Ivy and Mercedes - Besides Ourselves Q&A

Yo! Our B-sides album, 'Besides Ourselves', will be out soon, so Mercedes and me grabbed some coffee and yapped about how it came about and some of the absolute nonsense that's on there.

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Ivy: Hey, girl, how's it hanging? 

Mercedes: Yeah, it is hanging GOOD, Ives. How 'bout you? 

Ivy: Yeah, good here too, thank you, my love. Right, our b-sides album! Do you want to give a quick rundown of what the dealio is? 

Mercedes: For sure! Yeah, so, we've ended up with a buncha random songs laying around for however many years that either haven't been right for any albums or are just wayyy too fucking dumb. Haha, like, there's ones we've written fucking around and as stupid challenges when we've been high and shit like, I dunno, "MILEY CYRUS' SINGING ABOUT FUCKING IN A BOTTLE BANK". We love Miley by the way, that is not us ragging on her. Haha, yeah, I mean they're really dumb but they are super fun. 

Ivy: And a special girl with green hair sings one of these songs! 

Mercedes: Haha, dude, yessssss! 

Ivy: To clarify for the boys and girls at home, I am referring to the song 'Naked Carnage In Aisle 5', which is Mercedes here's baby. Her and Donna kicked it off jamming, and Mercedes did all the lyrics, Mercedes does lead vocals on the album and it kicks ASS! 

Mercedes: Ah dude, thank you so much. 

Ivy: So how did you find singing on it? 

Mercedes: It was really cool! I mean, obviously I do all my backing vocals and everything but yeah, doing a full song felt super weird?! But, like, yeah! I super enjoyed it. 

Ivy: I honestly love it. Playing it's so fun too because I get to see all you guys from a totally different perspective. I mean, usually the only time I can really have a moment to take everything in is when Suze is doing a solo, so being able to hang back and watch you all is super cool. I hope we get you doing some more! 

Mercedes: Ahh I dunno, dude, maybe. 

Ivy: Awwww, c'mon, why not? 

Mercedes: Haha, honestly, that shit is hard! Hahaha, you know I love getting in some screams but doing a full song? I fucking feel like I'm going to pass out! 

Filth

Ivy: Awwww, well I'm determined to get some more of that sweet Mercedes magic out of you one day. So what else we got on there? Naked Clown Pirates, Godzilla... 

Mercedes: Hahaha, oh mann, that was the wildest, Suze was like a woman possessed when she wrote that song! 

Ivy: Haha, yeah, it was when the Godzilla and Kong movie was due to come out, and she had this idea that we should do this song about Godzilla for the soundtrack. A bit of background that Suze, amongst her various very specialist interests, really loves all the Japanese Godzilla movies. So, inspired by Linkin Park doing the song they did for Transformers back in the day, she painstakingly cultivated this song, which is legit awesome by the way, wrote all the lyrics, and convinced us to record it so we could get on the soundtrack and get people into our band. Which is actually really sweet.

Mercedes: Man, she actually emailed the track to the studio, too! I mean, hypothetically it would have been amazing, but I felt so bad for her when she obviously never got a reply. 

Ivy: Yeah, you could tell that bummed her out a little, she'd been super passionate about it.

Mercedes: It is a REALLY cool song! But yeah, it does have that super Linkin Park-Transformers vibe and we just didn't know what to do with it next to all of our regular stuff, so I'm so glad we could finally get it out there. 

Ivy: Same, it does really slap. And again, it's another fun one to play! So we've got ones like that, Naked Clown Pirates, Moon-face Peter, Empyrean that were written legit but just haven't fit in with our albums at the time. And thennn... 

Mercedes: Then...! 

Ivy: We have the really dumb, really weird ones where we may or may not have been in altered states of reality when we conceived them... 

Mercedes: I am seriously proud of what four ladies higher than mother-fuckers can crank out! 

Ivy: Yeah, so exhibit A: write a song about fat Elvis saving Christmas from testicle alien invaders. Then, Miley Cyrus having sex in a bottle bank, Stanley from The Office's dream lighthouse that blasts into space... Buying a three wolf t-shirt from a thrift store and said t-shirt gives you sexual powers! Haha, and "let's write the song Elderly Prostitute from Bob's Burgers!". 

