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I am doing a book party to get the extra $25 with a $350 order. While I was at a friends house and she was looking at page 202 & 203 to get the order # for some Stampin' Spots, her little 2 yr old on her lap took an ink pen and scribbled in my book! :shock: :( I swear I almost fainted! I know it was an accident but my heart just sank! I'm trying to look on the bright side by being glad it was on that page and not one of the pages with a stamp set. If anyone knows of a way to get the ink off without ruining the page please let me know!
__________________ Susan
________________________________________
If I can't be a good example -- then I'll just have to be a horrible warning!
Sue, I don't have an answer for you, but as a demo who watches her $$$'s I am so sorry! My 8 little catalogs are my business...I probably would have fainted! Good luck and maybe someone will come up with a replacement idea. Maybe use it as your own catalog?
I would just have it spiral bound and use it as one of the catalogs you hand out during a workshop. So sorry that happened - as the mother of a 4 yo (and 9 mos old) I would venture to guess your friend felt very bad!
Best wishes!
Christina
__________________ "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
-Andy Warhol
I know it wouldn't be a perfect solution, but is your book in a binder or a coil or something that you could take out the pages and replace them with a color copy of the pages? Just a thought.
__________________ "I stamp because I can't draw!"
Since my first son was tiny we have always written out his name and said
E-L-L-I-O-T-T...each letter slowly and then in a sing songy voice I say ELLIOTT!!!!
Well, the other day, Elliott, who is not yet two, was in the computer room next to me as I was posting and I heard in a very cute little voice, "E-L-L-T-T, Elliott!!!!"
And there in my very new catty was his little handwriting, to others it would be called scribbling. I was sad that he had written in my catty but that was a priceless memory that I would not trade for the world.
I am sorry you have scribbles in your book, I know that it is disheartening but look on the bright side, atleast the little one didn't tear the page out!!!!
Offer her the IB&C at your cost. Tell her that you can't sell it now, or use it at workshops or what I've done is give my friend a copy to keep at her office for her friends to look at and place orders whenever there's a great promotion or something going on.
I can totally empathize with you on this one. I once did a mother/daughter workshop & my girlfriend's daughter (7 years old) took a pencil and cracked up about 10 of my chalks in my brand new set of pastels. I was devastated. But you gotta try to put things in perspective, it's just STUFF. Would your girlfriend trade her catalog for the damaged one? Or, actually, if you're a demonstrator, a customer may pay 1/2 price for the catty because its damaged goods.
Yes my friend was very sorry and with two children of my own I certainly do understand. If the book wasn't so new I don't think I would've felt as upset.
I would just use it as your workshop catalog and attach a tag with "display only" on it. Then at the end of the catalog year, sell it half price. I had a customer at my last workshop put a star with an ink pen on all of the items she wanted in the catalog. She had no intention of purchasing the catalog. I will announce now at my workshops to please use the wish lists I provide and to not write in my catalogs. No big deal, but these are are "babies"!!
I think your friend should have offered on the spot to make amends by purchasing that catalog. I would be highly embarassed if my kid did something like that and would NEVER even think to just hand the catalog back. I'm sorry, but I can't believe that she wouldn't even offer that. It is a business supply of yours that you have had to purchase!
I would have told her that she HAD to purchase the catalog since it is damaged merchandise. I feel bad for sounding so blatant and harsh on this situation, but that is unbelievable to me!
I must admit, that had it been my child, I would definitely have paid for the catalog on the spot, no hesitation. It is my responsibility as a parent to ensure my child does not damage other's property and if she/he does, then it is my responsibility to make sure it is replaced, even if my child is too young to do so himself.
I am taken aback she didn't offer to pay for it immediately. But there is a general "attitude" it seems these days that children or their parents, if the child is too young to know better, shouldn't be responsible for damaging the property of others.
It is a real sore spot with me, as I witness it on a fairly regular basis and so does my dh as a vice principal at a middle/high school.
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
okay - I don't know if this will work on paper but you could test just a small spot...
On a whiteboard (aka a dry erase board) people have been known to accidently use a permanent marker instead of the erasable. Well, someone with way too much time one their hands (no, not me)discovered that if you wrote over the permanent marker w/ the erasable marker, the permanent would erase also. Using that examples, you could try going over it with an erasable pen or even the dry erasable marker. Or even just try a pen eraser.
