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It sounds like the main problem is lack of communication on Tootie's part. Not many designers are PREPAID for their work. Most either get paid at the end, or they get paid a partial amount up front and the rest upon completion.
It appears that many people, seeing and hearing how broke she always is prepaid her in an effort to help out her financial situation. I think this is very nice of the people involved. From the sounds of the amount of work she has taken in, the vast quantities of it, she accepted a great deal of money, which you would think would be able to cover her bills. It appears she got sick with pneumonia, but pneumonia once on antibiotics is a short term illness. You feel like crap for a week or so but are not bed ridden (My daughter has had pneumonia 12 times so I have a great deal of experience with the illness). Problems arose when Tootie felt that her first priority was to complete work rather than informing her customers of how long it would take to complete their designs or even that she received the money they sent her in good faith. It is good business to communicate with clients and if a customer is still asking after 3 weeks if she even got the money there is a problem.
My suggestion would be to take the time out and email every client that is waiting for work, even if it is just a form email and state you are behind by so many days/weeks. That their work WILL get done and you DID receive payment for the work and thank them for their extreme patience.
I personally don't like seeing customers who have PREPAID for work being given a hard time because they are unable to get any information regarding their order. Tootie accepted their money, apparently spent their money, so it is only right she could at least give them some idea as to when they might be receiving what they paid for.
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