Mercedes: Yeah! I really wish we could release that Spanish cover of Summertime Sadness but fucking licensing, man. 

Ivy: Totally, I had no idea that was such a legal nightmare. And after we'd recorded it all, too! Oh well, it's still fun blasting out when I'm in the car. 

Mercedes: Haha, the simple thing seems like it would be to just record it in English?

Ivy: Haha, shush, you.

Mercedes: What's your favorite song on this album then, Ives? 

Ivy: Ermmm... I am super pleased how Naked Clown Pirates turned out and kicks the album off. I'm so glad we didn't release it a few years ago because it would not have sounded anywhere near as good. 

Mercedes: For sure! 

Ivy: Then Empyrean, Three Wolves, and Naked Carnage are bangers. 

Mercedes: Yesss! 

Ivy: I also really like what we've done with Moon-face Peter? That's another one that has definitely worked out better for coming back to it a few years later.

Mercedes: Totally! Like, it was fine before but I guess didn't quite have that kick? The electro angle just works SO good! Haha, and for such a weird song too. But yeah, that was really cool and interesting to do.

Ivy: Yeah, I do love Suze getting to do all her electronic stuff. To be honest, that's one of the very few reasons that I'd hypothetically want to do some kind of show, because she just looks the absolute coolest stood behind her keyboards and stuff all super focused and really going for it.

Mercedes: Oh yeah! She looks an absolute goddess. Coolest motherfucker, right there. I really hope she does some electronic stuff of her own at some point.

Ivy: Definitely, me too! And holy shit, she has done an absolutely INCREDIBLE job on the recording for this one too!

Mercedes: Oh my god! Like, dude, what the hell?? Haha, don't you think it a bit weird that our most kick-ass sounding record is the one with all the stupid songs on?

Ivy: Haha, I try not to think about that. But yeah, it hasade me VERY excited for our next real album.

Mercedes: Totally!

Ivy: So, how abouts you, girl, what's your faves on this album?

Mercedes: I really dig Naked Clown Pirates too. Three Wolves ended up fucking epic, dude!

Ivy: Suze absolutely knocking it out the park again!

Mercedes: And EMPYREAN... Like, woah. That is just... something else.

Ivy: Yeah, the original gothy darkwave version just wouldn't have sat right on Reckoner or sounded as good as it's ended up now.

Mercedes: And yeah, your vocals on it now versus then are something else, dude. Like, holy shit! Where have you been hiding that??

Ivy: Haha, thank you. I dunno, the stuff off Mayhem where Gaga is singing a bit operatic I was like "hmm..." so I've been interested in trying to do a bit of that and, like, do different other kinds of singing? It was initially for the electronic stuff I've been working on but being a better singer obviously is going to benefit us.

Mercedes: It sounds fucking killer! Seriously. Super proud of you, dude. Erm, what else...? Honestly, I'm just really happy with all of it. For how ridiculous a lot of those songs are? I think we did a good job on the whole "write the stupidest song but make it sound awesome". And it's also just fun playing all this super different style stuff that we wouldn't be able to get on a proper album.

Ivy: Me too. I know we're a lot more focused on our output now and having, like, a timeline we aim for with what we have lined up it doesn't feel like there's as much time for dicking around investing in doing kind of joke songs, but I really hope we can do another of these down the line!

Mercedes: Totally. Like, yeah, I don't know if "grown up" is the right word but with all real life and, like you say, being a bit more, yeah, focussed, everything does feel a world away from a year or two, y'know?

Ivy: Yeah, I really know what you mean.

Mercedes: I'm sure we'll squeeze some stuff in here and there!

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'Besides Ourselves' is released on all major streaming platforms on April 3rd.

It is now available to pre-order on vinyl and CD via elasticStage

🐝 ** PEN-15 - Besides Ourselves ** 🐝

PEN-15 are pleased as piss to announce the release of our b-sides compilation album, "Besides Ourselves", on April 3rd across all major digital platforms and CD and vinyl.

Besides Ourselves is our collection of cast offs and leftovers that, even by our standards, were mostly just too stupid to include in any of our previous releases. As the late Doctor Thompson said, "too weird to live, too rare to die". 

Dug up, dusted off, blasted with electricity and given a new lick of paint, we bring you drunken jokes, crazy riffs, an 80's remix, and a desperate quest for motion picture soundtrack fame - Besides Ourselves has it all!

