Tuesday, December 28, 2010

New Site...New Year...

I hope you all had a great Christmas and Hannukah, and anything else you celebrate! It was terribly hectic this season here at Doodlekins, with the new site being launched at the same time. Just when I thought I'd be getting some rest, it looks as though there will be a little more chaos as we bring back the old site temporarily, due to issues with the new one. The good old site is just like you remember, works ok!

The reason we created the site was to make your experience a fantastic one, and it's been more frustrating than fabulous for some. So, we'll get things working just right, and bring it back when it's ready. We still owe you a "save and share" feature, where you can post your creations on Facebook and Twitter, too! There's lots more in store...like the rest of our products, too!

If you placed an order on the new site, it will still be processed, by the way!

Thanks for your patience. Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2011 will be the year of the DoodleDees...look out for tons of fun! ;)
Megan and The Gang

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

5 GOLDEN TICKET WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Congratulations to...
  1. Jennifer Fitzgerald
  2. Amber Merchant
  3. Alison Goerl
  4. Rita S.
  5. Kia (Today I Ate A Rainbow)
Winners, please email megan@doodlekins.com by the end of the day so I can send you instructions tonight for tomorrow morning. This is SO exciting!!!

We appreciate ALL of you for wanting to help us out, and it was really hard to choose. Many of you were longtime customers, but we also needed some newbies, so, you weren't rewarded for being the awesome, loyal customers you are, and that seems totally unfair! How about...

Everyone who wasn't chosen gets $5 off their next order on the new site! Email helpdesk@doodlekins.com for a unique coupon code before you order, so you can use it in the new cart. I love saying that. NEW cart. Finally! :)
Thank you for being so great to offer your help. We'll see you on the new site on Friday I hope!!
Megan

Thursday, December 2, 2010

DoodleDee & The Family Factory!

Our little DoodleDees are hard at work organizing and tidying up the Workshop and Showroom in the new Family Factory. Everything is pretty hush-hush as they work under tight security (example above!) to get the exciting new website ready for the millions of visitors they're expecting.

As it turns out, though, they need your help! Although they've been trying to think of every last detail, they're sure they've missed something only a customer could spot. So, the DoodleDee CEO has come up with an idea...

>WIN ONE OF FIVE GOLDEN TICKETS!<

You and your family (the kids - and maybe even the husbands - will LOVE the new site!) could win one of five golden tickets to enter the new Doodlekins site before anyone else does and create a FREE set of 150 labels!

This is a rare opportunity to help the DoodleDees shape the site and make it amazing for you and your fellow customers.

Requirements:
  • We are scheduling the Family Factory tour Wednesday, 12/8. 5 winners will be given special access to the site on that day and will need to spend at least 30 minutes testing all features both on the site as well as in the Workshop, between 8am and 2pm Eastern time.
  • You can be an existing customer or never shopped with us before, live in the USA or Canada.
  • We ask that you record your experiences in an email, and create a list of any issues or concerns you see, and provide this before 3pm Eastern time on Wednesday.
  • On the main part of the site, you will be recording links that don't work or instructions you don't understand.
  • Most of your time would be spent in the Workshop, where you will create your family labels. You should list any difficulties you experience choosing accessories or sizing the characters, anything confusing about the design process, and anything you think needs improvement in the functionality. We ask that you add/remove accessories, change colors, and try to trip up the design utility.
  • Once you have created your family labels, you will need to make a mock purchase and complete checkout through the cart to test it's functionality, but no credit card is necessary. As you complete the checkout process, we ask that you list any broken links, confusing instructions, or any failure in functionality.
Your report will be used to edit and fine tune the the site on Thursday for it's expected launch on Friday 12/10!  And, you will have our DoodleDees undying gratitude and eternal love.

To enter:
Leave a comment below telling us why you'd like to do the tour and participate in beta testing. You don't have to be a subscriber to the blog to comment.

Deadline:
Contest ends Monday 12/6 11:59pm Eastern. 5 Golden Ticket Winners will be chosen Tuesday 12/7 and announced on the blog. Winners will need to provide their email address to receive their access instructions for the tour. We suggest you subscribe to the blog to receive the announcement post in your email box in case you forget to come back, but it's not required.

