December 11, 2009
· Filed under christmas shipping deadlines, holidays, irl
Copied straight from the USPS website:
| Domestic Mail Class/Product |
Cut Off Date |
| First Class Mail |
Dec-21 |
| Priority Mail |
Dec-21 |
| Express Mail* |
Dec-23 |
| Parcel Post |
Dec-16 |
| DBMC Drop Ship |
Dec-19 |
| DDU Drop Ship |
Dec-23 |
* Some Express Mail destinations may have extended service commitments
International Mail
| International Mail Addressed To |
Global Express Guaranteed® (GXG)4*** |
Express Mail® International (EMS)5* |
Priority Mail® International (PMI)6* |
First-Class Mail® |
| Africa |
Dec-18 |
Dec-12 |
Dec-4 |
Dec-4 |
| Asia/Pacific Rim |
Dec-18 |
Dec-17 |
Dec-11 |
Dec-11 |
| Australia/New Zealand |
Dec-18 |
Dec-17 |
Dec-11 |
Dec-11 |
| Canada |
Dec-22 |
Dec-18 |
Dec-14 |
Dec-11 |
| Caribbean |
Dec-21 |
Dec-17 |
Dec-14 |
Dec-11 |
| Central & South America |
Dec-21 |
Dec-12 |
Dec-4 |
Dec-4 |
| Mexico |
Dec-22 |
Dec-17 |
Dec-11 |
Dec-11 |
| Europe |
Dec-21 |
Dec-17 |
Dec-14 |
Dec-11 |
| Middle East |
Dec-18 |
Dec-17 |
Dec-14 |
Dec-11 |
***GXG Notes: 1) Cutoff date does not take into account time needed for customs clearance. 2) Should allocate extra transit day(s) for delivery outside major cities. 3) Last day to ship to Afghanistan and Iraq is Dec 18.
2009 Holiday Season Import Dates
December 4 Last day to send parcel post packages via surface transportation
December 11 Last day to send letters, flats and small packages via surface transportation
December 15 Last day to send parcel post packages via air transportation
December 17 Last day to send letters, flats and small packages via air transportation
December 21 Last day to send Express Mail Service items (any shape)
November 10, 2009
· Filed under dolls, new designs
Ha. I’ve designed a new style of doll! The pattern still needs some tweaking, of course, but the first prototype lady is almost finished (just waiting on a second shoe). I’m probably going to focus on making these and lower the price of the other doll pattern, just to have more variety in price points.
November 8, 2009
· Filed under irl
Well, life’s been pretty tough, lately. We got in that car wreck last month; this month the woman who ordered the lovely doll in the post below appears to have decided not to buy her, we may have lost the ONE house that we were interested in buying, I got fired, AND the oven appears to be broken.
Hopefully things will get better.
BUT I’ve got OneTrueTree to work on! It’s been neglected yet again. I’m working on a new doll design and hopefully in the next couple days I’ll finish it, a few magnets, and that poor OTTbot that’s been in the works for like a month, now. Time to try and be productive again!
As for this moment, I’m starving, so I’m off to have a delicious muffin or two.
October 30, 2009
· Filed under custom dolls, dolls
She’s finally finished! *repeats title…* I’m REALLY happy with how she turned out, and I’m anxious to find out what the woman who ordered her feels about her. I’m really hoping she’s happy with her. I took WAY too long finishing her (so. much. going on!), so I’d hate to disappoint her after all this wait, you know? I also gave her a discount on the price, the shipping, AND gave her a second dress to apologize for being so slow with it. But yes… back to the doll itself. It’s made out of wool/rayon blend felt (as always =)), and has a few new features; she’s got adorable little embroidered pink cheeks, and her hair is 100% wool that I hand dyed (since I couldn’t seem to find a good color ANYWHERE) and hand curled. =D
More photos!
October 28, 2009
· Filed under irl
I was in a MAJOR car accident on Wednesday of last week (the 21st). I did suffer some injuries, but luckily none were life threatening and they seem to finally be starting to clear up. James was knocked around some, but he’s okay as well. THANK GOD. I haven’t been able to work, either for OneTrueTree (not much, at least) or for my IRL job, but I’m feeling a bit better and I intend to churn out some OneTrueTree projects before I head back to IRL work. I’m also looking for a new car, because my poor Corolla was crumpled like a piece of paper.
And it seems Flickr suddenly doesn’t allow you to use their site to post photos to blogs, etc, so I’ll have to figure out a different site to use to post photos…
*deep breath* OKAY. Current priority project: Finishing the custom doll I’ve been working on for GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW LONG. I feel TERRIBLE. I never take this long with any custom order; I’m going to give the buyer a discount for her troubles.
After I finish and send her doll off, I’ve got another OTTbot to complete, a girl, this time; she’ll have a little pink tutu and a bow on her head that “fastens” with a magnet inside her head. Snazzy, right?? I’m really looking forward to seeing how she’ll turn out.