They're not meant to be taken seriously, but we'd be lying if we said we didn't think they all still totally fucking slap. 

So crank it up, hold onto your tits, and tear it up to the sounds of our drooling, raucous, hairy, bastard b-side children!

1. Ghost Ship of Naked Clown Pirates

2. I'm In Love With Godzilla

3. Save Christmas Harder

4. Moon-face Peter

5. Naked Carnage in Aisle 5

6. Stanley's Lighthouse

7. Elderly Prostitute

8. Bottle-bank Lover

9. EMPYREAN

10. Te Veo (The 1987 Belinda Mix)

11. Three Wolves

 

🎁🎄 So long, 2025, hello, 2026! 🎄🎁

Well, what a year this has been! It's not been the easiest but we managed to eventually make it through each in one piece, and we released not one, but TWO freaking albums, and a Christmas single(!). 

We're really proud of each other and we hope you've enjoyed listening to our music this year. Let's catch up in 2026 and make sure to do it all again, yeah?

In our final post of 2025 we want to wish you a Merry Christmas, a happy Las Posadas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Zarathosht Diso, Ōmisoka, or however you may or may not celebrate to all!

Sending much, much love and wishing all the best for the new year! 

Ivy, Suze, Mercedes, Donna

PEN-15

🎁🎄🖤💙💚💜🎄🎁

Ivy and Suze - Q&A

As we're not exactly the kind of band anyone is going to be interviewing any time soon, I had the random brainwave from us to do a series of Q&As. It was in part inspired by Marc Maron"s WTF ending and the things he himself and President Obama mentioned in the final episodes about having conversations with people. Is that me getting narcissistic ideas above my station? Haha perhaps. Either way, the idea got bouncing around and I just thought it would be something fun and interesting between releases and whatever.

Our courageous, first subject, literally taking one for the team, issss... *drum roll* Suze!

Suzannah Jane Thunderbaker is PEN-15's lead guitarist, programmer, pianist, recording engineer, producer, blue-haired general all around mastermind. Amongst the four of us, she is without a doubt always the smartest person in the room (though being such a sweetheart she would never, ever agree with that [despite it being patently true]).

We both went out for food and chatted about the makings of a Thunderbaker. Without any more flattery and delay, it's the enigma herself - Suze! 

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Ivy: Why, hello there! Would you give a moment to introduce yourself to all the boys and girls at home? 

Suze: Haha, I am Suzannah Jane Thunderbaker, 21 years old, proud citizen of Detroit, Michigan. 

Ivy: And it's a pleasure, Suze. Suzannah? Susan? SJB? Suze. Haha I'm just messin' with ya! 

Suze: Oh you! 

Ivy: Right. Let's get down to business.

Suze: Wait, what?

Ivy: Haha mind out of the gutter, Susan, mind out of the gutter. Ok, would you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Suze: Of course. I mean, I'll try. It's always one of those weird things, talking about yourself, y'know? Anyways. I'm originally from Corktown in Detroit. Of mostly Germanic and Irish descent. Haha, kiss me quick, I'm partly Irish! And for anyone wondering, Thunderbaker is my own personal anglicisation of my extremely Teutonic birth surname. Ooh, geheimnisvolle frau! No brothers or sisters. Had a pretty nice, luckily non-traumatic, childhood. Outside of the whole music thing, I'm currently working in computer science. Ermmm... I'm a size 9 shoe? I love romantic walks on the beach?

Ivy: Haha, nice. So how long have you been playing guitar and what got you into playing and music in general? 

Suze: I did play the piano a little when I was quite young, but it was just one of those Elementary School things. I think because I was the type of autistic who was good academically, people expected me to be like this... savant who would be plonked in front of a piano and suddenly start blasting out Mozart? But the music they got you to play just didn't grab me and I eventually lost interest. It was actually quite a while after that where Guitar Hero 3 on the PS3 eventually kick-started me getting into guitar. As no doubt you can imagine, I wasn't exactly a girly girl and my dad and I would always do stuff together and hang out. He wasn't a big gamer or anything but he had a PS3 from back in the day so we'd play stuff together and as I got older that was one of them. Prior to that... I'd not particularly had a taste in music as such? But songs like Knights of Cydonia by Muse, One by Metallica, Sabotage by The Beastie Boys... erm, what else? Before I Forget by Slipknot... Barracuda by Heart... Yeah, those were songs that really pricked my ears up and sucked me in. So the natural progression from that was I asked for a guitar! That will have been 2016? While I enjoyed playing, and I don't know if it's from being neurodiverse, but sitting on my own playing just felt a bit... rudderless? Like I wasn't really getting anything tangible out of it, if that makes sense? 