Our Golden Tickets don't come with a chocolate bar, but we think you'll find our family labels are very sweet! :)

Christmas Schedule

 2010 Christmas GIFT MAILING Schedule to the USA

NOTE: For labels and cards you need to mail, order at least one week earlier than dates shown. This is for gifts we are mailing directly to your recipient, or that you can give in person, and don't take into account time you need to mail your cards. (All international customers need to order today, by Standard or Express.)

  • 12/9 - We suggest you order by this date if you choose Economy shipping, this is an estimation only, delivery time is not guaranteed by USPS.
  • 12/14 - We suggest you order by this date if you choose Standard shipping, this is an estimation only, delivery time is not guaranteed by USPS.
  • 12/17 - Order by this date if you choose Express shipping, the postal service guarantees it, unless there are weather or other exceptions.

Site Revamp UPDATE (again!)

Hello Gang!

It's time to start ordering to be in time for Christmas labels and cards you'll be mailing and gifts like totebags that won't be on the new site right away; we're delayed with the launch again! (Quit laughing!) Does NASA have it this bad with their launches?? And they go to the moon!

Just pretend I never told you anything about a new site! Then you'll be pleasantly suprised when it happens! :)


Naw, we're almost there, but some features are not working the way we want them to and will cause too much confusion. We want this site to be even easier to use, not harder! So, our awesome team of programmers are fine tuning things like being able to add hats to your characters and then change the hat colors, all live, for you to see as you're doing it!! What a nice change that will be from the black and white characters, right?

So, for those who have been patiently waiting, you get my sincerest apologies and gratitude, but, if you've ever had contractors building a house for you, this is the situation we're in. :) And, even with all the delays, we are still launching with just TWO products - labels and cards - so if you need totebags, bag tags, tshirts, and any other stationery item in time for Christmas gifts, it's even more important you not wait for the new site.

I promise one thing. The wait is worth it! I LOVE the new site, it's everything you guys have ever asked for, and more! I've got a fun offer and announcement to follow. Stay tuned! Thanks again for putting up with our craziness. :)
Megan

Monday, November 22, 2010

Newly revamped site launch UDPATE!

Well gang, it was a year ago, then, 2 months ago, then 2 weeks ago, and then it came down to TODAY! And...it's not ready yet...:) We're expecting it to be next Monday or Tuesday instead, so it looks like we're putting the balloons away again!

We're really close - final edit stage, testing bugs, etc. The problem is, we need a few more days, but our programmers won't be working Thursday or Friday because of Thanksgiving. We don't want to launch on Wednesday in case there are site issues, and there won't be anyone to help you.

Now, since the current site is fully functional, if you are ordering from outside of the USA, I don't want you to wait if you're getting nervous and want to order labels or cards for Christmas now. You can always use the new site another time, or at least check it out and play with it when it launches!

AND, for all, if you want anything other than labels or cards in time for Christmas, you may want to go ahead and order on the current site too. In order to get the revamp live we will be opening with just those two items to start with. Totebags, the rest of the stationery, and all the rest of the product lineup will be added daily immediately afterwards, one by one.

Now, keep in mind, we aren't going to run out of anything, since they're custom printed! Wait as long as you feel comfortable with, we'll help by offering everyone 1 business day processing on the new site. But, if you like to order early for the holidays, we don't want to stress you out. We'll still be here the next time around!

Whether you wait or not, with our appreciation for your support, and being blog subscribers, Facebook Fans and Twitter Followers, you are each getting a pack of 60 matching gift labels when you purchase your holiday labels, through the end of the year! Please mention this offer in the cart's special request box, it CAN be combined with other offers.

So, that's my update. Not what I had hoped, but, we're almost there! We had planned for September, when time wouldn't be so critical, and are so sorry we couldn't finish on time. You have all been so patient, and I know...ANXIOUS, too! :) So are we, believe me! I tell you, when you see the site, you'll know why it's taking so long. You are going to have so much fun, and it will be SO much easier to shop and reorder, THAT we absolutely guarantee!

