Next Class

Just a quick post, wow two in one night. I have some spaces avaliable in my technique class coming up on Sunday (yes the day after tomorrow) so if you would like to come let me know. If you still want the pack I can order it for you after the class or you can just pay $15 for the class. Here are the details...

My next class is...

Embossing Techniques
This months class is a technique class. We will be doing a number of techniques:
- Embossing basic
- Embossing resist
- Emerging Colour

Get the class and a pack of all the materials you will need to do this at home for $110 (details below) or class only for $15.

Only $110 for the following class pack for you to take home:
- Petal Pizzazz Stamp Set (normaly $58.95)
- Versamark pad ($13.95)
- Gold or Silver encore pad ($16.95)
- Clear embossing powder ($8.95)
- Gold or silver embossing powder ($8.95)
- Embossing buddy ($9.50)
plus
- Special offer add the Heat tool $49.95 and get the powder pals for only $25.00
For a total of $184.95 ($215.40 value)
*Please remember that if you have any of these products already let me know and I can organise for you to get something different.

Date: Sunday 2 August, 2pm to 5pm.
Where: At my home, contact me for details

New spring mini catalogue

Hi there everyone. Wow it is dusty in here! Just kidding. Yep it has been a long time since I have posted. No digital camera has been a real drag but we have it back and I have photos to show. And they are of some of the samples I have made with the new spring mini catalogue that is available tomorrow.

This card is a straight CASE from the catalogue but it was so cute I just had to make it. It is done using the new Forest Friends set from the mini. It also has one of the new flower brads on it. You can't see the brad very well because the brad is Chocolate Chip like the card but they are very cute. The other colours used in the card are Bashful Blue, Old Olive and Close to Cocoa (the bunny). I will be posting more pictures of items made from the new sets and accessories in the next week. If you are interested in getting a copy of the new mini let me or click on the cover of the mini to the right to see an electronic copy.
thanks for looking and happy stamping
Mel

A word about Ebay

Ebay can be a wonderful way of building up your craft supplies. You can find so many different things and pick up some fantastic bargains. But "buyer beware" is doubly true when it comes to buying things at auction. Stampin' Up! demos are not allowed by the contract they have signed with Stampin' Up! to sell current product on auction sites like Ebay. Selling retired and no longer available product is perfectly acceptable and I usually have some retired items listed as I try to make room in my stamp collection for new acquisitions. If someone is selling current product please be cautious, it might be simply someone who has decided that they aren't interested anymore or have bought something they then decided they don't like but then again someone selling a lot of current product in unopened condition should ring alarm bells. You might not think it matters to you if someone is violating their contract or not but someone that has that little regard for the rules of the organisation they are a member of might not be the best person to deal with. The reason behind this ban on selling current product is because it undermines the business model of Stampin' Up! and is unfair to other demonstrators who do do the right thing. And the last and most important reason for being cautious of some sellers is because they are ripping you the customer off. Myself and many other demos have watched helpless while customers bid over and above the current retail price for sets they could buy from us. There is were two sets listed on Ebay (Forest Friends and Choo Choo) that will be available just next month for around $25 from any demo, Forest Friends sold for over $40 and Choo Choo for over $30. The seller is also ripping off customers on postage. Minimum postage to get items from a demo is $5.95 for an order up to $120 and then 5%, but the usual price for postage on Ebay is upwards of $6.50 for a single item. So please bid with caution on Ebay. If you find something that you would like, but aren't sure of, why not give your demo a call. She/he will be happy to let you know if the item is current or not, and if it is current what the current price for it is. You can then choose to bid or not and if you do bid you are armed with the knowledge to stop you from being ripped off.

Mel

Hostess tips

Well it has been a while since I have posted. Mostly because with our camera off for repairs I have not had any pics to put up to show you what I have been doing. Hopefully we will pick it up today so I will have new pics to put up soon. In the mean time I thought I would post something that I included in my last newsletter. With the current Stampin' Up! special for hostesses (get an extra $40 to spend on product when your workshop sales reach $600) I sent out some tips on how to host a successful workshop.

• Invite more people than you want to attend. Don't be afraid to invite people because you think they won't be interested they may just have never told you that they have an interest in stamping or paper craft, or they may just be interested in an evening/afternoon out having fun with some friends.
• Give a personal invite, give them a written invitation (I can provide you with Stampin' Up! workshop invitation postcards) in person or give them a call on the phone and follow up with an email.
• Show around the the catalogue. When you book a workshop you will receive a complementary copy of the 2009 Idea book and catalogue as well as a loan copy. Show these around, pass them around at work, playgroups or take them with you when you pick your children up from school. Actually seeing the products and the samples made with them can generate interest where there was none before. It will also provide the opportunity for anyone who can't actually attend the workshop to put in an order if they would like. Please note that orders need to be paid for before I can place them, so cash and cheque payments need to be given to me at the workshop. Credit Card payments are processed when the order is submitted to Stampin' Up!
• Contact your guests a day or two before the workshop to remind them about it and to keep the enthusiasm going.
• Be enthusiastic, if you are excited about the workshop then your guests will get excited too.
• At the workshop maintain your enthusiasm and have fun. Don't stress too much about a clean house, fancy snacks or making everything perfect. Your guests are coming to have some fun with you and the other guests and to do some Stamping.

So that is just some brief tips on how to have a successful workshop. And remember if you aren't happy to have the workshop at your house I am always happy to host it at my house for you.
Have a great weekend and happy stamping
Melanie