Sunday, January 23, 2011

First Workshop!!!!

Ok, getting down to the wire now. My first workshop is this Thursday and I am really excited!!! I just have to decide on a definite project, get my project kits together, order some supplies on a rush order, get more samples done, figure out what project I want to demo to whet their appetites for more, and I'm sure there's more to do to get ready, but right now I'm not sure what!!
I am so grateful that a very dear friend of mine is hosting this workshop for me. I don't expect there to be more than 4-5 people there, which is good for a first time. I just want to make a good impression and book more workshops, at least one, from this one. I feel if I can do that, and get my hostess some free goodies, then I will have held a successful workshop! I do know one thing for sure. I am putting it all in God's hands. I am asking Him for guidance as to the project we will complete, and for the samples I will display. I also am asking for His guidance regarding my second demo to show. I know with God's help, I will be successful. I strongly feel this is a path that God is sending me on, that's why I want to do well at it. So that I may give God all the glory for any success I may have.
I also have to get together with another hostess this week and pin down a date for her workshop. She says she is probably going to have a decent sized group because everyone she works with, at a Dr. office, is interested in SU!!! So, of course I am anxious to get this workshop scheduled and prepared!!!
Wish me well all and I will be sure to post examples of our projects. Now I am off to decide on items I need to order to be prepared!!
Good night and God Bless you all!
Judy

Friday, January 21, 2011

Preparing for a workshop

Since I am a newbie to Stampin' Up! and have had very little opportunity, until now, to make many purchases from SU, I find myself having to decide what projects I am going to make at upcoming workshops and order the supplies. I have supplies to make some display items so I'm not worried about that. I need stock for projects for my customers! So, I am currently in the process of narrowing down what project I want to make and choosing the items I need to order, all while staying within a pretty small budget!
I will let you all know how it goes!
I am still working my way down the list of followers, so if I haven't gotten to you yet, don't worry, I'll get there. I am in awe of the blogs I go to and the talent of the demo's! You ladies rock!! Keep up the good work!!
This is going to be a short post, as I am trying to get my order ready and placed early today so that hopefully I will have it back in plenty of time! Wish me luck!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Craft Fairs/Spring Festivals

This spring, my daughter and I are going to have a booth at the Azalea Festival in Jasper and I can't tell you how excited I am about it. I don't care if I sell anything or not, just spending the time with her will be sufficient for me. I am, however, in the process of making up a BUNCH of card and envelope sets. I hope to use up at least most of the Scenic Route paper I had purchased when I decided to have myself and "online store". HA! Anyway, I am going to make those up and probably package them in sets of 5 for like $10 (?)
And, I am also working on samples of my Stampin' Up! stuff! I am so excited to be having my first workshop coming up. A wonderful friend is hosting and I sincerely hope we get lots of sales so she can get lots of free stuff!! I think for her workshop we will do two cards. Maybe an Easter card, and then a general generic card for any occasion. I am also hoping to get some explosion boxes made and possibly an album or two with premade pages so all a buyer has to do is put their pictures in place and it's done! That's a big list I know, but I think it is doable. If I can just keep myself on track and finish as many as possible each day, I should be in good shape!
I also have to figure out what kind of make and take I am going to do at the festival. I'm thinking a simple spring or thank you card. We never know what the weather is going to be like, so I may not have as many customers as I am expecting.
And I am going to be pushing Stampin' Up! and trying to get people to commit to host a workshop. I just have to think of an incentive to get them to sign up. Possibly either a free stamp set, punch, or pack of paper or ink pad.
I'm also thinking of hosting a card making day at my house. I know of a couple of people that I could invite over to use my paper to make cards and envelopes. All they would have to bring would be their paper cutter, scissors, and adhesive. Maybe a cutting mat too. Then we could spend the day making cards and getting my stuff ready for the festival and each person would leave with a stack of cards as well as a thank you for the help! I'm going to have to put out some feelers for this, see what kind of interest there is.
Well, tomorrow I plan to get (hopefully) a lot of cards made, sets of note cards, and maybe other stationary items. Not quite sure what that would be, but we'll see. Getting Crystal over here will be fun. She has her own things that she is working on, trying to have enough done so she doesn't have to take many orders. But, maybe she will be willing to come help me out for an hour or two, we'll see.
I just realized that our festival is during Sale-A-Bration. Now THERE is an incentive to make a purchase with me, place an order! For every $50 they spend they get to pick out a free stamp set! I need to make some signs about that, price signs, project signs. I think I will make my make and take for like $2.00 or maybe just 1$. I don't know yet what it's even going to be so who knows.
Well there are some of my plans for the next few weeks, so you can see I am going to be pretty busy! But I love it. Prayerfully, I will make some decent money!!
Well, everyone, if you are in the area on March 19, come by the square and see us! Don't know what we are going to call our booth yet, but we'll think of something. Hope to see you there!
Whatever I have left over, I will probably photograph and either list on Ebay or just on my blog here for purchase.
I pray you all have a blessed night and continued blessings until we speak again!
Judy/AKA Ms. J

