Why I became a Close to my Heart Consultant Blog Hop!!

THANK YOU for stopping by to enjoy our Blog Hop!
Along the way, you will see artwork that
highlights all of the many reasons my fellow
CTMH consultant friends and I joined the
Close to my Heart family!

If you've just arrived here from
GINA's BLOG then your are on the right path.

My FIRST reason "why" was simply this:
I fell in LOVE with the inspiration I found
in our beautiful Idea Books (catalogs)!

I signed up to be a Close to Heart consultant on October 9th, 2003. Having been a customer for several years, I already LOVED the Idea Book and I obsessed over each page of that beautiful Catalog and deciding which items I would purchase and use next. When I realized that as a consultant, I could enjoy a discount on all of the stamps, inks, papers, and embellishments that I just had to have...I took that leap of faith and signed up!! That was almost 13 years ago!! Since then and over the years, there have been MANY NEW reasons "why" I stay and continue my LOVE for being a Close to my Heart Consultant! There are so many reasons to list that I'll have to share those with you in another post coming soon.

I have LOVED and obsessed over every single
Idea Book and seasonal Catalog CTMH
has produced since I joined!!
I LOVE having it all and creating more
and more artwork to share with and
bless my family and friends/customers.

Here's an example of how the current
Annual Inspirations Idea Book
has inspired me this week:

 Notice how similar the card I made is to the one shown in the Idea Book. The Idea Book inspired me, gave me a great starting point for the card I wanted to make, and yet, I changed/added a few things that I wanted to and made the card completely my own!

Rain or Shine (D1634) on page 72 is just one of the stamp sets
I had to have and couldn't wait to create with!

I hope you've been inspired by
my "why" as well as my creativity.
Please ENJOY the rest of this blog hop
by going to CHRIS's BLOG next!!
 

The all-New Consultant Kit is available Now!!

When you enroll as a New Consultant on my team
during August, you'll get all-NEW products 
and a sneak peek at the two NEW Catalogs 
being released to customers on September 1st!!

 The new box/packaging the kit comes in is so beautiful!!

 The kit now includes our medium organizer filled with all kinds of good stuff!

The medium organizer also fits in our incredible rolling tote shown below

(it is the second box up from the bottom that holds ink pads and accessories).

Visit my site using this link below to see the full list

of all of the new products that will be included in your kit:

http://stampwithjen.ctmh.com/ctmh/what-we-do/be-a-consultant.aspx

You can sign up from this same link above as well! 

If you are a Former Consultant (meaning you have been a consultant before, anytime since January 2013), you also have the option to choose an "essentials" version of the kit for just $49!! (this month only). The "essentials" kit features mostly business building items such as order forms, idea books, and paper swatches to help you get your new business off to a great start. Plus, you will get a Zoe Workshop on the Go®! OR...you may choose the full $129 kit option instead IF you prefer...it's completely up to you!!

Welcome Back!!

Whether you've been a consultant before,
or you are new to the whole experience,
I am ready to help you get started successfully!
Please feel welcome to call me right away if you have
any questions/concerns I can help you with!

I hope you will consider joining
my CTMH team in August!!

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G News!!! (and the April 18th Card Class!)

I'm so CRAZY thrilled

that I just can't contain my excitement any longer...

 Close to my Heart corporate called me (yes, me!!)

this week to ask if I would take on a special assignment to

"Create for Convention" using all-new products for 2015-16!
Of course, I said "YES!!"
***

The job requires that I sign a "confidentiality agreement"

since I will be using "top-secret" new CTMH products. I will be keeping all of my artwork and the new product I'm using under wraps until it can be unveiled at the annual Convention for consultants (held July 9-11, 2015

at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California)!

I am just BURSTING with joy
about this opportunity!!

THANK YOU CTMH for noticing me and my love for sharing creativity
...I am so THRILLED and READY for this!!

