Friday, January 3, 2014

Friday, January 3, 2014

100 comments:

  1. yeah, we could've done without a repeat of that vulgar and disgusting comment.

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  2. Anyone know how many consultants Amuse studio has now? Just reading the second to last comment from the previous post.

    I'm wondering also in part because i just went to their home page and I see they now have the "starter kit" (with 50% off first order which is really your actual starter kit because the only supplies you get are four sampler sets) for $29 -- how long has it been that low?

    I get the discount vs. supplies concept for the starter kits for all of these companies now - a lot of people who would sign up already have many basic supplies. I guess someone new to stamping doesn't get started this way anymore unless they want to compare the 50% off and shipping to shopping around for all of the basics.

    Anyway, kind of wondering how many consultants they have now. I used to check the "Find a Consultant" thing there and there were many in my state. Now, there is one and lots are far away. I guess those are only people who pay for the webstore but it's still telling. If they have more consultants, they sure don't want to pay for that.

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  3. I went to the company blog to see what was new from Amuse and even the owner must be losing interest because she hardly ever posts there. Or does she feel it's competing with consultant blogs? I don't know but it seems there is hardly ever anything really interesting or new coming from them. I guess they are just plugging along building their base.

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  4. agree that A Muse doesn't seem to be trying to market online sales at all. HOWEVER, I love their products and buy them all the time. Love the ink and the stamp sets. If they were clear, I'd buy 4 times as much.

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  5. I am completely with you 8:31. I want to buy their inks, but have been through 3 consultants who don't bother to respond. No way I am giving $200 to a company that won't even answer my emails.

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  6. 8:31 again. a muse is totally pushing parties and not online sales. however, you can order directly online unless you want hostess bennies. then you need a demo to email back. it is crazy that they do not respond. i buy from a local friend who does not sell to anyone else. she just likes the discount and I help her meet her minimums. hey amuse go clear!

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  7. Clear would be great - but they also need to start doing something different. Their designs are pretty ho-hum to me.

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  8. mmm stamps snow cold football monkeys orchid eyelets twine chocolate i happy

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  9. In case you forgot, traditionally peeks at PTI start tomorrow. haha Does anyone still remember on the 5th?

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  10. So some doofus commented on the last post here that PTI was purchasing two companies in the coming year.

    Of course it's not true but just think - if I wanted to get out of the business I would be happy to find a buyer and make a few bucks even if the new owners do drive it into the ground.

    This would be a really stupid move for PTI because they already can't handle what they've got - so I don't know..... maybe it is true. They are really good at doing stupid things.

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  11. I dont think they want to work that hard. Unless they would purchase to put competition out of business. I say its bogus and someone thinking they are funny. File it in the same place as PTI ever having a sale.

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  12. I completely agree ^^^ .

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  13. I know it is bogus.

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  14. LOL - so does the person who said it, I'm sure ;)

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  15. ^^^ Probably the same person that said they were going out of business last year.

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  16. They are setting the record straight, and this time TH's name is not on these sets, but it sounds like Michelle Ward is not getting royalties for her work and that's a shame:

    http://michelleward.typepad.com/michelleward/2014/01/for-the-recordagain.html

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  17. to There She Goes, The Cat's Meow and that Lauren Meader store all closed. who is next?

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  18. They are really good at doing stupid things.

    They are also really good a running a business apparently, as business has never been better and all these other companies are falling by the wayside. And PTI has a sale every year - this February will be 7 or 8% discount for the anniversary.

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  19. PTI isn't buying any companies. At least not that I know of. I made up that rumor just to see who would bite. It's a smack blog. It's free speech, right?

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  20. "It's that TIME OF THE MONTH!"---Does this make anyone else chuckle every time she posts it?

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  21. 1116 you are an idiot n

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  22. Yes, 11:16 am is an idiot.

    She probably yells 'Fire!' in crowded rooms. Another example of her version of 'free speech'.

    SMH

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  23. so let me understand. it is ok to post criticism here of people's cards by name. and ok to discuss people unaffiliated with any stamp companies by name but it isn't ok to post a lie about a company's plans to buy other companies. just asking

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  24. I have seen here only criticism of one person's behavior in blatantly stacking the deck in her own favor in a company's contest.

    If that's the same thing to you as your lie about PTI - posted just to cause trouble - then you have some serious problems.

