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As a result of holding a Christmas card workshop at a Seniors Centre, I am now teaching a small class every two weeks in my home as the ladies wanted to get into stamping.
Each class I teach a different card. Last class 3 different cards using die cuts, next class it will be embossing folders etc. I am thinking ahead to Christmas (call me crazy but I want to be prepared for down the road) because they have indicated they would like to make multiples at that time.
I have never attended a Stamp A Stack, so I am asking advice as to how this should be done?
1. How many cards ...I imagine it would depend on difficulty right?
2. Should all the cards be identical or each a different occasion with different design?
3. My classes are presently $10 for 3 cards, how much do you charge for Stamp A Stack?
I would really appreciate any and all advice. When I am at my winter home I can teach as many as 15 in a class and it is usually 2 cards, but this is all free and I am just sharing with my card group.
My class at home are all with limited card experience, but are good and quick to catch on.
Thanks again for taking time to point me in the right direction. You were there for me last Fall when I was contemplating teaching at the Senior Centre.
The Stack a Stamp that I've been to is $30 and you 2 cards each, of 4 different designs. The cards, mats and embellies are already packaged. There are usually several workstations that are set up that you use for the card that needs to have a die cut made, another for heat embossing and another for embossing with a machine. Stamps, inks, scissors, punches are on the table.
This is more about assembly than learning a new technique so it moves pretty fast. Not cheap at $30 for 8 cards, but you get to try new colors/papers, die cuts and/or stamps. My demo tends to use the newer items to generate sales. She also does some little giveaways.
The SAS I've gone to regularly is 10 different cards. Many quite detailed, some quicker. She uses 100% SU product.
She provides snacks too. We get all this for $15.00!
Wow, that price is amazing. Is she a SU demo, and if so does she make up for the price from people ordering product as a result of using them in ths class?
I am surprised more have not responded to this post. I assumed with this large community of stampers that there would be more input.I do however really appreciate the time you both took to reply.
I found an old thread here on this subject from 2009.it discussed Stamp a Stack and Stamp Camp. Most were put on by SU demos with varying price points. In the case of the lower costs that was because you placed an order with the Demo, which I can understand.
The one thing that surprised me was, that many did not include envelopes. It seemed to be a 50/50 split.
I have a thing about nice quality envies,so I do include them. I went to Google to find several other articles that seemed to bear these findings out. I wonder 6 years later what their replies would be?
I have a group of women come over once a month to make cards and we make just three simple ones (they love simple with an occasional technique thrown in). When we make Christmas cards, though, they like to make a stack. So I have three very simple designs and they make 4 of each design. The cards I design for them look too simple to me (I love details and layers and stuff!) but they adore and prefer them, and they always take longer than I think to make them, so....simple is good with my group! I do this purely for fun as a hobby SU demo and SAHM, so I charge nothing, but back when I was a business demo I would have charged at least $2 a card, envelopes always included, but BYO regular adhesive ( I provided special adhesives like dimensionals or glue dots). My group now has 6 women but at my business SASs I regularly had 15-20 people.
When I teach down south, I can have a many as 15 in a class, but they are experienced stampers. i am not a Demo just self taught, and flattered that people want to learn from me. I was looking for input to see if I am thinking along the same lines as those that hold this type of class regularly.
You can never have too much good advice from this community.
My Amuse rep had a hostess club. She'd have the meeting at her house each month. (You didn't HAVE to show up, and you didn't have to be in the club to come.) The purpose of the meeting was so that you could come make three projects. Often two cards and one 3-D project (usually a treat box of some sort, because amuse has all of those dies).
The 3 projects were $10, unless you were placing an order (club or otherwise). Then they were free.
She had one workstation with four seats for each of the projects. At each workstation was a stack of all the paper you needed to make the projects, precut. Card base (precut and prescored but not prefolded), any CS you'd be stamping on, and any paper embellishment (like a banner). Already cut. Plus envelopes.
At the table would be each STAMP you needed on its own block, plus the ink pads. There were NOT multiple stamps because you could be working on other elements while someone else was stamping (and everyone was coming and going on their own schedule and working at their own pace).
There were multiple adhesive runners/glue bottles/whatever. At least two per table. If foam tape was used, though, there was just one roll for you to cut off of. The embellishments (like ribbon or gems) were still on/in their original packaging-- you took what you needed.
The nice thing about amuse is that I think they give their demos project ideas each month, so she could print off the instructions and have them at each table, and you could take a sheet home with you if you wanted.
She moved out of state and now if you order from her, she will send you the month's projects. That's a little less exciting because she pre-stamps it all, too, BUT when she sends the project, all of the supplies are tucked into the project's envelope.
So, from all of that, if I had to give you just one tip, I think it would be: Precut all your paper elements.