If you are a consultant on my team, there is still time to
register for Convention and join us in just 84 more days
at "the Happiest Place on Earth"
for three full days of creativity and fun!!
If you're not a consultant on my team, there's still time to
JOIN NOW and go with me for this magical event!
Enroll to be a consultant with me here:
http://stampwithjen.ctmh.com/ctmh/what-we-do/be-a-consultant.aspx
and/or call me with all of your questions about Convention and Consulting!

Lastly, these are the cards we're making 
at the next Card Class
Saturday, April 18th 

(2pm-5pm) or (6pm-9pm)

at Jen's house (in Barstow Heights)

Let me show you how to create 8 hand-made greeting cards
every month (2 each of 4 designs) for $12 (in-person only)
(that's only $1.50 per card!)…

OR get your class for just $5 (in-person only)

with any $24.95 or more product purchase!
 

This month our cards feature the
BLOSSOM paper pack!

Space/supplies are limited to just 8 guests
this time, so please contact me to RSVP ASAP!!

  

Announcing...the NEW "Picture My Life" Scrapbooking Program!!

 
I am so THRILLED about this EXCITING NEW PRODUCT announcement!! When you join the Close To My Heart family from November 1st to December 15th and submit qualifying personal sales*, you’ll receive a stunning new product, the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program - FREE (retail value $24.95)! Select from eight darling themes, from vacation to friendship to childhood - each featuring 122 double-sided cards plus 10 unique Memory Protectors™ to capture it all. Picture it - then capture it!
 

 

You can join my CTMH consultant team here:

www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com

What is the new Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program?  The eight new Picture My Life™ scrapbooking programs feature themes based on some of our most popular paper packets, plus two brand new paper packets. Each individual program features 122 double-sided, designed cards plus 10 unique Memory Protectors™ to hold creative combinations of these cards and your own photos. You get 44 – 4" × 6" cards (2 each of 22 designs) which come in 14 vertical and 8 horizontal designs. You also get 78 – 3" × 4" cards (3 each of 26 designs) which come in 10 vertical designs and 16 horizontal designs.

What makes the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program different from other card-style programs on the market?  Our product features unique Close To My Heart designs, specifically with Jeanette’s signature artistic influence. Many card programs are very simple patterns or solid colors, and our product offers a much more thoughtful approach to design, journaling options and prompts, headlines, and layered, graphical, illustrated or distressed style—each of the 8 kits really is a fresh take that is theme-rich and yet extremely versatile, not just color changing the same core designs. Additionally, our cards are printed on our Background and Texture-weight cardstock, heavier than similar programs on the market, which makes them easy to mix and match with coordinating cardstocks or papers. Our 12" × 12" cover page gives you a unique opening page to kick off your album and deliver a finished look, and our Memory Protectors™ remain the same heavy-weight, durable material you’ve come to depend on to protect your photos—absolutely the industry standard! 

How is the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program intended to be used? The product was designed to fill the 10 included Memory Protectors™ following a guideline of 50% photos to 50% cards (which will give you several different card options leftover to give users choice as they create their custom layout.) However, it’s just a fun and versatile product—you can use it any way you wish! If you use a higher ratio of photos, you can purchase additional Memory Protectors™ separately (all styles sold separately as well as part of the scrapbooking program); you can mix and match cards from different programs, and you can absolutely mix Picture My Life™ with classic 12" × 12" layouts, including those from Workshops on the Go™ and coordinating My Reflections™ paper packets. This program is meant to provide you with the ease of scrapbooking life’s moments as they happen. With adorable pre-designed cards featuring unique sentiments, icons, and journaling space, all you have to add is your own photo collection! The several themes can be mixed and matched for more versatility. The prompts on several of the cards will help you creatively journal, and the various assortments of Memory Protectors™ will make your finished products truly unique.

