How I Met Close To My Heart

Earlier this month I responded to a request from Close To My Heart to share the story of how I became a Close To My Heart consultant. I am so honored to be chosen as one of four stories to be published. I've copied my story below but you can read all the stories on the Close To My Heart blog: Make It From Your Heart.

November 14, 2014

Blast from the Past: How I Met Close To My Heart

A huge thanks to everyone who read Monica's story a few weeks ago and then contributed their own tale of discovering Close To My Heart. Every story was heartfelt and inspiring. Though we can’t share them all, we've included a handful we know you’ll enjoy.

  

Wendy Bilyeu Hardin

Pekin, Illinois

I first met Close To My Heart at a CKC expo. Even though I only purchased a few items, I recall how genuine Briana Bostick was when talking about Close To My Heart. Over the next few years, she kept in contact, even though I only made sporadic purchases. Since I had started scrapbooking in the late 1990s, my scraproom had accumulated a hefty collection of papercrafting supplies and tools, so I already had a large assortment of inks, papers, and stamps. However, I was easily convinced to sign up as a Consultant when offered a free Cricut® cartridge. I was already a huge Cricut® fan and had been “chirping” since the Cricut® was first available. For the next two years, I enjoyed using the products, holding events, and passing on discounts to my best friends.

In January of this year, my husband of almost 30 years started having extreme back pain. In April, after many tests, we were told that he had stage four lung cancer that had spread to his spine. We were told to expect maybe 6–12 months. I lost him on June third.

Close To My Heart is not just a company name to me, it is my life. I now carry some of my late husband’s ashes in a heart pendant around my neck—close to my heart. Memories of our life together are captured in pictures and our stories written—from the heart—to the pages of albums. The home we designed and built together is now a retreat space and has become my refuge, filled with laughter—from the heart—as my friends are always invited to come and craft with me. Thankfully, my days are full and busy.

Close To My Heart, I am so glad I met you.

My {Scrappy/Crafty} Home Flyer

Rack Cards by Vistaprint

My {Scrappy/Crafty} Home - Guest Rooms Now Available!

Phase 2 of My {Scrappy/Crafty} Home is now complete! My guest room has been redone and now includes 2 all-new twin beds for crafters who would like to stay overnight.

I choose to furnish the room with a daybed and trundle bed. Both beds have a new 6" memory foam mattress and new sheets. The room also includes a remote controlled ceiling fan and 32" TV.

You'll have access to a beautiful, large, private bathroom.

Complete with whirlpool spa tub and tiled shower with heat lamp.

You will also have complete access to my kitchen. Your overnight fee will include a brunch of muffins or bagels, fruit, and salad. 

All your drinks for the day are included also. You have a choice of assorted Keurig K-cups, SodaStream sodas, fresh-brewed tea, or filtered water. Although your evening meal is not included you may use any kitchen appliance for storage or heating your own food. There are dozens of restaurants within a 10-minute drive and many also make deliveries to my home.  

Any overnight stay at My {Scrappy/Crafty} Home is only $35 per person. Although my guest room only accommodates two people, my master bedroom with queen bed is also available, as well as a second complete bathroom.  This service is available at almost any time with advance notice.  

For only $15 per day, you can also schedule complete access to my Craft Room. Each workstation includes a full-spectrum lamp, a craft mat, a Scrap-Ma-Bob to hold your drinks and scraps, padded chair, and a power strip to power your small electronics. It also includes use of over 100 Close To My Heart stamp sets, my ink pads, and Cuttlebug with over 40 embossing folders. 

My entire collection of 150 plus Cricut cartridges and Cricut Expression machine is available for use with purchase of any sheets of Close To My Heart cardstock or paper. 

I have all 40 colors of CTMH cardstock plus Kraft, White Daisy, and Colonial White and a wide collection of printed papers. In my store for purchase is albums, page protectors, storage containers, pattern book, Picture My Life accent/journaling cards, embellishments, envelopes, and much more.

Pick a weekend, invite your friends, and become completely immersed in your craft for 48 hours for just $100 (5 pm Friday to 5 pm Sunday)! 

