🐅#18: Finally digital Proofs for the Big Kitties and good news for the Cubs!!!🐆
Hi Cat Lovers!
I FINALLY recieved the digital Proofs for the Big Cats a few days ago. Most corrections already have been made and I'll send them back to the Manu this evening.
Pallas Cat is kind of Production ready (but I'm not sure if they send a single Pin of the ordered ones into Production or if I have to aprove everything from the order first - I'll ask). The rest has to go through a list of corrections, especially Puma and Jaguarundi. They have Problems with the small Areas of the Eyes & Face Details... Jaguar & Clouded Leo will go to my regular Manu, I wont wait that long for the answers of the actual Manu a second time. I don't doubt their Quality, but it streched the workflow a lot.
In the Background EVERYTHING moves forward... ... but I have to care for PBK, the Little Dragons and the Furball Puppy Prototypes, what I HAD to bring forward BECUASE -> my private circumstances can often be turbulent and my live is not just beeing an artist. I also have to prepare for two possible conventions in late Winter 27. I hope that makes you're understanding why it all takes it's time and why everything happens at it's time. This is what you could call my Motto.
And what I just said in one single update text (at least I think I've once written it...) my second business here at home in Germany is a Pet Business, that wants to be build up and just doing it's first baby steps now. Working at almost nothing else than these Projects - as much as I love them - also costs energy and I HAD to recover a bit. What never means I do nothing about it.
And I will charge the remaining money, when the Big Cat Pins are approved and in production. For me this is more fair. It's kind of "charge shipping later", it's for this and the remaining Cub Pins. But I want to give everyone the chance to make final choises when it is about the things still missing Images. They will come, probably even in this month. I'm fully concentrated on PBK now, but I'm not a machine.
Let's come to somthing cute now:
They arrived! (Sooo sorry for didn't posting them earlier but I had a really important event this weekend.)
Aren't they cute?
The Tigers
The Snow Leopard Cub
... And the Cheetah.
Lovely Kitty Quartett
They have been graded already, and lets say, it went pretty well.
Cheetah Cubs: (Highest Rate of issues, many with small scratches. Mostly in Metal.) A/Grade: arround 70 -A/Grade (very small issuses): Arround 20 B/Grades: 7-9
Snow Leopard Cubs (didn't count that exactly here) (Only Issue every of them has, is that the Light reflexes of the eyes a the same light gray as the Eyes. But we don't have the funds to remake them. If I ever reorder them I'll let the Manu know, to make them white. But it is supercute anyway.) A/Grade: About 75-80 -A/Grade (very small issuses): 10-12 B/Grades: 10-12
The -A/ & B/Grades are reseverd for the Cons or mabybe also any kind of "in Stock Wintermarket events"- let's see later... A/Grades are for you dear PBK Backers.
🐅#17: Long awaited Update & many Infos about WHAT'S NEXT!!!🐆
Hi, Cat Lovers!
First things first: The Project is moving forward (slowly but steady):
Tiger Cub, Cheetah Cub & Snow Leo Cub's Digital Proofs are finished & Production ready, also The Tiger's Eye (and the Little Dragon Mini Pin, because I inquired them together ;)
Here they are!
Both Tiger Cubs. Don't worry, final Pin Outlines will be more fine.
Rainbow Metal will be darker, here it has a pastell touch. Oh, and you can see the Glow.
Many Big Cat's Pins are in the Proof Phase too, but they will have another Manu - just hadn't thought they are that ... slowly. Or just have much to do, who knows. 4th working Day today - If they don't answer Monday, I'll write them. I'll let you see the Proofs first, when I get them .... somewhen.
But for now: HERE ARE THE KITTIES!!!
Snow Leo :3 - Now with Face Marks & fully finished. I've adjusted the Eyes a little.
Brand New: the Canadian Lynx!
These Eyes...
Both Jaguarundi ;)
Puma, Cheetah & Pallas Cat
Tigers
And the... first TRY of a Jaguar is done, last week already, but I'm not that happy with it yet and will continue the Work on him Monday, so please be patient. Than I might be even able to show an updated Clouded Leo. I will have a new Update next week.
That were all Kitties, Images in the PreOrder Store will be actualized tomorrow, I'm out for most of the weekend. ________________________________________________
Whats next? PRINTOPIA!
My next Project will be Part of PRINTOPIA!
The Chronicles of Illumia & Shádarkor
Next to designing pins and plushies, writing stories is my great passion.
