2.24.2010

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some commonly asked questions about my cootie catchers and the ordering process.
Hope these help! If not, please feel free to send me an email (katskrafts{at}yahoo{.}com) or shoot me an etsy convo
(katskrafts.etsy.com)

Q.- Does it cost extra for more than one set of questions?
A.- Yes- I charge a flat fee of $10 for each additional set of questions, with the same design layout (i.e only the text is changing, not the graphics, etc.) If you'd like to overhaul the design for each set, the fee is $20 each additional.

Q.- How do Cootie Catchers ship?
A.- US orders ship via USPS Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation AND Insurance. (International Customers- orders of 115 or less ship via Priority Mail international and orders over 115 ship via First Class mail, in order to save $$$) This is for your special day, and I don't take any chances! =) I ship them in a rigid mailer, which won't fit in your mailbox, so you'll have to make sure to follow the tracking and keep an eye out for them.

Q.- How long does the process usually take?
A.- Lead time on the Cootie Catchers varies depending on the season. In the off season, it is usually around 1.5 weeks, and during the height of wedding season can be up to 3-4 weeks. Lead times are also very dependent on how forthcoming you are in your communication from me, since you supply the customization info and need to approve designs before they go to print. I keep an updated lead time status here on my blog. Click here.

Q.- How far in advance should I order?
A.- I recommend ordering to allow for my current lead time and 4 weeks for shipping. I do so because the USPS does NOT guarantee the Priority Mail timeline. In fact, I have no recourse on the insurance until 30 days have passed with no delivery. For such a special occasion, I'd hate for you to take the risk, but of course, that's your call. I also am happy to offer Next Day shipping upgrades and rush order service for a small fee.

Q- Are they hard to fold?
A.- Well, that all depends on how confident you are! I don't personally think they are all that hard to fold, as long as you are patient enough to learn and have the right tool (a bone folder- $5-10 at craft stores, or in my etsy shop). With every order, I send an extra that has already been folded for you to reference, as well as detailed instructions that include drawings. Be sure to allow plenty of time to fold- don't wait until the night before the wedding! It takes me about 40 minutes of careful folding to fold 25 of them, so plan accordingly.
Of course, I am always available if you need help and I do take folding orders from time to time. Folding is $.75 extra each, and you'll need to contact me ahead of time to see if I can accommodate folding for you.


Q- How long do you keep my file on hand?
A.- I keep custom CC files on hand for 4-6 weeks after completion of order (CC's are shipped out), after which time I delete them, in order to keep my computer storage area from bogging down. If you need additional CC's please contact me before this deadline to get the quantity rate. If you do need them after I have deleted them, I will cheerfully design them again at full price. Thanks for understanding! :) Also, I do photograph some orders for display purposes. If you are opposed to having your custom design used for advertising, please let me know.

Q- Can I order just one to see if I like it?
A.- For sure! There are several listings in my shop for SAMPLE Cootie Catchers. Click here to go to my SAMPLE section. (If it's empty, I may have recently sold out- just convo/email me and I will restock them) The samples are not customized to you, nor can you pick your paper or color ink. But, they give you a great way to hold them in your hands and envision how great yours will look! (If you have a special request for style, you are welcome to ask, and I will do my best to find one in my stock that suits you, but no promises!) Also, I am happy to include up to 5 paper swatches with your sample.

Q- What kinds/colors of paper do you have?
A.- I have a range of more muted color choices in parchment paper, "natural" paper (looks handmade) and "Textures" paper (has a mottled look). I've also recently added a jewel tone collection as well, which has a small upgrade charge ($.12 each- my cost). These 4 kinds of paper offer the stiffest and most formal look. I also have quite a range of colors available in 24lb paper if you are trying to match your wedding colors. You can see all of my paper choices here. Almost all of my papers are also available in 65lb cover stock (cardstock) for a nominal charge of $.10 extra per cootie ($.22 extra for the jewel tone collection.)
If you order a sample and would like some swatches, leave a note in the message to seller section of checkout with the names of the papers you are interested in. I will include up to 5 swatches with each sample purchase. And finally, if you'd like something I don't normally carry, I'm willing to arrange a special order.