Thank you all for your continued support. Guess what I'm about to say? Yes, you know it. We have the best customers in the universe!!! :)
Megan
"The Mailroom" finished screen - where you can send us emails!

"The Workshop" (rough draft) where you will color, accessorize, size, and PREVIEW your characters!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Contest #4 ~ win the FREE DuckyGram of your choice!

Win your choice of any DuckyGram shipped to the US destination of your choice. Read all about our sister company on their site, here. You can send a jumbo rubber ducky and QUACK them up! They are cheerfully decorated, and come with a card you can personalize. We'll be selecting a winner at random by 11:59pm ET tonight!
To enter, subscribe to the Doodlekins blog (upper right column) and validate the confirmation email. Next, leave a comment below after completing at least one of the following options.
Make sure to include the first part of your email address before the @ sign and your Twitter name, if applicable, in your comment.
Entry Options:
1 - Subscribe to the DuckyGram newsletter located at the bottom of the duckygram.com site
1 - Follow @duckygram on Twitter and tweet about your favorite DuckyGram
1 - Follow @doodlekins on Twitter and tweet about your favorite Doodlekins product

You can do all 3 to receive THREE entries!
We'll announce our winner at midnight ET!
(Or about that, you know I'm always late!)

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED! :-)

Contest #3 ~ Sending love to Bears On Patrol

Most of you know that we are supporters of Bears On Patrol. They provide police officers with teddy bears to comfort frightened or traumatized young children in devastating situations. This is so important, not just to make a child's life a little easier at a critical time, but to foster good relations between law enforcement and their communities.

There are many ways you can show your support. Of course, monetary donations are a huge help, but, you can also start a chapter in your community, donate bears, host Miles the Traveling Bear, or even just give minutes of your time by telling others about BOPS.

This contest is all about spreading awareness for BOPS. In return for helping share them with as many of your friends and family as you can, hosting their mascot bear or donating, you can win "A Work of Heart", a zine created by Heather Crow Nelson, an avid supporter of BOPS and other charities. She composed a small booklet packed with information about charities she works with, her experiences, and listings of various orgs you can help, including BOPS. The booklets are charmingly handmade, printed in full color with lots of photos, and proceeds go towards the charities, so we were happy to buy them as prizes and think you'll enjoy reading them. The best part is how simple and fun she makes it feel to volunteer, and they would be great to share with children. There are no religious or political affiliations with any of the charities, they're great for everyone.

Please visit Bears On Patrol on facebook and familiarize yourself with their organization. If you like them, feel free to click the "Like" button and become a fan, but it's not necessary to win.

To be one of SIX lucky winners who will each receive a copy of Heather's "A Work of Heart", subscribe to our blog (box inupper right column), then donate, host, or share BOPS with your friends and family in at least ONE of the following ways:

- follow @bearsonpatrol on Twitter and RT one of their tweets
- blog about BOPS
- post a message about BOPS in a forum
- donate to BOPS
- sign up to host Miles the Traveling Bear

After subscribing to our blog and completing at least one of the above options, submit a comment below with the option(s) you selected and include your Twitter name, blog URL, forum URL, or other information for verification. Watch our blog and facebook page to be notified you're a winner right away!

This is a fun contest with a great prize that will make you feel good about yourself! Contest is good 'til the booklets are gone!

Saturday contest #2 ~ Back to School!

Chef Pete needs new recipes, and you need these cute duckies for the kiddies' back-to-school lunch sacks!  (Or if you're a teacher, you'll need one for your desk!)

We've got FOUR good student duckies to give away! Win one by subscribing to our blog and leaving a comment with the best mac and cheese recipe you know any student would devour.

We will ship one ducky to each of our four winners at a US address, courtesy of our sister company, DuckyGram! Ready? Get set! Start quackin'! I mean, cookin'! :-)

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED, WE HAVE OUR WINNERS! NEXT CONTEST COMING UP SHORTLY!

700 is my new lucky number!

Hi Gang, it's me, Pete! I'm amazed at how much you guys support us, and humbled. You blew my mind this week, even surpassing 700, to reaching almost 720! Way to go. You really earned your discount!

I've missed you all and have lots of things planned for you today, so if anyone's having a rainy Saturday and bored at home, fear not! I've got my party hat on and am ready to paarteeeee!

