Growing Pains and Some Personal Stuff

Hi Everyone,

What a crazy couple of weeks it's been for all of us at StampTV and Gina K. Designs

This blog post will have some business information and then at the end, a little personal post. So for those of you who prefer to not read the personal stuff, the dotted line will divide the two. :)

These last two weeks have been Spring Break in our area and we have been operating with a very scaled down Cast and Crew. A few things got away from us in our attempt to run at half staff, two of them being the endings to last weeks videos! NOTHING is more frustrating than watching a project come to life and then getting cut off right before the best part! We deeply apologize for that and today, in lieu of making a new video, we decided to fix our mistakes and redo the two from last week, complete with endings.

To watch the full video for the Petals and Wings Friendship Card, click here: Petals and Wings Friendship Card Project



And to watch the full video for the Masculine Card with Masculine Tags Card, click here: Masculine Card with Masculine Tags Card Project



Shipping Update
We are still at about 10 business days for orders to leave our warehouse due to an unexpected heavier than usual volume this month combined with many of our staff taking Spring Break to be with their families. We apologize deeply for the delay and we are working around the clock to get orders shipped as quickly as possible. Customer service emails are now caught up and we are able to handle the daily volume with no problem. Please keep in mind that customer service is closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so emails will be returned on Monday if you contact us on those days each week.

So what does the future looks like when it comes to ordering?
This month, something magical happened and Gina K. Designs had more than quadrupled the amount of orders that we have ever had during a new release. 4 times as many orders this month! WOW! We couldn't be more grateful for all of the wonderful word of mouth that you, our valued customers have shared with your stamping friends.
We have grown... and fast! Honestly, we were so very unprepared for that kind of volume and growth, we have all been running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

Unprepared...
Not ready...
Dropping balls all over the place.

We are so sorry for that. We are stampers too and we KNOW how frustrating it is to place and order and watch it sit there, doing nothing for days on end. So, we need to get our butts in gear and give you the service you deserve.

Here is a peek at our plan to make things better for our customers:
1. We have made arrangements to add several new staff members to help with packing, shipping, manufacturing and customer service.

2. New equipment. Yep- it's time. We have already starting the process of adding a second stamp cutter to our manufacturing facility. This is where the MAJOR choke is for us. We can make TONS of stamp sets in day, but we can only cut a few at a time. So, it makes sense to invest in that area so stamps can be manufactured at a much quicker pace. With these new measurews, we should be back to our speedy selves, even with all of the extra volume.

3. Now, it will take about a month or two to really feel the effects of these changes because we are kind of sticklers about customer service and quality. That means we need to train these new folks to make sure quality comes first. And installation of the new equipment will take a little while due to electrical updates, delivery and installation of the new machine and the training required to cut the stamps properly.



This is all very exciting to us and we are eternally grateful for the loyalty and trust you put into our company and products. We ask that you hang in there with us the next couple of months to work through these exciting changes and we will continue to work around the clock to ship your orders as quickly as possible.
Of course our videos and new products will continue to be released and the changes will go on behind the scenes.

Our Next Release
Yeah, about that... We planned to have a new release on April 12th. But honestly, that's ridiculous! It would be very unfair of us to release new products when many of you are still waiting for your shipment from our last release! You see, it's not all about money for us. It's about the service first. And your orders that are currently in our system NEED to be our first priority. So, out next release will be postponed until April 26th.

Something for You
We have a couple of new 6 X 6 paper packs coming out during our next release and because you have been SO patient and loyal, we will be providing a coupon code so you can choose one of them for free with your new release order. It's the least we can do to say thanks SO much for hanging in there with us. We appreciate you. You are the reason we are growing. We will never forget that! Look for the coupon during our release party on April 26th.

So there are the updates... Now, I need to go make stamps, pick and pack orders and work on some new videos. Make it a great day!

And for those of you who want a little personal news, read on.
To the rest of you-
Much love ~ Gina K

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We had a wonderful Spring Break and shared some quality time as a family. With Alicia home from school, the four of us headed to the beach for a little R & R.


My girls, being kids and having fun playing in the water. Gosh, I love that!

During our time away, my Mom ending up needed colon surgery. It was extremely rough and she's still in the hospital. Although she is doing a little bit better, it's going to be a long recovery. And because she is in her mid 80s, healing and rehab will also take a lot longer.

It's been pretty stressful- feeling so behind at work, feeling guilty for taking a break, missing my daughter now that she's back at school and caring for my sick mom. But this is life. This is how things go sometimes. When it rains it pours.

I found this little quote, and it's helped me alot over the past two weeks...



That's my new mantra. And for someone who tends toward being a perfectionist, it's a hard lesson to learn.

But it's true... you can only do what you can do. Whether it's running a business, being a mom, or being a daughter... you can only give your best and no more. Whatever is left to do will still be there tomorrow.

One more quote that really got me this week is this one:



So in the middle of this crazy, wonderful storm of life, I am adjusting my sails...
I am so thankful I have you- my stamping friends and family.

You are my rock.

Loyal.

Patient.

Supportive.

...thanks for that.... thanks so very, very much...

With love,
~Gina