Q- Do you have white or metallic ink?
A.- No, unfortunately, I do not have the capability to produce white or metallic inks. I do have a fabulous laser printer, though and the range of crisp colors I can produce is fantastic. :)

Q.- What text can I include in my Cootie Catchers?
A.- I do 4 main types of CC's- FAVORS, PLACE CARDS, PROGRAMS & MENUS. All CC's have 4 outer square corners. Most brides choose to do their names and the date/year on opposite corners. Other ideas include the location, a monogram, your last name, a quote, a heart or graphic- whatever you can come up with!
-For FAVORS, there is space for 8 questions and answers. Don't think you can come up with 8 questions? Don't worry, I have compiled a large list of ideas for you, click here!
-PLACE CARDS are essentially the same as favors, but they have an outer corner or two dedicated to a space for your guest's name/table assignment. I can also print your guest names for you, see my price list here.
-For PROGRAMS, the ceremony information is formatted into 4 main interior sections. These usually consist of- 1.)Order of Ceremony 2.)Parents 3.)Wedding Party 4.)Thank You/Musicians/Officiant, but of course, each cootie varies with each bride.
-MENUS are also fully formatted as programs are, but you can either have questions on the flaps like favors with your menu info in the center, or dedicate the four main interior sections to your menu.

However, it's your event and your Cootie Catcher! They can be as unique as you are. :)

Q.- I've gotta have 'em! How do I get started placing my order?
A.- First, decide on the format you'd like. (Favors, place cards, programs or menus), then the total quantity you need and finally the ink color. Peruse my shop listings- if there's one that fits your needs exactly, go ahead and purchase that one. Otherwise, contact me and let me know what you want and I'll set up a custom listing for you. I have a helpful order form set up right here. If you are not an etsy member, I'd be happy to arrange your order via email- katskrafts(at) yahoo(dot)com.

2.23.2010

Being Sick is the Pits...

...and having to go to Urgent Care instead of your regular doc stinks even worse.

I've had a terrible cold and it's developed into Bronchitis. Never smoked a day in my life, but you wouldn't know that from how I sound!

Thank heaven for a wonderful husband, who has stepped in to help me enormously with taking care of the house and Caden. He is the BEST EVER!
(love you, Greg :)

Here's to hoping I feel better ASAP!

2.19.2010

Cootie Catcher Question Ideas

Are you stuck on what questions to ask?
Need some more ideas?
Well, have a gander at this list!
(Please feel free to leave more in the comments)
Each cootie has room for 8 questions/answers.


