Heart + Home 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 décor 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 Heart + Home Gathering has the power to be a 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
Heart + Home Gathering Overview .
This guide contains everything you need to successfully hold a Heart + Home 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: The $24.95 ChalkArt Bundle comes with three of their favorite colors. It’s a perfect match for getting creative with their stencil on other projects. 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 $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!
Heart + Home Gathering Invitation Your event invitation sets the stage for the atmosphere you create at your Heart + Home Gathering. You can customize and email these invitations from your MakerOffice. You can also post your invitation on social media to generate interest in your event.
Caroline Henries
You’re invited to a Heart + Home Debbie Crews
Please join me at 5:00PM on Jun 30, 2018 — FOR OUR —
Gilded Gathering! We’ll be gathering at 123 Main St. Memphis, TN 38112
Heart + Home Gathering in Detail Now we will take a look at how to lead a Heart + Home Gathering step-bystep. 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:
Wooden Frame Rescue Restore Paint - Southern Gentleman 2 oz 3 ChalkArt 2 oz colors of your choice Stencil of your choice Spreader Sponge Brush
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 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 ChalkArt quote. Being 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 our introductory workshop where you will learn how to stencil with ChalkArt and use Rescue Restore paint. 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 Heart + Home 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. Play the video on your next slide.
20 Minutes Let’s paint! Go to the next slide showing the Workshop Kit contents. If everyone will please take out your surface, brush, and Rescue Restore paint, we’ll get started! First, we are going to paint our surfaces.
Go to the next slide showing how to paint the surface.
Today, we are using grey Rescue Restore paint on our surface, but there are many colors in the line! Make sure you have your baggie handy. After you’ve painted your sign, you will put the wet brush in your baggie. We will use the brush again for our second coat. I have some hair dryers set up for everyone to use after we apply our first coat of paint to help your surface dry quickly. Let’s put one coat on the front and the sides, then dry it with a hair dryer before doing the other side. Don’t get the hair dryer too close to the wet paint because it will make it crack. At this point, everyone’s board should have 1-2 coats of paint on them and they are drying. Go to the Rescue Restore paint title slide. Our Rescue Restore paint is so amazing. You can see that it makes a beautiful, and cleanable, chalkboard surface. But that’s just a small piece. It’s also great for rescuing and restoring furniture. Can you guess how many TONS of furniture we throw away each year in the US? Allow one or two guests to make a guess. Go to the next slide showing Rescue Restore paint and A Makers’ Studio apron. We throw away 28 million tons of furniture every year! It’s hard for me to even imagine how much that is! That’s why we believe so much in the impact we can all make as creatives. Just think about 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. Smell it – isn’t it amazing? Let me inspire you about how you can use this product...
Show your next Rescue Restore slide. So don’t throw away your old cocktail table – rescue and restore it! Show your next Rescue Restore slide. No sanding, priming or stripping. Just clean and paint. It’s seriously that easy. Show your next Rescue Restore slide. In fact, I have Amy’s new book, Rescue, Restore, Redecorate if you would like to order one tonight. It’s everything you need to know to refinish your furniture or find cool new pieces to restore! It’s such a valuable tool…. here, look through my personal copy. And just to let you know, it also makes a great gift for any creative people you know! Show your next Rescue Restore slide. Look at this table that was repainted with Rescue Restore paint! Isn’t it beautiful? Show your next Rescue Restore slide. So many beautiful colors it’s hard to even choose one! Show the rest of the Rescue Restore paint slides to inspire them. Stop at the Stencils title slide.
15 Minutes Take out your stencils. Now we are are going to take out our stencils. You will notice that this stencil is adhesive and comes in its own little bag. You want to keep the bag because we will clean your stencils and put them back in your bag to take home. Now I want to share a bit about the stencil you are using. Go through your stencil slides as you share the product. The ChalkArt we are using today is all about versatility. And when paired with our uniquely detailed (and patented!) mesh decorative stencils, you can create truly professional designs on almost any surface... over and over again! Because ChalkArt is water-based, you can customize your furniture, tabletop decor, glass, and nearly any other non-porous surface over and over again. After drying for just 15 minutes, you will have a beautiful piece of lettering or artwork. When you’re ready to change it up, just wipe down with water! All of the A Makers’ Studio stencils can be used up to 25 times, including the one you will use now. Stop on the slide showing the unpainted stencil on the surface. Now we will carefully pull the stencil off of the backing. Holding with both hands, make sure you keep it flat. It will tear if the adhesive back gets caught on anything, including any other part of the stencil. Then position it on your board.
Go to your next slide showing how to spread the ChalkArt. Pause to observe your guests and make sure they are loading it up properly and smoothing it. Press out the stencil so that it adheres well to your surface and is nice and smooth. Then, take your white ChalkArt and your spreader. Now, you only want to use a little bit of ChalkArt – watch me first. Be sure to lay your spreader down and then spread across like you were icing a cake – like this. See how easy it is! Go to your next slide showing how to add ChalkArt to the sides of the frame. Now we will use our spreader to spread ChalkArt, any color you would like, onto the sides of our frame. You want to cover the entire edge evenly. Go to your next slide showing the ChalkArt intro slide. While you work on spreading out your ChalkArt, I’d like to share some fun ways you can use this product for more projects at home. Show the ChalkArt slides while you share. ChalkArt is perfect for creating a beautiful herb garden, monogramming glass, creating unique signage, and more. There are so many beautiful colors, don’t you think? Stop on the slide showing how to peel back the stencil. Okay, let’s all lift our stencils up very carefully from the top. Go to your next slide showing how to clean the stencil. Now we will clean our stencils with water and store them. Put any extra ChalkArt back into your containers. You can use your leftover ChalkArt on lots of fun projects later! Go to your next slide showing how to distress the sides of the frame. Using our fingers, we are going to gently rub around the boarder of our frame to create a distressed look. You can also use sand paper! Go to your next slide showing women enjoying the bragging rights.
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! 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 Gatherings Specials. Go to your next slide showing the Creative Gatherings 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. 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. This is an example of how you could do the same project we did tonight with THREE different ChalkArt colors,.. just to help you imagine all the possibilities. Go to your next slide showing the ChalkArt Bundle. If you want to make that with your stencil, or any other stencil you see in your Creative Inspirations catalog, you will want to get the ChalkArt Bundle tonight for $24.95. Go to your next slide 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! Go to your next slide showing the Rescue Restore Kit. This Kit includes cleaner, Rescue Restore paint, wax, and our fantastic brushes. This brush alone is worth $28.00 – and believe me, the tools make all the difference in how your project turns out. Do you have your wish lists filled 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!
15 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.
Heart + Home 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
Wow! I love looking at this photo of all of you, and I can’t believe we only got to spend such a short amount of time together! As I shared my stories and my creativity with you, you shared encouragement and love for one another. I loved seeing your faces light up with pride as you completed a piece of décor for your home while learning new skills and techniques along the way. It was such a joy to see the wheels turning in your head as you developed your new DIY skills… and left inspired to create some new things of your own! 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! 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!
Heart + Home 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.
20 Minutes — Paint two coats of Rescue Restore paint onto the surface and share about the product.
15 Minutes — Spread ChalkArt onto the stencil and share about the product.
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.
15 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.