First off, I want to apologize again for my lack of updates and making you all worry, that wasn't my intention. I've had some major production setbacks and I was worried you'd all feel that this project wasn't going to happen, so I wanted to wait until I had good news and real progress before sharing the story. And I finally have that good news!
So the journey to getting these pins created has been bumpy to say the least. Not long after my last update, the manufacturer I was working with started asking to make changes to the design, like making it smaller or making it a single layer, things I wasn't willing to compromise. After going back and forth, they finally said they weren't able to make the pins and sent me a refund. Total crash out ensued since this means I'd have to start all over and find not just a new vendor that could do what I wanted, but also not charge an arm and a leg to make them.
After working through all the stages of grief, I set out to find a new company to work with. After getting quotes from several places, finally one I was willing to take a chance on. We were back in production, which also meant waiting. Cautiously optimistic I waited for them to ship and get my eyes on them and make sure they are indeed what I had envisioned. They finally arrived last week and I'm so happy!!
The Rose and White is so pretty. Look at it fill up one of my pins boards.
Tiny keyhole!
Since I had to start over, it gave me the chance to add a few extra recessed areas and I think it added more depth to the the design as well.
Now, you might be thinking "Hey, that's cool, but I didn't order a big cabinet pin. Where's my stuff?" Let me tell you about what happened with the cross collab pins.
I went through the original vendor for the other pins, including both mine and Meg's (Mini Museum) cross collab pins, that way we could make sure they matched up in size and the colors were the same since they were supposed to look like a geode cut in half. When I finally got my other pins, they actually looked great and am pretty happy with them. (also sneak peak of the felt for the display stands)
THE ONE EXCEPTION, only a few of the geode pins came in with the enamel topper on the glitter part so the glitter just flaked off. It was like the factory packed them up without doing a quality check? I'm not sure, I really want to give them the benefit of the doubt since the others came out fine, but yeah I had to have them remade. They dragged their feet on it, but got them reshipped within about a month... then DHL delivered them to the wrong place, I still have no idea where, and wasn't able to get them back. So the manufacturer had to file a claim to get reimbursed for the lost pins. I don't know if it was DHL taking a long time or if they just kept pushing back remaking the pins, but I FINALLY got tracking for them on Wednesday. This also means I've had to pay tariffs 3 times on the same pins.
I feel so bad since this also delayed Meg's orders as well as almost all of our backers were cross collab. Thank you for that by the way! Thanks to all of you we were in the Top 5 projects for percentage of cross collabs. Once they arrive, I can do quality checks and finally start shipping out orders!
Sadly, anyone who got the display stands might have to wait a little longer. I'm making them myself in house and without physically having the pins to do measurements, and know where the posts are, production hasn't started yet. I have all of the materials, so I can get started on them asap.
[TL/DR]A lot of issues with multiple pins stalled shipment. But they have finally been resolved and shipping should start soon! Please let me know if you need to update your address.
Thank you all so much for being patient and I hope you think it was worth the wait when you get your orders. Even with all of the issues that has added even more grey hairs to my head, I really am proud of the things I've created. And like I said in my last post, I promise to be more open with the rest of the process.
If anyone has questions or needs to change your address let me know!
