Gilded Gathering
— guide —
Introduction
Making something beautiful with your creativity and a handful of helpful products is rewarding. Making something beautiful alongside others is a gift. When you gather with your Hosts and customers, you are not simply completing an adorable DIY project. You are actually creating community. As a Maker, you will lead your workshop attendees in learning new DIY skills and forming new connections with each other. A Makers’ Studio is not just about the decor in our homes. It is about crafting a beautiful life together by making friends, growing in our creativity, and making an impact on the world. As you live out your mission of leading your community in cultivating the creativity they always dreamed of, you will begin to see why Creative Gatherings like this one are the heartbeat of A Makers’ Studio. The Gilded Gathering has the power to be yet another driving force in building your A Makers’ Studio business. This workshop allows your friends and family to get hands-on with A Makers’ Studio products, learn a valuable DIY skill, and build up the creative confidence to take on more projects. They will feel accomplished and excited to learn about what’s next… and you will get to guide them every step of the way.
Dearest Maker, As you well know by now, my mission is to empower you to make a difference in homes and hearts. We do this through DIY décor and that special kind of connection that only comes from creating alongside others. My heart’s desire is that you thrive as a Maker Boss. I want to see you empowered as a business owner and as a difference maker who helps other women become Maker Mentors. My hope is that our work together helps end human trafficking around the world. These are big goals. I know you have big goals of your own, too. You can count on me to be with you every step of the way. – XO, AMY
Gilded Gathering Overview .
This guide contains everything you need to successfully hold a Gilded Gathering. Inside, you will find step-by-step instructions, checklists, and scripts to support you as the leader of this event. Before we dive into the details, let’s take a moment to think about the event as a whole – How do you create the right atmosphere? How do you present the best products for your new, excited customers? We know you have many questions and ideas, so let’s take a look at the basics: Setting the atmosphere for your event will be important. Whether you are hosting or you are helping your Host create the event, you must think about how your attendees will experience your Creative Gathering. Make sure that your workshop is completely set up in the hour before the event. This leaves time for you to review your materials, chat with your Host, and greet early arrivals. Turn your presentation on and make sure your introductory slide is showing. Have upbeat music playing softly as everyone comes in. Greet them as you would a guest in your home. Introduce them to the Host and any helpers you might have assisting you at the workshop. Show them where they will be sitting and ask them to put on their name tag and apron. Suggest that they unpack their workshop materials and arrange their space. These activities will help them feel comfortable from the very beginning. Some attendees will need some help meeting each other. Your role as a Maker is to guide them in connecting with each other in addition to completing a project. You can invite them
to have a cup a coffee and pour it for them. Offer them some of the food your Host provided. As others arrive, introduce attendees to each other and help them start conversations. If you see someone is having difficulty socializing, be intentional about helping them mingle. Start promptly and introduce your Host and anyone else who may be assisting you during the workshop. As you begin to follow the timeline inside this guide, stay calm and enjoy the process. As your guests start creating, be sure to pause and encourage them. Touch their shoulder or hand and make eye contact. Tell them how great they are doing. Be honest and give them very specific direction. If they are successful, they will be interested in exploring more of what A Makers’ Studio has to offer. Be sure to take photos and even a few videos throughout the event. Don’t forget your group photo at the end of the workshop! Encourage your guests to take their own photos and videos to post on social media as well. Remember that sharing all of the tools and projects available to them is helpful and generous. You already know they are interested in pursuing their creativity because they are at your workshop. So don’t be afraid to advise them as to which products they should order when you hear their at-home DIY ideas. Also, boldly make a sales announcement! You will be offering special bundles that help them use their new DIY skills: Joining the A Makers’ Studio subscription club is just $24.95 and provides them with a new stencil, ChalkArt, and a fun surprise each month – plus coupons and more as a member of the finishing society. The $23.95 Leaf Bundle comes with their choice of three gilding leafs –Gold, Silver, Copper, or Variegated Copper. It’s a perfect mix for getting creative at home! The $65.00 Rescue Restore Kit comes with everything your customers need to paint their boring furniture and create something new and fresh. They get cleaner, paint, wax, and a brush! Give them all the details about your upcoming workshops in case they want to attend. Show them some photos or examples of what they will learn to get them inspired. Try to get them to register and order their Workshop Kit for a future event before they leave. Remind them that workshops make great gifts and that you would be happy to teach their friend and family a new DIY skill!