But: because of all the Pin Projects of the last months I wasn't able to work as much on the "Magic Animals"-Story as I wanted, so I decided to NOT join with this Project. It needs more time and it will get it. I also would love to offer some Merch for it, but there's to less time, enough work with all the Pin Stuff and packaging & shipping will take place in late summer/early fall.
So I'll give an other Story a chance, I wanted to publish some time earlier: The Backstory of "Magic Animals", called "The Chronicles of Illumia & Shadarkor" is an illustrated fantasy Light Novel which is playing in the same World, just a few hundred Years earlier.
(Starting Date not set yet.) Let's gain more followers to make this campaign reality!
The Furball Puppies: German Shepherd (left, really close to be finished) & Golden Retriever (right, needs corrections.)
Front: Position of Eyes & Cheeks
Side View. When it all works, it is finished.
Goldie needs a Shape correction. It also fits the Shepherd like that and they have a recocnizable Shape now. No Images of how I want to have the Face yet.
The Plan is getting more concrete to bring IceScream Cryptids 2 to life. The well known 9 Characters you already know (Wendigo is missing here) + 4 not yet published ones.
What my be different: - Lower Stretch Goals, therefore a lower MOQ from the Manu to make them easier unlockable - Only new Characters: Witch Cat, Pumpkin Pup, Werewolf & Bigfoot.
A few more changes are planed - more soon.
IceScream Cryptids 2
Excluding the Book Project I can't name any start dates yet. IceScream Cryptids 2 may start before Printopia, and the Furball Puppies after, that's all I can say.
🐅#16: Survey corrections done & PreOrder Store Link🐆
Hi Cat Lovers!
Wow, more than 50% of you filled out the Survey allready, what a great Start!
There were no mistakes in the Smoke Tests, but 2 in the regular Surveys have been detected.
-> In one case I added the missing Items manually. -> The the second one, affecting a handfull of people, I now added the "Pretty Big Kitty - Hard Enamel Pin of your Choice" Option. It ist visible for Backers but not for PreOrder Backers. I think it happend because I wanted to keep the Store clean & sorted, so I might have overseen this one and were just adding the single cats.
Sorry for that little issue, I hope you are able to choose your favorite Kitties now.
PreOrder Store:
And here's the Link for everyone who wants to visit thePreOrder Store - Pretty Big Kitty. We also have 3/12 orders for the Lions & the Puma, 3/10 for the Lion Cub (Sand or White) & the Puma Cub. We will have a Puma Cub??? Yes, if it unlocks!!!
🐅#15: PreOrder Store is finished and Smoketests go out tomorow!🐆
Hi, Cat Lovers!
Super good News: The review went through! The Smoke Test go out and the PreOrder Store opens too, at the 12th June 26!
What is a Smoke Test?: Smoke Tests are a Test Survey, to check if there are no issues with the offical Survey. They have been send to random 5% per Pledge Level of you, so if you got one, fill it out soon and give Feedback if you find any strange things or mistakes. I've checked them carefully, but you never know. It is possible to add AddOns, enter your Adress and pay for Items + shipping.
ImportantNote: If you backed the Campaign, please wait for the Survey to add more Items. (Count for the unlockable Items too.) If you would use the PreOrder Store additionaly, it would charge Shipping Fees 2x! Everyone who missed the Campaign or just loves PreOrder Stores: Feel free to Order your Kitties (& IceScream Cryptids) now!
Images: Most stuff has Images, but organizing everything alone plus the Little Dragons Pride Project didn't let me find the time to draw the Jaguar & the Canadian Lynx / finishing them, but work on them will start at 15th June and will need 3-5 (at least that's the plan...) I had could wait untill I have them all, but I carefully decided for opening the Store. If you're unsure about this, you will be able to come back to the survey at any time and add them later.
Shipping: For this Project Shipping & Pledge Amount will be charged together. I am not responsible for any VAT or GST taxes, excluding the US -> PDDP Shipping Taxes. PDDP: 2,5% of Order Value + 2,00€ Shipping Tax + 0,39€ -> rounded to 3%.
That should have been the important Things for today.
🐅#14: Campain Ends soon - With Cheetah Speed over the finishing Line?🐆
Hi, Cat Lovers!
A lot happens here in the last Hours & Minutes of the Campaign and it is speeding up with Cheetah Spped! A Camaign you all made pawsible ;)
We have 6 Big Cats unlocked now, 4 Types of Cubs The Tiger's Eye Rainbow Pin + Stickers, Info Cards & the Tiger's Eye Acryllic Keychain.