Ivy: No, totally. I think when it boils down to it I've only ever REALLY played for the sake of writing, so in a way it's tool that's a means to an end, rather than just noodling away for self satisfaction? Like you said about the neurodiversity, that's probably a lot down to my ADHD.

Suze: Exactly, yes. So from that I wasn't super serious about it for quite a while. It was definitely more a kind of random "hobby" rather than something I did every day to get better? I never had lessons or anything. But then jump to a few years later in high school where I saw your poster needing a guitarist, and the rest, shall we say, is history.

Ivy: Haha yeah, past being in some classes we'd not super hung out up until that point? You were a bit of a social butterfly, studying, and doing your own thing, but I remember the day you came up to me, wide-eyed with the biggest shit-eating grin, the poster in your hand and said something like "so, Fernandez, a little birdie told me you're looking for a guitarist?!"

Suze: Haha, yes, I took the poster down so no-one could get in first and steal the place off of me! That will have been 2021 once we came back from Covid.

Ivy: Honestly, it was amazing. Obviously I had no idea you played so I was like whuuut, THIS GIRL not only plays guitar, but she wants to play punk rock?? Haha you were such a dark horse I'd have never expected it. 

Suze: Full of surprises, Fernandez, full of surprises. 

Ivy: Haha can you remember the first time we got together to play? We were SO bad. But it felt like the best thing ever! 

Suze: It really did! Haha, I mean we borderline murdered some of those songs we attempted, but despite the total lack of talent there was such a spark there! We just instantly clicked and it was literally on the way home I thought "hmm, I suppose I'd better start practising and actually get good on the guitar". 

Ivy: What kind of stuff did you start delving into? 

Suze: As we'd tried songs by the Ramones, Bikini Kill, Hole, The Donnas, Offspring, The Distillers, I did a deep dive on all of those. There were songs I already knew here and there but I needed to get my head in the same place in terms of what you guys were wanting to play. Because I enjoyed it so much and we got on so well I really didn't want to be a weak link. Not that anyone was, of course. 

Ivy: Yeah, you were suggesting songs for us to do in no time, that was really cool. 

Suze: I made sure to also work on the non-punk stuff I'd, until then, only casually messed around with. It really was one of those situations where "the more I know about different kinds of music, the better player I'm going to be, and the more I can bring to this band", which I'm kind of proud of for a 16 year old? From that, and rediscovering and looking more seriously into Muse, Linkin Park, even Slipknot, I started to notice a lot more the keyboard, piano, electronic elements, and was like "huh. Well I think that would also be super beneficial to look into", and I dug my old keyboard out from under my bed and started messing around with that too. 

Ivy: Yeah, I mean in no time you were really getting me into a lot of bands that had been totally out of my wheelhouse. While we were focussed on being a punk band, these extra elements that began to creep in really helped us develop, and especially develop me as a songwriter, a lot better than we would have without them. 

Suze: I do think it's really beneficial that we have never been a part of any scene. We've just worked in our own little bubble without trying to keep up or fit in with anyone who might have otherwise been our peers? Like, we didn't care about what other people were doing, we just wanted to be our own favourite band. 

Ivy: Yes! While I think when I started playing, like pretty much everyone, you get these visions in your head of straddling the stage at some enormodome with fucking fireworks going off or whatever, we've always just had too much fun together to, I dunno... want to risk ruining or corrupting it? And obviously, for various reasons, trying to make your way as an unknown band on a live, grassroots level is now a much, MUCH different reality. Without a ton of money or some kind of backing, the, quote, unquote, "old" days of bands jumping in a van and making their merry way across the country are well and truly gone. 

Suze: Definitely. Unless you've had, say, something go viral, the practicalities and economics of attempting to get out there as a small band on your own are perverse.

