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Marion Dec 7, 2006

I have finished my ornament : he will travel tomorrow. I hope he will be there in time.
I must say I love the little thing, but I'm a little nervous... I hope he will please his new mommy ! :pray:

Hugs to all,
Marion

Bonnie Dec 7, 2006

I got mine done several days ago but haven't been able to get to the post office. I'm sending her off tomorrow and she is heading WEST! 

shantell Dec 7, 2006

All I have to say is all this secrecy is driving me MAD...I'm not sure I can do this again.   

Dilu Dec 7, 2006

Last year I sent a little ornament to our Marion in France and it took three months I think....do you remember Marion?  It was such a long time...that I gave him up for permentely lost and send another....fortunetly for all concerned they both finally made it!

Hope that helps a little....then last summer I had a parcel coming from Ontario Canada, took 8 weeks, hmmmm maybe even longer.

so if something doesn't come, give it a good month past when you might expect it.....and then wait another month...

gollyhugs

dilu

Jodi Falk Dec 7, 2006

Great Lynn !!!!! I hope he looks good with your collection,My prayer is that you will enjoy him for years to come. Bear Hugs and Blessings From Above.

Tami E Dec 7, 2006

Does anyone know where Tami is hiding?  :crackup:  as i need to talk with her.

Hugs
Vicki

:crackup: Not Hiding Vicki, just Christmas shopping and "Making" (I decided to undertake making some gifts for my family and friends this year!) I'm also working on a couple of orders. I just PMed you, Vicki.

The ornaments so far are wonderful. I must say that I expected nothing less of my talented fellow Teddy Talkers!!! But they are exceeding expectations.

I understand how some of you who are still waiting must be  getting anxious.  We have to be patient with our postal workers. But I will say this: if you are still working on yours you should be getting it off soon. 

In Vicki's PM she said something about having fees to pay in order to collect hers from the post office. They need to know its a gift when you mail it apparently. Vivki could you elaborate on that here, so if anyone else is mailing out of the country they live in and has not yet sent it, the same thing won't happen again.

nandesign Dec 7, 2006

I know how anxious my swap partner is...I sent it out on Nov 30 and I have been tracking it...it has arrived in the delivery office of the destination country as of Dec 5 and is on hold...delivery is supposed to be today. Hopefully, everything will be intact...I paid extra for that to happen!!
I am as anxious about it now as my partner!!

Hugs, Nancy

Tami...I have PM'd you...

Jodi Falk Dec 7, 2006

Tami , I PM ed you.

                                   Jodi

baggaley bears Dec 7, 2006

If you post to another country sometimes you have to pay extra duties on retail items, if they are gifts and personal items they dont gain duty or tax charges.
Hope this helps.
I have sent my partner a PM and i will have to let parcel force send the item back as i really cant afford it this time of the year with having 2 young children  

Hugs
Vicki (feeling very upset)

Tami E Dec 8, 2006

Vicki and Nancy,  I am so sorry this has happened , but I feel I should post about it since we can learn from it.

It was a matter of insurance.  The parcel was labeled as a gift and sent express-international. And to be on the safe side, it was insured for $200. Now, most of us want to have the insurance in case anything happens to our precious little bears. I always insure packages when I send bears. But apparently there are customs fees involved with higher valued items whether they are listed as gifts or not . The sender woudn't have any way of knowing this unless she were told (which the post office won't do unless you ask--and you have to know to ask!). After Vicki descerned the fees were because of the insurance, I recalled something:The lady who bought my avitar panda was from Australia, and while she paid $595 for him, she asked that I please insure him for only two hundred and if anything happened she'd take the loss. She said it was because of customs fees. I also recalled my brother sending my mom an expensive vase from Japan, and the customs fees being $200. Looking back, I guess it was because he had it insured.

So for those mailing out of your country, please  check with the post office about this.
Again, Ladies,
I'm sorry this happened! Bear hugs to you both!!! :hug:  :hug:

shantell Dec 8, 2006

Oh Vicki...I feel so sad for you!!!   Is the grinch working in the postal system right now.  I'm so sorry this has happened for what was meant to be such a fun activity.

:hug:   :hug:   :hug:   :hug:

My poor mailman is going to be mugged when he finally STOPS by my house...            Good thing he likes me!!!

Swan Valley Bears Dec 8, 2006

Yipeeeeeeeeee.   I got my ornament today.  A BEAUTIFUL snow bear by Tracy of Thimblebeary Originals.  Tracy I absolutely love him.  Thank you soooooooo much.  He's so soft, he has to be made of the softest Sassy fabric.  Here are pics.  Is he just the cutest ? ? ?

