One more post about convention and then I'll shut up! LOL

I was trying not to make my posts too lengthy, but there are a few more photos I wanted to share, so I will do it here.

"Flat Rochelle" with VP Monica Wihongi

 My dear friend, Rochelle Crawford, could not make it to convention this year and was very sad about it. So I had her send me a photo and I made a "Flat Rochelle" (you all know the story about "Flat Stanley", right?).  I then had photos taken of her with various people I knew she knew.  It added a fun twist to convention!

Love these topiaries!

My new Australian friend, consultant Jenny Gilbert

Crafting with a table-full of new friends

With roomie, Cheryl McKinney

 Our final evening, there was a dance and Mickey came by to see us for a photo op. And then my camera battery died!

 These final 4 photos are cards we made during the Product Showcase.  Aren't you just drooling over the pretty new papers and stamps?  They are all available Aug.1!  You may also order the new Annual Inspirations catalog directly from my website http://marcieronken.ctmh.com

That's all folks!  Next, I get to bore you with all the fun we will have with my son and his family at Disneyland, 'cause that's where we are again!

Thanks for stopping by!

CTMH Convention Day 3

Day 3 would include a couple of firsts for me!  The first 1st required an early wake up call.  I was participating in my first ever 5K!  My goal was to finish in under an hour and I did it in 44 minutes!  Here's a couple of photos:

Scattered Hearts Team participants

"Red Box" ladies

 

VP Brian Holman with his GoPro camera strapped to his hat.

Waiting to start

Heading down Main St.

 

Map of our route.



After the 5k (which I walked!), it was back to the room for a shower and another day of excitement.  Our final day consisted of a Product Showcase, where consultant/teachers showed ways to use some of the products and Extravaganza.  Extravaganza is always a highlight for me!  Chosen consultants are sent new products with guidelines for creating with them.  I'm always blown away by the ideas they come up with!  Forgive me for not having photos, my battery was running low and I could not find the extra battery and charger I KNOW I packed.  (I finally found it after convention in a pocket of my duffle bag I missed checking.)

The day wound up with another General Session/Creative Session and the Operation Smile Auction.  During this time, we are treated to a Q&A with Jeanette Lynton, founder and CEO of the company and VP Monica Wihongi.  You just never know what Jeanette will say!  I think she goes out of her way to embarrass Monica!  When they left the stage, the 3 VP's introduced a singer to sing a song of tribute to Jeanette and then the BIG surprise happened.  Unbeknownst to the executive staff, Tresa Black, a consultant, had organized a surprise FLASH MOB!  And I participated!  Another first for me.  Here's the video:http://www.fabulouslyartsy.com/2014/07/happy-flash-mob-at-convention.html
Thanks to Tresa for this big undertaking - it was a BLAST!

After the Operation Smile Auction, it was announced that we had raised enough money to fix over 150 smiles!!

Every year at the end of the last session, we play the right/left game for a table prize.  This year, for the 1st time, I was the winner!  I won 6 of the new Stamps of the Month!

That pretty much wraps up convention.  I have a few other miscellaneous photos to share, but I will save those for the next post.

If you love any form of papercrafting, you should consider joining my team and then join me for Convention 2015 to be held at Disneyland once again.

CTMH Convention Day 2

I'll try not to make this post quite as long as the first one!  I hope you will hang with me!

Friday began with another General Session where the VP's covered changes in the Policies and Procedures.  I love how this company constantly keeps up with the e-commerce world and tries to make it fair for consultants at all levels.

We broke for lunch (I ate in my room) and then we again split for business and creative classes.  The business classes were taught by fellow consultants and directors.  Very informative information covering various aspects of our businesses. 

I had to run back up to my room to get some supplies I left behind, and look who I ran into!

 

During our creative session, we worked on 2 two page layouts with some of the new papers, stamps, inks and embellishments we received.  I only got one partially done, but finished them up while we waited for the motorhome repairs on Monday.

 

We also received supplies for a 10 card workshop.  I need to photograph those yet.  Another quick project were 2 cards from the new "Cut Above" kits.  So cute and easy to put together with just a wee bit of stamping.  I love that the envelopes are decorated to match!



 

It's now time to put on our finery for the Awards Banquet.  This the only time I dress up all year!  Here is our Scattered Hearts team.  I'm waaaay at the top on the right.

 

Awards are given for the top teams in sales and recruiting, the same for individuals, Spirit of Close To My Heart and Rising Stars, plus many others.  It's always fun to dream "someday...."!  We had entertainment provided by Disney and the most delicious meal!  Just look at this dessert!  It was heaven!

 

 



Close To My Heart Convention 2014 - Arrival and Day 1

Theme of the convention

Well, another convention is in the books and I think it may have been the best ever!

