Just like Pampered Chef and Mary Kay, trained consultants come to the house to teach your guests how to use their products. They start with example pages and teach projects step-by-step. They also provide all the materials needed and are there to answer any questions and oversee everyone’s success. Guests have the option of buying products but are not required to. And the hostess earns points and gets rewards if they do.
I thought a Close To My Heart party would be a great way to get to know some of the other wives in my husband’s platoon. He’s been stationed there since January and I haven’t been able to meet everyone. I figured I should make more of an effort and thought that scrapbooking would be the perfect way to bond.
I invited everyone over for an afternoon of crafting. The Close To My Heart consultant, Michele, came and set up before everyone got there. Because of the diverse skill levels of my guests, she chose a simple page. The example she brought had several squares of coordinating paper arranged symmetrically, with three photos. Michele and I did the measurements and had everything pre-cut when the guests arrived. The ladies brought several pictures with them and we went right to work. The other wives all brought a snack to share and I simmered up some tea. We spent the afternoon chatting and crafting together. I was able to relax and have a good time getting to know everyone without the pressure of teaching or feeling authoritarian.
The cool thing was, everyone’s page ended up differently. Michele used double-sided cardstock so that guests could choose colors and patterns that appealed to them but everything was still coordinated. Several of the wives deviated from the example and placed photos and shapes differently on the page. Then, of course, the different stamps and embellishments set them all apart from each other.
Everyone’s page turned out fantastic and we all learned a lot. It was so much fun and really brought us closer together. The wives learned they were, in fact, creative and could more easily appreciate my favorite pastime. We now have something in common as well as our shared experience. And the afternoon was such a success that we planned another “girls’ day in” for next month to make holiday cards.
These parties are perfect for friends, relatives, co-workers and people you’d like to get to know better. It would be a great activity for holiday guests and won’t cost you a thing. Just visit the Close To My Heart website to find a nearby consultant and get the party started!