Will the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program be available for limited or unlimited preview by Consultants in January?  Beginning January 1, 2014, Consultants may preview the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program with a maximum of two per item number. Note, however, that the FREE Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program earned through this campaign will NOT affect that limit. If a new Consultant qualifies for a free program, they will receive it and still be able to purchase two more at its full retail value if they desire. Also note that it is anticipated that the Picture My Life™ Chantilly program will not be available until February 1.

When will the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program be available for purchase for both customers and Consultants?  The program will be available for purchase to everyone beginning February 1, 2014, the official release date of the Idea Book.

 
What is the retail price of a Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program going to be?
Each individual Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program will be available for $24.95.

What are the themes/kits that are available in the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program?
We have created six individual programs based on some of our most popular paper packets: Later Sk8tr (childhood/sports/boy), Laughing Lola (friendship/teen girls/free spirit), Babycakes (baby/youth/family), Avonlea (family/togetherness/love), Surf’s Up (vacation/travel/outdoors), and Chantilly (childhood/friendship/girl), and two based on brand new paper packets to be released in the February–July 2014 Idea Book.

Will the new Memory Protectors™ styles be available separately, or only as part of the Picture My Life™ scrapbooking program?  The new Memory Protectors™ will be available separately as well! They will come in several styles.

• Top Load (4110, 10 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $9.95)
• Top Load Value Pack (Z4115, 25 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $19.95)
• Side Load (Z1968, 10 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $9.95)
• Side Load Value Pack (Z1984, 25 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket and a gutter seam, $19.95)
• Strap Side Load (Z1969, 25 protectors with a 12" x 12" pocket for strap binding, no gutter seam, $19.95)
• Design 1 (Z1324, 10 protectors – 6 vertical 6" × 4" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 2 (4113, 10 protectors – 6 horizontal 4" × 6" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 3 (Z1950, 10 protectors – 4 vertical 6" × 4" pockets & 4 horizontal 3" x 4" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 4 (Z1951, 10 protectors – 4 horizontal 4" × 6" pockets & 4 vertical 4" × 3" pockets each, $9.95)
• Design 5 (Z1952, 10 protectors – 3 vertical 6" × 4" pockets & 6 horizontal 3" × 4" pockets each, $9.95)

How GREAT is this FUN ctmh video?!!

I just LOVE this fun video that Close to my Heart shared with us on YouTube today! It features the "Recruit for Loot" consultant contest winner, Noreen Petty, on her timed shopping spree in the Close To My Heart warehouse. Can you imagine how incredible it must feel for her to be allowed this kind of opportunity?! What a dream come true!!

This is just one more reason why I LOVE CTMH so much!

***
I feel so blessed to be able to brag that THIS is the company that I have been a part of for 9 years now and I still LOVE that I get to continue sharing it with others!  I also love the enthusiasm of our corporate staff as they cheer for Noreen and how NEAT it is to have this exclusive peek into what the inside of our corporate warehouse looks like! This video will make you feel so good, you might want to watch it more than once!!

...and if you think you might be interested in joining our Close to my Heart family,

we have an AMAZING sign-up special

going on right now! 

There's still time to join CTMH with me this month for just $49 and get a super cute FREE tote bag with your new consultant kit!! (click here to go to another recent posting to see a photo of it). The bag has a $50 value (available while supplies last!)
and the products in the kit are valued at $130, so...

it's an incredibly GREAT deal and as a bonus...you will have ME to help train and support you in this 

fun new adventure!!

(business-builders and "hobbyists" alike are always welcome to
join my Friends Forever Stampers team! Please know that you can expect "no sales pressure" from me, only a lot of creative ideas, friendship, training, and support!)
Please free to call or e-mail me with any questions/concerns you might have
as I'd love to be of help to you! (my contact info is located near the top-right of this page).
You can sign up online now at:

www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com

More artwork featuring the "Dotty for You" papers!

Just sharing one last reminder to get your "Dotty for You" papers now while you still can...and here is more "Dotty" artwork and more creative ideas to inspire you!

