Hello little grasshoppers, I have a new update for you like promised about the socks!

Here is V2 from a second manu, which includes the BLUE trilobite socks too!

I think they look fantastic, the colours are so vivid and bright.

Now of course these are pictures from the manufacturer, and I highly doubt I will have them in my hands before March 31st (when surveys close.) So visual pictures is all we have right now of these.

I think the blue trilobites look great, so I hope you all enjoy them <3

Here are the current contenders for popularity!

I think you lot are just as biased about arthropleura as I am... teehee

Now I know surveys close on March 31st which means you won't be able to edit your survey once they're locked.....

HOWEVER....

If you prefer to wait for a review video from me like before before selecting or adding More Socks to your order,  you CAN contact me through Backerkit after March 31st, and I can edit that in your order form! I can add more items and charge for them, or change your selection entirely. So don't worry!
What you shouldn't do is add another preorder. Because then you'll be charged twice for shipping, and I don't want that to happen for you.

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I just got a quote for all the pins, and were refining some details with the manu to make the designs work :]

I have all the manufacturing documents prepared, AND backing cards are done as well.

The main big pins will all come with unique backing cards to match with name and fun fact.

Sorry for the horrible screenshot lol

Mini pins will share cards, as well as the trilobite fossils. I'll be pinning those myself based on how many minis you ordered.

OH and of course, something to mention too... While the minis only have one pinback, it WILL be a locking pin.

These pinbacks are notoriously difficult to get off. Because they lock. On account of their name. Anyway, this makes sure your minis and filler pins don't fall off as easily. Or at all. I think maybe you'd rip a chunk of your bag off sooner than get that pinback off. (I'm not looking forward to taking these off to put on cards.)

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Popularity contest! Who's most popular of the main pins?

Of all the pins ordered so far, Arthropleura is in the lead!! (with 69, Nice) And you guys just keep proving to me that I am right to be biased. Everyone craves the worms. The long bois. The slim gals.

It's okay, I get it.

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THAT'S ALL!! THAT'S ALL I GOT!! Now go forth and edit or finish your surveys before they get locked.

We're getting closer to the real thing ;D Ta-ta~!

Hello everyone! This is a notification going out to EVERYONE this time to let you know that we have both surveys gone out AND the pre-order store open!

If you missed the main campaign and still want goodies, here's where you'll get em!
These will be shipped out alongside campaign rewards.
Shipping is charged later!

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Surveys went out two days ago at like 4am, don't ask me why I was awake.

A good portion of you have already answered it, in fact over half of ye did! That's an incredible stat for just two days. Let's get the other half answered now ;D

Here's a few common questions!

Can I change my survey after completing it?
Yes, you can change the survey up until it's locked however many times you wish!

Can I change my address?
Addresses will be locked much later so you can also change that however many times you wish!

Can I change to a different tier?
You should be able to switch to any tier in the settings of your pledge! In the survey too.

When will cards be charged?
Once the surveys end and are locked, which will be at the end of the month, so there's time!

Why isn't shipping being calculated?
I'm testing out a new broker with my current Etsy orders so I can lower shipping costs for everyone. I estimate shipping to be charged around May once I have everything settled! This will be a third seperate charge. I normally wouldn't do this, but I would much rather the broker work out than charging obscene amounts for tracking.

Usually I would give it 10 days to be filled out, HOWEVER, we're waiting for new sock samples, and I want to give people ample time to make informed choices on their purchase! I can't guarantee I'll have the samples in my hands by then, but I will at least have photos.

That said, I would still like if everyone could fill out their surveys for the main pin counts asap.
You can edit the survey later for the socks if you're waiting for that, but the sooner I have correct pin counts, the sooner I can put them into production!

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Thank you again for the continued support on this project. I don't think I can ever be thankful enough for everyone trusting me with this vision and being excited to learn about prehistoric creatures. 

I'd like to mention as well that this year I will be at Dokomi! It'll be my first time vending in Germany and I will have all my past pins with me along with a bunch of bug stuff. So if you're attending too please come by and say hi and tell me what your favourite bug is!

That's all for today, next update I'm hoping will be about socks ;D

Hello hello!!

I was going to make this update as part of the survey coming out- but the survey is not out. The few days that had me sick have certainly delayed my progress on defeating pledge manager. I have to descend into the trenches once I'm back from Dublin Comicon this weekend. This entire next week will be dedicated into the surveys, the pre-order store, and sweating.

Once the survey is out, you will get 10 days to fill it out.

The second sock samples are on their way to be produced, along with the new design now too that the manufacturer is back from holiday. They will take about 2 weeks from writing this update.

If you haven't watched my review yet for the previous samples, here it is again: INSTAGRAM  |  TIKTOK

You guys have voted for the anomalocaris foil print for the postcard! That's great because I highkey wanted to do that one too. So here it is!

All the gold will be foil!
This postcard comes as a freebie with every order, but you can get extras during the survey.

Here they are~

I definitely did not put the wrong text on the trilobite fossils.

Here's the actual Opabinia sticker for backers who pledged within the first 48 hours:

I might put sparkles on it too (it will be homemade!)

You'll see these graphics during the survey too.

This charm will probably not be shown for confirmation during the survey- That is because I will count your extra survey add-ons (excluding shipping) as part of the pool. So if you only spend €39 during the main campaign with add-ons, you can add extra things during the survey to make it to the €45 mark. Or add the roach itself for a fee (rubs my little roach arms together menacingly.)