:     

SunnieOne Dec 8, 2006

Patty, What an adorable ornament! Great job Tracy!
Sonya

Pumpkin & Pickle Bears Dec 8, 2006

Oh Patty - he is GORGEOUS!! 

Tracy, you have done a fantastic job! 

Amanda Dec 8, 2006

Thanks for bringing up the insurance/customs thing. At least we can learn from it for next time. Tami you have all our thanks for organising this. 

Cleathero Creations Dec 8, 2006

Isn' that so cute.  A snow bear.  just great!!

Tracy Dec 8, 2006

:dance:  :dance:  :dance: Yeah!!  Patty, I'm so glad you like him!!! :hug:      I must make more.......this was so much fun!

You're right...he is made from Sassy fabric.  It's the extra-long micro plush...super soft.  I love this stuff!!   Has a bit of stretch in one direction, which worked great for a chubby snow bear hinney and tummy!  

Jodi Falk Dec 8, 2006

Wasn't this fun ? Next year we will have to send them all as gifts and not insure them.And when asked value just say $20.00 or less. I am not sure the person who got mine had to pay anything or not , I hope not. Mine came from far away also and I did not have a fee on my end. EMMMMMMMM we will have to figure this out for next year.Any one who understands this please share.

Tammy Dec 8, 2006

Tracy that snow bear is just sweet.  He does look very soft , I may have to try some of that Sassy fabric.   Patty, lucky you to have a Thimblebeary !

CANADIAN CUSTOMS FEES: My understanding for Canada is that if someone sends me a gift  from the US or  Internationally  it must be marked as GIFT on the actual customs form that they attach to the parcel.  I think a GIFT can only have a value of $100 or $150 or less.  Any amount above that I get taxed 14% .  It they don't mark it as a GIFT I get taxed on the full value of the parcel.  Not every package gets stopped at customs, sometimes they  slip through without any amount owing.    Or, if I buy merchandise across the border that full amount is taxable at 14% for tax fees.  I could be wrong, but that is what I've experienced.  ( Note my $83  fee ($78 tax+ $5 handling fee) I had to pay the mailman on a bear supplies order I got this week    

Note - I think it is a criminal offense in Canada to  lie on a customs form.  Ie: If I send a bear to a collector and  understate the value just to avoid the collector having to pay fees on their end- I could get in deep doodoo.   

Jodi Falk Dec 8, 2006

But when they really are gifts like our exchange, then I don't feel bad... ya know ??

Tammy Dec 8, 2006

Oh I agree Jodi.  Actually, I just found this on a websit so what I said a minute ago should only apply in when the goods originated from elsewhere.  I assume it works the same for Americans receiving goods from Canada.

"Because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Canadians do not have to pay duty on most American and Mexican manufactured items." 

Woohoo, I can appeal my $83 fee !!!!!!  I need to check into this further, now I am intrigued and wonder how many fees I've pay and shouldn't have !

Jodi Falk Dec 8, 2006

Yes, I would get your money Back !!!!!

bumblebearies Dec 8, 2006

I can toss in a bit of info here..

bumblebearies Dec 9, 2006

whoops it got away too soon.. lol
In Canada we are allowed a measly $20 dollar purchase before we have to pay taxes on it...we are supposed to only pay on the amount over $20..but they usually just charge us on the whole amount and we usually just pay.  We pay our provincial tax and also a Federal tax...so usually a 14% flat rate.  Plus.... exchange rates on foreign currency is also tossed at us.  They must make a fortune on our puny little packages.  Sometimes the post office will still charge the obligatory $5 fee to "touch" it as it flies through customs...sometimes they don't.  If we receive a parcel as a gift... we are allowed $60 dollars worth before we have to pay.... it seems to be up to whoever handles a parcel as to whether they charge the $5 or $8 dollar customs fee.  There is no rhyme or reason.   On the back of the slip attached to your parcel...if you can actually get it off in one piece... (a virtual impossibility).... there is an area to fill out and state your case..in order to reclaim charges that we think are out of line.  I have actually made 4 claims in the past few years...for silly amounts like $3.43 just on principal.  They charged me on the total amount and I didn't like it.  They did indeed send me a cheque for each of the amounts.  But... the actual customs amount...forget it.  And..if any of the goods contained in a package were not actually manufactured in the U.S. or Mexico... (even if they are sold there) or even if they were ... I am sorry to say..I don't think our Post Office has ever heard of the NAFT Aagreement.

aerianna Dec 9, 2006

Oh man! I should have participated!  This looks like sooooo much fun!!! 
Aeri