TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL STAMPING MONTH

in September we are giving you 3 ways to

get a FREE Everyday Celebration card kit

for making 16 beautiful cards!

• Purchase a minimum of $60 in stamp sets**(includes A, B, C, D, and E-size) between August 18–September 30 (CC1006C)

• Host a Home Gathering with minimum sales of $400 between September 1–30

• Sign up as a new Consultant betweenSeptember 1–30

You can also buy as many card kits as you’d like for $39.95 per kit (CC1006B).

Close to My Heart released a new way of working with our Corporate web sites, it is easier to do a lot of things so if you are interest go and take a look at my calendar, I have updated it for the first time in a long time.  Check it out!

It would help if I put the link to my web site in the email.

www.amanda.myctmh.com

Look what is coming! Soft Chalks line has been updated in the new Spring 2009 Idea Book. As part of our regular product updates, we have discontinued the current Spring Soft Chalks (Z364) and replaced them with new Spring Soft Chalks (Z902) containing our four newest exclusive colors. These new chalks are now available to customers on www.Amanda.MyCTMH website.

The three remaining palettes of chalks found in the Autumn/Winter 2008 Idea Book (Summer Z365, Autumn Z366, and Winter Z367) will be available while supplies last. They will then be replaced by the palettes found in the Spring 2009 Idea Book (Summer Z903, Autumn Z904, and Winter Z905). I will let you know if anything changes.

Recently, many companies in the industry have posted earnings losses, or even worse, filed for bankruptcy protection. We recognize that many are wondering how Close To My Heart is faring during the current economic uncertainty. The answer is simple: Close To My Heart is strong, stable, and in a healthy financial position—for a number of reasons, specifically:

• Our products are unique and innovative. Our core product lines are produced in our manufacturing facility; we own our stamp production technology and produce “just in time” inventory to manage costs and quality effectively.

• We have strong recruiting. Recruiting often rises during economic slowdowns, as people turn to direct sales to supplement income. Close To My Heart offers a fabulous income opportunity and we have seen record numbers of recruits this year.  (this could be you)

• We are financially independent. Close To My Heart is not owned by a conglomerate, nor subsidized by investors or creditors. This freedom ensures we make decisions that are right for the health and future of the company—by choosing to grow “organically” rather than artificially fast, we are building the best scrapbooking company, not merely the biggest.

• We are focused on what matters to customers. As consumers plan their spending more carefully, they re-evaluate priorities for their time, money, and effort. Scrapbooking has always been a great value for the dollar, but it becomes even more important as customers return to the “basics” and strive to spend time closer to home and family. As we continue to teach customers how to celebrate their important relationships, our ownership position in the market will continue to grow.

For more insights on Close To My Heart’s business strength from Jeanette Lynton’s point of view, we encourage you to visit her blog post of November 19, at jeanettelynton.com. We thank you for your passion and efforts which are making Close To My Heart a great legacy company.

Wow can you believe we are in December already. My husband was looking for the Christmas cards we made last year and never sent. He found them. I hope we get them out right away! Well, what has been going on here? Lots of things it seems like:

• Book fair is planned, done (7 days at school) and $ counted
• Working on Swim meet things (first meet is in 18 days)
• We went to the Dells for Thanksgiving, we had a blast
• We had a run of the flu in our house, it was like dominos falling (short lived)
• Christmas Tree is up!
• Major gift buying is done! (mostly on-line)

So on we go. We just keep moving forward.

Well today was full of enjoyment for me, I spent the morning working on the swim team fundraiser, Manna.  From there I was off to a bookfair meeting and then to work in the resource center at school.  Trent had art today.

The big thing was I started back a weight watchers this evening, yes my weight is up from where I was back in the mid-spring, I want to get back to there and then some!  So, I have my work cut out for me.  But I can do and will do it!

Well we were able to show my 11 year old what 3% can do.  His Grandma and papaw live in Indiana where Obama won by 1%.  I think both my boys got a lot out the evening.  It was exciting. 

Today was my 9 month check up on my Kidney (it is hard to believe it has been 9 months).  The news is great, I am doing great my Kidney is doing great and I am on the minimum amounts of meds.  I have so enjoyed my experience at Northwestern Hospital and with my wonderful Dr’s especially Dr. L.  The only thing he beat me up on today was my weight!  Yes, I need to lose more weight and I know it, but I needed him to push me!  I will be getting on that right away!

Thank you for your support with the kidney transplant and everything around it!  I am off to work on Manna for Thursday!

A

I am excited to say that I have voted today.  The lines were not to bad.  My 2 boys went with my husband and I !  We think it is important that they see the process.  It was cool, one of us used the touch screen and the other did it manual so they saw both.  It does not matter who you vote for just vote.  WE had an interesting conversation with our boys a dinner last night.  Both boys had mock elections in there classroom.  Trent did not vote, because he could not make a decision and Andrew just voted randomly because it really did not matter or so he said.  We figured, his vote was about 3% of the votes casted, so tonight we will show them that a race or event can be lost by 3% (I am sure we will be able to fine one somewhere)  So my point is every vote counts, don’t think  your doesn’t.  Also remember you get to vote as long as you are in line before the polls close.  In Illinois it is 7:00 PM. 

So get out and VOTE!

On Saturday (Nov. 1st) my son waited in line for almost 3 hours to see one of his heroes.  We found out on Thursday night (Oct 30) that he was going to be in Hoffman Estates on Saturday.  the problem was we  had 3 other things already going on.  I was doing an all day Boy Scout Training, Bruce was taking Trent to build a Bird house and Andrew was to go Boy Scout Camping.  Well we called on a great friend of ours (Thank you Rick) to take Andrew and Bruce would take Trent and then after they were done, Bruce would drive Andrew to the Boy Scout camp out.   Before the event we had gone back and forth on how early they had to get inline.  Well, we decide 3 hours was early enough.  Well, it just about wasn’t.  They gave wrist bands to the first 500 people in line and would not guarantee that anyone after that would get to meet him.  Andrew decided to stay and line and take a chance.  Well the chance paid off, before Andrew got up to see MICHAEL PHELPS, Bruce and Trent caught up with them.  Andrew and Trent were some of the last people to see him.  My husband said he was a great guy, he was friendly even after almost 2 ½ hours of signing his name.  He talked to the boys and was still smiling.  He is a hero worth having!