pinks to coordinate with this kit. Lucky is a FABULOUS kit in desert sand, olive, outdoor denim and sunset that has some fabulous coordinating embellishments and stamp sets with a vintage feel. I LOVE the journal spots and the bingo card stamp set! Fanfare is another great kit for your boy pages and projects in colors of cranberry, pacifica, sky and sunset yellow. The new E sized pennant alphabet shown with this set has SO many fun possibilities!  Remember all level 2 kits contain 2 each of 6 different double sided patterned papers and 2 each of 3 of the main colors for coordinating white core cardstock as well as 4 sheets of a neutral base (white daisy, vanilla cream, etc.)... plenty to do several projects... as well as 2 sheets of coordinating card stock stickers.

Besides all of these gorgeous new kits and coordinating item we have several new stamp sets including new E sized alphabets that are perfect for creating page titles, fabulous albums including several great chipboard and acrylic mini albums, card kits that include envelopes..... even shaped and acrylic cards, fun new ribbon and embellishment packs, fabulous white chipboard embellishments (including irresistibles) that are great for inking and stamping, And don't forget the SIX new stamp of the month sets that are only available in their featured month.

Now, if you are like me your wish list for this new idea book will probably be more than you can afford in one order, Let me tell you ways to make it more affordable AND even earn yourself FREE products in the process........

You can host a gathering in your home (the private dining room at Sherri's restaurant is available at no cost if you don't have space in your home). When you host a gathering I have inventory available on site for your guests to see as well as a projects or projects that I will help you and your guests complete that is provided totally FREE. I work with each individual hostess to develop projects that will help guests learn how to use a specific product, learn a technique that they have been wanting to try, learn how to use a tool or tools that is new to them.... whatever we think will leave your guests with projects they will be excited to take home and use. After we complete our project(s), I will assist you and your guests in ordering items that you want and will use and the best part is as hostess you get to order additional products for free based on the total amount of sales for your gathering.

Not the "party" kind of person? Or maybe you are but your wish list is STILL larger than your pocket book? You might want to consider joining one of my 6/$25 clubs. This is how they work.... each member of the club agrees to a minimum purchase of $25.00 per month for 6 months. each member also gets a turn at being "hostess". In your hostess month the club orders insure you earn a minimum of $25.00 in free products. Want more than $25.00 free? You can take orders outside of your club group to boost your total sales and earn you more free products. Even better! With our online ordering system I can set you up so you can even have friends that live far away order and you still get the credits for your gathering total (boosting your sales and the amount of free products you get to choose) and online orders are shipped directly to the person who places them. Oh, and by the way, this online feature also means that people who live far away can join a club still and reap the hostess benefits also.

My clubs for the new year are filling up fast so contact me soon to join one. You can form your own group of 6 friends or I can put groups of 6 together. Club members also receive some special perks from me throughout the year as a thank you :-)

Looking for ways and/or ides to use these fabulous products? Join my email list, facebook and as a blog follower to watch for upcoming announcements of crops and classes. My crops are open and I do not charge for them. We meet in the Roger's Room at First Presbyterian church in Pendleton (usually on the second Friday of each month but in January it will be the first Friday....the 7th) . I do ask that croppers bring a $5.00 donation to the church for the use of their space. I bring my entire inventory and have on site for sale paper and embellishments and for use inks, stamps, idea books and my cricut. I also am working on online classes for my far away friends :-)