Let's Party in February!

One of my goals for growing my business this year is to have more gatherings (or parties).  A gathing is really a great way for YOU to earn the awesome products that you and I love from Close To My Heart.  February is a GREAT month to gather--it's cold and yucky out, we have a new spring/summer catalog to order from with awesome new products!

 and YOU could win a "Romance Basket" retail value of $100. 

Basket retails for $100---inside is $25 gift card to Olive Garden, wine for two, chocolate (big kiss and Ghiradelli), Scented candle, handmade cards, and a few little surprises

  Any person who selects a date in February and has a gathering earns 5 raffle tickets for the drawing that will take place on Friday, February 28.  But there are ways to increase your chances!!
3 tickets for guest list to me within 3 days 
1 extra ticket for every $100 in sales
bonus of 5 tickets for $500 in sales; and  10 more at $1000
5 tickets for 10 buying guests in attendance
5 tickets for someone booking a party under you, 10 for second booking, 15 for third

I have two bonus dates for a party in which I will bump the hostess up one step in rewards at the $350 level---so instead of earning $60 and 1/2 any item in the catalog, you will earn $80 in free product and 1/2 any item in the catalog.  Contact me at llquislaura@gmail.com or (269) 903-7507

Sneak Peak at new product PICTURE MY LIFE

The new catalog is coming out next month (February) and I am happy to announce a new, simple scrapbooking program called Picture My Life.

Book a party with me in February and you could earn your own kit for free!

Each program has a theme, from childhood to friendship to travel, but because CTMH has ensured sufficient variety in design and style of each you can easily apply the cards to other themes. Say you love the palette and designs of the Babycakes program but wish to apply a “family” theme—go ahead! It’s one of the unique differentiators and possibilities of the program! With a large quantity of product in each program you will be able to craft creative arrangements all your own. Each program includes 122 double-sided cards plus 10 unique Memory Protectors™ to capture life as it happens, and their versatility and gorgeous designs will transform your albums into masterpieces. On one side of each card is space for journaling, and on the other you’ll find artistic sentiments and icons. Each program is designed to accommodate approximately 100 photos in your included Memory Protectors, so with a balance of photos and cards, you’ll finish with about 20 remaining cards. That means you have plenty of choice and flexibility in which cards you choose to include, making it uniquely yours! Of course, you can easily use more or fewer photos in your project to suit your story’s needs.

Unique to Picture My Life is the included 12" × 12" double-sided cover page with each individual program, using a beautiful My Reflections™ pattern. True to Close To My Heart standards, the cover page offers a finished and cohesive look to your project with its featured high-quality design. The Picture My Life program is so versatile that you’ll find dozens of other ways to incorporate it into your papercrafting. Use the cards to expand other projects you’ve started! For example, if you just got back from the trip of a lifetime and wonder how you will capture all the details, mix the Picture My Life cards with your photos to extend your scrapbook pages. Choose your very favorite photos to scrapbook on 12" × 12" two-page layouts then use coordinating Picture My Life cards and your remaining photos to document the rest of your trip in minutes.
This program is yet another new, fresh addition and option for memory keepers to preserve their memories. The cards enhance the scrapbooking experience—making it even more fun—and they work brilliantly in mini albums, My Crush™ books, as journaling cards on your 12" × 12" classic scrapbook pages, or as gift cards and tags.

What is CTMH Club?

You may be occasionally reading posts about monthly club meeting---is this a secret society or what?  Are you welcome to come?  

I thought I would write a post to summarize what club is and what the benefits are to being a member of CTMH Club.  

--CTMH Club is a 11 month commitment (we take December off) of ordering a minimum of $15 in product each month.  We meet on a monthly basis (the third Thursday or Saturday of the month) to create scrapbooking layouts and/or cards.  Thursday club meets at my church--County Christian in Scotts, MI (plenty of room) and Saturdays club meets at my house (limited seating).  Every month I design and prep four cards for the cardmakers and 1 layout for scrapbookers.  Members pay a supply fee for what I create (which is very minimal). Fee for 4 cards is $5.00 and fee for one 2 page layout is $5.00--this fee can be applied to your $15 minimum purchase for the month.


One month in that year commitment, you will be the Hostess of the Month (that does not mean you have to have a party---you just earn the rewards from that months sales from members and any other orders you bring in)  You will earn at least $25 in FREE Close To My Heart product.


If there are months you cannot make our crafting club night, that is fine.  You just need to place your order with me for that month.


New members are always welcome and encouraged.  You are rewarded for bringing in new members.  If you bring in a new member, you will receive a free stamp "B" set or paper pack after that new members 3rd purchase.  Guests are welcome to attend but need to rsvp so that I am prepared--fee for non-members is $10.00


At each meeting, I will have samples displayed of next months scrapbook layout and card designs. This will be helpful for you in knowing what to order for the following month.  You are not required to purchase that month's layout but if you do, that price goes toward your minimum purchase of $15


MORE BENEFITS!  
--one month of being hostess earning at least $25 in FREE product but most hostess average $40 FREE product plus a half-priced item of choice in the catalog! --FREE Idea Books before other customers 
 --free stamp set of choice for joining 
 --stamp of the month for FREE during your hostess month 
 --at the end of the club you will receive a mini stamp set as a THANK YOU for participating!


 I AM CURRENTLY WANTING TO START A NEW CLUB EITHER IN THE BATTLE CREEK AREA OR KALAMAZOO AREA---so if you can gather 6-8 women who would be interested and have a location, contact me.  

