CUSTOM ORDER POLICIES AND GENERAL INFORMATION

GENERAL INFO FOR CUSTOM ORDERS:
I take custom submissions and quote from January and CLOSE on July 31st each year. You are welcome to fill out a custom submission to get a quote from JANUARY - JULY 31st.
If you have placed a custom submission during that time, my assistant Virginia or myself will review your info and get back to you as soon as possible with a quote and approximate timeline, or for any additional questions we may have. Please be aware that we do our best to answer emails in a timely manner. Overall processing time of your order varies depending on time of year and current shop demand. Custom orders that are received April - July require a  deposit and can typically be processed within 2-4 weeks.
INQUIRIES RECEIVED AFTER AUGUST 1st:
Inquiries will be flagged and responded to after the holidays. NO exceptions. My high season is from October through December and I process only items that are considered basic stock and semi-custom. I receive many orders annually and cannot make promises. Please plan ahead!  Once basic stock back-orders have been fulfilled at the beginning of the year, I begin processing all custom inquires. All orders are processed as first come first served on the wait list queue.
  • COMMUNICATION: The fastest way to message me is bert@bertsclaycreations.com. I do not have a set hour of working, but be aware that I'm located in Phoenix, AZ, USA. I normally start responding to messages after 9 am Pacific Time. If you do not receive a response from me within 48 hours, please try reaching me again. I occasionally do not respond on the weekends. Any messages from now on, please try messaging me using the ORIGINAL message chain, especially emails. Please do not start a new email, otherwise, it's hard for me to refer back to previous details (and consumes my valuable time) and important details may be missed.
  • DEPOSIT REQUIRED: A non-refundable deposit is required if you desire to proceed after given the quote. Balance is due when item completed and will be charged at that time so please plan ahead for it to be charged.
  • STATUS OF ORDER: Due to the large volume of messages and orders received daily, I will not be able to answer inquiries as to the status of your order as that will only delay my ability to process orders timely. So please be patient and know I have not forgotten your order, but I am busy editing and creating orders, etc. I am the only one sculpting during the entire process so please understand that it does take time and I do not enjoy rushing the process. If we have a date in mind, I honor that date and you will have your item in time.
  • SHIPPING: All domestic packages are shipped via USPS, which includes tracking info. Cost for domestic shipping varies from $7.75 - $15.75 depending on region. We are so sorry, but we no longer offer international shipping!
  • SIZE: The size and weight of each custom sculpture varies. Smaller sculptures with 1-2 figures typically are around 5.5" x 4.5" (approx 1.5" deep). The more individuals/pets/additional details added, the larger the sculpture.
  • TURN AROUND TIME: Varies throughout the year.
  • UPON COMPLETION: When your order has been fully sculpted, a photo of the completed ornament will be sent to you for review. Please respond ASAP as this delays our process here and our time is valuable. Once approved, spray will be applied to finish it and changes CANNOT be made to the item afterward. After approval, you will receive a PayPal or Square invoice for the balance. Once we have received payment in full, we will ship right out. We do not ship before payment is received. 
  • PHOTOS OF COMPLETED ITEM:  It is important to note that the coloring of each computer monitor / cell phone screen will vary slightly. For example, skin tones might look too yellow or light. Please refer to my previous works on my website for references. Also when items are photographed, sometimes they look out of proportion because of the angle they are photographed. I assure you that they look much different in person.
All ornaments are handmade only by me, Bert, and take a considerable amount of time to not only conceptualize before making, but also to sculpt. You are ordering a one of a kind memento that will last for years to come. There is a lot behind the scenes; emails photographing, packaging, etc. that significantly increases the amount of time spent on each customer in order to get your order just right! It is so important to me that it is a pleasant process for all!
I cannot and will not replicate items made by another artist, so please do not request that or send photos. Please be respectful to both parties and order from the original creator.