It's been a busy day of checking and checking again, but I'm pleased to say I've sent the first of the surveys - the Smoke Test. This means that surveys have been sent to 5% of you, and if everything looks ok, then I will send out the rest of the surveys early next week. The survey is your chance to choose the pin designs you'd like, pay shipping fees, and add further items to your order if you'd like to. I've had a few requests from new backers for items from previous campaigns, so you'll find these in the Add-on section!
I've had positive feedback from my pin manufacturer about the pin designs, giving me hope that I'll be sending out orders much quicker than expected! I'll keep you posted on that one! I've ordered the keychains for returning backers today, which is super exciting!
Let me know if there are any issues, otherwise I'll send the rest of the surveys as intended. I look forward to sharing photos of the pin samples and finished items as they arrive!
What a wild ride! Thanks to every single one of you for pledging your support!! We couldn't have done this without you!!
It is so warming to see the names of returning backers popping up! Thank you to new backers too who've come on board to help me make this crazy project a reality! Thanks also to the creator-backers who've given me a boost in the last few days. And all the lovely messages of support. For those of you who've liked and reposted my social media posts, and checked in to see how I was doing! Your support helped me keep going even when I thought the project might not make it to it's funding goal.
It's been a rollercoaster, from "OMG I'm never doing this again!" to excitedly planning a big group-collab with Jess aka Loadofolbobbins!!! (More on that later...) I know that when I put the last box of rewards from this project in the postbox in a few months' time, I'll be shouting "More! More!"
So what's next? Backerkit will now be charging your cards for the amount pledged during the campaign. You'll have two weeks to correct any failed charges, during which time I will be preparing the surveys and polishing up the designs to send to the manufacturer!
Thank you all again and I'll be back in touch soon with the surveys :)
Thanks for all your feedback! I've now added the Engulfed Castle Sticker Set as a pledge level and as an Add-on. This set includes 1 X glossy vinyl 7.7 cm (3") sticker of each of the conquered Engulfed Castle designs. Currently, this is 4 designs = 4 stickers, but if we reach stretch goals and conquer new Engulfed Castle designs, then these will be added to the sticker pack. It's a reward that grows! I've also added the sticker set to the ALL-IN, one of everything pledge level :)
It's easy to switch to this pledge level by finding your email confirming your pledge and clicking 'Update your pledge' or navigating to the campaign and clicking 'Manage your pledge'.
It's been a great start to the campaign - thanks to all you early backers!!! But I fear we've stalled a bit with still £250 to reach the funding goal. If you expressed an interest in the project but have not yet backed it, is there anything I can do to help win your pledge? Would adding a non-pin pledge level help? Scroll down for the poll and some ideas I've had...
Here is a reminder of the Engulfed Castle designs
If like me, you're eager to see this campaign funded, then fear not - I've still got one trick up my sleeve!! I'm heading to the WORD+2026 (World Organoid and Organ-on-a-Chip Research Day) in Cambridge next week with 400 flyers! Wish me luck!!
You decide to find a room inside the castle wall in which to spend the night. You head for the North Tower, away from the main buildings and find a small vaulted room up a short flight of steps. You scan the space with your headtorch and notice some stone blocks are missing from the window. You're able to lean through the window and can see the bottom of the moat below, now barely more than a dry ditch that has been filled in with centuries of debris.
Back in the room, the stone floor is cold and hard, so you unroll your tent and lay your sleeping bag on top is an attempt at some comfort.
After several hours, you manage to fall asleep, yet are jolted awake again by a strange slurping sound, unlike anything you've heard before. You listen in the darkness for a few minutes and deduce that the noise is coming from the direction of the main buildings.
With all the rumours, you're not taking any chances. You grab your headtorch and outer layer of the tent and run for the window.
The slurping noise turns to squelching and sounds like it's getting closer. You jump from the window, using the tent outer like a parachute to break your fall.
You scramble to the other side of the moat. In the dawn light, you see what you can only describe as an amorphous blob engulfing the last of the castle and its walls, finishing with the North Tower.
What do you do now?
Scroll down to vote in the poll.
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After the discussion around the last update about the costume / dressing-up box being full of other peoples' germs, I decided this first bacterium should be skin bacteria, Staphylococcus epidermidis. Staphylococcus means 'bunch of grape-like berries', and here, featured in the first Engulfed Castle Pin, is Aydon Castle in the belly of a circular bacterium.
I made several drawings of S. epidermidis while I was working on the design for this. They started to remind me of marbles, so I'll be giving away a Marbles Sticker to Returning Backers :)
Lastly, you might remember I've made a Skin Bacteria Sticker before, for a previous campaign. I'm putting this in the Add-ons in case you missed it last time!