It was held at Disneyland and since we were already in California, I wouldn't have to fly.  YAY!  I really loved to fly in the past, but the past few years, it has become more of a hassle.  Anyway, our plan was to be camped north of Los Angeles at the Soledad Canyon Thousand Trails in Acton.  Glenn would then drop me off at Disneyland on Wednesday and pick me up on Sunday.  Great plan, right?
Well, when we arrived at our last campground, our curbside bedroom slide would not extend.  We took it to a local RV repair shop and waited for them to find the part.  Toward the end of our planned stay, it looked like the part would be hard to find.  Glenn talked to Monaco, found a part number, the called the dealership we bought the motorhome from.  They are in Fresno, so it wasn't really out of the way.  Up to 2 weeks for the part to ship, so we extended another week at San Benito TT.  We moved on to Fresno after that.  The dealer had a place for us to park, with water and 50 amp electric hook ups.  We would have to use their dump station, but we weren't going to be there that long.  After a few days, it was apparent that we would not make it down to Acton in time for my convention.  Now what?  I could drive myself but Glenn would not have any transportation while I was gone.  Rent a car?  Kind of defeats the savings of not having to fly.  I put out a call for help on our company's bulletin board.  2 kind consultants offered me a ride!

Gwen and her mom picked me up on Wednesday morning and it was a fun ride down.  Gwen has been with Close To My Heart for 22 years and she even worked for a circus for a time!  Needless to say, we had enough conversation for the trip down!

Disneyland Hotel

I had been texting my room mate, Cheryl, to keep her informed as to my arrival time.  She was there waiting for me at the drop off point at the Disneyland Hotel.  We got my bags stowed (our room wasn't ready yet), got my registration done, and went to have lunch.  She was starving!  There was a little restaurant by the pool area and I had a delicious Kahlua Pulled Pork Flatbread.  We then met up with another friend, Laura, by the pool and chatted until our room was ready.

We hit the jackpot!  Great view of the pool, large room and even a couch!  Figures, since there was only 2 of us.  Normally I room with 3 others to help with expenses, but decided to treat myself to my own bed this year.

This wall has lights and plays "When You Wish Upon A Star"

 

View from our room

Unpacking done, I got ready for my team meeting.  I'm a second generation Scattered Hearts, 1st generation Scrappin' Sisterhood.  Tina Sutton is the head of the Scattered Hearts and a Presidential Director.  She has over 1000 in her entire downline!  She always puts on a great team meeting with projects, awards, gifts and other goodies.  My director, Chris Szechowski, gave us all our choice of 6 trading pins to use at Disneyland.  I'm saving those for the grandkids we'll see soon at Disneyland.
The meeting lasted until 10pm and my room mate was already sound asleep when I returned.

Scattered Hearts Team Meeting

Thursday morning, the real excitement begins!  General Session is where our fearless V.P.'s reveal the new products and programs for the next catalog cycle. 

VP's Brian, Kristine and Monica during product reveal

They always put on a cute "skit", this year it was done like "The Amazing Race".  Always good for a laugh or two!  At the end of general session, as we broke to lunch, we were given our convention bag and the new catalog!  Love, love, love the bag this year!  Lunch on that first day is always spent with our noses buried in the new catalog!  We also received the supplies and new products to create projects throughout the convention.

Convention bag - it's a backpack, too!

Don't you love the color of the interior?

After lunch break, half of us attended a business class and half a creative class.  In between, CTMH provided a snack buffet.  Yummy!

During the business class, VP Kristine Widtfeldt reviewed the thinking behind the product line and the target groups for each one.  Very interesting and Kristine always makes it fun!

In our creative session, we created cards using cuts from the NEW Artfully Sent Cricut Cartridge.  I'm so excited to try this cartridge out, but it is not available until sometime in July. :(    Like our other Cricut Collections, this one will be $99 and comes with a full pack of 12"x12" White Daisy Cardstock (great for card bases) and 3 D size stamp sets ( a font, a frame, and a sentiment).  This cartridge has 25 card themes and 5 formats plus a font for a total of 700 images!  Here are the cards we made.

We also made a cute mini album with Picture My Life cards created just for convention.  Quick, easy and it showed us how to use these cards for a different purpose.

Are you tired yet?  As you can see, we pack a lot into each day at convention.  I've only brought you up to 4:30pm on the first day!

Dinner was on our own.  I walked into Downtown Disney trying to decide what I wanted to eat.  I ended up eating jambalaya and crashing a table with some friends I found there.

After dinner, we had the opportunity to peruse the Consultant Creativity Showcase.  It's amazing the talent in this company!  Makes me wonder why I try!  LOL  Here are some samples.

Hard to believe this is made of paper!

