Washington DC is HOT!!!

Here I am - proof that I made it to Washington DC. This is me at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall on the last day of the festival, when temperature was close to 100 degrees.

Some of my group got to take two private scheduled tours while we were in DC. Here is a picture of the Capitol when I went back to the gift shop to get my camera! Yes, I left my camera in the gift shop, at the end of the day. So, Security and I went back to the gift shop and I did get it, yeah! The other tour was of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. We got to see work being done on the new $100 which will be introduced next February.

Here is a picture of the Smithsonian Castle - it is located in the center of the mall length. There is an exhibit of Madeline Albright's pins called "Read My Pins" currently on exhibit. I had lunch here our last day before moving to the National Harbor and on to the CTMH convention. End of being tourist and on to being Independent Consultant! The convention is also HOT! HOT! HOT! - but we have a nice temperature controlled environment. The heat comes from all the new products and changes coming up (and a grouping of 1000+ women with its share of menopausal and premenopausal women!)

I am getting ready to start day two of the convention and we get to scrap and create this afternoon using some of the new products!

Covered Bridge Festival Fireworks

The fireworks last night gave me a chance to try my camera in the fireworks mode. I just needed to go stand in my neighbor's driveway to get these shots... The instructions recommended using a tripod. I can see the motion in these following photos, so looks like I will need to see if I can take better ones on the 4th of July in Washington DC. I will be there to attend the Close To My Heart Convention for 2010. Some of us will be tourist earlier in the week and hope to include the fireworks on the Mall for the 4th - to make it a capitol 4th!

I did try photos of fireworks in Disneyland when I attended CTMH Leadership in Long Beach, but didn't have the camera in the Fireworks mode. Little by little, I'm learning more about my camera - I've had it for 4 years now!

Glad I got to see the fireworks and do a trial run last night! Now I need to go add the tripod to my growing list of things to pack. July 3rd will be here before I am ready!

A Banner Basket Day!

Terry and Jo with completed Hit and Miss baskets Yesterday was a gray, rainy day outside but inside my shop we were having a "sunshine" day! Thirteen baskeket weavers had come to have Vickie and me help them weave this basket pattern written by Debbie Hurd. I had taken this as a class from Debbie on the basket weaving cruise in February ( let me know if you are interested in getting info about the next cruise - Feb. 2012). Along with completing the basket, it was a day of friendship, great conversations and good food! The next basket class to be held at Village House will take place during August. Let me know if you are interested in getting details when they are available.

Hit the jackpot and win free products with Jackpot June! This Close to my Heart (CTMH) Campaign, starting June 1, provides you with a different type of MyCTMH® deal each day. Some days you can grab loaded Goodie Boxes at 50 percent or more off retail value, and other days are Jackpot Days.

Jackpot days give you a list of 5 products, one of which will trigger the Jackpot—a surprise product you’ll receive free! Take a chance and hope that you buy the right item that gets you the free product, or play it safe and buy one of each, guaranteeing that you will hit the Jackpot!

Either way, you will save money on favorite scrapbooking and stamping supplies by grabbing a different bargain each day in June. Deals include discounted shipping/handling, too! These special offers are available only online so be ready everyday to check out my webstite and get your deal! New deals are posted each day at 9:00 am (MDT). Go to http://jeanie.myctmh.com

Have fun with June and let me know what specials you have been able to snag for yourself!

April Review

I selected this photo of a driftwood basket for something to remember about April. Technically I made this basket in March, but didn't download it to my computer until April. Zumbrota participates in an"Art Splash" in September and this is the basket photo I submitted to represent some of the baskets Vickie and I will have for sale. Baskets represent a focus for the month also. It is the birthday month for the MBWG (Minnesota Basket Weavers Guild for the uninitiated!) I did attend the April meeting and took a class from Susan Coyle. It is a double wall basket and I didn't quite get it done in class - and of course no time since then to finish!

April was a sad month since my cousin Gary, my basket weaving friend Diane and my CTMH fellow consultant all died in April. That's enough for a while! At work we had a retirement. Gregg retired after 32 years with MML. He had a retirement party at work and then the party moved to a motel party room for the rest of the evening. I think we sent him off in style. I began working on a 2 page LO of his parties in Studio J yesterday - not sure when I will get back to finishing it, but will post when it's done (and I figure out how to post it! LOL).

May is shaping up to be a busy month. Today I will be going down to Rochester for a nice little 5 mile walk for MS. This is the first time I am doing this walk and I did a really poor job of fundraising - but I can turn in donations until May 28, so if you would like to go the following to visit my personal page and make a secure, online donation http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=4909661&pg=personal&fr_id=12043
I'll provide more details about the rest of the month in my next posting. Gotta get ready to go walking!

