Ahhhh the time is here the time is here!!!!! Our THIRD annual TIU motivational mail gift exchange is LIVE! Welcome to Merbabe Mail!!!!
PLEASE READ ALL of the following RULES BEFORE signing up to participate in this exchange:
1. Open to US #TIUsisters only due to high shipping costs internationally (I will be UPDATING HERE with international exchange links when I hear from the European & Canadian sisters who usually host our international mail exchanges!)
2. Must be active in the current TIU challenge, #BikiniSeries + #100bySummer and a #TIUmerbabe
3. Spending average is $40 + shipping, so save/plan accordingly.
4. BIKINI SERIES is almost here! Motivational mail has been a huge hit during past challenges & there’s nothing better than getting a surprise box of goodies from a TIU sister! Don’t let the seaweed in another mermaid’s ocean look greener – be sure to sign up before the deadline, April 20th! In past exchanges, people went MIA and never mailed packages…Because of this you will be automatically assigned a PARTNER for this exchange by Elfster; who you send a gift will be sending you a gift 🙂
5. If you cannot commit to sending your package ON TIME, please wait to join the next gift exchange. During the Secret Santa & Frisky Fall exchanges, there were over 20 girls who sent packages yet either never received one, or received their package late. The point of this exchange is to spread the LOVE and have FUN! Not getting a package or receiving it late, defeats the purpose of SHARE.LOVE.INSPIRE.SWEAT and leaves for a sad TIU sister crying at her mailbox 😉 So mail must be sent by the assigned deadline, which is _________________________
6. We all save and open our packages on the SAME DAY – Opening day is Friday, May 22nd!
7. PACKAGES MUST BE MAILED OUT BY MAY 4th! NO IFS, ANDS, BUTS, OR EXCEPTIONS. Mail glitches are unfortunately common and there are mail delays all the time; I don’t want one single person to not get their box on time this exchange! NO EXCUSES – sending mail priority does not always guarantee faster shipping. Please don’t defend why it’s late; just don’t do it.
8. You must update your “nick-name” on Elfster as your TIU Instagram name so you can be tagged. ANYONE WHO DOES NOT DO THIS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THIS EXCHANGE BEFORE NAMES ARE DRAWN. This has been a huge issue in the past, and never being able to get in contact with some girls.
9. Share this exchange by sharing THIS SIGN UP LINK http://seashellsandsitups.com/2015/04/08/bikini-series-merbabe-gift-exchange/ with your TIU friends and sisters so no one feels left out who wants to participate!
10. Must update your shipping address. Don’t worry; only the person who draws your name sees it! Anyone without a updated shipping address will be removed from this exchange before names are drawn.
11. SIGN UP VIA THE APPROPRIATE (USA, Europe, or Canada) LINK BELOW BASED ON WHERE YOU LIVE TO JOIN THIS EXCHANGE AND CREATE YOUR ELFSTER ACCOUNT!! :)) I won’t be adding or emailing anyone individually with the link, as there are too many wonderful girls participating, so you must sign up yourself using THIS LINK –
UNITED STATES EXCHANGE LINK hosted by @seashellsandsitups:
http://www.elfster.com/exchange/view/15386259/bb77f9/
INTERNATIONAL MAIL ORGANIZATION COMING SOON:
INTERNATIONAL EUROPEAN EXCHANGE LINK hosted by TIU Lisa:
_____________________
CANADIAN EXCHANGE LINK hosted by TIU Canadian Sunshine:
_____________________
12. If anyone has questions, please contact me through Elfster or leave a comment below here! I don’t always get the notifications on my Instagram account & cannot guarantee I see your comment there.
13. Sign up DEADLINE is MONDAY, April 20th.
14. Once you sign up, spread the love! Tag me so I can see! @seashellsandsitups & repost the following image [coming soon!] using the hashtags #MERBABEMAIL #BikiniSeriesMerbabe #TIUmerbabes #seashellsandsitups #BikiniSeriesMail:
15. Please be sure to make ONE Elfster account. Do not set up duplicate Elfster accounts with duplicate emails, or you will be entered into the draw twice. (Be careful not to set up one through Facebook AND one through your personal or work email.) Otherwise you will be paired up twice, receiving two packages and sending two packages, and we don’t want that!
16. If you have any difficulties/questions/glitches within Elfster that have to do with Elfster (i.e.: account management, set-up, etc.,) please do NOT contact me, contact Elfster support. They are amazing and so helpful & will get back to your issues within 24 hours!
17. I am just one person. I do not get paid for this, and spend hours organizing each exchange to ensure they run smoothly. Please be respectful of this. I am NOT responsible for anyone who signs up and goes MIA, anyone who signs up and does not send a gift, or any lost/damaged packages. I’m really hoping this new partner-style exchange helps solve problems, and am so excited for this exchange!