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Hello Sunshine!!!

I'm sitting here at my dining table, looking out the front door at the glorious sunshine and out the back doors at the beauty of nature, gifts from God. If you will just take a minute and look out a window or bundle up and go outside and thank God for the beautiful gift He has given us today. I know some of you are probably digging out of knee deep snow and thinking to yourself how much you dislike me right now because I have sunshine and you don't. Well, I would trade places with you in a heartbeat!!! I love snow! Now, I don't know if I had to live in it and have snow on the ground for 5-6 months or more a year. I might not like it so much then. So, if you aren't seeing the sun today, you can still thank God for the glorious gift He has given you. Because of your climate with all the snow you get, you can grow certain fruits and veggies that will not grow down here in the deep south! You know God has a reason for everything, so maybe His reason for giving you all the snow is so we can have some of those scrumptious raspberries that only grow in cooler climates. Anyway, I wish we could get a little snow down here in southeast Texas. And I will be praying for relief for all of you stuck in the snow, or floods, or whatever. I pray that you soon see the beauty in the world that I am seeing now.
Ok, now as for what I am up to today. Well, I am working on some cards. I need to get several more samples done and ready before my workshop at the end of the month. I want to have a good variety of things to show the guests so I have a lot of work to do before then.
Then, I also have a couple of albums I need to be working on, so they will get some attention now and in the days to come. I am finally starting to feel like scrapping again so I am going to keep myself busy with it!
I am so thankful that God has given me the ability to create scrapbooks and cards that others may enjoy looking at or receiving. I also am very thankful that it appears He has lead me to this business, doing something I truly enjoy, working with paper, and I trust in my Lord to help me to be successful in this. He wouldn't send me to it so that I would fail.
So, I am going to work on some of the things I mentioned and when I get them finished, I will take some pictures and post them so that anyone who is interested can tell me what they think!
Remember, if you are a papercrafter, or would like to be, I'm available as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to demonstrate items from our catalog, or to teach you different techniques. I would love to show you how easy it is to preserve your memories for future generations, or to make a card for that someone special.
I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed day!!
Judy/AKA, Ms. J

