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What kind of stuff do you give your hostess? I'm stuck for ideas and I don't want to give anything cheesy. Was thinking a legal pad/comp book or memo pad with matching pen. Is this old and tired? I have a party coming up and this lady is a first time SU hostess, I want to make it good, but something I can afford to repeat for others. Any ideas?
__________________ Melissa
"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort" - Franklin D. Roosevelt
I know what you mean about old ideas...so I was thinking the other day and you know what I did? I gave my hostess some supplies she would need to recreate the technique that I demo'd at her party! We did crayon resist and she LOVED it! So I am glad that I had parceled out some glossy CS for her and I also gave her something else but I can't remember what....then I also did the same thing for a hostess who ordered a full set of the ink pads...I gave her a sheet of each of the color CS of the RR family and I also included the glossy CS with a demo card and instructions...she did not have that technique at her party! LOL She also loved it! I think that I like doing things like this because everyone who wants to "save money" buys "other" paper and then they don't get to see what the real difference is! I am a penny pincher but I know the value of buying good paper that matches the inks I am using!
Another good and inexpensive hostess gift is a candle...you know you can make it for just over a dollar and then when the entire crowd goes wild you can offer to do that as a class and ask who would be interested in learning that technique??? It would be a possible booking incentive or class participation thing as well! Also go look under the demo section of the website here...I have had really good ideas from there more than once!
How 'bout a set of personalized cards? I made a set of six identical mongrammed cards and envelopes for each of my moms last Mother's Day. It was really quick and easy. I just did variations on the color scheme for each mom.
__________________ Tamara: hs'ing, babywearing mama to five fab kids
and expecting a new little Pumpkin in September!
I do a cello bag with about 10 half sheets of CS (I pick the colors) and then a couple swatches of ribbon. I premake most of a topper and then demo part of the topper at the party (something to wow them), finish it off on the bag of cardstock and hand it to the hostess as a thank you. I always have cardstock around and if I'm running low on a color, I just don't pick that color out for them.
Right now I'm using an idea I got at convention: you cut enough cardstock to make 2 or 3 cards with a couple of layers, a couple of envelopes, some ribbon to match and then an incentive stamp. Put all of this in one of the clear logo bags that the paper assortments come in and stamp a label to put on the front using the Business Memos set.
I bought one of the new jumbo incentive stamp sets and made 12 of these at once. I tell the hostess it is a card-making kit. I matched the colors of the cardstock to what I thought the stamp would look good with and went from there. My hostess the other night was very happy with the one she got! Best of all, I'm covered for the next 11 workshops!
Things I've also done in the past are votive holder boxes, stamped date books, shrink art pins, stamped notepads with pens, stamped flower pots (small ones), and recipe books made with spiral bound index cards. I get the materials for my hostess gifts at the dollar store! Don't spend too much money on them or you will be giving away your income!
I usually just package a couple of incentive stamps and a stampin spot in a cello bag. I have also made card holders and put 3 handmade cards in them before.
One of the hostess gifts I find all my hostess love is a clay pot painted a solid color than stamp with a pretty stamp set on it. For example: paint the pot white then stamp it with D.D stamp set. Like Gladsome Garden. I make it with bright colors. Pink passion, green galore, only orange. I place a bow in the center of the pot, on the rim portion, with tacky glue and hold it on with a cloths pin till it dries. The bow color is normally pink passion organdy ribbon.
Later I stuff it with shredded paper in pink passion. I add two Hershey kisses, a black or colored stampin spot, and an incentive stamp. I also include a small business stamped card (baseball size), with all the essentials info. of how to reach me. I laminated it punch a hole in the corner. Then add key ring for them to carry with them to reach me at all times. I place the pot with the key card inside a large cello bag add a matching topper. When I give it to my hostess it makes a big statement. I share what's inside and how easy it is to create. The versatility of stamps. And how anyone there could have one of them by booking a workshop with me tonight. Another Hostess gift I give is a Large key ring with my baseball lamininated card and all the important info on how to reach me. Also on the ring are tag size c/s in our 48 colors. I have a small tag punch and I use it to cut the diffent color c/s. Place in a cello bag with shredded paper, a couple of kisses, and tie some pretty curly paper ribbon on the top, with a stamped thank you tag. Repeat Hostess love having this resource for their purse.
__________________ The Joy of Stamping,
Beverlee Sagon
What true joy it has produced in my life and in the life of my fellow stampers! From Northern California!
Right now I'm using an idea I got at convention: you cut enough cardstock to make 2 or 3 cards with a couple of layers, a couple of envelopes, some ribbon to match and then an incentive stamp. Put all of this in one of the clear logo bags that the paper assortments come in and stamp a label to put on the front using the Business Memos set.
I bought one of the new jumbo incentive stamp sets and made 12 of these at once. I tell the hostess it is a card-making kit. I matched the colors of the cardstock to what I thought the stamp would look good with and went from there. My hostess the other night was very happy with the one she got! Best of all, I'm covered for the next 11 workshops!
GREAT idea, Janine!
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
As a devoted customer and hostess I just want to add that I don't feel that there is such a thing as a "tired" gift. Anything is appreciated and I love supplies equally as well as the already made ideas. I have received memo pads and pens, cello bags with stampin spots and incentive stamps, cardstock, bags of glossy cardstock, a small container (sample) of pearl ex, re-inkers (I love this and now have a whole color group), sets of pre-made cards, eyelets and fibers, and the list goes on.
Now that I read this list, I forget how many times I have been a hostess or attended someone else's.
I have also been to shows where there is a variety of items in a basket and the hostess "picks" from the basket. That way something that may seem old to one person may be brand new to another!
Wow! I love reading all of your ideas. Now I have some new things to try and to share with my downline. What I life you post an idea and you get ten in return. Plant a seed reap a harvest.
__________________ The Joy of Stamping,
Beverlee Sagon
What true joy it has produced in my life and in the life of my fellow stampers! From Northern California!
Wow! You all are so creative - I would have never thought to give a handmade gift to my hostess. I'm a supply giver. When my potential hostess shows interest in booking a party I pay extra attention to what she orders or look back at her previous orders and go off of that. I always present with a stamped topper or thank you tag. I've given the following:
Pack of Asst. Cardstock with matching marker
ink pad with matching marker
Stampin' Dimensionals and Mono adhesive
Versamark pad
I like to give them something I'm using in the demo so they can see how it's used and get a little more excited about their gift. Before I became a demo and used to host parties - the demo gave me supplies and I was appreciative that she was helping build my supply closet.
I only hosted two workshops. I only gave them a jumbo incentive stamp with a the tissue stamped stuffed in a cello bag. I love everyone's ideas and I plan to consider them for the future.
I know what you mean about old ideas...so I was thinking the other day and you know what I did? I gave my hostess some supplies she would need to recreate the technique that I demo'd at her party! We did crayon resist and she LOVED it! So I am glad that I had parceled out some glossy CS for her and I also gave her something else but I can't remember what....then I also did the same thing for a hostess who ordered a full set of the ink pads...I gave her a sheet of each of the color CS of the RR family and I also included the glossy CS with a demo card and instructions...she did not have that technique at her party! LOL She also loved it! I think that I like doing things like this because everyone who wants to "save money" buys "other" paper and then they don't get to see what the real difference is! I am a penny pincher but I know the value of buying good paper that matches the inks I am using!
Another good and inexpensive hostess gift is a candle...you know you can make it for just over a dollar and then when the entire crowd goes wild you can offer to do that as a class and ask who would be interested in learning that technique??? It would be a possible booking incentive or class participation thing as well! Also go look under the demo section of the website here...I have had really good ideas from there more than once!