Above all, enjoy making new friends, be your authentic self, and have fun!
Gilded Gathering Invitation Your event invitation sets the stage for the atmosphere you create at your Gilded Gathering. You can customize and email these invitations from your Maker Office. You can also post your invitation on social media to generate interest in your event.
Caroline Henries
You’re invited to a Gilded Gathering! Debbie Crews
Gilded Gathering in Detail Now we will take a look at how to lead the Gilded Gathering step-by-step. You can see how long each step should take and what to say as you go along. When your invitee registers to attend your workshop and purchases their Workshop Kit, they will receive:
A pillow sleeve 2 oz. Gilding Size Gold Leaf Foam Dome Brush Stencil
There are some additional items you will want to bring to make your workshop even more successful. These items include an iron, a small piece of cardboard for each guest to use when offloading their size, and a chip brush or steel wool. At the Gathering, be sure to prep cold water and soapy sponges so your guests’ can clean their stencils.
1 Hour before the event
Prep your space. You will have a Google Slides presentation that corresponds to the timeline and script below. Simply switch slides when indicated to inspire your attendees with beautiful imagery and project possibilities. Begin the event with the first slide displayed showing the A Makers’ Studio logo.
15 Minutes before the event
Greet your guests. Greet your guests and show them where they can put their personal items and Workshop Kits. Show them the cardboard piece, catalog, and wish list you placed at their workspace. Explain that they can use the wish list to order products for future projects. Offer your guests refreshments and help them meet each other.
5 Minutes before the event
Thank your host. Introduce your Host and thank her for having you in her home.
15 Minutes Start the workshop promptly. Go to the next slide showing the gilded pillow. Begin the workshop promptly with a brief introduction: Thank you everyone for coming tonight. My name is _______. I am a Maker with A Makers Studio. We believe in Crafting a Beautiful Life. Creative Gatherings like this one are the heartbeat of how we live out our mission of empowering the modern creative woman to use her hands, heart, and head to unleash the creativity in herself and others. I want to welcome you to the Gilded Gathering, where you will learn how to use a stencil and our gilding products... and return home with a pillow like this one! I’m so excited about the valuable DIY skills you will gain by the end of our time together! Go to the next slide showing the Gilded Gathering title slide. Since we will be creating together today, let’s quickly go around the room and introduce ourselves. Please tell us all your name and what brought you here today! When introductions are finished: This is a brief video about A Makers’ Studio and our founder, Amy Howard. She is a master artisan and the creator of the products we will be using tonight. As you watch, I am going to quickly iron your pillow sleeves to make it easier for you to work with them. Play the video on your next slide.
20 Minutes Apply gilding size. Go to the next slide showing the Workshop Kit contents. If everyone will please take out your materials, we’ll get started!
Go to the next slide showing how to lay the stencil onto the pillow. Take your pillow and lay it flat on the table with the zipper at the bottom. When you look down at the pillow, the zipper should be on the side closest to you and parallel to the table. Slowly remove your stencil from the backing. It’s important to go slowly to keep it from ripping. Do not allow the adhesive sides to touch at all, as they will adhere and potentially rip a hole in the stencil. Now, lay your stencil on the upper right outer corner of your pillow for first application. Press the stencil flush against the pillow, smoothing it with your hands to remove wrinkles and air pockets. As your guests position their stencils, go to the next slide showing the Stencils title page. Today you are using one stencil for your project, but there are many more in the line. Show the stencil slides as you share about the product. The gilding supplies we are using today pair so well with our uniquely detailed (and patented!) mesh decorative stencils. You can create truly professional designs on almost any surface with these... and look at all the different designs and combinations you can make! All of the A Makers’ Studio stencils can be used up to 25 times, including the one you are using now. Go to your next slide showing how to offload the size. Everyone got their stencil in position? Now you can open your size and dip ¼ of your foam dome brush into the jar. Offload excess size onto your piece of cardboard. The size will be very watery at first, which allows for greater coverage. However, it can spread if too much is applied at once. So we offload to prevent the size from bleeding under your stencil. This way, the stencil design will stay in intact and you will get those signature sharp lines our stencils are known for!