If that doesn't work then take a pen and scribble on that child's favorite blanket or toy! HAAAA-HAA Tee-hee! Like you'd really do that - but just imagining it would give me a chuckle - actually, it already does and it wasn't even my catty. :lol:
Susan,
This was a tragic accident! I can understand your frustration with your friend! That being said, I would be happy to exchange my new catalog with the damaged one, although I guess it will cost us both a little postage, but we could go with media mail? I am not a demo and I often wear out my catalog by looking at it so much. Mine isn't worn out yet, though! My 10 year old daughter always has a party every year (we gear it to their ages and invite their Moms!) and so she always earns a new catalog, too. So I will eventually have two new catalogs. I can send you the brand new one (just waiting for my demo to get enough extra copies before I get the second one!) and you can send me the damaged one and either I or my daughter can keep it. Luckily (in this situation!) I am blessed with not being a perfectionist and the markings won't bother me at all! That being said, I bet one of your other really good customers might also switch with you, but if you don't get any takers, email me and I will arrange the trade!
Have a good day!
Laurie FW
OMG Pam! That's funny! I won't post what I was really thinking at the time but it was something close to that! Thanks for the tip as well. I think I have one of those erasable pens at home so I will have to give it a try tonight.
As far as my friend offering to pay for the book, she didn't. However she's new to stamping, never been to a workshop or anything and she ended up placing a $65 order by just looking at the catalog. So I didn't want to ruin the sale and/or my friendship by asking her to buy the catalog. Next time I'll write her order down for her if she's holding her DD!
__________________ Susan
________________________________________
If I can't be a good example -- then I'll just have to be a horrible warning!
I think your friend should have offered on the spot to make amends by purchasing that catalog. I would be highly embarassed if my kid did something like that and would NEVER even think to just hand the catalog back. I'm sorry, but I can't believe that she wouldn't even offer that. It is a business supply of yours that you have had to purchase!
I would have told her that she HAD to purchase the catalog since it is damaged merchandise. I feel bad for sounding so blatant and harsh on this situation, but that is unbelievable to me!
Wow! I can see why you would be upset, but I wonder if this "friend" even realized that we pay for these? maybe she thought it was just supplied by Stampin' Up and also that it was just a catalog for ppl to order from. Now, of course, *we* all know better than that, but I would give her the benefit of the doubt...
Maybe I'm in the minority, tho...
__________________ "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
-Andy Warhol
Hi Julie,
You might try a little alcohol in a corner & see if that will take it off. Do small areas, & let dry in between. I had some writing in one of my books last year & was able to get the ink (but not the indentations) out this way. I just applies it with a q-tip. HTH
__________________ Happy Stampin',Charisma
When my children complain, I remind them "If the world didn't suck we'd all fall off!" My itty-bitty SCS Gallery
Location: My very hot stamp room, in Phoenix! It's a dry heat.
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Julie,
Why not turn this ugly situation into a nice one. I would give her the catalog for FREE! She did place a $65 order, after all! Be sure to include it on her receipt with the retail price of $9.95 and then mark through it as FREE! She will see you as a very generous person (which you are!) and she will have the catalog to tempt her to buy more in the future! ++ in my opinion!
I agree with IMASTAMPIN. Giving her the catalogue could turn a sour situation into something sweet. If she placed a $65 order while first looking through the catalogue, can you imagine what kind of order she may place if she actually gets to look at the catalogue every day?!
Ballpoint ink is soluble with hair spray (b/c of the alcohol in it), rubbing alcohol or permanent ink remover -- I believe fingernail polish remover will also work. I have a daughter with ADHD and she loves to write on EVERYTHING -- and usually with permanent ink!! :shock: I have had loads of experience successfully removing it, but not yet from paper...since the catty pages are glossy, I would think this will work better with those pages than it would with plain paper
Here's how to apply it so that it may not damage the page further:
Using a cotton dishtowel (no lint, the flour sack type) or an old cotton tee shirt, dab a "glob" of the cloth over the top of the bottle of whatever you are using. Make sure it is not saturated -- just damp.
Take the damp portion of it and gently rub where the ink was put. I would be careful not to get it too much on the catalog ink/printing, I would think it could take it off. You could also use a Q-tip to have a more precise "point" to go along with the ink marks. If you use the hairspray (spritz bottle type, not aerosol) you will need to run over it with a damp cloth (water) afterwards to get the stickiness out of it.
Good luck. I'd be interested to know if this works on the catty. As I said, I have used it on wood furniture, clothing, and other types of paper goods --usually with a gloss or semi gloss finish on them, and I have not yet had any damage and have been able to get the ink out every time.
