Progress Report: 💎 Mega Stone Poll + C2E2 News! ✈️
💌 First, a Quick Apology
I know it’s been a little while since the last PokéBites Update, and I’m sorry for the radio silence here!
My Choir Critters campaign went way hard...
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Qesque
about 1 month ago
Progress Report: 💧 Totodile Sample + Mega Stone Enamel Poll! 💎
🌊 Totodile Takes the Stage!
First up: Totodile has officially joined the sample squad! 🐊
My manufacturer sent over the Totodile pin sample, and I’m happy to report that I’ve...
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Qesque
about 2 months ago
Progress Report: 💫 Now with Screenprints! 💫
🎨 Sample Update!
Quick but exciting update today:
Chikorita and Tepig are now fully finalized with their screenprints added and approved! 🎉 (Quite the glow-up, if I do say s...
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Qesque
2 months ago
Progress Report: 🎉 New Year, New Samples! 🎉
Happy New Year, Trainers! 🎉
I hope 2026 is off to a wonderful start for you all!
I wanted to share a quick progress update from the studio. Chikorita and Tepig are officiall...
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Qesque
3 months ago
Progress Report: ☃️ 4 Pins in Production! ☃️
Hello All! 👋
If you’re just here for the campaign progress and don’t need my life story, feel free to skip down to the ~ Progress Report ~ section below. 😄💖
For everyone...
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Qesque
4 months ago
🛍️ Pre-Order Store Open | Surveys Next Week 📝
Hey Trainers!
I hope everyone who celebrates is having a cozy Thanksgiving week! I wanted to share a quick update about Surveys and the Pre-Order Store for PokéBites.
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I know it’s been a little while since the last PokéBites Update, and I’m sorry for the radio silence here!
My Choir Critters campaign went way harder than I ever could’ve imagined (in the best way possible!), and a lot of my time and brainpower got pulled into managing that whirlwind. That said, PokéBites has not been forgotten. I’ve still been busy working on things behind the scenes, and I want to catch you up on where everything stands. 💖
💎 Mega Stone Poll Results
Let’s start with something fun:
The Mega Stone Enamel Poll was… absolutely no contest. 😅 Transparent Enamel won by a landslide!
So the final Mega Stone design will use the Transparent Enamel version, the one that lets the metal underneath shine through and gives it that gemmy feel. 💎✨
Although I hadn’t officially announced the winner here until now, I didn’t leave the pin in limbo: 👉 The Mega Stone (and friends) have been in production since the poll ended!
🎛️ Production Progress & Next Steps
Here’s where things stand on the production side:
The pins are safely with my manufacturer and in progress.
I’m still working on finalizing the Squirtle + Sunglasses vector art, but this doesn’t stop the rest of the pins from moving ahead.
I’ve asked my manufacturer to send me the first batch of pins next month, so I can:
Start grading them (checking for flaws, sorting A/B grades, etc.)
Get a head start on quality control while the second batch is still being produced.
As I get more sample photos and production pics, I’ll keep sharing them here so you can see how everything’s coming along! 📸
🎉 C2E2 Announcement!
On a related bit of life/news:
I got an email letting me know I’ve been accepted into C2E2, running March 27th–29th! If you’re in town for the show, please come say hi! I’d love to see you! 👋😄
The only small downside: This does mean I’ll be a bit out-of-pocket in late March while I’m:
Prepping inventory
Traveling up north
Surviving convention goblin mode
I’ll still be around to answer messages as I’m able, just possibly responding a little slower than usual during that window~ 🙏
If the timing works out, I may even have some PokéBites Pins in hand at C2E2 for you to see in person. 👀
That’s all for now!
Thank you so much for your patience and for sticking with PokéBites through my slightly chaotic multi-campaign life. I’ll continue to share updates as more samples arrive and batches come in from the manufacturer.
See you in the next post! And maybe at C2E2~ 💖
~ Qesque 🎨 Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and Bluesky: @Qesque
My manufacturer got back to me with Mega Stone filler pin samples, and I need help making a decision! Do you prefer the transparent enamel (the metal shows through and catches the light), or do you like the more solid/opaque enamel (closer to the look of the original campaign artwork). See the Update for videos!