Go to your next slide showing how to apply size. Next, we will begin applying size all over your stencil in an up-and-down motion. Make sure that you are only using the top of the foam dome. Do not use the sides of dome, as this makes bleeding more likely. All you need is a medium amount of pressure when applying size. Simply push the brush to about half its sponge size down, remove it quickly, and move on to next section. Do not push down to full capacity or linger over one spot. Apply your size in this way until your entire stencil is covered. If you are unsure about your application methods, I am happy to help you! Once your stencil is covered, gently remove it and immediately lay it down in the next section so that the pattern directly lines up with the section you just covered. The stencil should overlap the design by about 1 centimeter. Repeat this process of size coverage until your whole pillow is covered. When your pillow is covered, remove the stencil and wash it right away with the cold water and soapy sponge we have over here. Clean it until all size is removed from the stencil. Then lay your stencil down to air dry with the adhesive side up. Do not place the stencil adhesive side down, as this will cause the adhesive to lose its stickiness. Go to your next slide showing the Gilding title slide. The size you just applied will need about 10-15 minutes to come to tack, which means it will then permanently hold the gold leaf. When it comes to tack, the size will lose its iridescent color and become transparent. It is important to allow all the areas to come to tack before applying our leaf. Any areas that are already transparent will not lose their tack in this time frame. Patience is key for permanent gold leaf adhesion!
25 Minutes Apply gold leaf. While we wait for our gilding size to come to tack, I want to share a bit about the gilding products we offer at A Makers’ Studio. Today we are making a gilded pillow, but there are so many more things you can make at home! The possibilies are endless! Go through your gilding slides as you share the product. For example, look at this beautiful table. You would pay hundreds for that at a store, but with your new gilding skills you can actually DIY it from a thrift store find! You can create decorative items, work on fabric like the pillow we are making here, and even gild glass! Just think of all you can do! I love the idea of making more pillows to go along with the one you will take home tonight. You could mix the metallics or the stencil designs to create a really beautiful set for your bedroom or living room. All of these projects were completed with the products you are using tonight! Stop on the slide showing how to apply the gold leaf. Now we will check that our gilding size has come to tack. If all your areas are transparent, you can begin leaf application. Peel back the tissue to reveal the first piece of leaf and press it down firmly on your pillow. Once your leaf is layed down, rip off the tissue it was with and continue to the next section.
Go to your next slide showing continous application of the gold leaf. Once your whole pillow is covered in gold leaf, return to all previous sections and use your palm and fingers to rub firmly over the areas with a tissue to ensure adhesion. Do not start rubbing off the leaf until you have firmly smoothed over all areas with your tissue paper. Now take one of your discarded tissues and scrunch it up. Use it to loosely dislodge excess leaf from all over your pillow. Do not press too hard, though. When the tissue loses shape you can switch to a different piece. When finished, carry your pillow over to the garbage and dust off any remaining excess. You can use this chip brush or some steel wool to further dislodge extra leaf until satisfied. Go to your next slide showing women enjoying the bragging rights. Now you have a beautifully gilded pillow for your home! Let’s all take a look at each others’ creations!
5 Minutes Take photos. Let me take your photo with _________! That way you can both enjoy the bragging rights. Hold up your artwork and smile! I’ll post these on Facebook and tag you so you can show off your work. You’ll see them on Instagram too so be sure to follow me so I can tag you! Make sure to use our hashtags! Okay, now let’s take a group photo. I want to share with my friends how great you all did!
5 Minutes Share the Creative Gathering Specials. Go to your next slide showing the Creative Gathering specials title slide. Now I’d like to tell you about some of the products you can order tonight to do more projects like this at home or with your friends. These specials and the pricing are only good for this Gathering! Go to your next slide showing the stencil artwork. You can use your wish list to keep track of everything you want. Go to your next slide showing the subscription box. I’m personally most excited about the subscription club you can join tonight. Every month you get a stencil, ChalkArt, and a fun surprise for just $24.95. You also get included in our finishing society, which means you’ll get coupons on A Makers’ Studio products. With the subscription, you will get different colors and stencils for all the seasons and holidays. Just imagine the possibilities! Go to your next slide showing the ChalkArt quote. You are already familiar with our stencils from our project tonight. This is an example of what you could do with the THREE different ChalkArt colors and a new stencil. ChalkArt is all about versatility. You can use it to create truly professional designs on almost any surface... over and over again. You can easily customize your furniture, tabletop decor, glass, and nearly any other non-porous surface. You can then wipe it down with water to recreate any sort of customization to your heart’s content, or seal your designs anytime.