FAQ:
- When will the next exchange be if I can’t commit to participating during #BikiniSeries? During the TIU #FriskyFall challenge
- What do I buy? Something embodying the TIU tagline – SHARE. LOVE. INSPIRE. SWEAT. Browse the hashtags #tiusecretsister #tiumotivationalmail for ideas of what girls put into their packages during our Frisky Fall & Secret Santa exchanges
- I think I signed up; how do I know for sure? When you’re logged into your Elfster account, it should show “Gift Exchange: TIU Secret Santa Sisters” with the number of participants, and also show “______ joined the exchange” on the group wall. You should see your name under participants, have access to the group, be able to post on the group wall, send questions, messages, etc. You should also received an email from Elfster that your account has been created successfully.
Can’t wait!!!! Thanks so much to all that participated in the previous exchanges, and those who have already signed up for this one!
XOXOX,
Shelley
PS – If you sign up and go MIA (this happened with like ten people during FF exchange; you will be removed from future exchanges, because it’s sad to your paired #tiusister and not fair 😦
*Signing up through this link is the only way girls can join, so please direct friends/TIU sisters here! XO
salty sweet seasons 
Hi! Is the gift exchange supposed to be anonymous? Or can we tell our TIU Sister who we are??
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Hey Shelley!
Not sure if you can help, but I signed up in the beginning and haven’t gotten any emails about it, and I guess the pairs went out today. If I’m in your system can you let me know so I can get the person something, or if not, I’ll just have to wait it out for secret santa
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So my insta (IG) is a (the) TIU account, so I’m good for the exchange right? I really want to be part of it. 🙂
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2 questions..
How do I change my nickname? I used my tiu Instagram name as my username, is that the same thing?
Was I suppose to get paired with someone right away, or is that happening later?
Thanks! 💙
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Hi, Hayley! You have to be on a computer not the app to change your nickname; if you used your TIU insta that’s perfect. You’ll get paired up with someone on the 20th 🙂
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So excited about this! This is a great idea!!
2 questions… How do you change your nickname? I used my tiu Instagram name as my username…is that the same thing?
Was I suppose to get paired with someone right away? Or do we find out later?
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Thanks for setting all this up- how fun!
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Just signed up Thanks so much!
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Hi lovely! Thankyou so much for the inspiration! If anyone is wondering or asking I am hosting the Australian exchange for the second time. My insta is shanwah_tiu is anyone wants details
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Hi lovely!! Thankyou so much for the inspiration 🙂 if anyone is wondering or asking I am hosting the Australian one again for the second time 🙂 my insta is shanwah_tiu if anyone wants details
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Do you think it would be worth participating if I can’t send any TIU/perfectfit items? I wouldn’t want to let a TIUsister down but could send other items. Thoughts?
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“2. Must be active in the current TIU challenge, #BikiniSeries + #100bySummer and a #TIUmerbabe”
— Does this mean there are THREE challenges we need to be apart of or just the Bikini Series & #100bysummer but MUST ALSO use #TIUmerbabe on all posts! Want to make sure I am doing this right so I’m not booted from my first mail exchange.
Thanks!
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Hi, love! The hashtags are just to spread the motivational mail love and get the word out! You don’t have to be a “part” of any group; we just have the #tiumerbabes subgroup within #tiuseashells for bikini series to help with motivation 🙂 the mermaid mail’s official hashtag is #mermaidmail and tagging me/using the #seashellsandsitups hashtag helps direct people where to sign up/see original post so you don’t have to answer the same question over and over again 🙂 the only specification that all cause people to get the boot is no updating heir instagram handle as their middle/nickname and not updating a shipping address xoxo
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Thanks for the response! I updated both as soon as I created an account! 🙂 Thanks for hosting this series motivation mail again! You rock!
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Hi there! Super new to TIU (just bought my Nutrition Plan and Bikini Series bundle last week!) but I’ve been secretly following you, shelbysfitlife, and other inspiring TIU girls for quite some time. To be a “merbabe” and sign up for motivational mail, do you have to live on the west coast? Are there other qualifications? Would love to participate just want to be sure I meet all of the requirements :-).
Thank you for organizing and for inspiring on a daily basis!
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Hi, Janet!!! And welcome!!! Xoxox no prequalifications necessary besides living in the US and following the rules 🙂 can’t wait to have you!!
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Thank you! Just signed up & I’m super pumped!
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I really want to do this because I got burned during a Love Your Body motivational mail and if I trust it not to happen again it’s with the TIUmerbabes. However, I’m going to Europe the last 2 weeks of May. I can send mine out before I leave but won’t be able to open with everyone on the 22nd. Can I still do it or should I wait for frisky fall?
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You can absolutely still do it! You’ll have communication with your partner since they will be paired drawings, so you can let her know you need it by a certain date if she’s willing to do that! Then take a picture and post on the 22with everyone! Or option two – you can join the European exchange 🙂
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I love this idea! Being a new TIU girl I love any chance to meet a new TIU sister since I haven’t had much luck finding any in my area. And is an awesome suprise at the end! How many packages are mailed throughout the series?
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Yay welcome!! We had 600 last exchange! 😀
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