Convention Recap: Day 3
First official day of convention

So before I tell you about my paper pack, I need to set the stage and tell you about some fun new products!

If you could bottle up the energy in this room, we would all be millionaires and could craft everyday all day for the rest of our lives.

The Close to my Heart executive team is brilliant, intentional, innovative and SILLY! They put on one heck of a show to present new products.

You know I LOVE these!  All the rage on Pinterest! I have been making my own chicken wire frames to for display for a little while now.
Now, everyone can, simple and quick!  Isn’t that great? It’s part of our Designed Décor line.

Wearable Art! Express yourself with hand designed wearable crafts.  The bases that are yours for the creating include; Necklace, cuff, hair clips, rings or headband.  I can just see how awesome this will be for my Craft Happy Birthday Parties and craft classes!

As if that wasn’t enough they announce what we were all praying and hoping for!

A NEW CRICUT CARTRIDGE! ARTBOOKING!! (700 images, Font, Mini Books and Layouts!)
A cartridge that thinks for you! It sizes all the page elements whether you are making a 12×12 layout or one of 10 themed mini albums. So, press one size and you will get coordinating overlays, photo mats, journaling pieces, titles and more!
2 keys and 1 dial size and you are on your way to Artbooking magic!
Who even thinks of this stuff? Of course it is a collection so it comes with awesome new stamps and chipboard shapes.  LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! BEYOND BRILLIANT!!
Then after all that they handed us a new bag with a beautiful new Idea Book inside!

So, since I NEVER see my name anywhere I was just mesmerized looking at the pages and I had to have a picture of it.

You could think that was quite a coincidence! Most people did!

But then I remembered something our amazing VP of Sales and Marketing, Kristine Widtfeldt told me, when I saw her at our Regional event in Chicago back in April.

The conversation went something like this…

Kristine: Hey Sarita! Are you going to convention?

Me: Yep, wouldn’t miss it!

Kristine: Oh good! There will be  a surprise for you.  You’ll know it when you see it.

Me: What?

Kristine: Yep, just for you. I mean, it’s for everybody, but it’s really just for you.

I WAS FREAKING OUT! but I went back to working on my stuff and didn’t really think about it again.

Okay, Kristine doesn’t know this, but I admire her creativity, mad marketing skills and sense of humor more than anyone else I know.  I want to be her!   I have watched her do some incredible presentations.  Act in crazy skits and give her heart and soul to this company.  My friend, Trudy once told me, Kristine reminded her of ME! Now that was a compliment!  I know I am fan-girling- sorry.  Not sorry. Anyway, she is like a rock star in my eyes.

Could this be the surprise she was talking about?  No WAY!!

 
I couldn’t even think straight. Not to mention looking at all of the beautiful artwork and lots of other fabulous products in the catalog.
After lunch we were on to our Creative Session.

I was so excited to see Melissa!  She had been in a Director’s lunch. Another reason to make Director. I wish I had been with her when all this happened.
When she saw me, we screamed and hugged. She knew about the paper pack all along!  She also told me that she confirmed it was named after me.
Try to wrap your brain around that one, while your putting together a project.  It is a good thing she and I worked together. She kept me on task!

I did see Kristine after our project, you can click here for Part 2: The Close to my Heart “Sarita” Paper Pack Story.

I hope I am not boring you. I have decided that details matter, our stories matter. Maybe I am blogging for me, but in honor of my beautiful friend Katrina and everything she taught me about Heaven and Earth. Here I am, choosing to