Some Question Ideas:
What is their favorite restaurant?
Where was (bride/groom) born?
How many roses has (groom) given (bride)?
What is their favorite game?
Who is the best man?
Who is the Maid of Honor?
When is their anniversary? (duh!)
How did (groom) propose?
What is (bride/groom)’s favorite sport?
Where are they honeymooning?
Where will they live?
How much taller is (bride/groom)?
Who is older and by how much?
What tradition(s) do their families share?
What does (bride/groom) do for a living?
What do they collect?
When/how did (groom) propose?
What is their song?
Where/how did they meet?
Where is (bride)’s ring from?
When is (bride/groom)’s birthday?
Do they have any pets?
What is their pet’s name?
Where was their first date?
How many kids do they want?
Will they live happily ever after? (yes!)
Who is the ring bearer?
Who is the flower girl?
How long have (bride/groom)’s parent been married?
What is the bride’s “something blue/something old?”
What is their favorite type of food?
What is their favorite board game?
What is (bride/groom’s) favorite ice cream flavor?
Where was their first kiss?
What are their nicknames for one another?
What is their favorite sport?
Where have they traveled?
Which flower does (groom) give (bride)?
What is their favorite vacation spot?
What was the first movie they saw together?
What is their favorite TV show?
What are their nicknames for each other?
What does (Bride/Groom) love about (Groom/Bride)?
How long have they been dating?
Where will they live/new address?
What team does groom root for?
What is Bride’s favorite store?
What are their dreams?
What are their plans?
Who calls the shots?
What are their birthstones?
How many siblings do they have?
What does (Bride’s name/Groom’s name) mean?
Pepsi or Coca-Cola?
What instrument(s) do they play?
What do they spend all their money on?
What were their college majors?
How do you say “I Love You” in (French, etc)?
What was unique about the proposal?
What is their favorite band?
What do they do for fun?
Can (Bride/Groom) cook?
What is their drink of choice?
What is (Bride/Groom)’s favorite meal?
What is their favorite holiday?
What is his/her greatest challenge?
How did he win her heart?
How did she win his heart?
Who is his/her favorite historical icon?
What is his/her favorite book?
What would their ideal date night be?
Who is their favorite entertainer?
Who takes longer to get ready?
Who said, “I love you,” first?
What were some of their first jobs?
Who are their celebrity crushes?
What is (bride/groom's) catch phrase?
What does (groom) buy (bride) to say he's sorry?
What do they do after work?
(Bride or groom): morning person or night owl?
Who's better under pressure?
Who's the spender and who's the saver?
What couple do they most look up to?
What are their childhood nicknames?
Where is the most distant guest from?
Who's more likely to be late?
How many tattoos does (Bride/Groom) have?
If they won the lottery, what would they buy?
What is their dream hometown?

2.16.2010

A Font for all FĂȘtes!


I am a collector of fonts- I love 'em! I have so, so many fonts to choose from and the list keeps growing.

READ THIS, PLEASE!

*If you are choosing something ornate, that's great! But please consider also choosing a complementary block print font for the main body of your text. Script fonts and very decorative serif fonts limit word count and are hard to read at such a small typeface. You don't want your guests squinting! I'd be happy to help with this. :)

Click these pictures to enlarge them.





*If you don't see anything that fits your current style, please visit www.dafont.com for more options. I love this site, trust it, and will use something you find there that you like better. Dafont also has a great selection of dings for ornamentation. Check it out! 

2.14.2010

He's a Ladies Man...

Well, he's definitely THIS lady's man!

Ooh, girls, eat your hearts, out! This one's a killer!
(just ignore daddy's dirty socks in the background...)

He has so many looks... :)

Have a hug and a
Happy Valentine's Day!


2.12.2010

Gosh, I Love a Great Deal!

Does anyone else LOVE bargain hunting? Seriously, I feel so thrilled when I get a great deal and I love telling people about it.

My grandma doesn't agree with this. If someone compliments me on a shirt and I say, "Thanks. Got it on the Kohl's clearance rack for $3.50!" she would probably gasp. (A lady never gives up her secrets... love you Grams! :)

Carter's has recently had their warehouse clearance sale, with an extra 50% of the clearance prices! Caden got so many new clothes, I also bought some for my niece, Isabelle, too. Who could pass up frilly dresses for $2.50?

Anyways, that was some great shopping, but today was the steal of the century! Greg and I have been wanting a GPS for the car for some time, now. We've borrowed a friend's for a few road trips and let me tell, ya, we hardly argued at all! (God had pity on the marriage relationship when he inspired whoever invented this gadget.)

A few days ago, I got a peel off Kohl's coupon. I always get the 15%ers, never the 20% or 30%, so imagine my surprise when it was 30% off! Yay! I started to imagine all the things I "needed." Then, yesterday I got their two-day Valentine's doorbuster ad. It just so happens that a $200 GPS was on sale for $89.99.
That's 55% off already!

