GRAPEVINE, TEXAS—June 24, 2004—Close To My Heart, a leader in the $2.5 billion scrapbooking industry, announced several significant new products today at its annual convention, being held at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.

From Cottage Industry to Major Market
According to the Hobby Industry Association, scrapbooking is the fastest growing hobby in the country. HIA estimates that this $2.5 billion market sector will grow 40 percent to 80 percent between 2003 and 2008 (Hobby Industry Association, 2003).

Fast, Simple, Easy
Close To My Heart believes scrapbooking should be fast, simple and easy for people of all creativity, time and interest levels. The company has designed industry-leading products and programs to support this effort, and the products announced today are no exception:

My Reflections™ Scrapbook Kits

In 2003, Close To My Heart introduced pre-packaged, coordinated scrapbook kits. My Reflections kits go even further to help make scrapbooking faster, simpler and easier than ever before.

My Reflections Level 1 kits include coordinated, pre-printed layout pages, background and texture papers, cardstock, adhesive artwork and the company’s patented Memory Protectors – everything you need to create a complete scrapbook page in minutes. Just add your photos, and you’re done.

My Reflections Level 2 and Level 3 kits contain additional products and accessories that let customers add their own personal touches to each item they create. Pricing for My Reflections kits starts at $10.95.

My Acrylix™ Stamps

A leader in rubber mounted wood-block stamps, Close To My Heart will now offer thousands of designs in acrylic. My Acrylix provide the most compact, precision stamping option available – at an extremely affordable price. My Acrylix are made of two separate sections, a clear acrylic mounting block, and a stamp design made of a thin, flexible polymer. Using the stamps is easy: Just peel off the stamp design you want to use, stick it to the stamping block (no adhesive required), and you’re ready to create. To use another design, simply peel off the first design, and replace it with another. Because multiple stamp design pieces are stored on sheets and not permanently affixed to stamping blocks, you can store hundreds of designs in one card box. And because My Acrylix are 100 percent clear, stamping accuracy is a breeze for beginners and experts alike. Pricing for My Acrylix stamps sets start at $10.95.

9” x 9” My Legacy™ Albums

With the addition of a new 9” x 9”-sized album, Close To My Heart offers an unparalleled selection to fit every need and customer style. The new 9” x 9” albums are larger than the company’s 6” x 6” albums, but more compact than the traditional 12” x 12” size. The 9” x 9” albums accommodate two to four photos per page and are ideal for children and young adults who want to scrapbook their own pictures and memorabilia.  Pricing for 9” x 9” My Legacy Albums start at $22.95.

Close To My Heart also announced My Stickease™, cardstock-weight adhesive artwork; My Accents™, coordinated accessory packs for embellishing scrapbook pages and other creations; B&T Duos™, background and texture papers that have a solid color on one side, and a color-coordinated pattern on the other. 

“Just about everyone wants to preserve their memories,” said Close To My Heart Founder and CEO Jeanette Lynton. “But a lot of people feel overwhelmed by the cost, time and their own lack of creativity. We want to make scrapbooking fast, simple and easy for everyone, and our products and programs reflect that. We don’t require our customers to spend hundreds of dollars, devote hours and hours of their precious time, or have dedicated scrapbooking rooms to get great results. Close To My Heart products and programs help our customers preserve important memories easily and beautifully. Because scrapbooking is about so much more than cutting and pasting, it’s about celebrating our relationships.”

About Close To My Heart
Close To My Heart (www.closetomyheart.com) believes that the art of scrapbooking should be fast, simple and easy.  Our products and how-to programs reflect the realities of our customers’ lives.  From our most dedicated enthusiasts, to busy new parents, to professionals with just a few minutes each week, Close To My Heart makes scrapbooking real for real people.  Founder and CEO Jeanette Lynton, a 20-year industry visionary, has pioneered many of the innovative products and techniques that form the foundation of today’s $2.5 billion scrapbooking market.  Headquartered in Pleasant Grove, Utah, Close To My Heart is a privately held direct sales company with thousands of consultants across the United States and Canada.

Contact:

Kellie Englehardt
Public Relations Specialist
Close To My Heart
Phone: 801-847-3073
E-mail: kelliee@closetomyheart.com