Monday, January 10, 2011

Samples, samples, and more samples

Bottom line is just this, I have to get more samples done for my workshops that I have coming up. Plus I have to decide what kinds of cards we are going to make and get the supplies ordered! I am so excited about my first workshop! I want it to go really well! And I'm not just referring to sales, although, yes, I want to have a good amount of sales because this hostess deserves it!!! But mostly I am looking forward to the opportunity to fellowship with friends and show them some techniques they haven't tried, and have them leaving this show with at least one card they have made and possibly a kit to make a second! I want to have lots of samples to show, some really simple, and some in the difficult stage. I hope I can get some committment to a monthly club! That reminds me, I need to make up a sign up sheet for the club. AND, I need to make plans for an open house!!!
I have an excellent location, provided it's not in use on the day I choose. My main concern is advertising. I can't afford to spend much on advertising, so I'm thinking about putting flyers out at a couple of businesses that I know won't mind, as well as asking all of our local photographers, to come and see what I have to offer, as well as recommending to their customers to come by!
Any of you that have had open houses in the past, I am ready for any suggestions you may have. I was thinking of having one or possibly two simple make and takes that look like they were a lot more work than they actually will be. And, I will have samples on display with prices listed and take orders for them, or possibly sell the ones I have on display. I would really rather not do that though, because if I sell one of my examples early, then those who come later won't have the chance to see it!
I also want to have a door prize, at least one! Please, give me any suggestions you may have about that. What should I give as maybe hourly door prizes (maybe a 3D project?) and then a grand prize at the end of the day. Question is, what should I give as a grand prize?
Since I am just getting started, my supply of Stampin' Up! inventory is pretty much non-existant, with the exception of my starter kit. I was kind of thinking of the grand prize being a small tote with lots of little goodies in it such as stickers, maybe some paper, bling. Things such as that will come out of my personal stash of stuff and help me to reduce my non-SU items. Although I will also include SU items, just not sure what as of  now. Suggestions PLEASE.
I pray you all have a wonderful, stamp-happy day tomorrow and stay warm!!!!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Scheduling, planning, praying

Well, I have met with one of my hostess' and have everything in motion for her workshop. Hopefully she will get people to commit and actually come, and buy things!! lol... I am also making plans to meet with another hostess this week and contact a third hostess to set up a time to meet with her!! So, right now, I am doing good with setting up my workshops.
The planning I am doing is for an advertisement to go in the back of our church cookbook! I have to plan how I want my ad to appear, along with my daughter planning hers for her business! I think we can come up with a really good ad and prayerfully get more customers that way. We are also making plans for our towns spring Azalea festival. We plan to have a booth there and I will be doing simple make and takes, displaying lots of other potential projects. I will have a catalog or two available for purchase or for someone to glance over. I plan to make some flyers of our current promotions and sales at that time to offer to potential customers. Again, I am praying to get several workshops scheduled from this event!!
And then I say praying. I am really praying that my business goes the way God wants it to. I believe as long as I am following his guidance and will for my life, if He wants me to be successful with Stampin' Up!, it will happen. I feel that God lead me to this, for what reason I don't know except that I love stamping and scrapbooking and an opportunity became available for me to do these things I love and make a little money as well with it.
With that being said, I have to work on getting lots of sample projects and cards made up. We aren't sure when the festival is going to be just yet, either March or April. Either way, I need LOTS of samples to show!! So, I have to get busy!!!
Happy Scrappin' and Stampin' everybody!! Stay warm and dry!!!
Ms J.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Getting my new business off the ground!!!

Well hello everyone! I hope you are staying warm and dry wherever you are! I think we are forecast to be very cold and wet next week!! What could be a better time to stay in the craft room and get some samples and kits together?
I have my first workshop coming up on the 27th and my hostess is as excited as I am about it!! Now if we can just get some guests to come and make purchases so she can get some free stuff, that would be great!!!
Then I have another workshop on the 29th! I will be meeting with that hostess tomorrow to give her the info she needs and talk about what kind of projects she wants to do in her workshop.
I like to give my hostesses a choice of doing a card or scrapbook page. This gives them some control of the workshop and they enjoy knowing what they are going to be doing!
I do believe God has sent me down this path of becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. I have been praying for something that I could do basically from home, I could control the hours I work so if I don't feel well, a workshop can always be rescheduled if needed. I am looking so forward to my first workshop and getting off the ground and start running with it! I would love to be one of the Rising Stars next year and get to go to the Founder's Circle, all expense paid trip!! Talk about AWESOME!!!
So, now you know one of my goals for the coming year. I don't like to do the whole resolution thing. First of all, I never stick to it, and therefore any resolutions I make are useless! So, this year, I decided to set goals for myself of things I hope to accomplish this year. I'll share a few with you here now.
1.   I will improve my relationship with God. I plan to spend more time reading and studying His word and spending much more time in prayer. I plan to accomplish this by reading my Bible of course, but also reading more study guides and other books that I believe will help me to better understand the Bible and to understand what God's plan is for me. I know God is calling me to do something, but thus far I have not been able to comprehend what that is. So, that is something else I will accomplish, hopefully before the end of the first quarter, is to understand what God is asking me to do, and start doing just that.
2.   I will have a successful business with Stampin' Up!. I will be booking workshops regularly. I will get a stampin' club started. I will host an open house sometime during Sale-A-Bration!! To accomplish this, I have to keep myself and the information about my being a Stampin' Up! demo in front of potential customers! I plan to offer membership in a monthly club to all my hostesses and their guests, as well as anyone else I know that loves any form of paper crafting. If I can get all the numbers to work out, I won't have to worry about my quarterly minimums! This will help me reach my goal towards winning possibly a Rising Star award! I would LOVE that!!! I plan to work very hard toward that goal! Of course I am starting with people I know as hostesses, but I plan to expand that fairly quickly and step out of my "comfort zone."
3.  I will get enough stock in and samples made up to share a booth with my daughter at both the Azalea festival and the Fall Fest. I plan to be able to possibly book numerous workshops on that day as well as talk to at least 5-10 people about becoming demonstrators themselves! Oh, how cool it will be to have my own downline!!!
4.  I will be a better person. I will not let little, silly things bother me. I will do my best to handle any and all situations in a Christian manner. I read today, that whenever something seems to be going wrong, you need to express "I trust you Jesus". So every day, I plan to start my day with that statement, and mean it! I do trust Jesus to lead me on the path to success, spiritual success, and financial stability, and emotional relief. I trust in my Jesus!!