Julie,
Why not turn this ugly situation into a nice one. I would give her the catalog for FREE! She did place a $65 order, after all! Be sure to include it on her receipt with the retail price of $9.95 and then mark through it as FREE! She will see you as a very generous person (which you are!) and she will have the catalog to tempt her to buy more in the future! ++ in my opinion!
I think this is a great idea! It's a nice way to deal with an awkward situation.
My 2¢ It saddens me that she didn't offer to pay for the damage her child did. I just don't get that.
I think you'd be justified in asking someone to pay, but honestly, after thinking about it, I seriously doubt I'd have the will or gumption to ask someone to if they didn't offer! I mean, how can you do that graciously?
I think doing what "imastampin" said is definitely the best way to go.
__________________ Dee
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me".
Erma Bombeck
If she placed a $65 order while first looking through the catalogue, can you imagine what kind of order she may place if she actually gets to look at the catalogue every day?!
Kathleen
I usually give my customers a free catalog once they've purchased more than $125 from me. (Cumulative) With one more order she'd probably be there anyway!
You also said this was a friend of yours. What is $5 between friends? nothing at all
__________________ Dee
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me".
Erma Bombeck
Well I tried my erasable pen last night and that didn't work. :( So I think I will try the suggestion of the hair spray and then if that doesn't work then the alcohol. Can't hurt to try!
Anyway, when my order comes in I may do what 'imastampin' suggested and give her the book and mark it on her order form as free. She was very interested in the products and would probably order again if she has her own book to look at.
Thank you all again for your help!
Happy Stampin'
__________________ Susan
________________________________________
If I can't be a good example -- then I'll just have to be a horrible warning!
Why don't you take a good one, get the pages copied like someone suggested then take the old one along with those copied pages and have it spirled. SOme said in an earlier post that the copy store messed up a couple of pages in their catty, so they color copied it on glossy paper and you could not even tell.. But then again, by the time you went through this expense it would probably cover the cost of your catty! sUSIE
i know aresol hairspray took ink of my car seats, but I dont know how it
would do on paper.
Location: In the great northwest! Is there anywhere better?
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Not to one up you here .But last year I had just gotten a new box of cattys I opened them up and left the room. Big mistake! My male cat didn't like the smell of them and sprayed the whole box of them.
I cried ,I yelled , I scrubbed them and perfumed them!
Oh it was a bad day. I soooooo can feel your pain! L. Barnes
Julie,
Why not turn this ugly situation into a nice one. I would give her the catalog for FREE! She did place a $65 order, after all! Be sure to include it on her receipt with the retail price of $9.95 and then mark through it as FREE! She will see you as a very generous person (which you are!) and she will have the catalog to tempt her to buy more in the future! ++ in my opinion!
Well, if your child damaged someone else's property, would you offer to make it right? As has been said before, SU! cattys are not giveaways, unlike with many other direct order companies. They are merchandise that demos must buy with their other business supplies. Brick and mortar stores have a "you break, you buy" policy -- if this applied to workshops as well, you can bet that careless customers would be more careful with the demo's supplies! I know we don't like making waves over stuff like this, but sometimes it's necessary or you'll be a doormat!
I am going to preface this by saying that I am a mom that believes that if my child(ren) mess something up be it a room at someones house or property, they are responsible for cleaning it up or I am responsible for paying for that property to be put right. I don't care what age my child is. If they are old enough to know better then they will be old enough to pay for it in some way (like extra chores to pay me back for repairs).If the child is too young, I am most definitely responsible for watching them closely so that damage does not occur and I most definitely would pay for the item.
Yes, it is just a catty. But I paid for that catty. I am on a very tight budget and cannot afford to just say oh well and buy another catty. Besides, why should I have to? I am responsible for my children and their actions. Others should be as well. The same ppl who disregard a scribbled page in a catty are the same ones who will be screaming when some kid damages their property. If you don't teach a child respect for anothers property now, they will never learn it and will be more likely to damage property later in life.
Ok, off my soapbox. I have been dealing with some older kids tearing done the clubhouse that my son and his friends have been working crazy to build the last couple weeks. These boys could care less that the younger boys or anyone for that matter have worked hard to build this little hut. It isn't theirs so why should they care. (their words).
Being that this is a friend I would simply do the order form so that she does see that the cattys cost money and so it doesn't ruin a friendship and possible good customer.