Okay, so $89.99.
Less my 30% off, brought it to $65.00.
Then, I had $25 in Kohl's merchandise credits (from Christmas returns)- $40.00
Oh yes, did I mention you get a $20 VISA card in rebate for the GPS?- $20.00
Finally, Kohl's gave me $10 in Kohl's cash for every $50 I spent- $10.00

$10.00

I just spent $10.00, people, and got an awesome GPS!
Beat that!

(Well, actually, I can- did I ever tell you about the time Greg and I got PAID for buying new rollerblades...
that's another story, though... =)

2.11.2010

Cootie Catcher Paper Options

I have loads of paper choices available! There's bound to be something that matches your event colors/theme and if not, I'm always up for special orders! :)

You can click each picture to get an up close view of each set of colors. Please remember that monitors differ, so if you have a question about any of my paper colors, please don't hesitate to ask! I've included some other terms under the color names in an effort to help you identify their true shades. Also, if you are unsure, I would be happy to arrange swatches sent via snail mail.

Please be aware that I print cootie catchers on TEXT weight paper. All of my papers are between 24-30lbs. I personally feel this is the right weight of paper for cooties. Please see my note below if you are interested in heavier stock.






NEW- just added a solid aqua/Tiffany to the Solid Blues!

Sorry, the solid Aqua is not available in cardstock.




THIS JUST IN! Jewel Tones!
This gorgeous line just became available. There is an extra charge of $.12 each for these jewel-tone papers. They are 28lb text weight and are usually better suited to darker inks.
NEW- just added a new aqua/Tiffany blue to the Jewel Tone line.

Sometimes brides like their cooties on cover stock (although I don't recommend it). I'm happy to accommodate these orders upon request. There is a $.10 upcharge for cardstock cootie catchers. (With the exception of the Jewel Tone collection, which has an upcharge of $.22 each for cover stock)
Unless otherwise marked, all of my paper selections also come in cardstock. In addition to these cardstock choices, I also have:White Linen
Cherry (a shade of pink)
Buff (a light yellow/gold color)
Salmon
Bisque (off white)

Also, I get asked a lot if I can do white ink on darker paper. The short answer is unfortunately, no. (Which is why you'll notice I don't offer black or very dark papers) White ink is not yet available except in VERY expensive commercial printers. Let's hope they come up with a solution to that soon!

2.07.2010

Me + Resolution = FAIL

So, I haven't been doing so well with my resolution to make at least one extra meal each week to freeze and use a frozen meal for one week each night to save on $$$, sanity and dishes...

But hey, I've got excuses! The holidays were, of course, super busy with a baby and multiple parties in multiple states, we traveled with two infants to Alabama (in the car!) and I've been up to my EYEBALLS in cootie catcher orders (thank you, REAL SIMPLE magazine. :)

There's always tomorrow...

But seriously, I am going to try to get back on the horse next week. In the meantime, here's a really good recipe for a delicious meal that doesn't work well for freezing, but is simple, and that's almost as good!

Asian Chicken and Rice Bake

(courtesy of Campbell's with a little tweaking by moi)

1 C uncooked long grain rice
4 chicken breasts
1 can Campbell's golden mushroom soup
1 Cup water
1/4 C soy sauce
2 TBSP cider vinegar
(I used red wine vinegar in a pinch & it worked fine)
3 TBSP honey
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
dash salt
dash pepper
paprika
1 can diced water chestnuts, optional

Spray 2 qt. baking dish with Pam. Spread rice in the bottom of dish and place chicken breasts on top. Mix soup, water, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and add water chestnuts if desired. Pour over chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Cover.
Bake @ 400 for 45-60 min, or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is tender. Serve with additional soy sauce, if desired.
I think this pairs great with snow or sugar snap peas.
Enjoy!


2.02.2010

SIMPLY Wonderful!


Wow- another feature, on the homepage of Real Simple magazine's website, no less!
Check it out here- http://www.realsimple.com/ or for the article itself, click here.

Now you can say you know someone famous, lol. :)