Let's take a look on what we made TOGETHER:
__________
__________
__________
__________
Puma would be 5100 € to unlock
__________
All not-yet unlocked Kitties will get their chance in the Pre OrderStore - or can we unlock the Clouded Leopard before Time runs out?
So please keep a cool cat, I'm confident we can manage this. __________________________________________________________________
A litte Update to the Sticker Sheet, which I announced in Update #13
STICKER SHEET INCENTIVE
+++ If we reach 80 70 Backers, I'll offer a huge Discount on a Sticker Sheet ouf our Kitties - that meens: -> 10€ 75% Discount = 2,50€ -> You wil have THE CHOICE of Adding it or not, for 2,50€ later in the Survey!!! -> You'll be able take a look at it soon.
Following Kitties will be on the Sticker Sheet: (And it will be available in the PreOrder Store too, for apx. 10€)
Tiger (2 Var.), Lion (2 Var.), Lioness (2 Var.) Jaguar (2 Var.), Jaguarundi (2 Var.) Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Cheetah, Pallas Cat, Puma/Cougar, Can. Lynx & all matching Cubs. (Sorry if I forgot one, all Kitties you know so far will be on it.)
With just 48 Hours left, we go into the final Phase now!
And because of this I'll offer some DISCOUNTED Bundles you might be interested in:
-> Cats & Cryptids Bundle -> Cats & Rainbows Bundle -> All the unlocked Kitties Bundle
What's in???
Cats & Cryptids Bundle: 4 Cat Pins of your Choice + 1x Cub Pin of your Choice + 2 IceScream Cryptid Pins & Stickers of your Choice 134€->Just 110€ + All Stickers & InfoCards FOR FREE!
Cats & Rainbows MINI BUNDLE 1 Cat Pin of your Choice + 2x Cub Pin of your Choice + all matching Cat Stickers + all matching Info Cards + Tiger's Eye Acrylic Key Chain + Tiger's Eye Rainbow Pin + Tiger's Eye Holo Sticker 71€->Just 50€ + All Stickers & InfoCards FOR FREE!
Big Cats & Rainbows Bundle 4 Cats Pin of your Choice + 1x Cub Pin of your Choice + all matching Cat Stickers + all matching Info Cards + Tiger's Eye Acrylic Key Chain + Tiger's Eye Rainbow Pin + Tiger's Eye Holo Sticker 121€->Just 100€ + All Stickers & InfoCards FOR FREE!
STICKER SHEET INCENTIVE
+++ If we Reach 80 Backers, I'll offer a huge Discount on a Sticker Sheet ouf our Kitties - that meens: -> 10€ 75% Discount = 2,50€ -> You wil have THE CHOICE of Adding it or not, for 2,50€ later in the Survey!!! -> You'll be able take a look at it soon.
Following Kitties will be on the Sticker Sheet: (And it will be available in the PreOrder Store too, for apx. 10€)
Tiger (2 Var.), Lion (2 Var.), Lioness (2 Var.) Jaguar (2 Var.), Jaguarundi (2 Var.) Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Cheetah, Pallas Cat, Puma/Cougar, Can. Lynx & all matching Cubs. (Sorry if I forgot one, all Kitties you know so far will be on it.)
And: The Puma/Cougar is finshed! He will be 2,5" x 2" tall and have a Copper finish.
Puma Kitty!
Can we Unlock more Kitties before the Campain ends?
I also offer 2025 Tiger's Eye Pins for just 1815€. -> If at least 20 of them (Pledge Level) are sold while the Campain, I'll offer them for 15€ in the PreOrder Store too ;)
Aproppos PreOrder Store:
I plan to open it within One Week after End of the Campaign, to keep the momentum going, depending on how fast the support team is.
Stay wild - and thanks for your awsome Support! (More about future Camaigns in the next Update.)
I FINALLY recieved the digital Proofs for the Big Cats a few days ago. Most corrections already have been made and I'll send them back to the Manu this evening.
Pallas Cat is kind of Production ready (but I'm not sure if they send a single Pin of the ordered ones into Production or if I have to aprove everything from the order first - I'll ask). The rest has to go through a list of corrections, especially Puma and Jaguarundi. They have Problems with the small Areas of the Eyes & Face Details... Jaguar & Clouded Leo will go to my regular Manu, I wont wait that long for the answers of the actual Manu a second time. I don't doubt their Quality, but it streched the workflow a lot.