An alternative tip would be that if you supply envelopes for each card, you can use those to hold all the supplies for each card.
Hi, Looks like I am pretty much following all advice here. However I do have a question in regards to pieces that need to be die cut and embossed. I have both cuttlebug and BS as well as lots of dies and folders. I wanted the ladies to learn how to both emboss and die cut. However I wonder if this type of thing us usually done by the hostess, or are the participants encouraged to do this type of thing themselves with help.
If I was to cut all cardstock and emboss and die cut that would mean they are only gluing the pieces together and only stamping sentiments......is this the way it works. I have always felt that people learn by doing, and would like them to learn all aspects of cardmaking. Any advice in this regard and thanks again.
Hi, Looks like I am pretty much following all advice here. However I do have a question in regards to pieces that need to be die cut and embossed. I have both cuttlebug and BS as well as lots of dies and folders. I wanted the ladies to learn how to both emboss and die cut. However I wonder if this type of thing us usually done by the hostess, or are the participants encouraged to do this type of thing themselves with help.
If I was to cut all cardstock and emboss and die cut that would mean they are only gluing the pieces together and only stamping sentiments......is this the way it works. I have always felt that people learn by doing, and would like them to learn all aspects of cardmaking. Any advice in this regard and thanks again.
Without knowing exactly what you've designed, I'll say embossing is probably fine. I assume you're meaning using an embossing folder or plate and a specific size/piece of paper where you don't have to be too specific about placement of the paper before you run it through... as opposed to something a little more advanced like using a diffuser to partially emboss?
Die cutting, to me, might be a trickier proposition. For example, I consider myself a pretty experienced stamper, but I STILL waste a bunch of paper when I am using stamps and matching dies. Doesn't matter if I stamp then cut, or cut then stamp.
But if you've got some nesting circles or something, you could pre-cut, say, a white circle for them to stamp a sentiment on, and have them die cut a slightly larger circle (in a color of their choice!) to mat their stamped sentiment on. That way if they're afraid of your die cut machine, they still get to stamp. ;)
I hope you don't think I was trying to lock you into any one way of doing things! I waited a little bit to post about my Amuse rep because I don't think her set up was quite like a stamp a stack, and I also thought there'd be a lot more SU folks with suggestions.
But really, it sounds like your classes have been well received and I bet however you set it up will be great. And if it's not, you know what to change for next time.
Emily, thanks for your input and advice. I am quite satisfied with how the classes are going, as I have been teaching for about 6 years down south. But as I have never run a Stamp A Stack or even attended one, I wanted to get a better feel for how they are presented. Thanks to all who contributed to this query and helped me to get a better grasp of the concept.
Don't under price for what you do! It will take you a lot of work to prepare your card kits. I think 2 cards each of 4 designs for $20 is a fair minimum - especially since you can't recoup any of your costs through sales - and if you give them a snack.
I'm the coordinator for our church's Christmas Card Stamp Camp. There are 4 of us as presenters. We also make a door prize/table decoration for each participant.
We make 12 cards/projects in a 6 hour event. Each participant receives a gift bag containing the card kits for all projects and envelopes. Each of us prepare the kits for each participant. We limit the group to 25. We also make a completed set of cards for the ladies who prepare our lunch and a set for each other. On our sets for each other, we stamp, CB or die cut the pieces as we don't all have the same stamps, etc.
Our cost is $35 which includes the 12 cards/projects and a sit down lunch which includes a hot dish, a sandwich, dessert and beverage.
Don't under price for what you do! It will take you a lot of work to prepare your card kits. I think 2 cards each of 4 designs for $20 is a fair minimum - especially since you can't recoup any of your costs through sales - and if you give them a snack.
With 5 people in a class that would mean I have to prepare 40 kits! Maybe I should start on them now lol.
I notice that 674 people have viewed this post, that tells me that a lot of people are interested in this, yet surprisingly few responces. so a big thank you to those that are giving good and insightful information.
I'm the coordinator for our church's Christmas Card Stamp Camp. There are 4 of us as presenters. We also make a door prize/table decoration for each participant.
We make 12 cards/projects in a 6 hour event. Each participant receives a gift bag containing the card kits for all projects and envelopes. Each of us prepare the kits for each participant. We limit the group to 25. We also make a completed set of cards for the ladies who prepare our lunch and a set for each other. On our sets for each other, we stamp, CB or die cut the pieces as we don't all have the same stamps, etc.
Our cost is $35 which includes the 12 cards/projects and a sit down lunch which includes a hot dish, a sandwich, dessert and beverage.
That sounds like quite an affair, and with 4 presenters certainly cuts down on the number of kits each presenter has to make.Good thing you are not making the lunch as well. lol
I can imagine that with a group that size, it would be a lot of work, but with the added benefit of making new stamping friends as well.thanks for your input.