Go to your next slide showing the Leaf Bundle. If you want to recreate any of the amazing gilded designs I showed you tonight, you will want to get the Leaf Bundle for $23.95. It includes your choice of three more leafs. You can choose from gold like we used tonight, silver, copper, or variegated copper. Go to your next slide showing rescued and restored furniture. Also, we have a Rescue Restore Kit tonight for $65.00. It includes everything you need to paint your furniture and make it look brand new. You can change the entire look of your home! Americans throw away 28 million tons of furniture every year! But now you can rescue it all instead of trash it! Rescue Restore paint does not have to be sealed and it has no VOCs. It’s even safe for children’s rooms and baby cribs. It even smells great! Go to your next slide showing the Rescue Restore Kit. This Kit includes cleaner, Rescue Restore paint, wax, and an amazing brush that’s worth $28 alone – and believe me, the tools make all the difference in how your project turns out. Feel free to take a look at your catalogs to see even more products you can get tonight… I’m happy to answer any questions to help you get what you need to complete your projects at home.
5 Minutes Share how to participate in A Makers’ Studio. Go to your next slide showing the Host a Gathering title slide. While you look, I want to tell you a little bit more about A Makers’ Studio and how you can get involved, because it’s the reason we are all here.
Go through your Host and Maker Boss slides. I have a spend program, a save program, and an earn program. Let me help you plan your rescue project, and I’ll help you SPEND money. But if you’d like, I’ll help you plan your rescue project and help you SAVE money as one of my future Hosts! But, best yet, I will help you EARN money – let’s plan your next rescue project AND get you signed up as the newest Maker on my team. That’s the way to EARN money with your creativity! It only takes $49 to get started as a Maker like me. Once enrolled, you get access to live product trainings with Amy, business mentorship, and you get to hold Creative Gatherings like this one! So for the last few minutes as we wrap up, I’d like to know which of you want to schedule your own Creative Gatherings as Hosts – let’s get them on the calendar because you will earn free product and discounts just for hosting. I also want to answer your questions about becoming a Maker and get you enrolled if you’re ready!
10 Minutes Go to your next slide showing proud workshop attendees.
Q+A For the remainder of our time together, I’d like to answer all your questions and help you place your orders! I can help you figure out which products to get based on the projects you want to do! Go to your last slide showing the A Makers’ Studio logo as you take orders.
Gilded Gathering Love Letter As a Maker, you will continue cultivating connections after your workshop. Start by sending a loving follow-up email to your attendees from your MakerOffice. First, insert the group photo you took at the workshop. Then send an email like the one on the next page. You can personalize it and make your own!
Caroline Henries
From the bottom of my heart... Debbie Crews
I love looking at this photo of all of you with your finished creations! What a beautiful group! So I wanted to send it out so you can all see it too! As I shared my stories and my creativity with you, you shared encouragement and love for one another. I got to see your faces light up with pride as you completed a new piece of decor for your home, learned new skills, and figured out fun DIY techniques along the way. It was such a joy to see you work and leave inspired to create some new things of your own. I bet you are eagerly awaiting more from A Makers’ Studio! What a pleasure to teach such a kind and loving group of creative women. I am a better person for having been with all of you, and I am excited to see you create your own projects. Please send me pictures of what you are making! I know several of you are interested in hosting a workshop and becoming Makers. I’m looking forward to speaking to you soon. Now, go unleash your creativity and enjoy the bragging rights!
Gilded Gathering At-A-Glance .
Here are the highlights of your workshop’s timeline. This is great for staying on track during your event!
1 Hour — Prep your space before the workshop begins and
make sure you have at least fifteen minutes of free time to chat with your Host.
15 Minutes — Greet your guests and help them socialize with each other.
5 Minutes — Introduce and thank your Host. 15 Minutes — Introduce yourself, the workshop, and
play the A Makers’ Studio video. Iron your guests’ pillow sleeves.
20 Minutes — Apply gilding size and share about the stencil products.
25 Minutes — Apply gold leaf and share about the gilding products
5 Minutes — Take photos with your guests and their completed projects.
15 Minutes — Share the Creative Gatherings Specials. 5 Minutes — Share the A Makers’ Studio opportunity with your guests.
10 Minutes — Take orders, schedule future workshops, make notes for following up, and answer your guests’ questions about products and becoming a Maker.
Make sure to follow up with your guests after the workshop and keep cultivating those connections. We know you can do it!
Making beautiful things alongside others is a gift. You have now given that gift to your friends and family‌. and their friends and family.