In the Background EVERYTHING moves forward... ... but I have to care for PBK, the Little Dragons and the Furball Puppy Prototypes, what I HAD to bring forward BECUASE -> my private circumstances can often be turbulent and my live is not just beeing an artist. I also have to prepare for two possible conventions in late Winter 27. I hope that makes you're understanding why it all takes it's time and why everything happens at it's time. This is what you could call my Motto.
And what I just said in one single update text (at least I think I've once written it...) my second business here at home in Germany is a Pet Business, that wants to be build up and just doing it's first baby steps now. Working at almost nothing else than these Projects - as much as I love them - also costs energy and I HAD to recover a bit. What never means I do nothing about it.
And I will charge the remaining money, when the Big Cat Pins are approved and in production. For me this is more fair. It's kind of "charge shipping later", it's for this and the remaining Cub Pins. But I want to give everyone the chance to make final choises when it is about the things still missing Images. They will come, probably even in this month. I'm fully concentrated on PBK now, but I'm not a machine.
Let's come to somthing cute now:
They arrived! (Sooo sorry for didn't posting them earlier but I had a really important event this weekend.)
Aren't they cute?
The Tigers
The Snow Leopard Cub
... And the Cheetah.
Lovely Kitty Quartett
They have been graded already, and lets say, it went pretty well.
Cheetah Cubs: (Highest Rate of issues, many with small scratches. Mostly in Metal.) A/Grade: arround 70 -A/Grade (very small issuses): Arround 20 B/Grades: 7-9
Snow Leopard Cubs (didn't count that exactly here) (Only Issue every of them has, is that the Light reflexes of the eyes a the same light gray as the Eyes. But we don't have the funds to remake them. If I ever reorder them I'll let the Manu know, to make them white. But it is supercute anyway.) A/Grade: About 75-80 -A/Grade (very small issuses): 10-12 B/Grades: 10-12
The -A/ & B/Grades are reseverd for the Cons or mabybe also any kind of "in Stock Wintermarket events"- let's see later... A/Grades are for you dear PBK Backers.
First things first: The Project is moving forward (slowly but steady):
Tiger Cub, Cheetah Cub & Snow Leo Cub's Digital Proofs are finished & Production ready, also The Tiger's Eye (and the Little Dragon Mini Pin, because I inquired them together ;)
Here they are!
Both Tiger Cubs. Don't worry, final Pin Outlines will be more fine.
Rainbow Metal will be darker, here it has a pastell touch. Oh, and you can see the Glow.
Many Big Cat's Pins are in the Proof Phase too, but they will have another Manu - just hadn't thought they are that ... slowly. Or just have much to do, who knows. 4th working Day today - If they don't answer Monday, I'll write them. I'll let you see the Proofs first, when I get them .... somewhen.
But for now: HERE ARE THE KITTIES!!!
Snow Leo :3 - Now with Face Marks & fully finished. I've adjusted the Eyes a little.
Brand New: the Canadian Lynx!
These Eyes...
Both Jaguarundi ;)
Puma, Cheetah & Pallas Cat
Tigers
And the... first TRY of a Jaguar is done, last week already, but I'm not that happy with it yet and will continue the Work on him Monday, so please be patient. Than I might be even able to show an updated Clouded Leo. I will have a new Update next week.
That were all Kitties, Images in the PreOrder Store will be actualized tomorrow, I'm out for most of the weekend. ________________________________________________
Whats next? PRINTOPIA!
My next Project will be Part of PRINTOPIA!
The Chronicles of Illumia & Shádarkor
Next to designing pins and plushies, writing stories is my great passion.
But: because of all the Pin Projects of the last months I wasn't able to work as much on the "Magic Animals"-Story as I wanted, so I decided to NOT join with this Project. It needs more time and it will get it. I also would love to offer some Merch for it, but there's to less time, enough work with all the Pin Stuff and packaging & shipping will take place in late summer/early fall.
So I'll give an other Story a chance, I wanted to publish some time earlier: The Backstory of "Magic Animals", called "The Chronicles of Illumia & Shadarkor" is an illustrated fantasy Light Novel which is playing in the same World, just a few hundred Years earlier.
(Starting Date not set yet.) Let's gain more followers to make this campaign reality!
The Furball Puppies: German Shepherd (left, really close to be finished) & Golden Retriever (right, needs corrections.)
Front: Position of Eyes & Cheeks
Side View. When it all works, it is finished.
Goldie needs a Shape correction. It also fits the Shepherd like that and they have a recocnizable Shape now. No Images of how I want to have the Face yet.
The Plan is getting more concrete to bring IceScream Cryptids 2 to life. The well known 9 Characters you already know (Wendigo is missing here) + 4 not yet published ones.
