A new group custom process coming in September!

As I mentioned previously, we are going to be re-vamping our group custom process a bit.  We will be trying out a new process in September! J  Here are the details:

I will announce at least one day in advance that a group custom slot will be available.  You will know the specific day on which to expect the slot to open, but I will not give the specific time.  This is out of consideration to those who have been planning and preparing well in advance and who carefully follow the blog and facebook for updates – I want to make sure those efforts are given consideration.  When I do announce the group custom, I will do so on facebook rather than the blog.  I will create a post on the facebook page that reads “Group custom drawing thread!”  At that point you will have 10 minutes to enter your group.  You enter by commenting on the thread in the following format:

“Group name: member first name, member first name, member first name, etc.” 

An example would be:

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

Each team may enter ONE time only.  Any multiple entries will be deleted (leaving only the first entry).  And each person may only enter on behalf of ONE team. (In other words Gretchen Gilpin cannot enter for both the flying whizbees and the green lanterns.)

Another important stipulation: if we see an identical member list for more than one group, the second entry will be disqualified.  For example:

“The flying whizbees: Kate, Megan B., Amanda, Karen, Jessica, Sarah, Melissa, Henrietta, Pamela, Megan Z.”
“The green lanterns: Melissa, Henrietta, Pamela, Megan Z., Kate, Megan B., Amanda, Karen, Jessica, Sarah”

The green lanterns are clearly the flying whizbees under a different name. ;)  This is not at all in the spirit of the drawing and we can't allow anything as blatant as that.

Also within the 10 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.  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.

After the 10 minutes are over, we will post an official “close” within the thread on facebook, and we will take 30 minutes or so to confirm that all entered groups have also included all necessary info in their emails.  Once we cross-reference we will announce the official list of entrants.  We will then head to random.org to type each group name into the list randomizer.  After we run the names through random.org we will post a screenshot to announce the winning group, which will be whatever group random.org lists as #1.

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 exactly 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.

That should cover all of the new changes we are making to the group custom process.  The following are more group custom details that each group must be aware of:

*Anyone from the group can email me, 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 me 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 I can reach individual members if needed.

*Once the spot is purchased it is reserved and you can send your fabric to me 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 me 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 :)  Approximately a week prior to projected ship date I 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 me (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 me :)  All velour and snaps will be uniform.  I will work with the group on velour choice (contingent on availability) and snap colors will be chosen by me.  Extra print fabric will be shipped back to a group member or members or donated for use by twinkie tush as decided by the group.  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.

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

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

*It is up to each team to decide if team members must be "exclusive" to that group.  This is not something we can dictate on our end.

Please make sure to let me know here or via email (twinkietush@gmail.com) or FB if you have any questions about this, and stay tuned!  We are going to be doing our best to offer at least one group custom every month!