Christmas is Coming...

...well technically not yet!

If any of you are familiar with Close To My Heart workshops, November is Christmas Time! Woohoo! This week has been quite a busy week. You probably figured that since I've been quite quiet. I have been working diligently on Novembers' workshops. I am having such fun creating for the holidays with all the great holiday paper Close To My Heart has to offer. I have posted a little sneak peak at a few of the Christmas cards we'll be doing at our Christmas Card Workshop. I believe they turned out great! The colors are a little out of my element but I think that's what's caught my eye and got me thinking outside the box.

I have a lot of fun workshops coming up over the next couple of weeks and November is going to Rock! Ho! Ho! Ho! Check back often to see what I've been creating.

The Festive Flamingo ~ Cathy ;)

Not Your Ordinary Scrapbook Pages

Critters! Yikes! Let me start by saying I'm not crazy about critters. Actually I can't stand touching them. I do actually love to watch them from a distance... oh and maybe snap a picture or two.

Since arriving back to Florida... we have become reacquainted with all the local varmitts.... oh how I've missed them so! Yes I have! I missed the sun, the warmth and even the varmitts!


So I have put my family on a mission... you see a Florida critter you get the picture. They have done a fabulous job getting some remarkable shots. My favorite is the one of our "Gate Keeper" and his name is "Godfrey the Gopher Turtle". Oh did I forget to mention we've named them all as well.


Here are all their names:

• Godfrey the gopher turtle



• Ted the tree frog



• Lizi the lizard



• Fred the spider and door keeper (now Fred may be a girl... but how would one know? He keeps all the bees away from the front door)



• Buttercup the butterfly



• Daryl the Dragonfly (he generally brings his brothers... if you ever watched Bob Newhart many moons ago you will remember Larry and his brother Daryl and his other brother Daryl... that memory still makes me laugh!)



• Molly the moth.
  

So there you go... you have now met my Florida extended family.... critters and all!

Flamingo Laughter ~ Cathy

A Day of Discovery

So I had a pleasantly creative day today and I created this great card. The pattern is an original design by Jeannette Lynton... she posted the directions on her blog. So how cute is this 6 x 3 card! I used Discovery paper (it's not super current but I just love it!). I'm wondering who I should send this card too... who will be the lucky one... oh and what will the insert say?



Mischievous Flamingo ~ Cathy ;)

October Training and Events

October is upon us oh how quickly the summer went! Florida weather is absolutely beautiful. After a summer of watching the Doppler for upcoming storms... this is just such a wonderful reprieve. The sky is a deep blue and generally there is not a cloud in the sky.

I have been working diligently at the October schedule and I finally have my workshop schedule and ideas all worked out. I though I would share some pictures this morning of my upcoming workshops. It's going to be an absolutely fabulous month! You can check out my event schedule on my website to get some full details.

Flamingo Smiles ~ Cathy

Happy Hour

Last night was my "Happy Hour Flamingo Style". Happy Hour was designed to make scrapbooking and paper crafting accessible to the busy "on the go" woman. I had 8 at my table to make our little tag book. Ity bity pieces to create this fabulous Tag Book. I'm so excited... they all turned out Great!

Flamingo Cheers ~ Cathy

Pleasantly Creative With September Stamp of the Month...

I was feeling quite creative today and I still hadn't created anything with the September Stamp of the Month.... oh I could hear it calling my name! It looked just way to clean, so I had to pull out some stamp pads and start creating. I had a favorite card nearby... it was from my son Justin on Mothers' day. It's the one on the left. If anyone has an 18 year old son knows how special this card is... they are not always very thoughtful. This card was beautiful and he spent $4.00 for this card! I should teach that boy to stamp!

Well I created this look-a-like for just pennies today with a free September stamp of the month (Treasure Life). Just ask me how to do that and I can show you how the get the stamp set for free!

Frugal Flamingo ~ Cathy

Moving those all important French Fry Bags....

I do have a funny story to share this morning. A few months ago we moved back to Florida from Michigan. Now, if any of you have ever moved before, what an ordeal that is! By the time you're done packing you're just about ready to throw everything away! You're exhausted, crabby and you just want to get the heck out of there.

Well, as my honey was loading the truck, there was a small box ready to go on the truck and it was labelled french fry bags... needless to say my honey said "what on earth is this!" I don't think he posed it quite that nicely but you get the drift. I told him it was my box of french fry bags that I use for my Close To My Heart business. For those of you that don't know... they are plain white and I usually random stamp the bag. They are ready to use as little bags for candy or in today's case I stamped them with Cottage Floral and my guests can eat some popcorn out of them... so how cool is that!