First up: Totodile has officially joined the sample squad! 🐊
My manufacturer sent over the Totodile pin sample, and I’m happy to report that I’ve approved it for full production. 🎉
Enjoy Totodile’s sample photo below, and if you want to see the pin in motion (with all the shiny plating), scroll down to check out the video too! 👇
📹 Sample Video Compilation
Along with still photos, my manufacturer also sent video clips of all the samples so far:
💎 Mega Stone
🍃 Chikorita
🔥 Tepig
💧 Totodile
👉 Which I compiled into a single Samples Video: If you have a moment, please watch at least the portion featuring the Mega Stone pin, since that’s where I could use your help making a final design decision. 💖
🗳️ Mega Stone Enamel Poll
Here’s the situation:
In the original campaign design, the Mega Stone’s gemstone area was planned as opaque enamel. But the sample my manufacturer sent uses transparent enamel instead. I figured, since I've got the sample anyway, I'd let you guys have the final say on which look you prefer before I lock either in for full production!
Option A – Transparent Enamel (current sample)
The stone is filled with transparent enamel, so the metal underneath shows through and catches the light.
Option B – Opaque Enamel (original design style)
The stone is filled with solid/opaque enamel, closer to the original campaign artwork and mockups.
📊 Please vote in the poll attached to this update and let me know which Mega Stone style you prefer!
The poll will be up through Sunday, so that you guys have time to watch the video, look at the comparison images, and decide which version you'd be happiest to receive. 😄
💸 Surveys & Payments
On the more logistical side of things:
There are currently 4 backers who still need to complete their BackerKit Surveys. If that’s you and anything is confusing or not working the way you expect, please feel free to reach out! I swear, I don’t bite. 😊 I’m happy to help you get everything sorted.
I’ve also begun the process of having cards charged for any items added on through Surveys. 👉 This is a great time to double-check that your payment method is up to date in BackerKit so everything goes through smoothly.
If you have any concerns about your Survey, your choices, or your payment info, just message me through BackerKit or reply to the email notification and I’ll do my best to help quickly. 💖
That’s all for now!
Thanks for reading and for participating in the poll! I hope you're enjoying seeing all the designs come to life~ So far, I think the samples are looking amazing! ✨💫
~ Qesque 🎨 Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and Bluesky: @Qesque
Quick but exciting update today: Chikorita and Tepig are now fully finalized with their screenprints added and approved! 🎉 (Quite the glow-up, if I do say so myself.)
Please enjoy these lovely sample photos, courtesy of my manuf. I’m incredibly happy with how they've turned out, and I hope you are too! 😊
The other samples are still in the works (Squirtle with Sunglasses, remaining filler pins, etc.), and I’ll share more photos as soon as they’re ready to show off.
🔒 Surveys & Locking Orders
We’re so close to the finish line on surveys, with only a few folks who still haven’t filled theirs out. If that’s you:
You should have a BackerKit reminder email about your survey (check your spam just in case!)~
Orders will be locked this weekend (I pushed the lock date out by an extra week to give everyone a bit more breathing room).
If you have any questions or run into anything weird in your survey (confusing charges, trouble picking pins, address changes, etc.) please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to help get things sorted before orders lock. 💖
That’s all for now!
Thank you again for your patience and support. I’ll be back with more updates as additional samples arrive. 💫
~ Qesque 🎨 Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and Bluesky: @Qesque
I hope 2026 is off to a wonderful start for you all!
I wanted to share a quick progress update from the studio. Chikorita and Tepig are officially in the sampling phase, and things are moving along smoothly! 🍃🔥
The enamel colors have been approved, and the pins are looking great so far. They haven’t received their screen-printed details just yet, but that step is coming up next, so don't mind their missing face details! 😶
📋 Friendly Reminder: Surveys Closing Soon
I’ll be looking to lock orders on January 10, 2026, about one week from now. If you haven’t already, please make sure to complete your BackerKit survey before then so I can finalize quantities and selections accurately. Thanks! 🥰
If you’re unsure whether you’ve submitted everything or need to make a change, now’s the perfect time to double-check! 😊
Thank you all again for your patience and support. I’ll be back soon with more updates as the samples continue to progress. Here’s to an exciting year ahead and more PokéBites on the way! 💖
~ Qesque 🎨 Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and Bluesky: @Qesque
