June Group Custom information! :)

We will be drawing groups this Sunday evening for the June Group Custom slots! :)  Please read the information below thoroughly so that you don't miss any important components!   Even if you are experienced with our Group Custom process please read through this post. :)

*If you are new to twinkie tush, welcome!  Please note that this is not the only way to purchase one of our diapers. ;)  Read this page for lots of basic twinkie tush information!

Additionally please note that this process is as complex as it is ONLY in order to meet the needs of customers, both new and returning.  It is designed to be fair, not to be purposefully maddening. ;)

We are planning to post the June Group Custom entry thread on facebook this coming Sunday (7/1) between 9 and 10pm eastern.  (The thread will then be open for 5 minutes only.) 

We ask that for this month you stick to a maximum of 2 groups per household.  We are going to be strict about this - if we notice someone in more than 2 groups that individual will be removed from all groups.  That means that if one of their groups wins a drawing the group win will stand but the individual will be disqualified.  Please help us keep this fair for everyone! :)

When the entry thread goes up on facebook, please comment on the thread to enter your team!  You may only enter on behalf of one group (but may appear in up to 2 groups).  Your entries should look like these, in which the flying whizbees are entering for the first time in the current month and the skullies have entered in two previous months as well as in the current month:

The flying whizbees: 1 month. Kate, Megan B., Amanda, Karen, Jessica, Sarah, Melissa, Henrietta, Pamela, Megan Z.

The skullies: 3 months. Susan, Mike, Allegra, Sarah F., Sarah P., Bess

Also within the alloted time (5 minutes) you will need to send an email to twinkietush@gmail.com. The email subject must read something like “Group Custom Entry: Team Name (eg The flying whizbees)”. Your team name must be included in the subject line of the email and all group members must be cc'ed on this email.

The email must contain a link to a google spreadsheet or an attached Excel spreadsheet (please do not C&P in the body of the email) containing the following information for each group member:

1 - Full member name

2 - Member name as it appears in paypal account

3 - Member contact email

4 - Member paypal email

5 - serged or T&T preference.

If any of those elements are missing (no team name in subject, any info missing from the spreadsheet, missing team member cc's, etc.) your group will not be eligible to obtain the slot. (This is just to keep things fair.)  We recommend reviewing your spreadsheets shortly before 8:30 on Sunday to double-check that everything is present and that your spreadsheet matches your planned facebook entry. :)

Once the entry time has expired, we will review all information and announce the eligible groups for the month. We will then hold 2 drawings as follows:

Drawing 1: Every team that has entered for at least 3 months, including the current month, will be entered in this drawing.

* Each team in this drawing will receive one entry slot for each month they've entered. That means if you've entered for 3 months including the current month, your team is given 3 entries. So for example if there are 5 eligible teams for this drawing and they all have entered for 3 months, with the exception of teams Abby and Darkside who have each entered 4 times, the entry list would look like this:

1 - team Abby

2 - team Abby

3 - team Abby

4 - team Abby

5 - team Boyish stripes

6 - team Boyish stripes

7 - team Boyish stripes

8 - team Cat Lovers

9 - team Cat Lovers

10 - team Cat Lovers

11 - team Darkside

12 - team Darkside

13 - team Darkside

14 - team Darkside

15 - team Elliot

16 - team Elliot

17 - team Elliot

We will use random.org to draw the winning number.

Drawing 2: Every team who successfully submitted their information in full is entered in this drawing, with the winning team again being selected by random.org.

* For this drawing, all teams receive 1 entry slot regardless of the number of months they've entered, giving an equal chance to all who are enter whether they are brand new or have been entering for several months.

Please note that even an attempted entry counts when tallying your group's number of entries. In other words if your group got the email and FB comment in within the alloted time for a given month, it counts even if some info was missing and your group wasn't entered in the drawing(s).

The information below covers general Group Custom policies to keep in mind as you are forming your groups:

* If your group is selected you will then receive a confirmation email in response to the email you sent in. That email will contain a link to your group custom slot, which will be available for purchase at the store. You will have 24 hours to purchase the slot. If a group fails to purchase the slot in time a new drawing will take place using the same list and a second winner will be drawn.