THEN after that I’ll have one more OTTbot to make (right…? maybe two…) and I’ll have to start working on the Build-Your-Own OTTbot listing images, which has been on hold for way too long. =/
So yes… Much to do…
October 16, 2009
· Filed under irl
I feel like my head has been run over repeatedly by a tiny, but menacingly-evil train full of cobwebs. I’ve been laying down since around 3 or so (got home around 1:30-ish), and I’ve only succeeded in dozing for maybe a half an hour’s worth of the three-or-so hours I was in bed. It’s given me quite the headache, and my eyes are dry, scratchy, and puffy.
Five hours after arriving home, my feet only recently stopped hurting, but my big toes are still numb and achingly painful. Damn pinched nerves. =/ Hopefully I can get around to getting some supportive insoles in the next couple days. Yesterday my right hip kept locking up; I suspect it was just tired due to the atypically high level of activity/standing/running/etc. Today it feels fine; just some minor stiffness earlier in the day. Hopefully that won’t be a reoccurring thing; I’d forgotten how cranky my hip can be because I hadn’t had any issues with it in several months.
Not sure how much longer I can do this whole two days a week getting up at 4:15 in the morning thing. I may have to change my schedule so that they only schedule me for one early day a week. Bluh. Maybe I can stick it out until January and then ask them to change my schedule for me then. Everyone likes me. I do a good job with stocking; I’m neat, organized, and efficient, and I also go above and beyond when it comes to customer service. I mentioned to my boyfriend (yesterday?) that I wanted my nametag already! I don’t have one because they didn’t have any when I was hired and apparently haven’t had any come in yet. I just want to be able to be referenced by customers so that my bosses will know the job I’ve been doing and I’ll be more likely to be kept when January comes around.
… I’d rather ring on the register all day (and I’m not at all fond of register work) than feel this used up and wrung out. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy my job, I really do. But couple the frequently ungodly-early hours with whatever stress is inevitably going on at home (thank god the evil-aunt thing seems to nearly be over, but that means a tenant will be moving in, and who knows how that will go??), and you have a situation in which I’m so drained that I barely don’t have the energy/motivation to do the things I have to do for OneTrueTree, and I’m painfully tired yet chronically unable to sleep.
Speaking of which: Those of you waiting for your magnets, etc, I haven’t forgotten about you! I’ve just been really busy. =(
October 5, 2009
· Filed under doll-style plushies, new designs
Say hello to OTTbot L07 (his friends call him LoveBot)!! This unique little OTTbot is programmed to love everyone, and everything! He even has a little plush heart that he’d love to give to his new owner to show his affection. =)
OTTbot L07 is made out of wool/rayon blend felt, with a touch of polyester felt in red and yellow. L07 features an appliqued heart on his front panel, a door that covers his electrical circuits on his back panel, wide yellow eyes, an antenna, a plush heart that is made out of wool/rayon blend felt in a deep, mottled red, but best of all… hands that can hold things!
And a reminder: I’ll be making a listing for ultra-customizable “Build-Your-Own” OTTbots, so keep an eye out!
October 5, 2009
· Filed under doll-style plushies, new designs, wip
Photos of me working on the new OTTbot and the first photos of the OTTbot itself! I’ll post better photos of it tomorrow – and, of course, list it on Etsy.
October 2, 2009
· Filed under Uncategorized
So I’ve been working on the second ready-to-buy OTTbot. I’m having a bit of difficulty with the antennas, but dammit! I’m inventive and resourceful and I’ll figure something out. =)
September 30, 2009
· Filed under new designs
I’ve been thinking… I’m dissatisfied with my dolls. I LOVE how feminine and curvy they are, but I’ve always been a huge fan of moveability, and unfortunately, my dolls aren’t exactly flexible. They can’t sit, bend over, or assume walking positions (which besides diminishing the amount of fun that can be had with them, inhibits ME from having as much fun as I could have when I photograph them!). So I’m going to do yet more tweaking of the pattern. I intend to preserve their original curvyness/femininity, yet also give them bendability. Joints. Hips, knees, elbows. Yes… It will be good… *rubs chin* I feel very much like my “products” (god, that sounds so cold and clinical) are still in major development phases. I feel like my store is going through a sort of germination, birthing, growing phase; even though it’s been open and selling items since September 08, I’m constantly creating new designs and tweaking old designs… I don’t quite have a set list of default toys, like other sellers have. I haven’t yet decided if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Thoughts, anyone?
Change of subject!!!
I’ve completed the very first OTTbot (OneTrueTreebot, with the ‘o’ in OTT pronounced the same as the ‘o’ in “bot”)!! His name is A16, and here he is:
His name is A-1-6, but most people call him A-sixteen. OTTbot A16 is a simple but sugary sweet little robot; his primary function is cuddling! He features big, glowing yellow eyes, three multi-colored lights on his front panel, and his unique name bolted to his back panel. He’s been sold already, but you can keep watch for the next ones: http://onetruetree.etsy.com!
He’s the first of four total ready-to-buy OTTbot’s I’ll be making. At that point I’ll be opening up a listing for Build-Your-Own OTTbots! They will be VERY customizable, so keep a look out!