***Day use with no meals or drinks for the weekend is only $30. Maximum capacity is four overnight guests/eight crafters.***

My home is located on the NE edge of Pekin, Illinois in a quiet subdivision with walking paths and only a mile away from the 700 acre McNaughton Park with over 7 miles of wooded/hilly hiking trails (just one part of Pekin Park's 2,500 acre district). Pekin also has 4 championship golf courses if you wish to play (or need to have something for the husband :) 

To contact me to schedule or ask questions, please comment below. You can also post or send me a private message at my business Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WendysCTMHpage

My {Scrappy/Crafty} Home

Introducing My {Scrappy/Crafty} Home....

That's me and Cricky in front of our home located in Pekin, Illinois. You are welcomed here!

If you've visited my home in the past you can see I've done some re-arranging in my great room! With the furniture pushed back, there is room now for four six-foot tables.

The tables are set up to have up to eight guests to attend classes and workshops. Each station is set-up with a full-spectrum lamp, cutting mat, a Scrap-Ma-Bob for drinks and scraps, a padded chair, and power strip for additional small electronics.

For small crops, the full six-foot tables can be used to provide additional work space.

I also have Close To My Heart products available for sale. The prices are the same as stated in the catalog with my shipping/handling & tax added then rounded to nearest nickle. I stocked up on the medium and large organizers last month before the price increase and I'm selling those at the lower price!

I carry all forty colors of CTMH cardstock, plus whites and kraft. Also available is printed paper & matching accessories for almost all thirteen Picture My Life sets to coordinate with your pages. 

A select number of supplies and embellishments are available as well. In addition, some embellishments are available to buy per piece when you only need just a few to finish your projects. All of the current (and some of the retired) ribbons and trims are available to buy per foot length.

My complete collection of over 150 Cricut cartridges are available for use at any event. All of the CTMH exclusive cartridges are pre-loaded in the Cricut Jukebox for easy access and use on my Cricut Expression machine. I do ask that you either supply your own cutting mat or purchase one for $5. Also, to ensure cutting consistency, use only CTMH cardstock or paper to cut with my machine. If you wish, you can also bring your own Cricut machine and borrow my cartridges to cut on any paper/cardstock source. 

All of the Cricut handbooks to my cartridges are available. I also have several printed databases that list Cricut cuts by word or shape to easily find the image needed.

My entire collection of CTMH stamp sets are also available for use at my events. 

For easy reference, I have created a real-size illustrated catalog of stamp set images and words in my collection sorted by theme. (This is the only way I can keep track of everything for myself!)

At any of my events, feel free to bring your own drinks, food, and snacks. My entire kitchen is available for your use including filtered water, ice, Keurig, SodaStream, refrigerator/freezer, and microwave. I also have an assortment of coffee, cocoa, & cappuccino K-cups for $.50 each. Bring your own SodaStream bottle and syrup to use my machine & bubbles for free or you can purchase a variety of flavors for $1 per liter. 

My hope is to provide a comfortable place for you and your friends to come and craft for the day. You ARE welcomed here!!

It's a new day, it's a new year

As most everyone knows, I lost my husband of almost 30 years barely 2 months ago. My world has been turned upside down and I'm missing my best friend, my soul mate, my traveling companion. Thankfully, I have wonderful, beautiful memories preserved in film, slide, video, and digital files. More, now than ever, I turn to my passion for scrapbooking to begin to fill a void...never to replace, only to stand in as a poor substitute...till we meet again.

Dave left me with a beautiful gift, our home, the result of our coordinated efforts and hundreds of hours of his sweat equity. I have spent the last month making plans for today. May I welcome you to "My {Scrappy/Crafty} Home"! My great room has been converted to a crafting space. Each 8 foot workstation has a two full-spectrum lamps, two Scrap-Ma-Bobs to hold your drinks and scraps, two cutting mats, and a power strip to accommodate additional electronic tools. Currently there is room for eight (plus) crafters. September will bring regularly scheduled crops and workshops, but August is my 'soft opening' and I invite you to get a friend (or more) together and join me for some crafting time {for free}.

August 1st also represents a new year for Close To My Heart Independent Consultants. I am pleased to introduce the all new 2014 Annual Inspirations Idea Book! Everything will be available for a whole year, plus new products will be introduced with two Seasonal Expression books in December and April.

I am looking forward to sharing my home with you!

cry, laugh, remember
Wendy