Reviews of specific carving products by those who've used them.
User avatar
By St0ney
#48515
No Offense - but I have to ask.....
Do online petition's really work?
It's a serious question, I have filled out many in the past.
But never found out - what the result was.

And would a petition work, for what were trying to get Micheal's to do with this foam pumpkin.

I think a professional looking Packet that is mailed is the way to go.
Between all our sites, we have thousands of members that buy many of these foam pumpkins, The Packet would need to get in the right hands.
(whomever that may be).

Before we get to Putting a Packet together. or petition.

It would be nice for folks to List what it is they would like to change.

1) I myself like the darker Orange paint.
The lighter Paint made it look more FAKE.

2) Remove ALL Lines inside the Kin,
So it can be carved as soon as we get it home with NO Prep work.

3) Fix whatever Paint Issue's their maybe.
Still unclear if the new kin has the same paint issue as last season.
(Have not carved one - and have not heard from other carvers thus far.

4) make the Pumpkin a Little Wider.
So it can Handle Wide Patterns.

5) Give it a more Realistic Stem. (Curved like a Funkin)
Not a Stump.

6) Also not all will agree But I prefer a Pre-Cut Hole in the bottom.
Like a 2 inch or 3 inch hole. This helps removing cut-out pieces. and pumpkin dust. that have fallen inside, if the hole is 3 inches or Less, the pumpkin will still sit flat and no light will bleed from it.

But they also try to market this as a Pumpkin Vase.
So a hole in the bottom will not work for that.

If were going to try and fix it, we need to make sure it works for Both Shaded Patterns and the Cut-Out Stencils.

At least this is How I decided to call our carving Blueprints - LOL

Shaded or Shaved = Pumpkin Pattern
Cut-Out = Pumpkin Stencil.

So lets use this thread, to Express your Individual Concerns with this Product. There may be other Issues you feel I did not touch on.
User avatar
By matspud
#48525
I agree that a thick pile of printed paper looks better than an online list of names but, to get the list together in the first place, I think the only way is online.
As for the list of "wants" I agree with Stoney but the stem and the hole in the bottom are not high of my priorities list ( most of the real kins I get here just have a short stump of a stem anyway and having a hole in the bottom can limit how you use your kin and its not too much of a hardship cutting one.)
By GUS
#48526
Well physical gathering is hard to do, e-petitions are set up (on petition websites & can I guess be either sent in e form or downloaded & printed, all depending upon how much info you want / need to supply.

Your medium is via the internet so that's where your catchment is presumably?, & can be instantly touted / highlighted amongst other forums by means of a single well thought post...

However start by actually trying to contact thse in charge of seasonal purchases & make an impression with someone you can call on / cite as direct mail / complaints to.
User avatar
By St0ney
#48528
Okay I''m sold on the petition.
You guys raised some good points.

I created a Database for the script.
So At the end when were ready, I can Print out a spreadsheet,
to include in the packet.

I already started work on the actual online petition.
Should be completed by days end. give or take.



GUS - Please check PM - Need your help on a part of this.

Ryan: I will also give you "Admin Rights" to all the data.

As stated by you and me, we should work together on this.
Hopefully by next season, there will no longer be any issues with this product.
User avatar
By matspud
#48530
once its set up, it would be worth letting all the carving site owners know it exists. The more sigs the better and there might be people who discover one and stick with it ( unlike the rest of us sorry so and so's that participate in all)
User avatar
By St0ney
#48531
matspud wrote:once its set up, it would be worth letting all the carving site owners know it exists. The more sigs the better and there might be people who discover one and stick with it ( unlike the rest of us sorry so and so's that participate in all)
Agree!

I sent Brad an email to see if he wants to take part in this.
My main Focus for now, is the sites that have (Boards/Forums).

I'll also send emails to the other carving/pattern sites.
JP, Gene, Jball etc.....

Once that is Done - ALL members can help get the word out,
On other Halloween type boards that have a pumpkin carving section.
By GUS
#48537
got it! ..message sent back, just about to make pizza so will have a look at it & start plotting.
By GUS
#48539
ok, i've started constructing or rambling with words for a covering letter / entertain-o-sign feeder line..

could I have bullet / salient points as to the issues regarding paint problem(s) (last year)?

Any idea how many incarnations te michaels foamie has had, how many seasons did it have the black band of doom? ..common name of that for google??
just to save time wading through various threads then I can flow..basically because I only carve real & funkins, I don't notice the moans so much re michaels so less clued up overall.
I can see stoney's wants & ideals but those in the know a quote from a thread re paint 'd help.
User avatar
By St0ney
#48540
Need a Favor from someone that has one of these new
Micheal's Foam Kins.

I need a Photo of the pumpkin - By itself not Lit.
Size 800 x 600,

I tried using the image posted of last year and this years
But the image is two small when cropping just the one from this year.

I'm putting together a page of known Issue's for the petition.
So we can show the carvers the Issues. were talking about.
User avatar
By St0ney
#48598
Yep That will work Great

Thanks Ryan !

I used snow2alike's Glowing Image.
And wanted one the same size for paint topic image.
User avatar
By St0ney
#48599
Also one of the Carvers on my site
Alex aka "the pumpkingeek"

Alex carves 4 color pumpkin patterns.

Has carved one of these new foam kins already.
Here's his carving,

Image


a) Of course he hates all the lines, like the rest of us
that needs to be removed. = ISSUE

b) He Likes the New Darker Color Orange = PLUS
as you can see it has a nice glow.

c) He stated that there is no paint Issue this year. = A PLUS
The paint did not tear or rip or pull away as last year.

d) The foam seems to be a little thicker. = A PLUS
This is also a Plus for the cut-out carver.
Makes a sturdier pumpkin and gives the shaded carver more options.

e) The top is more narrow then previous years = ISSUE
(we don't want to lose any carving space)
User avatar
By Zombie Pumpkins!
#48602
St0ney wrote:No Offense - but I have to ask..... Do online petition's really work?
Unless the party that you are seeking changes from has agreed to meet demands if X amount of signatures is reached, I don't know if any petition is guaranteed to work. Online petitions can be even trickier because, while it may be easy to get lots of people to click a button in support, how do you get the list in front of the right eyes? Especially when we don't know who actually produces these pumpkins.

On the plus side, an online petition is good because you can gather the opinions of a wide range of people. All the passionate pumpkin people can connect from all over the globe. Better than standing on a street corner with a clipboard and trying to get strangers to sign a petition. "Foam pumpkins? What are you talking about, weirdo?"

If a good list of info and signatures was amassed through the power of the internet, that content could then be repackaged as a printed packet and sent to Douglas P. Gemmy (or whoever has final say on things like foam thickness and paint formulations).
By GUS
#48604
,hats the idea,we've alread got 3 names at michaels,look online for various depatment heads, or ring switchboard & ask,or asksore managers for details, shareolder reports, end of year statements, marketing releases.

it's the marketing & pr's depts who are likely to drop names, orhelpful receptionists, or telephone internal number dial menus..
you'll get there

or other means.

stoney you'll probably want canadian store dept heads as well if they differ.