Merbellas Thread

[Sea Pearl]

Those tails and mermaid tops are beautiful! I'd love to have one of her tails someday.

Congrats Thalassa on getting your Merbella's tail!

[Ayla of Duluth]

I purchased my tail in July and was both relieved and surprised to find out I wasn't the only one who had ordered a tail around that time. For all the people who have apparently ordered ones, we certainly don't hear a lot about it. I wonder why.

[Blondie]

Okies I have a question!

Does Raven still make tails like the ones in this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekmKSZ4s_nU

I thought (uh oh don't kill me. I know little xD) that Raven started making her basic tails like this. They were lined with neoprene and used a finis rapid monofin. But now, her basic tails look much different. The fluke doesn't look the same with the pictures of the current basic tail model. These flukes in the video look so much more floppy and in my eyes more realistic.

Did she change the design? Or am I just looking at this weird? xD

[Theta]

Because I'm always late to the party:

Okies I have a question!

Does Raven still make tails like the ones in this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekmKSZ4s_nU

I thought (uh oh don't kill me. I know little xD) that Raven started making her basic tails like this. They were lined with neoprene and used a finis rapid monofin. But now, her basic tails look much different. The fluke doesn't look the same with the pictures of the current basic tail model. These flukes in the video look so much more floppy and in my eyes more realistic.

Did she change the design? Or am I just looking at this weird? xD

I remember her saying that the green tail she's wearing in the video was designed specially to be used in her tank, so the fluke was smaller and way more flowy. I don't know if it's ever a model she really had for sale, although if someone wanted a similar one I don't think she'd tell them no.

And guys, can I just say that the drainage slits in my tail scared the shit out of me when I got in the pool last weekend? I didn't even know they were there (the only other time I've been able to take it in the water was less than spectacular) and I thought I put holes in it while putting it on! I about had a heart attack.

[Ayla of Duluth]

And guys, can I just say that the drainage slits in my tail scared the shit out of me when I got in the pool last weekend? I didn't even know they were there (the only other time I've been able to take it in the water was less than spectacular) and I thought I put holes in it while putting it on! I about had a heart attack.

I don't think my tail has drainage slits. It has the holes between the two layers of silicone at the bottom of the fluke but those don't drain water very well, if at all. I might try to cut some tiny slits in parts of my tail that don't take a lot of stress, just because I feel like it would be a whole lot more convenient. My tail doesn't have any slits at all. No slits like RainA has, no slits at all.

[Seaweed]

I'd like to order, but she's been busy...

[AniaR]

For all the people who have apparently ordered ones, we certainly don't hear a lot about it. I wonder why.

She posted about the circumstances frequently on her FB page, right after her surge of summer orders, the silicone distributors went on back order and they didn't even notify the people who had placed orders. So they waited a while for the silicone and then when they finally called found out they were back ordered and had NO IDEA when they'd be able to send them new stuff. Then, her partner got a new job which left her to do the entire job by herself, and she wasn't even home in her studio to do it- she was staying with an extended family member. So when she was able to make the tails finally when things came through she literally pulled all nighters doing them in order from when they were ordered as silicone came in. When all this happened, they had stopped taking orders, and all the silicone didn't come at once. Then she got sick @_@. I couldn't exactly fly over and help so I tried to give some suggestions for managing the emails. You gotta realize, she'd have the email that were just questions, the emails of people who wanted to buy and hadn't read that she wasn't taking orders, the emails that were just fans,people who wanted to book her or book her mermaids, then every person who ordered a tail wanted multiple updates. She could sit there for a day and filter emails and reply, or spend the day making the tails, so she decided to make the tails. I taught her how to change some email settings to help her filter some things, and we realized she wasn't even GETTING some of the emails (which was also posted about on FB) and how to set up automated responses that gave answers to frequently asked questions. She also decided to save time she'd only be sending 1 process pic during the tail making, of when the tail was starting to be painted. Before that, they all look the same generally. And painting is the important step to make sure you're conveying what the person wants.