*Anyone from the group can email us, as long as they are willing and able to serve as group rep (the person who collects payments from other group members and communicates with me about velour preferences, etc.) The group rep is also responsible for forwarding information from us to the group as needed and assuring that the group is aware of payment deadlines, etc. Please do not email on behalf of your group unless you are willing to take on the group rep responsibility.

*All members of the group must be copied on the initial email so that we can reach individual members if needed.

*Once the spot is purchased it is reserved and you can send your fabric in as quickly or slowly as you like! The listing will include the cost of the diapers but not the cost of shipping to each individual group member.

*After the group rep pays for the group listing, each individual group member will need to pay individually for their shipping cost. This is not something that needs to be done to reserve your spot but it will need to be done in order for us to ship you your diapers ;) This system is just to facilitate an easier and smoother shipping process on our end which means you getting your diapers more quickly!  After your slot is paid for we will send an email to the group or group rep with a link to a store listing where you can pay for shipping individually.

*After purchasing the slot, the group will send us (at the group's cost) adequate yardage (usually 3-5 yards) of the chosen print fabric and all diapers will be cut from that yardage. All other materials will of course be provided by twinkie tush.  All velour and snaps will be uniform. We will work with the group on velour choice (contingent on availability) and snap and serging thread colors will be chosen by us.

*Should you want any remaining fabric mailed back to a group member or members, please let us know within 24 hours of securing the slot.  We are always very happy to return fabric but we need to know right away to avoid going back and forth trying to determine where to send remnants at a later time.  Please note that the cost of mailing extra fabric will be added to shipping cost(s) and that will need to be determined before the shipping listings can be set up.  Should you decide not to request that your fabric be returned within 24 hours of securing the slot, it will be considered a donation to twinkie tush and will likely be used for stocking at a later time.  We appreciate fabric donations very much, but they are not required or expected.

     - Please note that we will price diapers made with donated fabric according to the cost of the fabric (Euro knits will be priced at $40, domestic/average cost fabrics will be priced at $35, for example).  This is something that has been requested of us by previous groups and we recognize that it is the most fair way to handle donated fabric.

* Group size can range from 5-10 people. Each group member will choose between a serged or turned diaper. We do not recommend serging with woven fabrics. The price for this SYOF order will be $33 + shipping per each diaper.

*We are now opening up the Group Custom entry process to groups that are seeking SYOF twinkie tush night-nights.  Your group will need to provide several yards of velour (7 yards for a group of 10, as an example).  While we are not able to help groups extensively in the search for cotton velour or organic bamboo velour we will require that your velour choice be approved before it is sent in.  We require this to ensure that it is of the highest quality so that we feel comfortable using it to make twinkie tush night-nights, and can stand behind the absorbency.  The cost per person for a Group Custom twinkie tush night-night will be $36 plus shipping.

*All diapers will ship out to the group members 4-6 weeks after we receive the fabric (pending shipping payments of course).

As always, please let us know if you have any questions about this, and thanks so much! :)

June Photo Contest details! :)

Good morning! :)  As promised, we are holding another photo contest this month and we’d love to give you the details so you can get ready to send your entries in!  Photo contests are one of our favorite things – it is amazing to see your children rocking our diapers and wool, and so awesome to watch your little ones grow from one contest to the next and of course to “meet” all the new twinkie tush kiddos!  Thank you in advance for sharing your photos with us!!

Here are the photo contest details:

The contest will be open for submissions from today, 6/3, through Sunday 6/24.  That gives you exactly 3 weeks to get your entries in!  The winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 27th, at 10pm EST. Please read below for important details on how to win. There will be a first place and a second place winner as follows:

- First place takes home a FREE custom twinkie tush diaper of their choice (based on availability of desired fabric, and SYOF is of course an option as well). Shipping of the diaper is also free. (Please note that the custom diaper will ship 4-6 weeks after a final print decision is made or SYO fabric is received.)