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  25. 3:30 The key word is "lie", as in it is not okay to do so. Kind of a basic concept.

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  26. Did anyone really take her seriously? Yes, a lie. Because she's just messing with people. I actually saw it more as humor than rumor. So absurd - how could anyone believe that?

    Now 7:16 . . . that one is a bit delusional. PTI is treading water and that is all. Not drowning. But not really getting anywhere either.

    And yes - "most wonderful time of the month" sounds really stupid. Can't believe she's hung onto that for as long as she has. But then, we all know how Nichole is such an eloquent writer *sarcasm font here*. I love today how she said Heather's latest installment is the "last and final." Redundancy, anyone?

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  27. Treading water indicates you have some sort of insight into their business affairs, which is impossible. I make the statement once again that PTI is doing better than ever.

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  28. A lie is a lie and the truth when it hurts is still the truth.

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  29. 5:34 I have to agree with you. I, too, think that PTI is doing well but the haters still cling to their hope that PTI will fold.

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  30. I don't hope they fold. My conclusion about treading water is just as valid as someone who supposes they are doing great. It's all supposition based on what we see happening. There's nothing wrong with that. We interpret things differently.

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  31. oh you are just counting the last few weeks. this blog, and the previous ones attacked a LOT of people by name. You may have forgotten but I have not. Swim with the sharks .....

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  32. Not wishing they would fold here. I still enjoy seeing the DT designs and new things and ideas. I just had to cut back. Things are going to be tight this year with a $3000 deductible and the price of food so high. I would imagine that PTI will feel it too because I am not the only one.

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  33. 'bout to give up on the Woodland Wreath die ever being back in stock at WPlus9. Major fail on their part. Wanted to use that set on some Christmas cards but didn't.

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  34. I really like the latest and final wonderful word die. And since USPS are going to raise their shipping rates, I am thinking about stocking up on PTI cardstock, and some ink pads. I live overseas, and I love their cardstock. Anyone else recommend another company cardstock?

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  35. I hate the "it's the most wonderful time of the month". Seriously, that's just stupid! Can't she think of something else to say?

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  36. Does Dawn know that there are PTI colors other than that green, blue and pink? That's all she ever uses.

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    Replies
    1. Dawn and Heather are in big color ruts for sure!

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  37. ^^ and your point is? Is there something illegal, immoral, or otherwise bad to focus on a color palette in your crafting? Seriously, if someone wants to do "all white" or "pink, black and purple" as long as the work is done well, what is the problem?

    I pretty much stick to a couple of color palettes. compared to most of the crap most folks produce and blog about, dawn's work is lovely

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  38. just looked through my feedly. 90% of the cards look like crap. every other card has a tag that doesn't work. folks are piling on so much crap the cards defy explanation. color is the least of my concerns!

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  39. Just because the amateurs in your feedly post crap doesn't mean that the rest of us shouldn't hold Dawn, supposedly a "professional," to a lower standard. Her color combos are blinding, not to mention ugly. Maybe you shouldn't subscribe to blogs that exhibit "crap" if their offerings offend you so much....

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  40. 5:39 I agree. I happen to love Dawn's color combinations and have used them myself.

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  41. I bet if a survey was taken,95% of people would find Dawn's color combos nauseating.

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  42. It's not just the color combos, it's the repeating the same combos time and again. It makes all her cards look the same (not in a good way).

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  43. I have to say, maybe it's just another floral and reminds me of something else they've had in the past (seems to be a pattern here), but at least when Nichole does a set, there's some artistry involved. Everyone else she has doing stamp sets is just putting graphic design elements together. Granted, sometimes very successfully - but still... it just seems like by now they would have some real artists on board.

    As for the treading water statement from earlier, I see it with this sort of thing even not being privy to their business receipts. They aren't doing anything new or innovative. A few dies that are different - like the zippery thingy. But no new colors. No new ribbon styles. No embellishments. Okay, not their thing. But if stamps are their main thing, then they aren't doing anything exceptional there either. Then with sentiment stuff, there seems to always be something in every set that is "off" if not downright wrong. Patterns. Background stuff. Words with a pattern in them. Words in a variety of fonts in one stamp - which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. Boutique borders.

    Like I said, sometimes the graphic element stuff is done well but they have nothing unique.