__________________ Melissa Wadkins (Mel)
Peace begins with a smile.
Member #3785
I would guess that when I was a new stamper I wouldn't have considered the catalog as damaged with a few ink marks in it. I'm not sure I would have thought to offer to pay for it.
I am now a stampaholic and I know how much care we put into keeping our catalogs nice. It would bother me that someone scribbled in the catalog, but it is the price of doing business.
Hopefully by the end of the year your catty has been looked through by so many people that the pages are worn out!
Adding Humor (and making a point at the same time...)
Susan:
Here's a thought if the ink doesn't come out (you can use it or not it if you want):
How about giving her the catalog, and saying, "I know how precious my children's artwork is/was, and since your son expressed his creative talent in this, I thought you might like to keep it."
You may want to phrase it in a way that works best for you, but it would make the point subtly that he did this, give her the catalog as a good will gesture (while also writing it on an order form and giving it to her with the catty to also make the point, and indicate maybe on it that it is a loss -- for your tax records as well), and if she asks about the order form, you can just tell her you need to track losses for your income taxes. Like I said, this post is not polished, I'm having a braindead day, but you could phrase it in a way that sounds your style, and subtly acknowledges the issue, while at the same time giving her something to look at, and hopefully order from in the future. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.
you might try, very carefully (testing first on a different piece of printed paper, maybe a page from a beat-up catalog) using xylene, marketed as "goof off." There are two varieties available now at most hardware stores, original and low-toxicity/low odor. I prefer the former, used with ventilation, though I have never used it on printed paper before. The stuff comes in a variety of sizes of bottles, so you could just get the smallest size, but store it well away from children--it's lethal. On the otherhand it is fantastically usefully for removing paint dribbles (even old ones) from finished wood and yucky double-sided foam tape residue.
On a side note, I borrowed someone else's catalog and did everything I could to keep it pristine aside from wearing archival gloves. When I finally got my own it was such a pleasure to make notes all over the pages--it is now truly a workbook. I really think that this discussion reinforces the benefit (for demonstrator and guests!) of talking at the beginning of a workshop about how to buy/earn a catalog and how to use it to maximum benefit.
Finally, does anyone recommend using a comb binding on catalogs, or are spiral bindings the way to go?
I had mine spiral bound at Office Max and had the covers laminated...it was about six dollars...it was GREAT. HOWEVER!!!! There were a ton of girls who had theirs done and the books were cut too deeply and the cattys were ruined. So my advice is to talk to the person who will be doing it and make sure they know what they are doing and then let them know that if they screw it up, you will ask them to replace it at your cost...see what they have to say. Like I said, mine is GREAT! I love the fact that I can nurse my Cole and look through with just one hand!
Okay, I only skimmed through responses, so if I"m repeating, please forgive me! When I was in the Navy, and had to wear the white polyester shirt every day, I constantly had the cheap gov't pens explode in a pocket. Someone told me back then to buy some CHEAP hairspray, and spray it out. That advice saved me MANY shirts!! Something about hairspray gets ink out. I would try spraying some on a cotton ball and using it on an OLD catalog or mini catalog that I don't use first, but that's the FIRST thing I'd try. Rubbing with an ink eraser can take off the lettering, but I'm not sure if Hairspray would do that or not. Hope it comes out for you, I can totally relate to the horror!!!
Debbi
__________________ "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works," Hebrews 10:24
I too would have purchased it then too if my child wrote in it!
How awful!! I understand children and it is a complete mistake but I would have felt terrible espeically if it was on loan!!
I think your "friend" should have bought the catty then!!! Maybe reduced since it was used but still!
Since this topic has surfaced again I thought I would let everyone know the result. I put hairspray on Q-tips and it did make a difference. You can still see the ink but it's much lighter and looks way better. It probably would've taken most of the ink off but I didn't want to use too much hairspray or rub too hard on my page. By the time my order came in I was over the shock and my page looked a lot better so I ended up keeping the catalog and marked it as a lesson learned. My friend loves her new stamps and plans on ordering more down the road. The final result is we're both happy, still friends and we're enjoying our new stamps! Thanks to everyone for letting me vent a bit and for all the advise!
__________________ Susan
________________________________________
If I can't be a good example -- then I'll just have to be a horrible warning!
Just about fainted!
I'll probably just leave it as it is and in the future if I know someone has small children I'll just try to be sure and have them look at that catalog. That way if an accident happens again it won't be in another catalog! 