The last stamp a stacks I attended were 20 cards for $25 -- 4 each of 5 designs. They were all fairly simply designs but we did our own stamping and die cutting/embossing. The cards "matched", in that the hostess used some of the same DSP and stamps on multiple cards. I'm sure that was done to maximize the use of the paper and cut down on the number of stamps and pads floating around. There was no discount for placing an order but the hostess did provide light snacks and also had some "raffle" prizes.
I've never heard of Stamp A Stack...cute! I've been making cards off and on for about 15 years and have just in the last couple months found a group who gets together scrap and do other papercrafting. It's just a crop.....everyone brings their own stuff to work on. I think I was the only one who made cards...everyone else did scrapbooking. I would love and organized class with projects to do!
I go to a Christmas stamp a stack that is about $30 for 4 cards each of 5 designs. Envelopes are an extra charge. She has a table for each design so 4 people can work on a design at once. She has all the paper cut for us. We stamp and punch or die cut. If time is running out we make one full card, do the stamping and punch/die cut and then assemble the rest at home.
I go to a Christmas stamp a stack that is about $30 for 4 cards each of 5 designs. Envelopes are an extra charge. She has a table for each design so 4 people can work on a design at once. She has all the paper cut for us. We stamp and punch or die cut. If time is running out we make one full card, do the stamping and punch/die cut and then assemble the rest at home.
Are you saying each person pays $30 and makes 20 cards?
There certainly are variables in these posts, from number of cards, price per stack, and do you or don't you serve lunch or a snack.
Yes, each person pays $30 and makes 20 cards...or was it 6 designs for 24 cards? Now I don't remember! She does have simple snacks like candy, Christmas cookies, dip and chips. Sometimes we're there for 5 hours (several times it was 3 to 9 p.m. on a Sunday in November).
Yes, each person pays $30 and makes 20 cards...or was it 6 designs for 24 cards? Now I don't remember! She does have simple snacks like candy, Christmas cookies, dip and chips. Sometimes we're there for 5 hours (several times it was 3 to 9 p.m. on a Sunday in November).
I had already suggested this idea to the ladies, and they are all for day of card making. I think when the time comes I will make sure to have a balance between the simple and more intricate designs or folds. I was also thinking about making some samples and asking them which 4/5 cards they would like to make at a Christmas Stamp a Stack.
When I did my Christmas workshop for beginners last Fall, I had no clue as to what type of Christmas card they would like, especially when we are very conscious of what type of sentiment or salutation people use at this time of year. I opted for one simple elegant card and another fun card from Lawn Fawn which turned out to be the right choce.
Before we announce sign-ups for our stamp camp, each of the presenters makes a sample of the cards/projects she will be doing. That way the ladies know in advance what they will be making. Doing that usually increases sign-ups.
We limit our participants to the first 24 that sign up AND pay. We offer one scholarship to a needy lady who really wants to come but simply can't afford it. We have sign-ups for at least 2 weeks and close them one week before the event. We did not do that the first year and we had 3 or 4 people who signed up but didn't show up.
We have a theme for each year which is reflected in the table decorations/door prizes and the decorated gift bags. The theme is also reflected in some of the cards.
If you have any questions about our stamp camp, please message me.
We wanted this to be the premier event for the ladies (and a couple men even attended and did a great job!). God granted this desire far and above what we ever expected!!
I think pricing for Stamp a Stacks and stamp classes are often based on complexity of the cards and "what the market will bear" in your area. I charge $15 for 4 different cards including envelopes and all supplies which are pre-cut. Cards are of "medium" complexity (multiple layers, embossing, die cutting, ribbons and embellishments, etc.) with the goal of teaching new techniques, ideas, designs, and the thought that my stampers are regulars who are looking for something beyond what they might do at home. I offer the class for free if they order $45 or more (I'm an SU demo) so these classes are my bread and butter where I can be creative, try new products, share my "toys", and even make some money to stamp!
SAS are different: I offer them at Christmas and sometimes mid year, 12 cards for $22 including envelopes. Four different designs are offered, options are for making all 12 the same, 6 each of 2 designs, 4 each of 3, or 3 each of all 4 designs. This requires a commitment deadline to reply with design choices and complicates my prep a bit (rather than making everyone make all designs in the same amount) but gives them choice, which they appreciate. These designs are of necessity simpler than my classes to allow for making multiples within a reasonable time.
I no longer offer refreshments or prizes for either events to keep the prices low and still over costs without being skimpy. Emphasis is on stamping, having fun/going home with completed cards/ides, and/or ordering to get a free class. It's been fun for over 12 years!
Stamp a stack organizing?
