Ideas for a donation???

[Craig Hogarth]

These work well to raise funds. The children's ward at our local hospital was charging $500 per leaf and sold out in a couple weeks.

[Thad Nickoley]

Craig,

what did they put on them? New births?

[Craig Hogarth]

Craig,

what did they put on them? New births?

whatever they wanted. It was just a fund raiser using a 60 leaf tree, with each leaf selling for $500. The majority are just plain names, but there's some that had "In memory of" "for my wife".

Some people have entirely too much money

[Thad Nickoley]

The to much money thing does not apply to me thats for sure!!

Where did you find the tree?

[Lisa Walter]

For a library? How about bookmarks? Depending of the number of items, you could make a bunch of bookmarks with the library's name / maybe an image... put your name on the back. Add a nice tassel and you'd be set. Maybe make extras for the library to give away. At least you'd be getting your name out to a large number of people...

You know that is a good idea! I could make them a few to give away as door prizes......and make sure my business name is on the back. Do you think I should put "donated by" or just leave the business name and number?

[Lisa Walter]

Dan beat me to the punch with the idea about the architectural drawings.

How about a certificate for an engraving of a family photo, or photo of their choosing. You could display an engraving of your family with the certificate. That way people would understand that the engraving is for display purposes only, and they would be able to see what the "finished product" will look like.

Thanks Belinda!

[Craig Hogarth]

The to much money thing does not apply to me thats for sure!!

Where did you find the tree?

http://www.dricoproducts.com/

best in the business

[Steven Smith]

You know that is a good idea! I could make them a few to give away as door prizes......and make sure my business name is on the back. Do you think I should put "donated by" or just leave the business name and number?

I would use 'donated by'...

[Sandra Force]

Lisa, I would consider reverse engraving a mirror with a local scene. I think that your laser is large enough to do a good sized wall mirror and 30w is pleanty of power. If I were going to do it I would engrave the scene across the bottom of the mirror and put the larger portions in the corners.

[Nicole Hernandez]

I just made and donated a bunch of wooden bookmarks for our library. They were soooo excited. They are keeping a set for a silent auction and the rest they are going to sell outright during a book sale that is coming up. I made them from woodthins from Colorado heirloom.

[Lisa Walter]

I just made and donated a bunch of wooden bookmarks for our library. They were soooo excited. They are keeping a set for a silent auction and the rest they are going to sell outright during a book sale that is coming up. I made them from woodthins from Colorado heirloom.

Thanks Nicole! I don't have any wood thin enough here to use as bookmarks so I went to the craft store (no time to order wood) and they had sheets of birch (12x20) for over $17. YOWZA! I thought that was kind of expensive even though it would make quite a few bookmarks I didn't want to spend that. So then I looked for precut bookmarks and didn't see any. I picked up some bookmarks made of cardstock and I am going to play with those and see what I can do. I wound up getting an old picture postcard of the library and putting that on a piece of granite. The granite costs me about $6 so that was better than spending $17. I want to make a handful of bookmarks for them to give away as door prizes and that's a good way to get my name out there without spending more on advertising.

Lisa

[Lisa Walter]

I decided to go with a lasered piece of granite. The granite I get costs me about $6 at home depot and I have a case of it sitting here at the shop. I went to the historical society and asked them for an old photo of the library (the Hist. Soc. is part of the library). They scanned two in for me that I brought home. I put a nice border on the granite and the library photo and some text underneath. I am actually getting pretty good at doing marble and granite now so it didn't take me long to do (thanks Frank Corker for all of your help and tips and training). I had it set up and ready to burn in about 30 minutes. I couldn't decide on a border so that took some time......still not sure I like the border but sometimes I struggle with dumb things like that. It burned pretty nice. Later I have to rub it in with some paint and then I will take a photo to share.

I also decided to make a handful of bookmarks for them to hand out as door prizes. I was going to use wood but I don't have anything here that is that thin and there is no time to order it in. I stopped by the craft store and they wanted over $17 for a 12x20 sheet of birch. I looked around for precut wood bookmarks but didn't see any so I bought bookmarks out of card stock. I helped my daughter with her science project and we cut cards tock with the laser and I was impressed with it, so I won't be going into it blind (maybe just one eye shut haha). I figured that's a good way to get my name out there.....people will use a book marker for years!

Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions.

Lisa

[Lisa Walter]

Here are pictures of what I decided to donate.

[AL Ursich]

Sorry Lisa,

I have been pre occupied with ME ME ME..... and Taxes and have not been looking around at the other postings.... That new Graphtec FC7000 sure has me excited.... More when it gets here.

I love the Granite, it came out GREAT..... I have the same case of Granite sitting under my Engraver too.... My partially Blind Engraver.... Still have not replaced the mirror yet.....

Got some leather Key Fobs from Tandy Leather for a request from a customer. That would be another idea for a fund raiser.

Another Leather Dealer would not let me start a wholesale account with them... They want me to pay some Mom and Pop shop a mark up to get the product.... Bummer.... Need to revisit that topic with them.

I too "donated" a Quilt Rack to a group last spring but my Tax Lady said that "Donation" from a single owner business is not allowed or some words to that effect..... SO.... I gave a Quilt Rack to the Quilt Group as a Advertisement of my business and capabilities.... Never got an order....

The book Marks look good too and should be a big hit.

Winning a Custom Name Book Mark sent with a 41 cent stamp later would be a bigger hit... Put a name on it and they keep it for life....

Still need to laser a few of the business cards too.

Good Job Lisa !!!!

AL

[Leigh Costello]

Lisa,
Kudos to you! What a great piece of granite work. The bookmarks are ideal.
I would suggest Contacting Mike Kowalski for your future baltic birch needs, he is much more reasonable than $17 per piece.
Also, Chewbarka.com has bookmarks that are anodized aluminum and engrave beautifully. For Chewbarka, I would search ebay for his store or call him (Frank Ricci, Frank Ricci Tool Company).