Where to Buy Lapboards Now that Town and Country is Gone?

[betht471]

Now that Town and Country is now longer with us and they were the ones who had the lap boards, does anyone one have any suggestions on where to buy them?

 

[rwesterpchef]

Merrill LapboardsLapboards are available through our new licensed vendor, Merrill Corp.
http://www.merrillcatalog.com/pamperedchef/index.asp, then click on Other Business Building Tools.
I did not check to see if the link will work from here. You may have to access it through Consultant's Corner.

 

[betht471]

I swear I looked there and never saw them... Thanks

 

[rebjean]

LapboardsI found lapboards on expressyourselfonline.com. They do not have a logo on them. But since you are at a show and the logo would be covered anyway, I didn't think it mattered much. They were $9.95 for 5.

 

[AFwife]

I made my own, it was easy and cheap.

 

[KathyG]

How did you make your own? I would love to find out how!

I made my own, it was easy and cheap.

 

[Stephanie S]

I found that lap boards were becoming too heavy to carry around. How do you manage bringing them, on top of everything else to your show?

 

[AFwife]

I'll post a picture of what it looks like before and after in just a bit. Gotta take my kids to the bus stop.

It's basically made with Cori Core, any wood shop store should have it. Then I by 12by12 paper and glue it on both sides.

Ok I'll be back!

 

[AFwife]

Ok here it is, this is just a piece of cori core cut 8 by 11 1/2 inches.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b388/AFwife_24/Beforelapboard.jpg

Then here's the finished product. All I did was use scrapbooking paper that is 12 b 12 inches and wrapped it, glued it then took another sheet cut it to fit the back of the lapboard cause the 12 by 12 paper doesn't go all the way around so you need to cover the visible cori core then I took some velum paper to make the pocket and held it in place with some brads and that's it.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b388/AFwife_24/DSCF0002.jpg

I stamped some with butterfly's others with flowers using stamps from my other business. I'm also a consultant for Close To My Heart, scrapbooking and stamping.

 

[AFwife]

I found that lap boards were becoming too heavy to carry around. How do you manage bringing them, on top of everything else to your show?

The lap boards aren't heavy and I have 10 of them. Cori Core is light and because I had it cut 8 by 11 1/2 inches, they fit in my PC bag with the catalogs.

 

[micocina]

You are too Creative!

Great job!

 

[AFwife]

Thanks! I plan on making more to match the seasons. One for Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc...you get the idea.

I'll just interchange them accordingly.

 

[Pampered Laura]

Hi guys

When I had my business before (took time off around '01) I was spending too much money/time on random stuff like lapboards from "vendors", etc...

This time, I'm WAY simplifying the way I do things, and wanted to share my own version of lapboards.

Go to Staples.
They sell WHITE 3-ring binders w/clearview pockets on the outsides, in packs of 2 binders for $3.89.

****This is important - make sure they are the ones with the "rings" on the SPINE, and not attached to the back "board" of the binder.****

I bought 6 packs (12 binders).

Take them home, and with some very sharp scissors, slice the front and back boards off the spine. Be careful not to slice too close to the edge where the plastic is glued, or the plastic will come off in places and look yucky. Slice right in the middle of the ""grooved" part between the spine/boards.

Okay, when you're done slicing, you'll have 2 boards, and a spine with the rings on it.
Toss the spine with the rings on it - OR trim it, and stick page protectors on it, to make a "flip chart" with some flyers/catalog pages/etc.

Now...take each board, and trim the corners where you sliced, so there are no sharp edges.

Now you have 2 lapboards from every 1 binder you bought.

Make a flyer of your choice, stick it in the clear pocket on the outside.
Make a logo sticker (or whatever) on white shipping labels and stick it on the white pocket on the "front" of your lapboard.

For 24 lapboards, I paid less than $24. And they're *so easy* to make!

Hope this helps someone!

 

[krzymomof4]

I usually use pocket school folders. Can someone tell me the benefits of using a lapboard instead. The homemade ones are really pretty. I didn't know what the durability was of the lapboards. I know that the folders are only 10 cents each.

 

[Pampered Laura]

lapboards (or halves of binders) are alot more sturdy. Even folders bend and aren't as sturdy of a surface to write on. I also like the clear-view pocket on the outside of my binder boards, to show flyers. I just think they look more professional. It's to each their own.

 

[AFwife]

I've been using mine since November and are holding up real well. They may be more pretty then professional but no one at my shows seem to care as long as they have something sturdy to write on. And since they are so pretty, it gets them asking how I made it which in turn allows me to promote my other business. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

 

[Pampered Laura]

Totally! I love the decorated lapboards you did, those are so cute. And you're right, what a great way to segue in to your other business! I have a question about them - does the paper ever rip when customers handle them too rough?

I think anything of a hard-ish surface that you give the customer to write on makes customers happy! They're all great ideas. I think we're all pretty durn smart if I do sayso myself.

 

[AFwife]

Totally! I love the decorated lapboards you did, those are so cute. And you're right, what a great way to segue in to your other business! I have a question about them - does the paper ever rip when customers handle them too rough?

I think anything of a hard-ish surface that you give the customer to write on makes customers happy! They're all great ideas. I think we're all pretty durn smart if I do sayso myself.

It hasn't ripped yet. I was going to get them laminated but just never got around to it.

I ask all my guest to please not eat on them or use as a scribble pad. lol Only to use a what it's intended for. They're all cool about it and if the paper ever did rip, it's just a quick change of paper and it's brand new again.

 

[brandenc]

You could also go to walmart and purchase the clip boards, they are around 97 cents, I'll have mine tomorrow. and I got some sheet protectors to put on them also to put in a sheet so all the guest can see. Very easy and inexpensive.

 

[sandi4tpc]

Hi guys

When I had my business before (took time off around '01) I was spending too much money/time on random stuff like lapboards from "vendors", etc...

This time, I'm WAY simplifying the way I do things, and wanted to share my own version of lapboards.

Go to Staples.
They sell WHITE 3-ring binders w/clearview pockets on the outsides, in packs of 2 binders for $3.89.

****This is important - make sure they are the ones with the "rings" on the SPINE, and not attached to the back "board" of the binder.****

I bought 6 packs (12 binders).

Take them home, and with some very sharp scissors, slice the front and back boards off the spine. Be careful not to slice too close to the edge where the plastic is glued, or the plastic will come off in places and look yucky. Slice right in the middle of the ""grooved" part between the spine/boards.

Okay, when you're done slicing, you'll have 2 boards, and a spine with the rings on it.
Toss the spine with the rings on it - OR trim it, and stick page protectors on it, to make a "flip chart" with some flyers/catalog pages/etc.

Now...take each board, and trim the corners where you sliced, so there are no sharp edges.

Now you have 2 lapboards from every 1 binder you bought.

Make a flyer of your choice, stick it in the clear pocket on the outside.
Make a logo sticker (or whatever) on white shipping labels and stick it on the white pocket on the "front" of your lapboard.

For 24 lapboards, I paid less than $24. And they're *so easy* to make!

Hope this helps someone!

I did something along this line...
I went to Target and bought 11 economy 3-ring binders [these did not have the clear pocket on the front/outside] for $0.97 each. Cut them the same as Laura did. I then found at OfficeMax some adhesive business card holders [like pouches]...they were in a 10-pack for $3.29?? and I attached one of these to the inner pocket of the "lapboard" and put my business card in it. They cost about $0.94 for each lapboard. Then I can have my guests take my card for reference with my info on it.

Sandi