Ivy: Like, you read articles or posts of bands going out and spending the time starving and freezing to death, playing gigs to no-one in, like, Buttfuck, Missouri, having the worst time, and losing literally thousands of dollars. Fuck that.

Suze: Absolutely. From our perspective, it would be a totally pointless venture. People will try and say "but it's all about the experience" and... sorry, I don't really want to put myself, ourselves even, through the most miserable, wretched, soul-destroying experience that leaves me horrifically in debt?

Ivy: Yeah... Totally fair play to bands who want to and can do that, this is absolutely not a criticism or judgement of ANYONE and if people do get something out of it then that's fucking awesome, but for us it just doesn't make sense.

Suze: We're all... haha, I wouldn't say antisocial, exactly, but we also don't need any validation by making ourselves the center of attention? Not to sound pretentious but, alongside enjoying ourselves, it essentially really is about "the art". Obviously we're now releasing out music online and such, but that's more for the feeling of accomplishment? Like, "WE DID THAT" . I genuinely do not care one bit if no-one past ourselves ever hears it: it just makes me proud that we continue to work together, we don't argue, we have fun, and create something that is so much greater than the sum of our parts. I think that's beautiful. Haha, the power of friendship! 

Ivy: Jolly cooperation! 

Suze: Hahah oh my god, gold star on getting in a Dark Souls reference! I love it. High five! 

Ivy: In terms of recording, how do you feel about becoming our in-house, one woman studio? 

Suze: While it did start out of necessity, I do really enjoy it! There has been various learning curves getting my head around it, and I'll really frustrate myself that I seem to stumble on better ways to do things *after* we've recorded something and it's too late. I think from my neurodiversity there's that perfection slash control freak element, and while I'm not the best at doing it by any means, we know how we want to sound and I feel like it gives us a lot more freedom. 

Ivy: Yeah, totally, I don't think we'd perform and be able to experiment in the same way being on the clock with some stranger. Apart from Donna, we're all on the spectrum in some way and like being relaxed and in control of our creative environments? 

Suze: One hundred percent. 

Ivy: And where are you at now with what music you're listening to, and what in general influences and inspires your playing and approach to music? 

Suze: I'm loving bands like ERRA and Bad Omens that have that electronic element, and also the guitar work in ERRA is just SO good. I do like the electronic side Bring Me The Horizon have, too. Carpenter Brut... Garbage are obviously iconic. I've also been listening to Songs From the Big Chair by Tears for Fears, too, the production on that is just perfect. Oh, on the synthesizer note, I've just invested in the Omnisphere 3 synth plugin, which I am SUPER looking forwards to experimenting with!

Music-wise, there's also the Japanese band, coldrain, they have some good stuff, and I love lots of BOOM BOOM SATELLITES, who the singer sadly passed away a few years ago. Similar with BUCK-TICK, it's so sad how Sakurai-san passed; 4 decades in and they're still such an amazingly creative band. 

Ivy: No, yeah, I love BUCK-TICK. It's obviously you who got me into them! But yeah, it's bands like that I think that have given us the inspiration and confidence to try totally different styles and not worry about whether things might be too big of a jump from one album to the next. I hope we can get those tribute songs out as a little EP at some point.

Suze: Definitely, I'd really love to go back to that but it feels like a funny one to try and fit in currently. One day, though. I think we came up with some really interesting stuff.

Ivy: One day!

Suze: In terms of the electronic side of things, though... Nine Inch Nails were a really good bridging band that led me more into electronic music And it's cool we both like House music, too! And a lot of gothy, post-punk, new-wave things, also. 

Ivy: Yeah, we do definitely click a lot on things like that! I love that from punk bringing us together, it's developed that Donna and Mercedes now both love their full-on metal, and we really dig lots of more electronic stuff. 

Suze: Yeah, me too! It can be a bit lonely(?) when you love a band and want people to love them as music as you but no-one is interested in the slightest, so that we've ended up with quite similar tastes in that area is really cool. Like, pretty much everything where I'll say "you have to check this out!", even if you don't love it, you pretty much always know where I'm coming from. That makes me really happy. 

Ivy: Oh Suze, thank you, and absolutely me too. Musically, where do you hope for us to go with PEN-15?

