Merbellas Thread

[AniaR]

I haven't had time to help her this past week but I'll try and check in with her later tonight.

[Ciesl2ja]

So does anyone know about what her new prices on the performance tails is going to be?

[MerEmma]

As far as I can tell the performance tail price isn't changing?

[Ciesl2ja]

"Merbella Studios has officially been open for a year. We have loved every minute of our adventure and we thank you for all of your support. Recently we have been crunching numbers and cutting costs on supplies and materials. We our proud to announce that we will be starting our second year of business with lower Performance Tail pricing. All details to be posted soon." -Raven

[MerEmma]

Huh! I thought she was referring to the basic tail with that update but I suppose I misread it. I'm intrigued as well, now!

[Mermaid Tasia]

I am finishing my last semester of school and hopefully moving after that. Then I will be adding to my savings for a Merbella's I keep bouncing around on colors though. I know what type of design I would like, I know which extra fins, I just can't settle on a color scheme yet, but I think I will have it figured out soon.

[Mermaid_Dominique]

It would be so nice to own a merbella's tail one day! Really curious right now

[Mermaid Tasia]

I can not wait until after I am finished with college and I move (and hopefully Miss Raven will still be taking orders) I have a bit more college to go... I am looking forward to getting a Merbellas tail, but I want to wait so I have time to actually swim I have taken extra credits the last few semesters to get through school so I will be able to work at a job for 8/9 hours instead of on homework for 16. I love these tails! I keep hearing such wonderful things and it strengthens my resolve!

[Abyssalmer]

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of ravens, I kind of lost interest in her when a friend showed me her rubber necklaces and then showed me that she used crown molding from Home Depot to make them, i want to get something that hard work and sweat and time went into, not something store bought. it's just not something I look for in a tailmaker, I was thinking of going to mermaid shelly! she seems like a sweetheart!

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of ravens, I kind of lost interest in her when a friend showed me her rubber necklaces and then showed me that she used crown molding from Home Depot to make them, i want to get something that hard work and sweat and time went into, not something store bought. it's just not something I look for in a tailmaker, I was thinking of going to mermaid shelly! she seems like a sweetheart!

Innovation and creativity tend to go hand in hand. The fact that she was resourceful and used materials that had already been crafted seems smart to me. And to say she lacks in pieces that were made with hard work, time, and sweat is a little funny to me. Every tail is hand made, and all of her tops are hand sculpted and molded. But that's my opinion.

[Abyssalmer]

I didnt mean to offend you, I was just trying to say that innovation and originality doesnt come from the store, if she wanted to impress me she would have created them from scratch, i paint so i can appreciate artist imperfections and if she just copies something that is already perfected that doesnt make me think shes using her own ideas in every other point of tailmaking. that's just my opinion. no offense meant.

[Anahita]

I didnt mean to offend you, I was just trying to say that innovation and originality doesnt come from the store, if she wanted to impress me she would have created them from scratch, i paint so i can appreciate artist imperfections and if she just copies something that is already perfected that doesnt make me think shes using her own ideas in every other point of tailmaking. that's just my opinion. no offense meant.

I didn't realize Raven was trying to impress you....

[Abyssalmer]

I was just using "you" as a general statement referring to persons including myself, she doesnt have to impress me as an individual but as a business she needs to draw us, potential customers.

I didn't mean to stir anything up, I can see some of you are very touchy when it comes to raven so I'll just not put my head where I dont know all the details. good waves!

[Phoenix Mermaid]

I'm stalker status on this thread now waiting for the retaliation comments....

[Anahita]

I'm stalker status on this thread now waiting for the retaliation comments....

Lol, Pheonix

[Mer-Crazy]

I've found people who are on team Raven... (that needs to be a T-shirt) are very protective and loyal to her. She does seem to be a genuinely wonderful person, so mush so people are willing to overlook flaws she may have (such as extreme waiting times). It's all individual preference, I've had friends tell me I'm crazy for wanting to go back to her after waiting 3 months over the time I expected my tail to be done, but I keep telling them it's not about the time it's about what I like and I like her work, so I'd go back to her every time.

[AniaR]

Unfortunately, I am not a fan of ravens, I kind of lost interest in her when a friend showed me her rubber necklaces and then showed me that she used crown molding from Home Depot to make them, i want to get something that hard work and sweat and time went into, not something store bought. it's just not something I look for in a tailmaker, I was thinking of going to mermaid shelly! she seems like a sweetheart!

She doesn't use crown moulding. I know her process for making them, and you are wrong. People guess at how she makes her stuff all the time on here, and they're usually wrong, but I'm not at liberty to correct them because I'd then be giving away her process which undermines her business. To assume "hard work and sweat" doesn't go into her stuff, is just plain ignorant. Hard work and sweat goes into EVERY thing *most* tail makers make. I also always find posts like this interesting, because the people behind them usually *don't* own something by the person their complaining about. Also, you must find people who use starfish and seashell molds lazy too?

And honestly, people assume Raven is like tail makers who just want to reach a bigger and bigger audience, make loads of cash, and throw out lots of tails... when she really isn't. Raven cares more about artistic insight, creating individual and new tails, and she has more than enough business for one person. People make the mistake of assuming tail makers all have the same goals, and then they feel self entitled to get what they want based on something they've dreamed up in their head and affixed to someone. Many tail makers, not just Raven, do tail making more as a labour of love. MVD is a perfect example. The guy isn't interested in a huge tail making business. He takes on the tails he's interested in, works several jobs, and even used to go to school at the same time. Mermaid Shelly is actually another example too. She works hard to create unique visions- not pump out off the rack tails as quickly and as frequently as she can. You just can't even lump people together.

Also, it's one thing to judge from online and compare tail makers, it's a whole other thing to have actually owned a tail by a different tail maker and physically be able to compare them. I have had 4 different tail makers, soon to be 5. I just find the community as a whole is quick to mark "quality" as the exact same thing as "style"

[AniaR]

I also want to say, I don't see people pick apart other tail makers work quite like Ravens. You just don't see these same types of opinions and observations around anyone else. And I think that's honestly because so many people have seen so much bad stuff go down in the mer community they worry about tails like this being "too good to be true". When really, I think people need to have a more accurate expectation level for the tail they are buying and from whom, instead of expecting them to all be equal (especially people wanting the cheaper ones by any tails maker to be just as good as the expensive ones). I think this is a big reason why most tail makers barely visit the forum.

[Mermaid Fenicia]

I didnt mean to offend you, I was just trying to say that innovation and originality doesnt come from the store, if she wanted to impress me she would have created them from scratch, i paint so i can appreciate artist imperfections and if she just copies something that is already perfected that doesnt make me think shes using her own ideas in every other point of tailmaking. that's just my opinion. no offense meant.

So you make your own paint and paper/canvas (and all other materials) to make your art from? Or do you buy them ready-made?

[AniaR]

FYI the two of you waiting for tails they are being sent today.