She did post these things multiple times on her FB, and let people know that despite the delays she was still striving to put things in the mail as soon as possible. She sent lots of stuff out without even getting to take a photo of it She also said on FB she'll be compensating people who had to wait a super long time with extra gifts.

There's a LOT of pressure as I'm sure Jesse, Stevi, and other tail makers will tell you, not to repeat mistakes others have made, and to live up to very high expectations. Originally Raven was only doing one order at a time but the demand became too big so she decided to take on more and stuff like this happens. At the very least she did her best to keep people updated as a whole (I realize people want individual emails, but working 100% by herself that just wasn't possible) and compensate. I think she learned a heck of a lot through this whole thing, and how she'll do some things differently, but honestly there's not a whole lot you can do when the people supplying your silicone don't come through

I'm just thankful people are being so kind, patient, and good about it. Having Raven as a friend I see stuff the public doesn't get to see and I KNOW how hard she works to make sure she lives up to everyone's expectations. She takes it very seriously and wants every mer to have their perfect dream tail and she puts a lot of pressure on herself to make sure it's absolutely perfect the first time. I had to wait a long time for my tail, it was delayed for a lot of reasons I didn't know at first and once I found out, I was frustrated but I could totally see how there wasn't anything anyone can do. I can promise you, all that melts away the instant that giant-ass box shows up at your house and you pull that beast out of the packing peanuts !!! You're going to have the best freaking tail of your life and it'll last your life. Mine was the first silicone she made, and she's learned so much since then, and mine was made thinner than any other silicone tail on the market and I'm telling you, the thing has taken a beating and doesn't show it!!!

And just to drive you even more crazy...

[Lily]

Raina, yyour tail is absolutely lovely, and your fluke has great flow! Does it really have a competitor monofin inside it? Those things always looks to stiff to me...

[Mermaid Annariea]

one day, i will have a beautiful raven tail. she is such a wonderful artist.
IN THE MEANTIME, i love love love my fish butts tail

i do wish i could get a top from raven, but im relatively broke.

[SeaGlass Siren]

one day, i will have a beautiful raven tail. she is such a wonderful artist.
IN THE MEANTIME, i love love love my fish butts tail

i do wish i could get a top from raven, but im relatively broke.

me too! she's so ...:squee!:

[Arella]

I placed an order and am so excited to receive my tail they're just so beautiful!

[Thalassa]

I placed an order and am so excited to receive my tail they're just so beautiful!

Woohoo! *high fives* May I ask what the design for yours is going to be?

[Ashe]

Congrats Freshwater!

[Ashe]

Oh, and you too, Thalassa! Congrats on getting your new tail

[Thalassa]

Thanks, Kalani!

[Mermaid Azira]

Whats your tail gonna be like Thalassa?

[Thalassa]

My tail is based off of a steelhead trout (aka rainbow trout):



I love the speckles and colors, and hopefully this will be pretty unique. I'm getting two sets of little fins wherever Raven wants to put them. Other than that, I gave her carte blanche to do what she wants. I'm also lucky enough to have gotten in on her Cyber Monday sale, so I'm getting a top and headdress to match my tail. I'm super excited to see what she does with them!



EDIT: I know this goes without saying, but please don't steal my idea.

[Ashe]

That is going to look so cool! Cant wait to see everyone's Merbella Tails

[AniaR]

Dr Seaweed was actually making one like that last year, but he's been AFK for like, a year now. So not stealing, but just in case it ends up coming up again I think it'll look lovely on you.

[Thalassa]

Dr Seaweed was actually making one like that last year, but he's been AFK for like, a year now. So not stealing, but just in case it ends up coming up again I think it'll look lovely on you.

Thanks for telling me, Raina! I actually came up with the rainbow trout because I liked the speckles on Raven's tails and I just googled for something similar in green. XP I thought rainbow trout was perfect, because that was the first fish I ever saw outside a fish tank! ;-) I'm excited to see what other mers tails look like!