Well, that's all the goals I am going to share for today. Have to save something to write about another day!
Happy crafting everyone!
Judy

Monday, January 3, 2011

January 4, 2011 Book-a-thon!!!

Tomorrow, Jan. 4th, 2011, Stampin' Up! is having a contest of sorts for new demonstrators. We have been challenged to get 1000 workshops booked, not for one person but the whole group! WHEW!!! I have put the word out to a few of my friends in hopes that they will decide to book a show, especially since I am giving them a couple of weeks, until SAB, to actually have the show! I am about to send out a notice to some others that I think might be interested and hopefully, I will get at least 2-3 workshops booked tomorrow. I would LOVE to get about 5 or more scheduled! That would really be exciting!!!
If you are reading this and you are in the Southeast Texas or Southwest Louisiana areas, email me at jlhall110764@gmail.com, call or text me at 409-382-2775, or message me on my Stampin' Up! site http://www.msjsscrappin-stampin-stampinup.net/ or on this blog, http://www.msjsscrappin.stampin.stampinup.blogspot.com/ Yes, the names are very familiar except one has dots and the other has dashes to separate the words.
Please pray that I am able to get these shows booked! I am very excited about doing workshops and anxious to get started. I haven't really done much since signing up because of the holidays and my being ill. I am getting better now and ready to get busy!
I have to review my catalogs and place an order so I will have materials for my workshops, so I would really like to know how many I am going to be able to get booked tomorrow!
And to my fellow class of 2010 demo's, I wish you all the very best as you get workshops booked and completed. It is my sincere prayer for you that all your endeavors for the year of 2011 be successful! I'm just a newbie as well, but if I can be of help please let me know! And be prepared, I may be calling on some of you for assistance or ideas!!
Stampin' Up! is AWESOME!!!! I love it!!!
Have a great day and God Bless you all!
Judy/aka, MsJs

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Fresh start in 2011

As I look forward to 2011, I know there are lots of things I want to change. Primarily is going to be my attitude. I have had problems this past year and further back with a pretty negative attitude, not any more. I am going to have God guiding me and I don't think God will allow me a negative attitude. God is going to guide me to bigger and better things in 2011.
My Stampin' Up! business is going to grow by leaps and bounds and I am going to be working very hard to see that happen. I am going to continue to offer scrapbooking services and providing my customers with superb customer service.
With God's help, I WILL BE SUCCESSFUL!!!

Starter kit card

Well, I finally made myself sit down and make a card for the starter kit contest. It is a very simple card and not exactly what I was wanting to make, but it was all I felt like doing yesterday. Thank goodness I am feeling a little better today. Maybe I can get in there and make some cards today! I sure hope so!