So the moral of the story is "The next time you're packing and getting ready for a move... don't forget to pack the french fry bags 'cuz you never know when you'll need 'em!"

Flamingo laughter~ Cathy

Open House!

Well it's the morning after my open house and how great is Close To My Heart! Our Fall/Winter Idea Book/Catalog rocks and how fun it is to meet new people. This was my first event since I moved back to Florida and it's always a little nerve wrecking no matter how long you've been doing this. But I met some new people and got re-acquainted with some former friends. I have girls coming to my workshops and the excitement is on! Woohoo! I'll have Citrus County Scrappin' Flamingo Style in no time!

I do have to say... no matter where you go.... no matter where you are in this world... the Close To My Heart Mission Statement rings true:

"We show you how to celebrate relationships through the art of scrapbooking and stamping. Faster. Simpler. Easier."

Doin' the Flamingo Happy Dance ~ Cathy

Art and Soul is here!

I am just so excited! A brand new Scrapbooking show that you can view on my Close To My Heart Website!

On Tuesday September 16th, a show called Art and Soul aired and you can watch Jeanette Lynton and her craft team demonstrate a great project. A new project airs every other Tuesday. The episode takes about 15 minutes to view. You can watch this episode anytime and it is filled with great tips, techniques and ideas. They also have step by step instruction on how to make this project! Oh and I saved the best for last.... you can buy all the items to make the project at a 20% discount.... oh I'm doing a Flamingo Dance!

In this first fun episode, you’ll learn to make this fabulous keepsake Memory Keeper, that holds your favorite 3-D treasures. Plus, get the inside scoop on unique mini books made from cards, fun ideas for capturing sound, and much, much more!

Just click here now to view this Fabulous First Episode!

Flamingo Smiles ~ Cathy

PS Let me know what you think after you view it by posting a comment.

Slide Show of Navarre Crop

Navarre Crop By The Sea

Oh what a wonderful weekend I had. I spent the weekend with my dear friend Tina. We laughed, we talked, and we cropped. Tina had a wonderful Close To My Heart Crop scheduled for Saturday, September 13th. It was held at the Navarre Conference Center. 50 ladies attended and they cropped till they dropped from 9am - 11pm. I compleded 6 perfect day scrapbook pages, one mickey album, and 10 Just Because cards... woohoo what a productive and fun day! You can view my slideshow above.


~Flamingo smiles ~ Cathy

Woohoo! Look what I accomplished....

Just thought I would share one of my most recent successes.

It's the Bachelor's of Close To My Heart Business. I'm so thrilled to have it all completed.

Well it's now on to my Masters!

One Studious Flamingo ~ Cathy

Discovey Tag Book

Well I had a very creative day... I made the Tag Book, seen below, for my next "Happy Hour Flamingo Style". "What is Happy Hour?", you ask. Well, Happy Hour was designed to make scrapbooking and paper crafting accessible to the busy "on the go" woman. If you have an hour to spare you can come and create this fabulous little project. If you need to just swing by to grab and go, this kit comes with step by step instructions that will be easy to follow anywhere you may be.

Come and make this quick tag book all in under an hour on Tuesday, September 23 at 7pm at my house, the Flamingo Hut.
Cost is $5.00

Flamingo Smiles ~ Cathy

Discovery Tag Book

Close To My Heart "Happies"

Good Sunday Morning to one and all!

Well I am just so excited... I made these "happies" for my customers. I will share them at my open house. They are bookmarks!

What is a "Happy" you ask? It's a little something that you get that makes you smile and makes you happy. It's given with heart and made by Close To My Heart. That's it in a nutshell. They turned out so cute and they are only 6 cents a piece! So go and get out your stamp sets girls and make some "Happies" to share.

Happy Flamingo ~ Cathy

A Time to Celebrate

September is National Stamping Month, and to celebrate we’re off ering two exquisite Close To My Heart My Acrylix® stamp
sets from now through September 30 at substantial savings—or even FREE! The elegant new My Acrylix Friendship Alphabet
Large stamp set and the new My Acrylix Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set are perfectly suited for all your stamping needs.
The E-size My Acrylix Friendship Alphabet Large stamp set (retail value $34.95) and the C-size My Acrylix
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set (retail value $18.95) may be earned in one of these ways:
• When you spend $125, you get the set FREE (CC1000-1B).
• When you spend $75, you can purchase the set for $15 (CC1000-1A).
Be sure to join the stamping phenomenon during National Stamping Month in September with these irresistible
My Acrylix stamp sets.