Suze: Honestly, I am totally down with whatever everyone else wants. If you look how our sound has developed from our first EP to the latest album that's been quite a wild journey? We've obviously delved into a lot of different styles, we've become quite a bit heavier but also more experimental, and not *once* has any of us been resistant in the slightest to that. Not once. Everyone is so eager and open to trying new and different things and I honestly think that's amazing. I really think we're more and more coming into our own so I'm really excited to just keep seeing what we do next. Genuinely.

Ivy: Me too. Any last words for your fans? 

Suze: Wait, why does that sound rather ominous? 

Ivy: Haha, yeah, I could have worded that less ominously. Ok, any parting words of wisdom? 

Suze: Make sure to rubber up, kids 

Ivy: Haha, Jesus Christ, Susan... 

Suze: YOU LOVE IT. 

The Big PEN-15 Spotify Wrapped 2025 Extravaganza!

Hey everyone,

I hope that all of you Northern Hemisphere'ers are staying nice and warm in this most festive of seasons.

We just got our very first EVER Spotify Wrapped, and for a nerd like me that was particularly exciting!

Obviously we're not hitting any Metallica or Taylor Swift-level figures, and (if you want to be a bit of a dick) these lowly figures may even seem laughable, but do we care? No. It's very much our party and no fucks shall be given.

Considering that we're as underground as can be, avoid social media like the plague that it is, our only promo is verbally telling people we know IRL about our music, and that we only went onto Spotify earlier this year (I think in April or May?) I can't help but be genuinely impressed and also a little bit touched by these numbers.

So, gang, let's dig in!

Firstly, that somewhere on this planet there are 3 people who have listened to our music enough to put us in their top 5 artists for 2025 is just the sweetest. If any of you happen to be reading this then *mwah* we absolutely love you!

The Top Countries is super interesting, also. That the UK is our top country, ok, that checks out. But Finland?! Australia?! India?! Wow, that's so cool. Slightly eyebrow raising that the USA ie. OUR VERY OWN COUNTRY comes in at 3, though? Hmm, I think we'll be having words with various friends and family members on that one!

Very intriguing that 3/4 of our highlighted songs are also our super gay anthemic anthems about being gay. To anyone out there listening to Still Gay For Holtzmann late at night, we salute you!

So there we are. Whatever the numbers, to us it's really special and really means so much.

Anyone out there in the UK, Finland, USA, Australia, India, or beyond who has listened to our music on 2025 we just want to give you a huge, huge thank you!

We've got some spicy stuff lined up for 2026 so we sincerely hope you stick around for that too.

Love and hugs,

Suze 💙

🎁🎄BLACK FRIDAY 'DECK THE HALLS' DISCOUNT! 🎄🎁

 

Deck The Halls drops  on digital this coming Monday, but for this week only you can order the vinyl with a cheeky Black Friday 15% discount!

The vinyl is now available to preview and order on vinyl via elasticStage.

 

 

To get your 15% discount just enter the code BLACKFRIDAY15 at the checkout. 

 

 

Ivy, Suze, Mercedes, Donna

 

🖤💙 💚💜

🎁🎄Christmas a go-go - PEN-15 RELEASE DECK THE HALLS! 🎄🎁

A very happy Sunday to you all! 

We're very proud to announce that on December 1st we will be releasing our upcoming festive single, Deck the Halls! 

Click Here to Pre-Save on Spotify

PEN-15 bring you a rip-roaring, punk-metal reimagining of a festive classic to blow your stockings and faces clean off! 

Features the b-side 'It's Christmas (So Leave Me Alone)', a slinky, retro, holiday number inspired by the bygone Christmas classics of yesteryear you could sit in your underwear and drink a Tom Collins to while everyone left you the hell alone! Did we mention Suze plays some ukulele on it??

Deck the Halls will be available on all major digital platforms and is now available to preview and order on vinyl via elasticStage.

 

 

The vinyl comes with a 12 page booklet of PEN-15's Very Cursed 12 Days of Christmas.

 

To coincide this we have a 10% discount code for any physical purchases made via elasticStage! 

 

Enter the code SPINMAS at the checkout. 

 

This includes Deck the Halls and our latest album, Leave Home. The voucher is only valid until 11/24/25 so make sure to get on it quick sharp for a sweet discount and so that this festive gift to yourself arrives in time for the holidays! 

Much love,

 

Ivy, Suze, Mercedes, Donna

 

🖤💙 💚💜