San Benito Thousand Trails

We are currently camped at the San Benito Thousand Trails Preserve in Paicines, California.  It's about 25 miles south of Hollister, CA on Highway 25.

It's a big campground with decent sites, some with huge trees, two swimming pools (family & adult), hot tub, family and adult lodges, putt-putt course and more.  A creek runs through the campground but, unfortunately, it's dry this year like so many in California.

Our campsite #373

This is our campsite.  As you can see, we are situated under a huge sycamore tree (I think that's what it is).  It provides great shade on hot afternoons!

One of the reasons we like this park is the wildlife.  There are resident deer, rabbits, lots of birds and even a bobcat! 

This is from our visit in 2008

We've had a couple of glimpses of the bobcat, but no good pictures yet.  A few years ago, we were camped here and had the privilege of watching two Great Horned owlets and their mama.


Great Horned Owlet

 

I was reminded as I was selecting these photos, there used to be a pea-hen that wandered the campground.  I'll have to asked what happened to it.

 

We had planned to stay here 3 weeks but due to a slide-out problem, we will be here an additional week.  We are waiting on parts to come in and then a repair appointment.  When that happens we will head to Fresno for the repair instead of moving on down to the Santa Barbara area.  If the repair happens in a timely manor, we will still be able to head for Soledad Canyon Thousand Trails (north of L.A.) in time for me to attend the annual Close To My Heart convention (held at Disneyland this year).  If not, I will have to find a way from Fresno.  Part of the RV lifestyle is to remain flexible!

Glenn enjoying his outside office with the cats in their "playpen"

 

On the way in and out of the campground, there is a large vegetable farm.  We enjoy watching the process of getting the produce from farm to table.  We've seen broccoli being picked, tilling, the irrigation pipes being laid and planting.  We're always trying to guess what's growing! (We think it should be a law to have signs telling us which crop it is!)  Right now, we've determined there are several fields of carrots.  It's a little hard to tell from the car as you drive by!  Another benefit is it's green (due to irrigation)!  Everything else is brown, brown, brown!

 

Just down Highway 25 is Pinnacles National Park.  I will post about that later.

 

Thanks for stopping by!





Time to revive this blog!!

Holy cow!  It's been over a year since I've posted.  So sorry to disappoint my few followers!

You may notice a few changes.  I've decided have my travel posts on the main page and have created new pages for Close To My Heart and my Red Box experience.  That way you can view just what you want when you visit (of course, I hope you will check all my pages!)

Just a quick overview of what's happened since my last posting -

We got the motorhome repaired in Utah.
Checked out a few more fantastic places in Utah.
Attended the Monaco Pre-Rally and Family Motor Coach Association convention in Gillette, Wyoming.
Purchased a new (to us) motorhome. 
Traveled to Denver, Colorado and I flew to Disney World for the Close To My Heart convention.
Returned home to Johnstown, Ohio, where we caught up on chores (flower beds, re-stained deck, etc.) and reacquainted ourselves with family and friends.  Trevor and his family flew in from Washington for a visit.  Took care of doctor appointments.
Watched Jeremy and family participate in the Mud Ninja race.
Saw our grandson, Alex, inducted in the United States Army.
Traveled to Kentucky and visited friends there.
Returned to Bellhaven Resort for our 2nd year as caretakers. 
April 1st, we left Bellhaven to travel around California for the summer.

I will pick up my blog at this point.  I may add in some posts from the past year as I go along (well, one can hope!)

Please leave a comment and follow me!

Get great products and help others, too!

This month, Close To My Heart gives you two great opportunities to help others.

Here's a way to help those in Oklahoma after those awful tornadoes!  And you will have this cute Thank You stamp set that will be terrific for cards!  Here's a better view of the stamp set and details are below.

 

Relief for Oklahoma Campaign

Close To My Heart is making a new Autumn/Winter 2013 stamp set, A True Thank You, available immediately and will donate 100% of the profits from sales of the set from May 23 through June 30 to the American Red Cross to aid the Oklahoma victims. Help us provide relief to those affected by the devastating Oklahoma tornado by purchasing A True Thank You stamp set for $2.95 (M1029) today!

*Offer valid May 23–June 30, 2013. No limit per order.

 

Here's a chance to help the USO help our soldiers and their loved ones!  (Sorry this image is a bit blurry!)

 



 

 

Let’s Get Patriotic!

June–July 2013 Constant Campaign

Celebrate military service and promote patriotism with our new patriotic stamp sets—available only from June 1 to July 31, 2013. Three dollars from each B-size My Acrylix^® Courage stamp set and $5 from each D-size My Acrylix^® Home of the Brave stamp set will be donated to the USO, the leading, most recognized military-support and services organization in the country. Show your support with your own patriotic stamp set!

Dates: Offer valid June 1–July 31, 2013.

