Sunday, August 2, 2009

Top Secret Mission: Revealed

[Insert Mission Impossible theme music here.]

You cannot even begin to imagine my surprise when I received a phone call several weeks ago from a Close To My Heart Executive Director. Her first question after introducing herself was if I could I be sworn to secrecy. Okay!!!

Close To My Heart has just held its Leadership weekend in sunny California, and though I had decided not to attend this year, would I create and donate something for a silent auction to benefit Operation Smile? It had to be something a bit over-the-top since other Close To My Heart consultants would be bidding on items in the silent auction, and all proceeds would go to Operation Smile. She didn't have to ask me twice!!!


If you are not yet familiar with Operation Smile, I encourage you to go check out their website. They are committed to "changing lives one smile at a time," and they do this by repairing cleft lips and cleft palettes of children around the world. Can you believe that only $240 can completely change a child's life and repair his or her beautiful smile? Close To My Heart has partnered with Operation Smile, and I am happy to take donations to help this worthy organization. You can see why it was easy to say YES and stay quiet about this "top secret" project!

Since I was challenged to create something for other consultants, I settled on something I want for myself (and still haven't made!): a desk set. Here is the complete set. I used too many materials to list here, but I stuck with the Emporium paper pack. (Feel free to ask about any particular item. I'll be happy to share more info.)

I'm not sure how well Blogger will let me line up my text w/my photos, but I'll try.

binder clip to hold a photo


binder clip to hold your "to do" list










pencil cup (altered Crystal Light container) ~ I love making these things!!!









Love that button stamp set!!!





The actual pencils
(Thank you, Karen Pederson, for the "lollipop roses" tutorial! That's how I made the flower on the center pencil.)






Round coaster wall hanging ~ my favorite item in this collection (and the last minute final piece because I didn't think that I had enough "stuff" in the set! It's probably my favorite because I haven't made anything like it before, and I love how it turned out. You can't see in the photo, but there's a window charm on the clock face. It really looks like a clock, and if you know me, you know I have a thing for clocks and watches!)








5"x7" Seasons art
(I won first place in the consultant art contest in Dec. '08 w/this concept, and I figured that's why I even got the phone call in the first place to participate. I was smart this time and have made myself one too!)






Acrylic notepad holder (2" post-it notes; altered 3"x5" frame on its side instead of standing up)









Here's how the post-it holder looks sitting on your desk.









Mini notebook to record fave websites & blogs
(I stamped the inside top right corners w/the letters of the alphabet to make it easier to record the info and find it again. Hey! I should have put my info in there! LOL)






Another fave project: altered composition notebook
(I have a notebook similar to this- though not quite as "fancy"- that I keep my CTMH notes in. It's great to have a spot for my info that I can easily find!)





Now for the biggest news of all: My upline emailed me yesterday to say that with an hour left in the auction, the bid was was higher than I would have ever dreamed!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to find out the total and the generous consultant who will be making such a difference in a child's life. I am still tearing up as I think about it! I feel so honored to have been asked to participate and to help make a difference, one smile at a time.
P.S. I just found out that the auction raised about $5000 for Operation Smile! Woohoo!!! :)

30 comments:

  1. Congratulations, honey! I am not surprised that this set was a winner. It is fantastic. My own smile is 'over the top' right now! This was certainly a worthy cause (I love SMILES) and everyone deserves a great one!!! I'm very proud of you, as always...xoxoxo

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  2. Absolutely Beautiful! Congratulations and what an honor and privelage to know that your work is helping so many children. Way to go and keep up the good work!

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  3. Congratulations, Haley! OMG! It's GORGEOUS! You should be very proud and honored as you did a fantastic job (including the secrecy part!).

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  4. Congratulations on a fantastic project! Very Gorgeous it is!:) Great job Haley! Awesome!!!

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  5. OMG! You are so wonderful and you did an awesome job!!

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  6. Beautiful set! Someone will be very lucky to get this.

