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Ok, I asked this on the demo side, but since I'm not pressed for time, thought I'd ask some non-demos, too (also known as other people's customers)....
I may have my first chance in over a year to do a demo. It will be for my church's women's ministry--wide range of ages and interests. There may be any number of people and will probably be next month sometime. As far as I know, these are all new stampers and new to Stampin' Up! There are a few scrapbookers among them.
I'd like to demo 2-3 projects from the same stamp set. Which set should I focus on? Other suggestions?
Looks like you are just about even on tag time and natural beauty. I really like natural beauty and it is very versitile. I really think it would be a good choice. P.S. I am a demo so I guess I can't go vote again on the other side.
Seems like most people like to start with a versatile flower and I love Heartfelt. Otherwise I like Loads for the fact it does every season and then some, but I think the truck delivery will get old. JMO
The only thing is- I'm not sure if you could make a large variety with it, unless you just wanted to show how many seasons you could cover with just one stamp set
I think Roses in Winter would be a great set for beginning or not-so beginner stampers! Because it is a two step set the coloring is done when it is stamped and I think this might help you to hook a few new customers!!
When I demo'ed solid stamps, my newer stampers enjoyed it. I think coloring stuff in was daunting to them. Mixed Boquet also makes great one sheet wonders.
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I chose Loads of Love because it is the stamp set that was demoed at the 1st workshop I went to and I spent $300+ dollars that day. Though I don't like Loads of Love and I didnt buy it that day and never have, it was just so cool that you could make so many cards for different holidays with that one stamp set and everyone else at the party except me bought that stamp set (6 people). Hope this helps! Oh, my 2nd choice would be Simply Said!
I think you need to watch the price points with new stampers. If you demo a $28 set, people "might" get discouraged and think that ALL the "good" sets are that expensive. KWIM? I think demoing a $20 is a good choice, since it's the middle ground price point.
I said Natural Beauty, depending on how you color it, it changes its look. Great for a beginner who wants varity. Plus it has it's own background stamp.
I picked Tag Time. But I also think "Tags and More" would be wonderful to demo. You just might need a sentiments set too. But it is only 19.95 and I think it would appeal to different age groups.
Roses in Winter. It can be done so nicely and they go home with a great card. My demo showed us rock and roll with the roses the first time she used this set, and the card was phenomenal. And, I did not even know what I was doing half the time.
I voted for Hearfelt Thanks as it is easy but versatile, I think that Roses in Winter may be a little intimidating to new stampers, as you have to overstamp repeatedly. I think Heartfelt Thanks still looks lovely if you do not stamp it accurately!
I said Hearfelt thanks bc it's very versitle and the price is reasonable. It would be good to demo how you can use it to scrapbook if you have scrapbook folks there too. I would also bring lots of stamples for them to browse using the other set.
I love roses in winter but it's so pricey.
I love loads of love but people have to color, that can be intimidating.
Although Heartfelt Thanks is one of my favorite sets, I vote for Tag Time because it has so many different holidays and you can do so much. The solid stamps often appeal to people who don't like to or think they can't color and the other ones are simple enough for a quick coloring project.
Heartfelt Thanks seems so popular. I would definately go with a 2 step stamping set. I was totally amazed by it at first and that kind drew me in to stamping.
__________________ Taryn
"Forget regret or life is yours to miss." - Jonathan Larson
I think you need to watch the price points with new stampers. If you demo a $28 set, people "might" get discouraged and think that ALL the "good" sets are that expensive. KWIM? I think demoing a $20 is a good choice, since it's the middle ground price point.
I couldn't agree with this more. I know that the first time I ordered, I wanted to keep my set price low to see if I liked it (and, in hindsight, to ease my dh into the sticker shock slowly, he's over it now).
This is a difficult choice because I like all the sets you mentioned, but I'm thinking for a beginner you could show 2 step stamping, but a lot of times it is difficult for them to line the two up and they end up frustrated.
My vote is for Natural Beauty and Mixed Bouquet because you could have them make the following with it and it would be easy for a beginner. Randomly stamp the leaf on cardstock in versamark for a watermark look for the background of your card using one of the colors of CS that matches a color in the Pumpkin Patch Spectrum pad. Then using the leaf stamp again stamp once in Pumpkin Patch Spectrum pad on Very Vanilla for the main image. Then add some ribbon or copper cord for embellishment and you're done. Make it easy so they feel like they can do it. When I was a beginner I was always wowed with the Spectrum pad, in fact I still like the look.