All of the giveaways today will be held on the blog because Facebook doesn't allow contests on their site anymore. (Some of you may remember I found that out in the middle of my last one!)  The 700 milestone was just a celebration/announcement for a sale, so that was fine, but anything else has to be held here. So, make yourself comfortable, look around, and let's begin!

First, let's start by giving away $5 gift certificates to be used on your next visit after today (or you'll bankrupt us!) on any order, to all countries we ship to. (Contests not available to  Doodlekins Diva distributors.)

The first THREE people to become verified email subscribers to our blog (upper right column) and leave a comment about what you'll do with the gift certificate WIN! Reeeaaady...set...GOOOO!

(CONTEST IS CLOSED, WE HAVE OUR 3 WINNERS! STAY TUNED FOR ANOTHER!)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

50% off Saturday???

As of 10:30am today (Thursday 8/5), we are 35 Facebook Fans away from 700! If we reach that landmark by the end of Friday 8/6, 11:59pm ET, all Fans will receive 50% off their orders, all day Saturday 8/7!  We've never done anything like this before, and it's very exciting. (And a little scary! lol)

If you have friends and family who love your labels and stationery, and have been wanting to order, this is the perfect time. Bring them to Facebook and ask them to become a Doodlekins Fan by clicking the "Like" button at the top our page!

Our Facebook fan page is lots of fun. We offer specials frequently there, that are exclusive and not promoted anywhere else!

Fingers crossed, everyone! :)

Doodlekins on Facebook

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The THREE winners for our $10 gift certificates are...drumroll please....!

After she did the hokey pokey and turned herself around, one of our talented designers chose three lucky winners with her eyes closed!  Actually, we set her up with a random number generator so she didn't have to do all that, but we didn't tell her because it was more fun. ;-)

When you subscribe to the blog, your email is all we collect; we don't have your full names and we don't want to post your email addresses, so, we're going to just put the part before the @ symbol.

And the winners are....

dawndestefani@---
lesa@---
jennmike@---

Congratulations!!! If you are one of the lucky winners, please email us so we can issue your certificate code! You will be able to use it in the shopping cart whenever you're ready, on any items we have!

Thank you all for joining us on the new blog. It's a really nice compliment to our newsletter, and will be the home of all future contests, so now you'll never miss out on anything Doodlekins from now on!

Saturday, June 26, 2010

We're giving away THREE $10 Doodlekins Gift Certificates!

To celebrate the grand opening of our new blogthree lucky people who subscribe to our blog posts by email will be chosen at random to each receive a $10 gift certificate!

Whether you've been with us for many years, or are have just found us and fallen in love, this is a great opportunity to have specials, contest and product news delivered to your email box as soon as they are announced. It's also not a bad thing to win a big gift certificate either! ;-)

To enter, just add your email to the "Be the first to get our posts!" box on the right and click "subscribe". That's it!

Hurry! Giveaway ends Mon, 6/28/10 11:59pm PT, open to US residents over 18, shipping to US, winners will be announced the following day.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Our new blog!

In case you're wondering why we only have one post, we've just moved to "Blogger" from another host and are still settling in. There shouldn't be any dust; we swept just for you! A few boxes may be laying around though, so just grab one, have a seat, and stay awhile!

There are still a few more items we're bringing over, and several more families to add to the albums, but we're well underway and things are looking good. We'll keep this blog a lot more active; it's easier to use, and will be a great place to hold contests and other fun events.

When Doodlekins began, none of us realized how much the families would come to mean to all of us, or the friendships that would develop. As we watch you all grow and change over the years, we get so excited to see a new pet or new baby added to the family. This is especially true in the case of The Hunnefelds, who are the epitomy of this surprising bond we share with our customers.

We hope you enjoy this gathering place, where you can view photos of the Doodlekins™ families we have worked with and get the latest news about your favorite products featuring those quirky little customizable faces. Learn tips and tricks on creating the best address labels and personalized stationery possible, too!

Meet your fellow family members and support each other's businesses, animal rescues, even a latest film! We'll be adding a networking area of the blog, and a few other fun features, down the road.