Tipsy Tuesday, 2/9/10 Kits

This week’s Tipsy Tuesday question is form Cindy. Keep sending in questions! I have a good line up for the next few weeks, but don’t hesitate to submit a question, and earn a free pattern!

 Here is Cindy’s question:

You discussed in your blog that you purchased beads for your kits and when you ran out of certain beads, I believe you reported that you quit putting together your kit for that project.  Have you ever had a kit/pattern so popular that you have made substitutions for beads you are unable to find (originally) to include in the kit so that you can still offer it to your customers?  Or, do you just sell the patterns only once your bead supply runs out for the particular beads used in the kit?  Or, do you modify the pattern enough to cover the changes in beads necessary so that you may still offer the kits?

Many of my kits contain beads that are fairly limited in supply. When I run out of the beads for the kits, I do discontinue them. I have discontinued several kits, including the large Poppy Necklace, and Polar Bear Necklace. But I still have the patterns for sale. There are several others on my website that are in short supply (running out) such as the Halloween Pumpkin, Peepers, Arabian Horse and Two Tails and a couple others.

I once made a substitution on a kit without an “announcement”. I substituted expensive Austrian crystals for fire polished beads that I had used, giving the kit a much higher value for the same price. I thought the buyer would have been THRILLED! I know I would have been. But she sent me a nasty email complaining that her project wouldn’t look EXACTLY like mine. It really pissed me off because she wound up getting a much better deal, and actually a better project, and she had to complain about it! I told her what I thought…and she never did write back.

On occasion someone will ask me for a kit  that I either no longer have, or never had to begin with. I will supply it for that person. They trust my judgment, and outside of that one woman, I never had a complaint. So, the substitutions do occur only on a one to one, personal basis. And only if asked.

 

Norm the Gnome in the Know’s  Response

I wish Sig would use some of those ugly possessed beads. They are still causing me problems!! They escaped! Would you believe it!? I ran after them to get them back in the jar, and they laid out a trap for me!

I hope I can get out! I hope Barney will help me! Someone, please take those beads away!!

HELP!!!!

Barney the Brainy Bruin’s Response

Who cares about beads? They are useless. I once cracked my tooth on one of those suckers, thinking it was a blue berry. I was not happy. Then there was the time I ate what I thought was a raspberry, but it was a bead. Looked real to me.

I had a mouthful of glass. I was lucky I didn’t cut myself or swallow it.

I don’t like beads. They are deceitful pieces of crap. Take them all away.

Hey, anyone seen Norm lately. I can’t find him!