Click Here to Shop Now!

Flamingo Smiles~ Cathy

It's Time for a Close To My Heart Party!

I was up late last night stamping my party invitations. Just thought I'd let you read the invitation this morning.

WOOHOO! Come on In! It's An Open House!

Hi! My name is Cathy Bambek or formerly known as Cathy Grumbir. I lived in Citrus County for 10 years and I left for Michigan a number of years ago.... but I'm back!!!
I've been teaching scrapbooking, stamping and paper crafts for a company called Close To My Heart for about five years now. So I'm gathering up all my old friends and some new ones to come to an
Open House at my house in Pine Ridge.

Do you like to scrapbook or wondered how to begin? Make cards to save money? Make some great “Wowee” project to enjoy or give to a friend? Well I can definitely show you how to make it faster, simpler, easier with Close To My Heart.

Take this invitation and pass it along to all your friends and family and come to my house on:
Thursday, September 18th from 7pm - 9pm.

I am so anxious to see all of my old friends and to make some new ones. Please don't be shy and swing on by to say “Hi” and I will show you how to become scrap happy in Florida with some food, fun, prizes and a great take home hands on project! Fun! Fun! Fun!

Please RSVP because I'd love to hear from you!

See you soon!
Cathy or also known as Close To My Heart's “Fabulous Flamingo”!
PS Bring a friend and receive a free gift!


CATHY BAMBEK
http://www.fabulousflamingo.myctmh.com/
fabulousflamingo@myctmh.com

Friendships

There is nothing like a good friendship. The memories that you share from a time in your lives are yours... it's something that not a soul can take away. I spent a day making more memories with an old friend. Lucie and I go way back... I was in First Grade and she was in Kindergarten.... like I said.... way back! She wore pig tails and glasses and I wore pony tails. We were inseparable.... sisters! She is a part of who I am today.

We met in Tarpon Springs, FL yesterday and had a great day boating, catching up (it's been about 10 years since we've seen one another), laughing and eating. We still have many of the same characteristics, that's probably what brought us together in the first place. Oh and she brought me a wonderful gift from Bath and Body Works.... her favorite fragrance.... Coconut Lime Verbena....of course it would be her favorite fragrance because it's mine too! Well I'm probably boring you with all the friendship dribble, but oh what a great day we had so I just had to share.

I will leave you with one thought:

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things" Author Unknown.

Go do a Flamingo dance with one of your BFF's today! Cathy

Peek into my scrapbook closet

It's about time...

Well it's about time... says the manatee! Tropical Storm Fay is finally moving out. We are all happy! We actually had some sunshine in the Sunshine State today.

It's been a lazy day... we went to breakfast and I brainstormed, over a cup of coffee of course, about my next Close To My Heart open house. It will be a time of fun and friendship... I'm so excited! I will keep you posted and let you know all the details just in case you want to come. It will be some time in September.

Well got to run... a feel a swim in my future.

Flamingo and Manatee smiles to you! Cathy

New Scrapbook!

Oh I'm just so excited! I started a new scrapbook! I've been working forever on a scrapbook for my son Justin... "is it finished?" you ask. No but it's getting pretty close. We just recently moved back to Florida and I thought what a great time to start brand new. So here is page 1. Keith (my honey) took the picture of the flowers growing outside of our screened porch and Voila! I've made a commitment to keep up with current events in our life and not fall behind on this scrapbook... let's say it's one of my goals. I've set quite a few goals for myself over the past week. I'm not ready to share quite yet... maybe in a couple of days.

Well it looks as though Tropical Storm Fay is moving out... it's heading across the panhandle. We haven't seen the sun in over a week... I can hardly wait to get rid of this storm! I know it's reeked havoc all across the state... we are so fortunate that we live high and dry.

Well got to run and start the day.

Sending you Flamingo Smiles - Cathy

Rainy day dreams....

What a day! Tropical storm Fay has been sitting on top of the state of Florida for about 5 days. It has been raining horribly all day and I just feel bad for all those living on the water. The picture is of apartments next to Crackers in Crystal River. This was this morning... high tide was scheduled for 6pm. I'm so glad we live inland... all we had to do was let about 6 inches of water out of the pool.
So I decided today was the perfect rainy day to start something new... blogging! I thought this would be a fabulous way to keep in touch with my customers, my downline, friends and family. This of course will be a work in progress, so stick with me I promise it will get better.

Flamingo Smiles,
Cathy