If you
have trouble reading the following newsletter, view this web page: http://www.kitebuilder.com/newsletter.htm
KITEBUILDER NEWS ~ FEBRUARY 2010
Hello kitebuilders! Staying warm? Due to yesterday’s storm on the US east
coast, I had to close the shop for two days; it takes a while to dig out of the
city. But for you, it means it has been PERFECT weather for
kitebuilding. Fagettabout snow shovels and ice scrapers, turn on the sewing
machines!
Tomorrow I am scheduled to appear at the Maryland Kite Society’s winter retreat in Ellicott City, MD. Seems it always snows for this
event. I remember a couple years ago everyone was stranded an extra two
days while we waited for the governor to open the interstate.
Hopefully this weekend will be uneventful, except of course from events of the
retreat itself. I look forward to meeting Janneke Groen from
the Netherlands. Janneke is well known throughout
Europe for her beautiful kites and banners, and her trademark is the
application of her designs onto distinctive Japanese ‘sode’ or kimono
kites. Should be a great weekend.
I haven’t sent a newsletter out for a while so I need to thank all of you for a
successful 2009. I am looking forward to another good year in 2010.
I hope the production problems that some of our suppliers were experiencing
last year get corrected so we can get our inventories back to where they
belong. In case you have not been following the announcements on our
webpage and forum, my father has been ill the past couple months and is still
in the hospital. He is the guy who makes all the custom parts that
you order…. So the machine shop has been pretty backed up lately. I
can make all the stuff he creates, but it takes me a bit longer to figure out
all the specs and jigs. Please keep my old man in your thoughts; we all
hope he is back in the workshop soon.
Let’s see…. What else? Just a couple items to bring to
your attention:
KITE & KITEBUILDER OF THE YEAR
Its that time of the year again. Time to decide the forums’ Kite and
Kitebuilder of the year. You can find more
information in the CONTEST section of the forum: http://www.kitebuilder.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=28
Review all the kites that were nominated, we
have a great bunch this year. AND a great bunch of
kitebuilders. In my opinion, all of them deserve
recognition. To review the
reasons why each builder was nominated, click HERE.
If you are a member of our forum, PLEASE
email your votes ASAP. Deadline is February 21, 2010.
You can send your votes to steve@kitebuilder.com
AKA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
Phil Broder (editor for AKA’s Kiting)
started a thread on the forum describing all the great articles in the next
issue of Kiting Magazine. As usual, the thread took a couple turns
and evolved into an AKA membership drive. Cliff Quinn further
spurred activity by offering to sponsor a promotion: “any current
kitebuilder.com forum member who sign's up for an AKA membership for the
"first" time in the next 2 weeks will get a Free yard of ripstop in
their next order.” I expanded it by
co-sponsoring and extending the offer to the end of February 2010.
So come on kitebuilders, AKA need some help this
year. For less than a buck a week you can support the association
that supports your hobby. You can sign up here: http://www.aka.kite.org/mbrship.shtml
Just be sure to include ‘kitebuilder.com’ as your referral and I will be sure
to include a FREE yard (or two) of ripstop in your next order.
I will
even ask you to do this: build ONE less kite this year. Buy $40.00 LESS from
Kite Studio this year and send the money to AKA. Join one year for me. If you do, I will
also give you 10% off your regular Kite Studio purchases for the next 12
months.
Go ahead, I dare ya...... double dare ya......
triple dare ya.
AUCTIONS!
Check out our on line auctions. As of
today, there are seven great kites up for bid. Stringdriver is doing some
house cleaning. View all items here: http://www.kitebuilder.com/forums/auction_sitemap.php
POLYESTER SALE
Our 0.6 ounce polyester closeout special continues. But there
are only FOUR colors left!
Yellow
Hot Pink
Hot Orange
Green
Width is 44 inches
Grade is First Quality
Ripstop grid pattern is rectangular, approximately
.375" x .750"
Sale Price is $4.25/yard. If you buy a full 100 yard
roll, the price drops to $3.75.
In addition, we have sample packs available for $75.00.
Each sampler contains a total of 20 yards made up of the assorted colors that
remain in stock. If you order today, you will receive five yards of four
colors. As colors sell out, I will adjust the yardage of the
remaining stock to total 20 yards. This is is a
great fabric for kitebuilding... compared to nylon, polyester has less stretch,
less absorption, and higher UV resistance. Poly used to be sold at a price much
higher than nylon... but not today, not at kitebuilder. Add some to your
collection before it is gone. More information HERE
KITEBUILDER GEAR:
Have
you seen our kitebuilder merchandise? Cool
hats, shirts, and stickers. Warm
sweatshirts, hoodies, and jackets. Check out this short video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TESWnn_wMo
Get your gear HERE
PHONE ME… FOR FREE!
In my continuing effort to reduce costs without sacrificing
service, I decided to discontinue our toll free 800 phone line... BUT you can
still contact me via telephone for free!
Check out the new service on our main web page. I added a new google voice service.
Just click on the icon, enter your info, and we will be connected through your
telephone for free*.
You will also notice a new phone number that is very easy
to remember....
360-RIPSTOP
You can call that number direct and I will answer during
normal business hours: m-f, 9-5 est. Area code 360 is
in Washington State, so I am giving some of my west coast customers an
additional saving.
Our east coast number, 610-395-3560 will continue and of course, you can always email
me at steve@kitebuilder.com. Answering email
in a timely fashion is a constant struggle for me but I am trying to
improve. If your questions are long and/or urgent, please use the
phone. Try out the new free service.
The 800 number will probably be disconnected sometime mid
august. Please adjust your contact list.
* The “Google Voice” free service is only available within
the US. If you're using a cell phone, your normal use of cell plan minutes
applies.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
If you would like to discover additional kite festivals and building retreats,
be sure to check our website link below. Forum members post events all over the
world: http://www.kitebuilder.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=21
FACEBOOK
Are you a member of facebook? There
is a growing community of kiters… One
of the greatest benefits to working at Kite Studio and kitebuilder.com, is that
I consider most all my customers friends. I don’t think there are many
professions where the same can be said. Anyway,
I am on facebook… just look for my name: “Steve Ferrel”.
That’s all I have for now, got to finish packing for the MKS retreat. I
will be back in he shop on Tuesday February 16. Have a great
Valentines Day.
Go build a kite!
--Steve
web: www.kitebuilder.com
email: steve@kitebuilder.com
phone: 360-RIPSTOP | 610-395-3560
Join the American
Kitefliers Association
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