Sisterly Love Page

Polaroid Snapshot Technique

Create a Polaroid snapshot look by first cutting out a rounded-corner rectangle the size of your focal point. Then, cut a larger rectangle around the negative space, creating the look of a Polaroid. For example, if your subject is 3" × 2", cut a rounded 3" rectangle using the Cricut® machine then discard the rectangle and keep the negative space, cutting that piece at 4" × 2½". Add journaling to the empty white space at the bottom and attach it to the layout at an angle using 3-D foam tape. You’ll now be able to create the Polaroid look for any kind of picture without needing a Polaroid camera!

Kiss Page

 

Pin Flags Technique

Make a darling accent from your paper scraps by trimming a complementary banner and wrapping it around a pin from the Bling assortment (Z1466) to form a small pin flag.

 

Surf Page

 

Stitch a Frame

Use dark thread and stitch around your layout’s focal elements to ground your page.

 Sweet Life Page

Making Embellishments Stand Out

Add a bit of white, solid space behind decorative elements, such as this baker’s twine bow, to help them stand out on busy B&T Duos® papers, like this chevron pattern. 

 

R Card

Helping Adjacent Patterns Pop

To help two adjacent patterns stand out individually, separate them with a solid color in between.

Available to order NOW for National Scrapbooking Month (May 2012) - the "Dotty for You" paper packet!! Please enjoy this informational video now, then plan to order your paper packet from me anytime before May 31st (while supplies last)!!

Online orders can be placed at www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com
or feel free to contact me to place your order in person, by e-mail, or over the phone if you live locally to me and want me to deliver it to you!

Dotty for You with Mojo Monday 235

It's Monday and I was so looking forward to getting creative today so...I created this standard-size card this morning using the newest Mojo Monday (Sketch 235) as my inspiration! Colors are Colonial White, Grey Wool, Lagoon, and Sweet Leaf. The stamp sets I used include Simple Memories D1472 and Dreams D1500 to stamp the sentiment (you won't find this stamp set in the Idea Book as it is a special CTMH "consultant-only" set I received as a gift for attending Convention at Disneyland last summer). The papers I used are from a brand-new pack called "Dotty for You" that will be available to customers very soon!

(remember you can click on my artwork below to see it up-close!)

Here are a few more details:

When you place an order of $35 or more in products from the Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book between April 17 and May 31, you may add the "Dotty for You" paper packet, valued at $19.95, for just $5! "Dotty for You" includes 24 specially designed, coordinating B&T Duos® sheets (2 each of 12 patterns) and an artwork idea insert to get your creative juices flowing. But that’s not all!

There are also two ways you can get this darling paper packet FREE!...

1). Hostesses will receive a free "Dotty for You" paper packet when their Gathering sales total $400 or more (excluding tax, shipping/handling, and Operation Smile donations).

2). New Consultants who sign up between April 1 and May 31 (two full months!) will also receive a free Dotty for You paper packet with their new consultant kit!

www.StampwithJen.ctmh.com

CTMH Convention 2011 Happy Face Video

Here's a YouTube video that will give you an idea of just HOW MUCH FUN I had at the Close to my Heart Convention recently (turn your volume up because the music will make you smile and feel good too)! It truly was a week full of memories that I will always treasure!

I was so blessed to have 11 of my consultant team members attend with me! Our friendships were strengthened and we had such a blast together!! (imagine it being like one big slumber party with 2,000 of your closest creative friends for 3 days in a row, lol). Next year's Convention will be in Dallas, Texas from July 12-14, 2012...and you are invited to join us next year (all you need to do is be a CTMH consultant)! Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have about this fabulous opportunity - I would so LOVE to have you join my wonderful "Friends Forever Stampers" team so you can join in on all the fun we're gonna have at Convention again next Summer!

(The ladies wearing the pink shirts and pink tiaras at 1:30 seconds in are some of my team members - Denise, Starr, and Desiree...Desiree won a new Cricut Expression 2!)