They could also make another card with the leaf, but this time use the brown ink that doesn't run when watercolored (basic brown?) and they can use waterbrush to watercolor in the leaf in autumn colors or chalk in the colors. The leaf is large and not too detailed so watercoloring or chalking should be quick and easy, plus using autumn colors makes it perfect for the season.
Make a sample board showing various other things you can do with this set. Show one with embossing powder. The look is impressive and when they ask how you did it tell them how it was done and that they can make one if they want to have another workshop. In other words start out easy so as not to overwhelm but show projects made with more advanced projects that intrigue them so they want to learn more.
Mixed Bouquet would also be good to demo to show the solid stamps. I bet you could make a Christmas berry type card by using the stem and the solid round stamp to make a vine and berries in green and red. Plus this set is a different style than the Natural Beauty so showing both you are more likely to show something that appeals to everyone. Mixed Bouquet is a set that can be either stamped and left as is or you can color in the rose and daisy flower if wanted or stamp on designer paper and cut out. So again, show a sample board with sb pages and cards made using various techniques.
In a nutshell, since they are most likely beginners, start them with easy techniques that they can accomplish, but show them the versatility of the sets and also samples of sb pages and cards made with other techniques so they want to learn more. One more thing - since they are beginners you don't want them to feel like they can't afford to get started because of the all the supplies they would need, so keep that in mind when you demo. For example with the Spectrum pad they can close it and get a multi-colored image, but if they leave it open they have 5 different colored stamp pads that they can pull ink from to watercolor with or use to ink up and stamp small images. Great for a beginner who doesn't have a lot of supplies.
hi april,
i voted for mixed bouqet just because i like it more than roses in winter. But mainly because it is a 2-step stampin set. even my husband loves every set from su with 2 step technique. i believe every beginner can visualize stamping a regular image and color it in. But the 2 step is different everybody can do it and you dont have to be super accurate to acieve a great result.
i say this because before i came from europe to the states never saw stamps using for crafs. than at michaels i saw the ones they have on shelfs, okay... but it was su sets (2-steps and the techniques versamark with chalk or color stamps with markers) which actuallly made me purchase stamps.
I agree with the comments about how impressive 2 step stamping is - it sold my DH and HE wanted us to buy stamps... now I'm hooked and he just shakes his head at his folly in convinving me to take that first plunge.
Love the tip on the spectrum pad too, never thought of using it as separte pads!
Remember also, that most people buy what they are shown. So if you demo the stampa ma jig to align the two step stampers, most likely you will get two sales. The set and the stampa ma jig.
I also picked Mixed Bouquet. Besides being one of my favorite sets, I agree with the 2-step comments previously posted. Using 2-step sets in a demo helps build confidence with your new potential stampers and they won't hesitate to buy them in the future.
Also, MB can be so versatile! You can definately use the solid stamps by themselves (reminds me of Paint Prints); I've seen it used to make holly (which is a cool way to show the set in a diff perspective, not just flowers); complete a small 1/4 page OSW and explain how the concept can be used in a scrapbook page.
I would never do the roses in winter set. I can't stand that set. I know it's popular, but there are other sets that are appealing to so many different kinds of people. I have not seen an example made with it yet, that makes me go "Shoot, I didn't think of that, I should get it!!!". That happens to me with so many set, but not that one.
There were so many great choices here, but I'm going with Heartfelt Thanks mainly because it'll be for ladies of all ages and most ladies love flowers. Plus, since you mentioned that most (if not all) are new to stamping, this is an easy set to use and you just can't make a bad card with it!! Have fun with it! Linda
__________________ Linda
”From the rising of the sun to its setting,the name of the Lord is to be praised!”
I would actually go for "All Natural," which is not an option. Leaf and acorn as well as a flower, and the "Thank You." People can pick up a black stamp pad and then color it in with whatever colored pencils or markers they may already have. And then you know they're going to be hooked and come back for more... :mrgreen:
I was thinking..."In full Bloom", lots of flowers, that could be used in a variety of ways for 2-3 projects and more. There is even a border stamp in that set. Linda
I voted for Roses in Winter because to me, that's a can't-go-wrong set. I demo'd is at a small workshop this past summer and I sold one and everyone LOVED the set!
Heartfelt Thanks and Natural Beauty might be my 2nd and 3rd choices. I love flowers!
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
I picked Tag Time because it looks like you could do lots with it. I like floral stamps and have many of them, so perhaps I'm looking for something different.
Which set to use?
