New set of mini pins unlock at $40k!
Coping Cats

Coping Cats

This collection of adorable cat pins will inspire you to chase your dreams, believe in your own magic, and remind you of the ultimate in feline wisdom: sometimes laying on the floor and staring at nothing is good enough.
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Five years ago I crowdfunded my Calming Cats pin collection, a series of mindfulness reminders paired with feline support. I, and my little black cat, River, have come a long way since then: I’m managing so far to support myself full-time with art, and she, well… she doesn’t hide under the covers 24/7 anymore.

Still, life keeps coming at a million miles an hour, and some days I can barely keep up. If you’re the same, sometimes you’ve got to ask: Are we thriving? Or are we just getting through it?

Well, I know that for me, the way I cope and get through everything that life throws sideways at me is with some kitty snuggles and aspirational journaling. Thus, instead of Calming Cats round two, I present to you this new collection which I hope will be a little bit of cope to carry with you.
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  • Single Pin - $14 for your choice of any one of the unlocked designs.
  • 2 Pins - $27 for your choice of any two of the unlocked designs.
  • 3 Pins - $39 for your choice of any three of the unlocked designs.
  • 6 Pins - $69 for your choice of any six of the unlocked designs.
  • Whole Clowder Collection - $135  for all 6 of the Coping Cats, 7 filler pins, and all of the stickers. This pledge level will also receive all of the unlocked Stretch Goal pins and stickers at no additional charge!
  • Whole Clowder Collection + Display - $159 for all 6 of the Coping Cats, 7 filler pins, all of the stickers, and the Napping Cat pin display board crafted by Dragon Woodshop. This pledge level will also receive all of the unlocked Stretch Goal pins and stickers at no additional charge!

Make your pledge in the first 48 hours of the campaign to get a free Early Bird sticker sheet! Returning Backers* will also get a free Void Cats sticker sheet!
* includes backers of Calming Cats, Frantic Familiars, Nocturnal Nouveau, Folkgore, Just Say No, and Tidal Treasures.
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I'm teaming up with Chonky Bears to offer rewards to backers who support both projects! 

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The Aspirational Cat Pins

Most of the time we're giving it our all: 
  • I Blaze My Own Trail - We're clearing our obstacles and leading the way
  • I Chase My Own Dreams - We're dreaming big and reaching for our goals
  • I Believe In My Own Magic - We're doing the work to create the reality we deserve


The Reality Cat Pins

And sometimes "giving it our all" looks more like taking a nap (◡‿◡✿):
  • Oh Well - Henry reminds us that we can't win 'em all
  • Good Enough - Gus is satisfied with his accomplishments
  • Doing Just Great - River is fine. Everything is FINE.

Filler Pins

Complete your feline-themed collection with these whimsical filler pins:
  • 3 Paw Print mini pins in pink, teal, and black
  • Mouse Toy mini pin
  • Fancy Cat Food accent pin
  • Yarn Ball accent pin
  • Cat Grass accent pin


And we're thrilled to once again be partnering with Carly K of Dragon Woodshop to offer the purrfect display board for all of your cat pins! Available in the Whole Clowder pledge level and as an add-on.



This double-sided display is handcrafted in Ebony and Maple Durawood with sturdy layers of felt and two hanging holes.
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We’ve got a few things we’d love to add to this collection to make it even bigger and better! Help us reach the following goals to add more more Coping Cat pins and goodies:

  • [UNLOCKED!] At $6k we've unlocked a new Reality pin and sticker design: Going Through It
  • UNLOCKED!] At $9k we've unlocked a new Aspirational pin and sticker design: I Write My Own Story - Backers vote on the color!
  • [UNLOCKED!] At $12k we've unlocked a Void Cat pin! 
  • [UNLOCKED!] At $15k & $20k we've unlocked a new Aspirational Cat pin and a new Reality Cat pin!
    VOTE HERE to help decide on the Aspirational Cat design and VOTE HERE to help decide on the Reality Cat design.
  • [UNLOCKED!] At $25k we've unlocked washi tape and two acrylic keychains!
    VOTE HERE to choose the Reality Cat keychain and VOTE HERE to choose the Aspirational Cat keychain!
  • [UNLOCKED!] At $30k we'll unlock a new free sticker for all backers. (Design coming soon!)
  • [LOCKED🔒] At $40k we'll unlock a new set of 3 mini pins.


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Due to the unpredictable nature of the shipping and manufacturing process, these estimates are subject to change in either direction. We'll be sure to send progress updates regularly until fulfilled.

Late October 2024: Campaign ends, and funds from Backerkit will be received 2-3 weeks after.
Early November: Surveys sent to backers
December: Production will start with an estimated 6-12 weeks of production time (anticipating some slowdown for Lunar New Year)
January 2025: Shipping costs charged to backers
March: Rewards will arrive and begin shipping to Backers


Shipping will be charged separately after the campaign ends and closer to the ship date.

Shipping will be via USPS First Class with tracking or USPS Priority Mail insured; costs are subject to change based on USPS rates at the time of shipping.

Estimated shipping as of the end of August 2024:

United States:
  • $6 within the US for 1-3 pins, $15 to $20 to Canada
  • $10 to 25 within the US and minimum $32 to Canada for larger orders sent insured via Priority Mail.

If you'd like an estimated shipping cost for the size of your pledge, please contact us. We will do our best to ensure the most cost-effective and accurate shipping costs for all!

For backers outside of the US & Canada:
Backers outside of the US & Canada, I love you, but am unable to ship internationally at this time.

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Hello, I’m so delighted you’re interested in my latest pin collection! I'm Carrie Alyson (any pronouns), a Tacoma-based artist who loves tarot, TTRPGs, board games, ice skating, and hiking and birdwatching with my wife

In 2018, I launched my very first pin collection, Calming Cats for the Anxious Purrsonality, a series of mindfulness reminders paired with feline support. In 2023, I joined Pintopia to crowdfund the Frantic Familiars, another cat-themed pin collection which embodied the magic and mayhem of setting myself the goal of becoming a full-time artist. I followed it up with Nocturnal Nouveau to create a dreamy collection of art nouveau flora, fauna, and celestial pins, and partnered with my friend Kim Kuzuri for Folkgore, a collection inspired by ghosts and monsters from both traditional and contemporary folklore. After that, I partnered with my friend Crystal Tea for Pintopia 2024 to launch Just Say No, a campaign reminding us all of the importance of setting boundaries. My summer campaign Tidal Treasures celebrated the ocean animals and ecosystems of the Pacific coast. And now, Coping Cats is a reminder that sometimes, it’s fine to rest even while you’re chasing your dreams.

This is a queer and disabled-led project—your support means the world to me!

I have a lot more in store as I grow Aspenhearted, so I invite you to follow me and find more of my work here:

Patreon: @aspenhearted
Instagram: @aspenhearted

Special thank you to River for modeling for most of the black cat pins!

If you believe that this project is not in compliance with BackerKit’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, you can file a report by sending a message via this link: Report this project
Cross Collab Project

Backing this project and its cross collab will unlock free rewards.