How it works
What happens when you buy
For buyers, for recipients, and for the makers themselves.
For the buyer
Choose a workshop, set an amount between $25 and $1,000, and decide when it should arrive. You pay face value. No service charge, activation fee or processing surcharge is added on top, and what you pay is what the recipient gets.
The card arrives as an email with a card number and a printable version attached. You can schedule it up to a year ahead, which is what most people use in the run-up to Christmas and Father's Day.
For the recipient
They give the card number at the counter or by email if they are commissioning remotely. The balance draws down as it is used and the remainder stays on the card. Nothing expires and nothing is deducted for inactivity.
Cards work on made-to-order and bespoke work, including the deposit — which matters more here than in most categories, because the best pieces at half these workshops are commissions rather than shelf stock. If the piece costs more than the card, they pay the difference at the counter.
A note on lead times
Two of these workshops are made-to-order and one is a single person working alone. A card bought on 20 December is a lovely gift and will not become a wallet until February. That is worth saying out loud when you hand it over, and every workshop page lists its current lead time.
For the maker
Partners are paid at the point of purchase, not at redemption. That is the whole pitch: a small workshop carrying its own gift cards is holding an interest-free liability until someone walks in, and for a one-person bench that is real money. We settle up front and hold the funds against issued cards on our side.
If a partner closes, outstanding balances are refunded to whoever bought them. That is only possible because the money is held rather than booked as revenue.
At a glance
| Amounts | $25 to $1,000 |
|---|---|
| Expiry | None |
| Buyer fees | None |
| Dormancy fees | None |
| Delivery | Email or print at home |
| Scheduling | Up to 12 months ahead |
| Valid on | Stock, bespoke work, deposits, monogramming |
| Redeemable | At the issuing workshop only |
Questions
How is the card delivered?
By email, to whoever you nominate, at the time you choose. Send it now or schedule it up to a year ahead. A printable version comes attached if you would rather hand it over.
Does it expire?
No. Funds do not expire and there are no dormancy, inactivity or maintenance fees at any point. Federal law sets a floor here and we sit well above it.
Can it be used at any shop on the site?
No. Each card is issued for one specific shop and redeemable only there. That is deliberate — the maker is paid for your card and knows exactly what they are honouring.
Can it be used against made-to-order work?
Yes, at every shop here, including bespoke commissions and monogramming. For made-to-order pieces the card covers the deposit as well as the balance.
What if it does not cover the piece they want?
They pay the difference at the counter however suits them. Cards are not all-or-nothing, and any remaining balance stays on the card indefinitely.
Can I check the balance?
Yes, on the balance page, using the card number alone. You will never need a PIN, and we will never ask for a card number or PIN by email, text or phone.