What my be different: - Lower Stretch Goals, therefore a lower MOQ from the Manu to make them easier unlockable - Only new Characters: Witch Cat, Pumpkin Pup, Werewolf & Bigfoot.
A few more changes are planed - more soon.
IceScream Cryptids 2
Excluding the Book Project I can't name any start dates yet. IceScream Cryptids 2 may start before Printopia, and the Furball Puppies after, that's all I can say.
I'm on the payment plan and, while I will not be getting my survey for a few months, I did want to add in my insights/contributions/intention with regards to the additional Big Cats and Cubs that are in the pre-order, waiting to be unlocked.
My pledge is for 5 big Cats, 1 Big Cat & Cub, and 1 Cub. Or you could say I'll be picking out 6 big cats and 2 cubs on my survey. I chose the 5 Big Cats instead of the 7 Big Cats because I was unsure as to what would be finally unlocked.
As it stands right now, there are four Big Cat & Cub sets available:
-- Snow Leopard and Cub
-- Tiger and Cub
-- White Tiger and Cub
-- Cheetah and Cub
There are four additional Big Cats available, but do not have a corresponding cub pin:
-- Pallas Cat
-- Clouded Leopard (bust)
-- Jaguarundi
-- Jaguar
There are two sets of Big Cats and Cubs waiting to be unlocked, as well as two sets of Big Cats waiting to be unlocked (six items altogether):
-- Lion & lion cub
-- Puma & cub
-- Lioness
--Canadian Lynx
If all 12 Big Cats are available, that would be €960.00. And, if all 6 of the cubs are available, that would be €60.00, pr a grand total of €1020.00 for a full set of these amazing cats. Since there's so many of these wonderful cats and cubs to choose from, it's going to be difficult to (financially) not pick some over others.
So, not being able to submit a survey at this time because I'm on the payment plan, kinda' sucks because I could be one of the persons who pushes the order over to unlock those last 6 items. But know that I want the Lion and Cub, Puma and Cub, and the Lioness. Which I wish I could just go ahead and add to my pledge and still be on the payment plan. (Husband less likely to freak out about the cost!)
Wow, more than 50% of you filled out the Survey allready, what a great Start!
There were no mistakes in the Smoke Tests, but 2 in the regular Surveys have been detected.
-> In one case I added the missing Items manually. -> The the second one, affecting a handfull of people, I now added the "Pretty Big Kitty - Hard Enamel Pin of your Choice" Option. It ist visible for Backers but not for PreOrder Backers. I think it happend because I wanted to keep the Store clean & sorted, so I might have overseen this one and were just adding the single cats.
Sorry for that little issue, I hope you are able to choose your favorite Kitties now.
PreOrder Store:
And here's the Link for everyone who wants to visit thePreOrder Store - Pretty Big Kitty. We also have 3/12 orders for the Lions & the Puma, 3/10 for the Lion Cub (Sand or White) & the Puma Cub. We will have a Puma Cub??? Yes, if it unlocks!!!
Super good News: The review went through! The Smoke Test go out and the PreOrder Store opens too, at the 12th June 26!
What is a Smoke Test?: Smoke Tests are a Test Survey, to check if there are no issues with the offical Survey. They have been send to random 5% per Pledge Level of you, so if you got one, fill it out soon and give Feedback if you find any strange things or mistakes. I've checked them carefully, but you never know. It is possible to add AddOns, enter your Adress and pay for Items + shipping.
ImportantNote: If you backed the Campaign, please wait for the Survey to add more Items. (Count for the unlockable Items too.) If you would use the PreOrder Store additionaly, it would charge Shipping Fees 2x! Everyone who missed the Campaign or just loves PreOrder Stores: Feel free to Order your Kitties (& IceScream Cryptids) now!
Images: Most stuff has Images, but organizing everything alone plus the Little Dragons Pride Project didn't let me find the time to draw the Jaguar & the Canadian Lynx / finishing them, but work on them will start at 15th June and will need 3-5 (at least that's the plan...) I had could wait untill I have them all, but I carefully decided for opening the Store. If you're unsure about this, you will be able to come back to the survey at any time and add them later.
Shipping: For this Project Shipping & Pledge Amount will be charged together. I am not responsible for any VAT or GST taxes, excluding the US -> PDDP Shipping Taxes. PDDP: 2,5% of Order Value + 2,00€ Shipping Tax + 0,39€ -> rounded to 3%.
That should have been the important Things for today.