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  44. The other point about treading water for me is that I think they need to shake up the DT. Have term limits or something. Some of the members seem like they are just going through the motions to me.

    And are they ever going to fix the store?! There was a whole thread on SCS about someone wanting a bead die (yeah, I know, cut triangles, big deal) and a lot of the replies mentioned PTIs (with a caveat emptor note of course). But when the woman went to the store to find it, she didn't find it.

    They've also done more damage to their rep than some of you want to admit. The fact that even referring people to them for one little product brings up warnings about ordering from them - that's damaging. Every. Single. Time. Lots of people see those posts. And in this case, it wasn't even specifically about PTI at the outset.

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  45. Dawn's cards are too much 'sameness' - same colors, same designs/sketches for every release - and not very good at that. I don't like her PTI cards and I really did not like her Studio Calico cards. And I find the huge size and excessive amounts of jewelry on her hands & arms very distracting when watching her videos.

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  46. Why doesn't PTI offer a discount/sale when they highlight an older stamp set? Or do they not care about trying to generate more sales between releases?

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  47. Gaudy describes her style, personal and artistic.

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  48. 3:38 - I've wondered the same thing. It would be a great opportunity and many would probably add a few things while there. . . if they can find them.

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  49. Now tell me again -- who was it that said Papertrey's business is better than ever?

    http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://papertreyink.com

    Last I checked, about 1-1/2 years ago, their stats DID appear on the first page:

    http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/papertreyink.com#

    This was about the time they were trying to fix the website and deleted all of the customer service emails.

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  50. ^^^ omg you are nuts!! who the hell cares about these obscure statistics?

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  51. 6:58 You need to be more productive with your time.

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  52. And for the record. I just went to papertreyink.com and typed in "bead die" in the search box and it brought up the die.

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  53. ^^^ probably because "carol" reads this blog and then changes things on the store

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  54. who is carol?
    is that a new name that rick is using?
    is rick really the ex-husband of one of the owners?
    who are the other owners besides nichole?

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  55. Haha - 9:32! Thanks for your concern, but two minutes of Googling really has not impacted my productivity level in any way. You really think that was time-consuming in some way?! Well, it wasn't for me.

    12:01, someone posts with her name "Carol" and it could be a real Carol but people here think it sounds like Rick who used to post on the other smack blog too. I think he is an ex and I think the other owners besides Nichole are Julie and her mom, Jane.

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  56. I didn't think the releases could get any more boring. It's kind of like deja vu.... haven't we seen this stuff before?!

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  57. ^^^^ you keep looking though.

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  58. I do! At this point it's kind of an endurance test -- how long before I just decide that there isn't going to be anything really unique and fun like in the old days?

    This is actually the first month in a long stretch that I remembered it was sneak peek time. But when I do think of it, yes, I continue to look - hoping to be pleasantly surprised one day. Not too optimistic anymore :( .

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  59. Boring release, I agree. Do people really like the Polka dot parade font?

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  60. I don't. It looks childish to me.

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  61. How can MFT find anything new for the Innocence girl to do. She has been around a looong time. I like her and have few of the stamps but I can't believe she is still going.

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  62. I don't like the Polka Dot parade font or any of the previous stamp sets. The polka dot pattern is too large for the words/letters.

    I'm interested to see the feather set shown today. I have an MFT feather die and the Hero Arts stamp set already, and can always use more ideas. I don't have any "feather" sentiments, so if they are decent and it's a $15 set, I might get it.

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  63. Pricecheck, please remove your tongue from Nicole's ass. Thanks!


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  64. Who is Pricecheck?

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  65. I love the idea of the feathers. I agree, it depends on price and of course how well executed it is. Looks like they are still trying too hard with the stupid sentiments though. Oh well - hopefully there aren't many of those.

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  66. I think pricecheck posts on the pti forum and maybe on scs with that name too. used to post on the other smack blog under that name i think.

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  67. I just don't get feathers. They are the molten skin of birds. I just don't get it.

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  68. Ha! 6:48 - I'm not really "into" feathers, but I never thought of them that way.

    Sort of like MFT's new Heart Balloon set. One of the sentiments is "My Heart POPS for You" - I couldn't ever use that sentiment. I keep thinking how messy, painful, and probably fatal that would be.

