Visit My New Site

Visit me at my new site http://stampwithlois.com/. It's a work in progress but I'm slowly getting things moved over to my new site. Be sure to add me to your favorites once you get there!

Dates: June 1-30, 2008
Promotion details:
From June 1-30, Stampin’ Up! is providing an advance purchase opportunity for the Fresh Cut stamp set (#111634) and coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes (#111882). These two products will be included in the Fall-Winter 2008 Idea Book & Catalog.
Customers: Purchase the sneak peek Fresh Cut stamp set and add on the coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes for just $5.
Hostesses: Hold a $400 workshop, and receive the Fresh Cut stamp set and coordinating Fresh-Cut Notes FREE.
Customers:
Customers may purchase these two products the following ways:
Buy the Fresh Cut stamp set and get the Fresh-Cut Notes for just $5 (limit one Fresh-Cut Notes at $5).
Buy just the stamp set for: $21.95.
Buy just the Fresh-Cut Notes for $8.95.

Tipsy Tuesday - 10 Tips For Hosting a Successful Workshop

You've done it - you've booked a Stampin' UP! workshop. Now what? Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your workshop.

1. Ask your demonstrator for the 40 guests in 4 minutes worksheet. This worksheet is designed to help you think of 40 people you already know. Invite a new neighbor or co-worker. Keep in mind that probably only half of the people you invite will attend.

2. Follow up your invitation with a telephone call one week before and the evening before. If guests can't make it show them your Idea Book & Catalog and encourage them to order.

3. Work with your demonstrator before hand on what you hope to get out of your workshop, i.e. learn a new technique, organizing a stamp club or becoming a demonstrator yourself. Set a goal before hand on what you would like to receive for free merchandise.

4. Ask your demonstrator to do a make and take project so that your guests get some hands on time with Stampin' UP's! product. It's been my experience that people usually buy what I've used on make and takes. This will increase your sales totals which means increasing the amount of product you get for FREE!!!

5. Keep in contact with your demonstrator. She is there to answer any questions you may have and ease your worries about hosting a workshop.

6. Let your demonstrator know if your guests are more into cardmaking or scrapbooking so she can plan her demonstration accordingly.

7. Ask questions during the demonstration. For example, ask the demonstrator the difference between Classic Stampin' Pads and Craft Pads. Ask about double sided Designer Series paper. Create interest in the products the demonstrator is using.

8. Encourage your friends (even the ones who say they aren't creative) to purchase at least 1 item to get them started or to add to their stash. If they see how excited you are about Stampin' UP! they will get excited too. Remember the higher your sales the more free product you receive!

9. Keep snacks simple and serve after the demonstration. Your guests will love snacking while browsing through the catalog. Keep in mind that food and open drinks can spell disaster during a demonstration.

10. Relax and have fun at your workshop. You want your friends to see how much you enjoy paper crafting. If your having a good time your guests will have a good time.

Try these tips the next time you book your workshop and with the help of your demonstrator watch your sales climb. To book a workshop with visit my demonstrator website. To find a demonstrator in your area click here: demonstrator locator.


© Lois Rosborough, Stampin' UP! Demonstrator - May 2008. All rights reserved.

Faux Cloisonne Tutorial

I have loved Cloisonne ever since I received a beautiful pair of black and red earrings for my birthday one year. It's one of the most beautiful techniques for art that exists. I was thrilled to find out it could be duplicated using paper and rubber stamps as a medium. Here is my Faux Cloisonne card:



I used glossy pages from a clothing ad to create my card. I stamped the images from Time Well Spent (a Level 3 hostess set), embossed in gold and cut them out. I adhered them to the Really Red cardstock, I matted that on Certainly Celery cardstock and used a rub-on for my sentiment. I ran Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon around my Pumpkin Pie cardstock base and adhered my image.

View my complete tutorial:

Faux Cloisonné Tutorial - Upload a doc

Read this doc on Scribd: Faux Cloisonné Tutorial

Double Pocket Card

I found this great tutorial by Barb Mulliken this morning and thought I'd give it a try. I love it and plan on doing it at one of my camps - probably for holiday time. This technique is pretty versatile as far as what themes and goodies you can use to stuff the pockets. I am going to add a gift card to my 2nd pocket and put my note in the front pocket on the tag. You could add bookmarks, candy, cash, perfume or lotion sample packages, earrings - pretty much anything that would fit in the pocket!

I used Ginger Blossom designer series papers to make my card. I stamped my stem from Embrace Life on watercolor paper and used Wild Wasabi Classic Ink to color in the leaves. I stamped my flower three times on watercolor paper, colored them in with Groovy Guava Classic Ink and cut out all three. I trimmed two petals off one of the flower and layered it over the first flower using Stampin' Dimensionals. I trimmed the third flower down to just one petal and layered it over the 2ND layer using Stampin' Dimensionals. It gives the flower a 3-D look - almost as if you are looking at a real flower. I adhered the finished flower to my stem. Using the ticket corner punch I punched all the edges of water color paper, the Purely Pomegranate CS and the Groovy Guava. Before matting my stamped image I tied some Purely Pomegranate ribbon around it then matted on PP and GG CS. I adhered to my card and using my 1/8" punch added a brad through all the layers on the top right hand corner. Next I stamped my sentiment on Very Vanilla cardstock and punched using the large oval punch. I adhered to my main image and then added a piece of Hodge Podge hardware to finish the front of my card.

On the inside of my card I added a tag cut out Whisper White and stamped with Versamark to give it a water marked appearance. I matted it on the Purely Pomegranate and Groovy Guava CS. I punched out the tab punch using my Ginger Blossom paper and attached it to the top of my tag with a brad. I slipped that in my bottom pocket. I will add the gift card to my top pocket and it will be ready for gift giving! When my card was all put together I used gold Stickles for the stamens of the flower. That is the only non-Stampin' UP! item on this card.

Try this technique for Graduation and Wedding Season gifts. It's fun, easy and has a great WOW factor.

Graphic Squares

These are a couple of cards I made using stamps from Outlines Rubber Stamps. They are time consuming but I love the finished product. It's almost like building a quilt from paper. I really like that the only embellishments are tiny crystals. There is already so much to look at on these cards. I think I'm going to make a few more this weekend.

What I've Been Working On

I've been trying to focus on getting my photos scrapped lately. Playing around with printing my own pictures and trying out some old techniques to use up my unending stash. I had these cute little charm holders that have been around forever so I cut up a little picture of a flower and slid it into the holder. I added a layer of diamond glaze to give it a glassy appearance and tied it to my ric rac border with some gold cord. I added tons of flowers and thought the ribbon word "discover" really fit this layout. I just need to add journaling and this layout is finished.