I'm proud to say I scrapbook!

Recently Jeannete Lynton, CEO of Close to My Heart, posted the following statement on her blog. I love this company and invite you to join me in my Open House on Saturday, May 18. You may feel you are  not really that creative, but with Close To My Heart, you can do more than you think! Scrapbooking is fun, it's important for memory keeping and it's here to stay!

Creativity Now and Always

by Jeanette Lynton

"Within the past month, paper crafters have heard and seen some hard news—well-known industry names have announced bankruptcy or removed their scrapbooking lines. It may leave many wondering what the future is for our beloved pursuit of memory keeping and creativity. As the CEO and Founder of Close To My Heart, I have many thoughts on the topic and wanted to share a few with you.

First off, preserving our memories is NOT a fad. It's one of the most important things we do in our journey here on earth, and it's as key as breathing and as sustainable as family. In the past few years, we have seen scrapbooking come into the spotlight and many flocked to set up shop and design products to capitalize on it. While we at Close To My Heart have welcomed the focus on scrapbooking over the past few years, we know that even when the hubbub fades, the core and relevance underneath the hype remains. I have been in the industry for nearly 30 years—LONG before it was "trendy"—and plan to be in this essential industry for decades to come.
Because Close To My Heart will be here for the long-term, we have run our business differently than many others. We are not leveraged to the hilt or financed by outside investors. I have always believed in organic, cash-based growth, and the simple provident rule of spending less than I earn. It's a principle I've applied to business and it's ensured that Close To My Heart operates profitably. We have been profitable month after month, year after year. Our credit rating is excellent, and this protects our commitment to delivering a wealth of diverse, beautiful products at competitive prices while providing secure commission checks for our Consultants, employees, and vendors.
Second, yes, the industry is changing. I welcome and embrace that! In my 30 years in business, I have seen many changes and they almost always yield fresh directions, new products, and a new crop of crafters. Change always brings opportunity! I have long said that as long as little girls are born with hands, they will want to create. I am grateful to be a part of such an important contribution to society and know that this will continue.

Ultimately, I invite everyone—whether you are an existing Consultant or customer, a past purchaser, or even if you have never purchased a Close To My Heart product—to get to know us again for the first time. Close To My Heart is strong. Papercrafting, memory keeping, and creativity are more important than ever before and we provide unique, diverse products for every style and ability of crafter. Close To My Heart is committed to scrapbooking, and if it's a passion you share, then YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. "


So there you have it! We are strong, we are growing, and we can show you how to get those creative juices flowing. Won't you join me?  

 

Mini Matchbooks

Well, it's been a looooong time since I updated this blog. Not that I don't find inspiration everywhere, just that, well, you know - it's the time thing. I'm the biggest procrastinator ever! But speaking of being short on time, here is a little project that you can knock out in no time at all.

 

Mini matchbooks can be used for all sorts of things. I've put photos in some, used some for journaling, and even added magnets on the back to hang on the fridge. Keep them tucked in your purse with photos of the kids or grandkids. I keep a small one with Japanese phrases I want to remember for when I'm out shopping in town.

I've made some for party favors too. These are a bit larger and are just the right size for holding a Ghirardelli chocolate square.

Here's the measurements for making the smaller accordion ones for your purse. When they are open, they look like this.

1.     Cut a 1 ¾ x 5 inch strip of cardstock or double-sided patterned paper. Score at

2,  2 ¼ and 4 ½ inches. Fold on score lines. This will be the cover of your mini album.

2.    Cut a piece of paper 1 ½ x 9 ¼ inches. Score at

2 ¼, 4, 5 ¾ and 7 ½ inches. Fold on score lines. This will be the inside of your album. You can use it for small photos or perhaps for journaling.

3.    You will notice that once the accordion part is folded, that there is one longer end. Insert this longer piece inside the shorter  end of the cover and staple or secure with brads.  

 

That's it! You are done - except for a little bit of decorating. But these are so easy and you can use up your scraps of paper and left-over stickers, die cuts and gems. So simple, fun and pretty!