- The second place winner will be awarded a one time "dibs pass" which will allow them to choose a single diaper to purchase at regular price on any one preview day between 7/4/12 and 1/4/13 without having to attend the stocking.  This prize also includes free shipping! (Please note that occasionally there is a print offered that is not able to be claimed by a dibs pass, but that is rare.)

- We will also draw an additional dibs pass winner at random from all photo contest participants at the close of the contest!  (This random.org dibs pass entitles the recipient to claim a diaper during previews and purchase it prior to stocking at regular price and with regular associated shipping costs.)

So now that we’ve covered prizes, here is the process:

To enter, simply submit a photo of your little one(s) in a twinkie tush diaper or twinkie tush wool. Hair clips and headbands by Hello Charlotte James for twinkie tush, twinkie tush/Hazelbee dress collaborations and/or T shirts by Peanut & Pumpkin for twinkie tush are of course welcome to be part of the photos, however a twinkie tush diaper or twinkie tush woolies must be featured.

Feel free to be as creative as possible - extra consideration will always be given for creativity! (Try to play off the "theme" of your diaper or woolies - you can use accessories and props to really amp it up - a guitar, an alien toy, a bouquet of flowers....) A simple approach is fine as well - creativity is just one of the things that will be considered.

Photos can be sent to twinkietush@gmail.com. Please type PHOTO CONTEST in the subject field. By submitting a photo you are giving twinkie tush permission to use your photo to promote or represent twinkie tush diapers and/or twinkie tush wool on this blog, the twinkie tush shop on Hyena Cart, the soon to be launched twinkietush.com, twinkie tush advertisements on HC and elsewhere, and the twinkie tush facebook page.  Please do not submit a photo if you do not agree to these terms. :)

Submissions will be closed on Sunday 6/24/12 at 11:59pm EST. On Monday 6/25 we will upload all submissions to a photo album on the main twinkie tush facebook page called "June 2012 photo contest!" At that point, the contest really gets exciting!

First place will be awarded to the photo *in the "June 2012 photo contest" album* that we feel best reflects the spirit of twinkie tush and the spirit of the individual diaper(s) pictured. Creativity, photo composition, brand reflection and of course FUN are some of the things that will be considered. :) Mike and I will choose the first place winner, and we will announce the winner at 10pm EST on Wednesday, June 27th.

Second place will go to the photo in the "June 2012 photo contest" album that receives the most "likes".  Please note that "likes" on photos outside of the specified album will not count as votes for that photo. You, and your friends and family, may "like" multiple photos if you choose (you don't have to pick just one). Comments are welcome of course, but will not count towards a photo's "tally". Since it is possible to "like" and then "unlike" something on facebook, we will go with the count as it is at exactly 10pm EST on Wednesday, June 27th.

An important note: you cannot win both first and second place ;) While the number of "likes" a photo has will neither ensure a first place win nor preclude it from taking said prize, fan feedback is something that Mike and I may take into consideration to at least some extent in making our decision on a first place winner. In the event that we choose the "highest likes" photo for first place, that photo is no longer eligible to take a second place win. In other words if photo A has the highest number with 200 likes and photo B has 199 likes, and we choose photo A as our first place winner, second place will go to photo B. If we choose photo B, or any other photo in the album, as our first place winner, second place will go to photo A.  Please feel free to ask questions about this if it is at all unclear! :)

Please note that you may enter only ONE photo per household for this contest. Also note that photos must clearly show your twinkie tush diaper(s) and/or twinkie tush wool and must not be offensive in any way (obviously). Please send full size or web adjusted images rather than "email" or "thumbnail" sizes.

If there is a problem with your submission you will receive an email response with suggestions on how to resubmit if applicable. If your submission is accepted you will receive a confirmation email within 48 hours. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 48 hours please email again to confirm receipt, in case for some reason your initial email did not come through successfully.

We are looking forward to your submissions! Thanks so much!! :)