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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Checking in, and today's stocking! :)

Good morning and Happy Wednesday!  Today is the last day to vote for your favorite in the November 2012 Photo Contest - make sure to take a look! <3

I wanted to share a few notes about today's stocking, including the new Bundles category link, and to touch base about our production increase and website progress! :)

As we continue to increase production, this week offering 104 ready to ship diapers for example, we will be able to offer more bundles/sibling sets! :)  For that reason we've opened a category on our Big Cartel shop called Bundles.  Here is the direct link: http://twinkietush.bigcartel.com/category/bundles.  (All other category links can be found at the end of this blog post.)  This week we are offering Holiday Bundles, including a Big Elf Little Elf sibling set and 2 Christmas Day 3-packs!


You will also notice, beginning this week, that we are no longer going to be able to show individual preview photos on small scale or simple repeat stripe prints, simplify or night-nights.  I love showing photos of each exact diaper, but the additional time required in photographing, creating listings, and packaging is substantial. For certain prints I know how important it will be to continue to see exact cuts, and for now we will continue to make sure that happens! :)  Diapers like Hot Diggity Dog and Kitty J'Adore from this week will continue to be shown individually. :)


Here are some examples of prints/stripes which will no longer be shown individually.  In these cases we will show a single diaper which will stand as a representation of the print or colorway.





As we approach our production goals for late 2012, we are taking on hundreds more customs each month in the form of groups and mini groups and we have almost tripled production for weekly stockings!  While our stockings are still relatively competitive, we find we are much closer to meeting the demand for our diapers and that is SUCH a good feeling!  I hope you are finding stockings and group custom drawings more enjoyable and less frustrating, and know that we still aren't at what I would consider full production.  More is on the way, and we are always listening to your feedback to make sure we're on target with just what you're looking for! :)

A word on Group Customs: As December approaches (how did that happen so fast??) we want to share a change with regards to large groups.  We have, for quite a while now, asked that you stick to 2 groups per household.  Beginning in December, please feel free to participate in up to 3 groups per household! :)  Mike and I are working on tweaking the GC process to help things run more smoothly post-drawings.  We'll have more info on that for you before next month's drawings!

We have been waiting a long time for the launch of twinkietush.com and I know you have as well!  We are incredibly close to opening the site up to you for beta testing, which I am beyond excited about!  We are still working through some coding challenges and appreciate your continued patience with this process.  Our needs are so specific and, I have learned, fairly complicated!  We are in great hands with our developers and  they want to make sure everything is running beautifully before we launch.  :)

Thank you so much for your continued support - it is such an honor and a privilege to work with you and to know you.  I'll see you today at 2pm EST for stocking! :)

<3
~Gretchen



Direct category links on Big Cartel













Thursday, November 8, 2012

November 2012 Photo Contest! :)

Good morning! :)  It’s been way too long since we held a photo contest!  So let’s remedy that!

We are holding a photo contest this month – it begins today!  Photo contests are very special to me.  So much love goes into making our diapers and wool, and so much love comes back to us through your beautiful photos.  Thank you in advance for sharing them with us!!


Here are the photo contest details:

The contest will be open for submissions from today, 11/8, through Sunday 11/25.  That gives you exactly 17 days to get your entries in!  It is a shorter window than we usually give, so don’t put off taking those photos if you want yours to be included in the contest! :)  The winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 28th, 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 their choice of:
(a) 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.)
                OR
(b) an ULTIMATE Dibs Pass, which entitles them to select a single diaper during previews and take it home FREE, with free shipping as well.  This ULTIMATE Dibs Pass would be valid on any preview day in December 2012.  (Please note that occasionally there is a print offered that is not able to be claimed by a dibs pass.)  More info about Dibs Passes is below.

- Second place winner will be given the opportunity to choose between:
(a) an individual custom slot (priced at $36 for SYOF or within our normal pricing structure for an in stock print, with FREE shipping.  (Please note that the custom diaper will ship 4-6 weeks after a final print decision is made or SYO fabric is received.)
OR
(b) a standard Dibs Pass which will allow them to select a single diaper to purchase at regular price on any one preview day in December 2012 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.)  More info about Dibs Passes is below.

- We will also draw an additional standard 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.  This random.org Dibs Pass will be valid on any one preview day in December 2012.)


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 photocontest@twinkietush.com. 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 pages.  Please do not submit a photo if you do not agree to these terms. :)

Submissions will be closed on Sunday 11/25/12 at 11:59pm EST. On Monday 11/26 we will upload all submissions to a photo album on the main twinkie tush facebook page called "November 2012 photo contest!" At that point, the contest really gets exciting!

First place will be awarded to the photo *in the "November 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, November 28th.

Second place will go to the photo in the "November 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, November 28th.

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 only one (1) first place and one (1) second place prize will be awarded.  Should you collaborate with another family to enter a submission you would need to settle the allocation of the prize between yourselves in the event that you win. 

Please note that you may enter only one (1) 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/high res 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!! :)


More about Dibs Passes



How do you use your Dibs Pass? A Dibs Pass is a way to bypass the stocking itself – you need only comment on a preview photo on facebook by 10pm EST on preview day with something to the effect of “I am going to use my dibs pass for one of these diapers”, and then follow up with an email to info@twinkietush.com so that we can show you specific cuts and/or velour options, if applicable. You will then check out with a private link. (Certain prints may not be claim-able via Dibs Pass or Ultimate Dibs Pass and that will be stated during previews. Additionally with certain prints only one Dibs Pass may be used, on a first come first served basis. Again that will be stated along with the preview photos. )  Standard Dibs Passes offer no discount on the claimed diaper.  The retail price and associated shipping costs will be due upon checkout (unless free shipping is specified along with the prize).  A Dibs Pass entitles you to claim a single diaper for purchase within the date parameters given above.

About the Ultimate Dibs Pass:

The Ultimate Dibs Pass is like a regular Dibs Pass, but entitles the winner not just to claim a diaper for purchase, but to take it home for free.  The process for using the pass is the same, but rather than checking out with a private link you will simply supply your shipping address.  An Ultimate Dibs Pass entitles you to claim a single diaper at no cost within the date parameters given above.

Dibs passes are non-transferable and hold no monetary value.