Studio J went LIVE today!

I first saw Studio J as it was being developed last summer in California at CTMH leadership. It's going to change the way people do digital scrapbooking...it's so much more than that. I know all of you want to know when you can actually start playing with this amazing program. Well wait no longer. It went live TODAY!!!! YAY!!

All you'll need to do is go to my website http://jeanie.myctmh.com/ and you'll see a link that will connect you to the STUDIO J program. While you are on my website you will want to create an account there. This gives you the designation of being one of my customers and will hold your unpurchased projects for 90 days from when you started building them.

You'll be able to choose from some of our most loved paper packs and even some STUDIO J exclusives, pick from tons of our designer layouts, add our exclusive mini medleys accents, distress your pages, even add our stickease stickers and more ...you are so going to be addicted to this program once you start playing with it. Now here's the kicker....IT'S ALL FREE! You can upload your pictures and create your layouts free of charge. Our software is not something we charge for like other companies.When you're ready to make an album you can purchase your layouts for an introductory price of only $12.95 for a double layout. . . Better Yetorder five-nine layouts and get five free memory protectors. . .Best of Allorder 10 layouts and get 10 page protectors FREE and FREE SHIPPING. Now who couldn’t complete 10 layouts in three months time? That would be the frequency you would need to purchase layouts in order to not loose them in the computer records. Better yet once you purchase them, you can go back to order additional copies if you need them for relatives and friends. Making any type of Studio J purchase keeps your active projects in your account for another 90 days, and purchased projects remain in your account for one year following purchase. I know that you'll be amazed at quality of our printed layouts, the ease of our program and the creative aspects only Close To My Heart could provide. I've never know Jeanette Lynton to create anything that isn't the best on the market and STUDIO J is for sure the BEST!

Are you getting excited to know more? Go to my website http://jeanie.myctmh.com/, create your account then follow the Studio J logo on the left column. If you want to have some time to see how Studio J works, make sure to stop by this coming Saturday, May 1. I am also interested in setting up individual 1 on 1 times with you to get you rolling, so get in touch and we can do that soon. You say you don’t live close to Zumbrota, but still don’t want to try this by yourself? Arrange a phone call where we can cover your questions and concerns. I’m even willing to be on the line while you get started with your first layout.

Anyone who orders 10 double page layouts through my website during the month of May will be thanked by me with a chance to win a free 12 x 12 linen album (retail value $27.95 + S/H and tax)! Dig in! Get those layouts going and let me know if you have any questions.

Earth Day 2010

Were you kind to the earth today? It has been 40 years since the first Earth Day. Have we made progress? Every little kind thing we do does make living here better for ourselves and others. I can't say I did anything major today, but I did collect paper items from around the house for recycling. On a regular basis I collect soda pop tabs from collection spots around work (and home) and turn them in to the Rochester Ronald McDonald House for them to recycle and collect the money.

I did take a few moments to walk around the house to assess where the weeds were and what flowers were blooming, but didn't take any photos to share. My hedge is in tough shape, so hope to spend some time on Sunday triming that back into a better shape.

MAY 1 -SEE NEW CTMH IDEA BOOK, CROP WITH ME, PLACE ORDERS FOR NEW SUPPLIES AND WIN PRIZES!
We are coming close to the end of the month of April and with that the current CTMH Idea Book will be replaced with a new Idea Book - always exciting to see the new book! May 1 falls on a Saturday this year and I will be hosting a crop day where the first 6 people to sign up can come here to spend the day working on their own projects from 10 am until 4 pm (or whatever portion of time you care to spend working on your projects).

At 2pm I will host an unveiling of the new IDEA BOOK - come in and get yours free that day. If you can't get here that day, email me and ask to have one sent to you. At 3pm we will have a quick make and take project with some of the new papers. Hope to see you on May 1!

The whole month of May is designated as National Scrapbooking Month. Watch for specials happening all month! Order your supplies during May and include the Miracle Kit with your order. I will be hosting a free work session using the Miracle paper kit on June 3 (Thursday evening) from 7-9pm or June 5 (Saturday) from 2-4. Make sure you get one or more kits while they are available to order - only during May!

Have you been considering holding a home gathering - May is the time! Check your schedule and contact me to book your gathering while I still have a few choice dates left. Let's party! If you don't want to host it at your place, let me know and we can arrange to have you host your gathering at my place - all you need to do is bring a light treat to share with your guests.