Friday, August 23, 2019

My Close To My Heart Story

I've had several folks recently ask me about the business side of Close To My Heart.  I thought I'd put together a blog post that outlines the business side of things since I don't think I've really ever done that sort of post.  First...I'll tell you my story.  It's sort a windy road that brought me to CTMH so while this story might seem sort of disjointed at times, I promise it ends up with CTMH!

I've been crafty as long as I can remember.  When I was really little I would create little homes for my dolls out of cardboard boxes and pieces of fabric and my mom would get me those little kids craft kits where you created Christmas ornaments out of pins, sequins, beads, and styrofoam balls.  My grandmother taught me how to embroider when I was probably about 10 years old and then I started sewing when I was about 12 or 13.  About that same time I started creating scrapbooks.  My early scrapbooks were just construction paper, stickers, memorabilia, and pictures.  There wasn't all the supplies and programs we have now!  I guess you could say I was into scrapbooking before it was a thing.  LOL!

As I got older I picked up additional crafty skills such as crochet, lace net darning, and quilting.  All along I continued to scrapbook but now there were specific supplies that made it easier, more fun, and safer for the items I was scrapbooking (acid and lignin free supplies - yay!!!).  I also started stamping and making cards.  While I still did my other crafty endeavors most of my crafty time was spent playing with paper.

Then about 8 years ago I saw a product that was new to me - the Smashbook!  I fell in love with it and starting smashing all the things!!  I then started watching YouTube videos of other people smashing all the things.  That is when I first heard of CTMH.  A YT-er that I watched (CorenesCreations) was using a book from them called My Crush.  I was intrigued but I had several empty Smashbooks already so I wasn't looking to buy another but I really enjoyed the art she was making so I kept watching and smashed all the things along with her.

Then in June of 2012 a wonderful man who the Lord brought to my life when I desperately needed him asked me to marry him!  I immediately went into crafty bride mode and fell face first into Pinterest!!  Very quickly I realized I wanted to make my wedding flowers out of paper.  I saw some great ideas using the Cricut machine.  One problem...I didn't have one.  So...I started figuring out other ways to make the flowers but all the while I was jonesing hard for a Cricut machine.  Then on Black Friday Joann had the Expression machine on an amazing sale.  I had to work that day but my man (in his normal amazing fashion) braved Joann on Black Friday and got me one!!!  I know, he's a keeper!!!

I made my flowers for my wedding and in the process got hooked on the Cricut!  I was amazed at all the things I could do with it.  I started buying cartridges whenever I saw them on sale.  I started using Cricut cuts in my scrapbooks and smash books and using them on cards.  One day I stumbled upon some artwork made with a CTMH Cricut cartridge and coordinating stamps.  This fit perfectly with what I was already doing.  It was a natural progression for me.  I remembered that Corene always linked to her CTMH consultant in her videos so I checked out her consultant's website to see about this Cricut cartridge.  That is when I met Jessica!!

Jessica shared that CTMH was going to have a special in April 2014 where any new consultants would get a free cartridge and stamp set (and a cardstock pack - OMG the cardstock!!!).  The consultant kit was $99 back then and I thought it was a great deal so I signed up.  I only had to have $300 in sales (before my commission) each quarter and I was easily spending that already buying supplies to make cards that I donated to Operation Write Home and my own crafty fun so I didn't see a problem with that requirement.  So on April 1, 2014, I started my CTMH journey and it has been a blast!!!!

Well...that was five years ago and now I am getting close to retirement from my day job and plan to increase my activity with CTMH and turn it into a part time business that will fund our vacations - the hubby and I LOVE to travel!!  Part of the increase in my activity was to start making YT videos and have more of an online presence through my blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.  In the coming years I will start holding card and scrapbook classes - I love to teach and show people how to make beautiful things that will make others happy and capture their memories so I'm really looking forward to this!

Another part of my business will be to build a team of other crafty people who want to take advantage of the wonderful opportunity with CTMH.  This month (August 2019) CTMH is having a special promotion where you can join CTMH for $35!  The Thrive for 35 promotion is in honor of  CTMH's 35th anniversary.  And the best part is that you get to pick what you want in your kit.  You will get $35 in CTMH Cash that you can spend in your own online store on stamp sets, stamp blocks, stamp pads, re-inkers, markers, embellishments (we call them complements), paper packs, cardstock packs, Picture My Life cards, scrapbooking and card making workshops, and some select bulk items. Did I mention that your online store is provided FOR FREE!!  Most other home based businesses charge you for your online store but not CTMH!!!  If you want to do this as a hobby, you can use your CTMH Cash on things that you love but if you decide you want to try your hand at making this a business, I can work with you on strategically spending that money on things (that you will still love BTW!) that you can turn around and use in your first Home Gathering.

Another kit option is our traditional kit that I think is an even better deal than the August promotion.  This kit is $70.  It comes with $50 in CTMH Cash to spend on stamp sets, stamp blocks, stamp pads, re-inkers, markers, embellishments (we call them complements), paper packs, cardstock packs, Picture My Life cards, scrapbooking and card making workshops, and some select bulk items.  For the remaining $20 of your sign up fee you will receive the following items:


    • Adhesive Runner (Z3372) - $6.95
    • 2″ × 2″ My Acrylix® Block (Y1003) - $7.50
    • Black Exclusive Inks™ Stamp Pad (Z2805) - $8.95
    • Mix-in Paper Packet (X9007) - $6.95
    • Mix-in Coordinating Cardstock (X9008) - $5.95
    • Piercing Tool (Z3547) - $7.95
    • Stamp Shammy (Z3579) - $10.95 (you actually get two shammies)
    • Non-Stick Microtip Scissors (Z1836) - $15.95 (these are the best crafting scissors I have ever used - my husband borrowed them once and then asked me to order him a pair too!)
    • US Customer Order Forms, qty. 25 (W101) - $4.25
    • Cardstock Sampler (W3003) - $4.00
    • Petite Perks—Feeling Fancy, qty. 3 (W2044) - $4.50
    • Desk Pad (W1140) - $4.75 (I love these - you get a pad of 50 and they are really big)
    • Let Me Show You How Stamp Set (D1785) - $18.95
    • US Core Catalog 2019–2020 (W1201) - $3.00
    • US Sept./Oct. Catalog, qty. 5 (WCS1201) - $10.00

That is a total of over $120 in additional items for $20!  And...if you discover that being a consultant is not for you, you are welcome to let a quarter go by without hitting the $300 minimum and I would be happy to have you back as one of my customers instead.  There is no contract that you will have to buy your way out of and you are never required to carry inventory so nothing there to worry about either.

This post is already way too long so here is an FAQ that has all the details regarding becoming a consultant that you can check out at your leisure:  https://reneprice.closetomyheart.com/ctmh/join-faq.aspx

If you think this is something you would like to explore, please let me know.  I will NEVER push you to meet sales goals (unless you ask me to) and I would just be so thrilled to have you on my Creative Hearts team!  We have a private FB group where I post fun information and you can share with each other.  My goal is to create a family of crafters who are there for each other!