January Stamp of the Month---Cross-Stitch Wishes

 Check out January's Stamp of the Month--Cross-Stitch Wishes!  This is what CTMH created with the stamp set.

This is what the acrylic set looks like.  This stamp set retails for $17.95 but you can purchase this great set for $5.00 with any $50 purchase.  This set is only available this month and will retire in February. 






Check out what I created with this stamp set.

 I get so many ideas off of pinterest.  So I must give credit to the awesome creative people who blogged their creations that inspired mine!
The quilt cards were inspired from a few pictures I found online that led me to this blogpost dated from 2011.  Thanks!
Curt's World

 I found a card very similar to this on pinterest but it was not linked to  a website---just a picture. 

 This is the inside of the "LOVE YOU"

card.  Inside was actually my idea!  Wow!

This card is my favorite and  was inspired by
Tamytha from Paper Heartist .  Thank you, Tamytha!

I used the Cricut artbooking to create that quilted look.  (LOVE).  I used the overlay on page 47 set at real dial size at 5"

Inside of above card

This next cards was inspired by Kathleen from
Bowl of Stamps   My card is almost completely lifted from Kathleen's creative work.  I did dry emboss hearts on my white background.  I purchased the embossing folder from Hobby Lobby.  The inside of my card is a little different.  I love Kathleens layout and the use of leftover Christmas Sparkle and Shine paper!  Thanks, Kathleen!

 Inside of LOVE card

 This is my favorite card set.  I did have to cut the acrylic stamps apart so that I could create a different look to my "SEW special"  The quilt was made with 3/4' squares--a great way to use up scraps.  Again this was inspired from the Curt's World webpage.

Thanks for taking the time to look.  There is so much you can do with this stamp set.  So fun---I hope you get your set this month. 

January's Scrapbooking with Cricut's Artbooking

I am so excited and LOVE the new addition to Close To My Heart's Cricut collection.  The newest addition--Artbooking-- came out this past fall and is so fun to use for scrapbooking!

Here is what I created for January CTMH Club...

This layout was created from Pg 77 of Artbooking cartridge.  Settings for everything was at 11".  The "brrr" tag is on page 76.  I cut the snowman's accessories out 4 times in black, ruby, orange, and brown to get all the different pieces.  Paper used was lagoon (for the overlay), pacifica for the words and two windows, and cotton candy for three windows, ruby for the "brrr" tag.   All adhered to white daisy cardstock.  The snowflake windows were created my smudging lagoon pigment ink across the white paper (precut to fit window)  and stamped snowflakes using lagoon exclusive ink and D1480 Snowflakes stamp set.

Frosty fun layout is from Page 76 of artbooking.  I used both overlays set at 11".  Left hand photomat is photomat 1 for 6 x 8 (setting at 11").  The three photomats on the right are set at real dial size 3".  Snowflake overlay was created using Frosted B&W paper (X7175B--which is retiring so purchase now if you want).  Cardstock used was colonial white, twilight, crystal blue. 

Now just to add pictures!!!

January is National Papercrafting Month

Happy New Year (a week late)!  I hope you all are staying warm.  As I write this, I am rejoicing that the thermometer has moved up to 0 degrees--CRAZY! 

So have you been busy papercrafting over holiday break?  And now as it is too cold to go out and play?  I had giant ambitions to create and set goals for my business with Close To My Heart over Christmas/New Year break but found myself taking a break altogether.   So now I am scrambling.

CTMH has a great special this month to celebrate National Papercrafting Month! 

You can get an exclusive Cloud Nine cardmaking kit for $15 (retail value $46) with a qualifying purchase of $35 or more (excluding tax and shipping) during January in celebration of National Papercrafting Month. Make 10 adorable cards (2 each of 5 designs) with funky messages to put any recipient on cloud nine! You can add one cardmaking kit for every $35 in your order*. New Consultants who enroll in January will receive a FREE Cloud Nine cardmaking kit when they have submitted total personal sales of $300 or more**

Here is a pic of the five cards I made with my kit (I did make 10 but they are repeats).  Mine look just as good as the advertisement!! :-)  except for the junk on the sides of the pic!!  Yeah--that is the messy me coming out in my pics!

 These cards are super fun to make AND you get a sneak peek at a few items coming up in the NEW catalog (next month!)--the gold polka-dot washi tape and teal shimmer tape (LOVE)  and there is a LOT left over after you make up the 10 cards. 

This is only available through the month of January---don't wait!  Order online at lauraq.ctmh.com

ALSO...if you order this your order will total $50 and you will qualify for January Stamp of the Month for $5.00 (retail value of $17.95)!  Such good deals.  Stay tuned for my creations using January Stamp of the Month!

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Artbooking Made Easy: Wintertime Layouts (S01E14)

This year has flown by!  December I am taking the month off from having Club and scheduling the new year and setting goals.  I got on my blog to check it out and could not believe that I only blogged 6 times this year!!  I have created SO MANY fun and awesome cards and layouts this year yet did not blog them!  So my goal is STILL to get better at this blogging stuff and hopefully grow some followers and friends on here.  I have posted a lot of my creations on my facebook page  www.facebook.com/funwithlauraq  so you can check that out.  I will be posting within the next 24 hours a prize for increasing my followers on facebook.  My goal is to get 111 "likes" and I am currently in the 70's
Have you seen the new Cricut Artbooking Cartridge that CTMH has put out?  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!  I am going to post a video that CTMH created showing some awesome winter layouts made with this awesome product.  I will be scraplifting this videos ideas and using them for classes...probably for January.  Ahhh.... so much to do, so little time!