I'll add the roach after the surveys are over to everyone's orders. So don't sweat if you don't immediately see it as part of your pledge.

My post office is a [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED], and I'm sure I sounded like a deranged conspiracy clown from the Live Chat transcript from early this week. Thanks to my collab partner I think I have found another fullfillment partner that would be a dream to work with for tracked mail provided it's not a scam. I will be testing it out with my Etsy and custom orders for the next while.

It could potentially lower the tracked shipping price if we're lucky. This does give me that headache that I may not be able to charge for shipping until I am 100% sure that the service is legit. However, it if does end up being trustworthy, I'll be able to charge €13 for international tracked orders instead of €17-21. Europe is cheaper too.
This is mainly for TRACKED things (so if you have 3+ standard pins.)

I think this may be a necessary thing to do in the end, because I want to strangle some CEO throats right now.

Okay I shall see you all next week to continue the project making good headway!! Have a lovely thrusday and friday and weekend ya'll!

Hello hello!! It's been a hot minute since my last update and we have quite a bit to cover!
I'm just after recovering from two conventions and an exhaustion sickness, and am back in action.

Without further ado, here's what's new in the world of Ancient Arthropods!

Enough dilly dallying, the freebie postcard design poll is now READY.
Here are the contenders:

Two of these (1 and 3) have a possibility of using gold foil accents. There should be a poll at the end of the update, alternatively...

> Click here to vote on the poll

Voting ends on friday.

Thank you SO much to everyone who have shared their ideas and cravings in the last update! It seems like the overwhelming majority has voted for more trilobites. And I just can't say no to that!

Blue was the requested colour, so here is Trilobite Seas.

This one different to the other two, for those who prefer a simpler style of sock.

You will be able to choose this sock if you have purchased the add-on, and also pick it up during the survey.

That's right, the samples have arrived with me a couple days ago and I have made a review on them!
This review is made in video format, so click whichever link you prefer:

INSTAGRAM  |  TIKTOK

They will fit multiple sizes, and so far we have tested them on sizes 39,41 and 43 (EU shoe size), and they have shown to still have enough stretch to go slightly bigger, and also comfortably accomodate smaller sizes. (They've got quite the stretch!)

I have had some family members try them on and feel em out, and the resounding opinion is that they are, indeed, incredibly soft to wear.
The only difference is that because the arthropleura wraps around the sole, it may feel *slightly* tighter, but in a nice snug way.

I am still waiting for the other manufacturer to return from their holidays to get samples done with them, including the new design, and I will try to (one more time) darken the grey on the arthropleura and change the text to either bright green or yellow/orange.

This week I am cracking down on pin artwork as I have finally caught up to the last outstanding custom winter orders. I should have all the pin artwork finalised very very soon, and will start making design documents for my manufacturer.

Here's the first 5 I have done today (along with the sock and postcard sketches)

I have found the Jaekelopterus looked very naked with just colours, so I added some extra 'shines' by the use of metal :] 

There is still unfortunately 14 of ye that have had their cards fail during the mass processing. Which is totally fine! Because banks freak the hell out when Pintopia started to mass charge.

How do I fix my pledge?
The way backerkit handles it, is that you need to go to your failed pledge, and click on 'change card'. If you want the same card charged again, you need to add it a second time.
If your bank has flagged the transaction as suspicious, you'll have to contact them.
Backerkit has a 'how to fix my card' section right here too!

Cards will be automatically recharged every 5 days I believe, and then I will be in charge of it during the Survey Stage. You can fix your payment at any point, so do not worry too much.

Once the surveys launch, I prommy.


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That's all for today! I shall return to finishing the pin artwork now, and maybe eventually brave the pledge manager and setting up the surveys...soon *coughs*

See you all soon! And don't forget to vote!

WOW!!!! What a turnout in the last 48 hours of the campaign!
I truly wasn't expecting such a last minute push, where did you all come from?! We were hovering around the XL Arthropleura pin goal for a VERY long time (even dipped back under it at one point!) and then suddenly we skyrocket past 200 backers that we've been trying to get for so long!!!

You know what that means!

The Hallucigenia mini pin is now unlocked! It will be an add-on in the survey :]

But... that's not the only goal we unlocked... We had a very big special last goal too and that was.... oh dear.......

The extra sock design was actually quite the ambitious goal- but it was part of your community voted stretch goal so I can't give up on it!! No siree.

However....

I NEED YOUR HELP.... I need ideas! What would YOU like to see for the sock?? Please please please let me know omg. I will compile some ideas and sketches in the next few days for everyone and have a mockup before the survey is ready. But I seriously need your input!

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EITHER WAY.....

This has been an unprecedented outcome from the campaign. I seriously didn't expect much, especially with so many campaigns as part of Pintopia- I would have been completely happy just unlocking the main 8! But ya'll..... Ya'll will make my CRY. Seriously. THANK YOU everyone. This has been an incredible three weeks, seeing your excitement, your feedback, your comments, it keeps me going even through how tiring making campaigns can be. And in the middle of con season no less! You should all be proud of yourselves for the collective effort of making these real!

You all get a cookie and a beetle in amber from me! Ye deserve it. A little party is well earned! 🎊🍾