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  69. I am looking forward to this month's previews. I like the polka dot font. Please let it be cheap lol! I'm glad I held off buying feather stamps from 2 other companies... Hope PTI's version will be the one for me :)

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  70. Haha 6:54 - I could never use that either! I guess other companies suffer from odd sentiments too.

    I have always liked feathers because I like things related to birds, they're pretty and they symbolize flight - it's one of the things that I wish had not become trendy ... now when I use them, I feel like I'm just lumped in with the trend followers.

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  71. 6:41- I have thought the same thing about that Pure Innocence girl! I don't have any of her as people in stamps aren't my thing but I have been surprised by how many new ones they come up with! Personally I'd feel weird giving one of my friends or family members a card with a little kid on it.

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  72. Are any of the Hero Arts inks dye inks? I don't like to stain my stamps, but they have some really pretty colors.

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  73. 10:40 HA inks are dye inks. I am not sure about their metallic inks though.

    People are making really weird stamps.
    The sentiment, "I'm here for you, today, tomorrow and every day?" What is that? Wouldn't it be better, "I'm here for you, today & always" or "I'm here for you, today & forever"

    I love clearly besotted, but her heart hot air balloon on the latest release looks very "trying too hard", if you know what I mean. I tried to like it, but no I don't

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  74. ^^ update on HA inks: and the darker colors stain the stamp pretty hard if you don't clean them right away.

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  75. So when it says "shadow ink" that is a dye ink?

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  76. 10:40 let us know when you invest some capital in a stamp business.

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  77. 2:24 Sure, will let you know.

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  78. How about "I'm here for you today, tomorrow, and Saturday."

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  79. goodbye president christie.

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  80. oohh love the new sneak peeks from PTI and the PTI stash that simplicity posted. i know some of you hate PTI, but time after time I buy their stuff. never had a problem.

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  81. Has anyone here ordered the die storage set from stamp n storage? The whole large set came to $138. I was wondering if it's worth it.

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  82. Seriously, it is like a contest at PTI to make each release more boring than the one before. I honestly cannot believe how numbing this release is looking.

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  83. I think that stamp n storage die storage is completely overpriced for what you get. Ridiculous.

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  84. Thanks for the reply 6:10. I live outside the US so I have to consider adding shipping charge to the total.

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  85. I don't have a lot of dies or embossing folders, but I and several of my friends use the stamp storage boxes from Close to My Heart. The smaller folders stand up in them easily for flipping through. The Memory Box dies come in envelopes and my other dies (Spellbinders, etc.) I put in envelopes and label them.

    I have other stuff from Stamp 'N Storage that I love, but the boxes will probably be really heavy and it seems like overkill to me. Love the company - just not a good product choice for me.

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  86. I bought fridge magnets for 4x6 photos from the dollar store and I store my dies on the magnetic side (not the white side). They are just the right size and will also hold Spellbinder die sets or several of Memory Box dies or the few PTI dies I bought several months ago.
    And you can't beat the price.

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  87. How can it be that Nichole did not get her products to do the post today, but the DTs did. Doesn't she get it all and send it on to them?

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  88. 10:24 - I would suppose supplies get mailed to each DT member directly from the warehouse in Cincinnati. It wouldn't make any sense to mail it all to Nichole in TN, then have her divide and mail it all over.

    And to be fair, the OH to TN areas of the country (along with lots of other places) have had lots of delivery issues this week. A Bed, Bath and Beyond order by UPS arrived at a sorting facility 15 miles from my home on Jan 2, and wasn't delivered till Jan 9.

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  89. I get the delays with the weather issues but more to the point - hasn't Nichole said in the past that they have releases planned for the entire year? Why aren't these products manufactured and sent out at least a couple of months in advance? At least to Nichole anyway. Makes no sense.

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  90. Do you girls like the DT samples? I wish I could see Maile's

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  91. 10:24 That makes no sense. Why pay postage twice?

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  92. I I doubt the manufacturer sends individual parcels to dt members. I am sure the whole thing goes to Nichole and then sent from their. I doubt the factory wants to wrap 12 individual packages and pay postage on a dozen packages.

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  93. 10:48 said it was the warehouse (PTI) in Cincinnati, not the manufacturer. And why would PTI send everything to Nichole for redistribution instead of directly to the DT members?

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