 

 

Finally, get this cute mini banner set FREE with a qualifying order.  How cute would this be made up for a summer party!

 

Make It a Banner Day

June 2013 Constant Campaign

Receive a free My Creations^® mini banner in June! Make it a “banner” day by placing a $25 order that includes a qualifying stamp set to receive your free mini banner. The mini banner includes 10 chipboard pennants in 4 different shapes with 9 jump rings for hanging. Use the mini banner as a decoration for your parties and get-togethers this summer for many “banner” days!

Dates: Offer valid June 1–30, 2013.

 

All these offers are available on my website http://marcieronken.ctmh.com  or just click on the "Your Business Is Appreciated" button above on the left side to go directly to my website.

 

Above the shopping button, you will see how many days left until I will be in Disney World for the annual Close To My Heart Convention!  I can't wait to see the new products and participate in the wonderful Creative Sessions they have planned for us!  Not to mention re-connecting with my CTMH friends and the chance to make new friends.  While I'm having fun in Orlando, Glenn will be chilling with the cats in Loveland, CO.  Once I return, we will be on final leg of our journey home.

 

Shortly after we get home, my son, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren will be flying in from Washington for a visit.  I will have ALL of my family back together for a short time.  So much excitement ahead!  I just have to focus on all that fun when we see the final repair bill for the motorhome! GULP!

 

 

 

 

Elevation, petroglyphs, ruins

What a great day we had today!  We started out with a good breakfast here at the motel.  They really provide a pretty good spread every morning.  Today it was sausage links and scrambled eggs.  Plus, there is almost always biscuits and gravy, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, toast, bagels, English muffins, and assorted beverages and coffee.

Due to poor planning on our part, we have found ourselves ready for lunch and nowhere to eat!  So we figured if we had a good breakfast, we could do without lunch if we found nothing.  We also made sure to fill up the truck since we have also found ourselves riding on fumes looking for a gas station!  Unfortunately, this has happened more than once!

Today's destination was Cedar Breaks National Monument.  It just opened last week due to the snow.

It's a smaller park, just 6 miles to drive through it, but what a gem!  I would love to visit another time in July.  They say the wildflowers are amazing here!

Our first stop was Point Supreme, which is also the Visitor Center.  It had not opened for the season yet.  As you can see from the sign, we were at 10,350 feet above sea level.  Talk about thin air!

 All these beautiful sights, we are finding we like Utah more and more.

 

Our next stop was Sunset View Overlook, a little higher.

 At Chessman Ridge, we could see some of the remaining snow in the canyon.  It was only 54 degrees when we arrived at the park.

 

At the North View Overlook, there was even more snow left.  Glenn had to get out on it!  He tried to climb the snow bank, but didn't quite make it!

 

We were now at the northern boundary of the park.  Just beyond the boundary was a gravel road that would lead us to the summit of Brian Head.  Well, almost the summit, not all of the snow had been plowed off the road and we had to turn around before we got to the top.

Marmot or Pika?

End of the road

What a view!

We continued traveling north through the ski village of Brian Head.  There were a lot of lodges and condos but it looked a bit like a ghost town today!  We saw a lot of ATV trails so I'm sure it gets busier in the summer.

 

 The descent from Brian Head to Parowan was a steep one!  I think this is one of the steepest grades we've been one.  We came down a good 5-6,000 feet in not too many miles.

 

Once we arrived in Parowan, we decided to find the petroglyphs at Parowan Gap.  But first we needed to get some water!  Between the low humidity and altitude, you dehydrate easily.  We found a Maverick gas station and they were grilling burgers and 'dogs outside the store.  There's lunch!  So after refueling and rehydrating ourselves, we were off on our next adventure for the day.

 

Parowan Gap is a 3 mile long pass that connects Parowan and Cedar Valleys.  It is a classic example of a wind-gap.  It is an unusual geological landform marking where an ancient river cut a 600 foot deep notch through the Red Hills.  But what makes it really remarkable is the 90+ panels with 1500 figures carved in the rocks.  They may be as old as 5,000 years.

This is the "Zipper Glyph".  Some researchers believe it is a solar calendar.

 

Aren't these cool?!   We wanted to turn over the fallen rocks to see if there were more underneath!  These were so fascinating and Glenn was really happy I had read about this place!

We drove back to Cedar City, stopped in at the Visitor Center to get some directions, and took off to find the Iron Town Ruins.

 

We had a cow detour

Charcoal Kiln

Remains of foundry buildings

Prickly Pear Cactus in bloom

Arrastra - Horses were hooked up to this to grind limestone

 

This was the county's second attempt at iron mining back in the 1870's.  Utah still has one of the richest iron ore deposits.

We went back to the motel, ordered Papa John's pizza, and finished off this wonderful day with a dip in the hot tub!