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  7. Haley--that's gorgeous! And-a huge amount of work, too, I'm sure. But, for a very good cause. Congratulations!

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  8. Haley,
    This is a gorgeous desk set! I am going to have to make one for myself now! Whoever bought it is one lucky scrapper! Beautiful work!

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  9. Beautiful work, my first thought when I saw the pictures was "no one else's will come close" I'm glad it was such a great hit for Operation Smile and for yourself.

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  10. geez, louise, Haley-your desk set is bee-U-T-ful!!!!! and you are a great secret keeper-huge congrats, girlie!!

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  11. WOW, Haley, what an awesome set! It is great, and I can see how someone would want that - I love all the detail on your post-it note holder. Way to go, girl!

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  12. Great job, Haley! My downline was there and called me a couple of times. In one of her calls she mentioned the Silent Auction and the fabulous Desk Set that somebody had donated. Now I know who donated it!

    Suzanne

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  13. Wow, what a beautiful desk set -- you thought of everything. I can't imagine how much time you spent in designing and creating everything. How generous of you and the consultant who bought it.

    -- Sherry

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  14. wow, that is amazing and knowing your mom and dad like i do, it's exactly what i would expect of you! ha ha ha

    congratulations honey!

    smiles, bee
    xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

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  15. I am so glad I looked at your blog, it's truely a must save. I am so pleased with your desk set and I am sure the winner is as well. The set looks fun and it does bring s smile to ones face... Now speaking as your personal promoter (yea, I know you don't know me, lol) we needto see you do this all over again on YOUTUBE.com, lol. I am a rather new consultant and I would like to see how you did parts of the project. Plus why not share it with the CTMH and creative folks who care to watch as well.. saves you giving personaly instruction!! :) AGain, congrats on your success to BRING SMILES and also on your CREATIVITY!!!

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  16. Oh Haley! This is absolutely gorgeous! You did a fantastic job and whomever (I can never get that right!) the winner is...she's one lucky gal. Congratulations!

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  17. Congratulations! This set is beautiful and how incredible that it went for such a worthy cause. You rock!

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  18. awesomeeeeeeeee job girl!!! How cool to have to keep a secret...those are the best kind!!! :)
    Your art is incredible!!!! :) So proud of you!

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  19. Awesome! A smile is a wonderful thing to wear! Let's see... $5,000 divided by $240, carry the...

    That's a lot of new Happy Smiles!

    Congratulations to you and everyone involved, especially the kids!

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  20. Super job on the desk set. Glad to hear that the silent auction did so well. The amount raised will help over 20 children to live happy, healthy, normal lives.

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  21. awesome job! Congrats to yourself on being one of the select few, congrats to you putting a smile where it matters most, congrats for making a consultant happy & knowing she helped put a smile where it matters as well!!

    fabulous...

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  22. AWSOME Haley & a big CONGRATS to you.
    this is wonderful.

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  23. Haley, this is just wonderful! Wonderful that they asked you to participate and that you made such an awesome desk set and that it raised so much money! (let us know when you find out what this item went for, the total is amazing!)
    Congratulations on all of it!

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  24. Hi Haley...
    You did a wondeful job with this Project, must have been tough to keep it a secret too...

    I have 3 boxes of Binder clips (sitting on a shelf) so I was so excited to see how you have used them...
    The whole set is Awesome..

    Congrats..Geri Freeborn (AKA:Lindee)

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  25. That is SOOOOOOO awesome! I was supposed to do a project too, but I have ended up with more on my plate than I could have ever imagined. It made me sad not to be able to complete my mission. . . Beautiful work! My project was a set of 6 FAMILY scrapblocks. . . it WAS turning out so well!

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  26. Haley, it's just lovely. :) You did a fabulous job with it!!

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  27. Congrats Hayley!!!
    This is amazing. You are SOOO talented.
    WTG!

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  28. Haley - what an incredibly creative set - it's obvious you put your heart and soul in this beautiful project. Congratulations!

    Cathy C

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