UK Etsy Backers + 3 Pins Finished
almost 3 years ago – Fri, Apr 30, 2021 at 01:42:24 AM

Hi folks!

Etsy Pledges

Just a quick update for those of you who pledged via Etsy - please note that over the next few hours your orders will be marked as dispatched. I wanted to ensure UK backers could pledge for this project and I was happy to use my Etsy for this (rather than exclude UK folks from the campaign), but as a result, the volume of outstanding Fantastic Places orders has made Etsy close my shop. Therefore I'll be marking them dispatched to try and get my shop opened up again, but please refer to updates on this project page as to when pins are being shipped. It won't be for a couple of weeks at least, but I'll be sure to keep these updates frequent!

3 Locations Finished

Also, here are some (not awfully good quality!) photos I've received of our Skyrim, Vice City, and TARDIS pins! I know photos/updates have been slow from the factory, but they are getting things made which is great. I'll continue to keep everyone updated as and when I get info/photos through.

Thanks again!

Washi Tape and Add-On Card Charge Update
about 3 years ago – Sun, Apr 25, 2021 at 12:21:52 AM

Hi everyone! Happy weekend!

Just a quick update with some photos of the washi tape! It came out really nice and I'm super excited to send these out to you!

Pin Production

On the pins, we're still in production with no news I'm afraid. As I've mentioned before, we only went into production 2-3 weeks ago because of the delay on Kickstarter's end of the fund transfer so we're behind schedule unfortunately. Generally I would expect pins to take 3-4 weeks to produce, but because this is 25 designs and nearly 7,000 pins (which I didn't expect when I made the original timeline!), it's going to take longer. I also don't want to rush the factory because rushed pin production always ends up with errors! That said, I know everyone is excited about these pins (as am I) so I will continue to pester them for updates/photos that I can share and for a rough estimate for when production will be complete. 

Address Changes in BackerKit

I've had a couple of requests to change postal addresses in your surveys - as a reminder, the BackerKit surveys have been locked in but the addresses have not, so please feel free to edit your address as much as you need to. Once we're a few days from production, I will post an update with a warning that addresses will be locked in - until then, they should remain editable.

Card Charge Date

Please note that payment cards for add-ons added via BackerKit will be charged on Friday 30 April. If your card had issues with the currency on the original campaign when Kickstarter collected your pledge, it's likely the same thing will happen with BackerKit - really sorry that it's in Yen! Sadly that wasn't something in my control. To correct this, usually a call to your bank just to verify the payment is for you should be okay.  I think BackerKit will make one or two attempts a few weeks apart - if by the time i come to ship rewards the add-ons have not been successfully charged for, either your pledge will be sent without the extra add-ons (i.e. only the items paid for will be sent) or I can accept payment via PayPal if needed.

Thanks once again for backing the project and your patience! I know the wait will be worth it. :)

Lanyards and Sticker Sheets Update
about 3 years ago – Thu, Apr 08, 2021 at 02:46:42 PM

Hi all!

Super quick update from me: the backing cards, lanyards, and sticker sheets are finished and here are some photos!

The pins are still in production and the washi tape is currently en route to me from my manufacturer and I'll be sure to post photos as soon as they're here!

As for timing, because funds took 2-3 weeks longer than usual to arrive with me, production is 2-3 weeks behind. Therefore shipping will likely start in early May rather than late April as planned - my apologies! Backers will be able to amend their addresses right up until a few days before I start shipping so please do feel free to amend your survey if needed to reflect any address changes! On BackerKit, cards won't be charged for any add-ons until the end of April. If for any reason you'd like your card charged before then, I can do that - just let me know.

Thanks so much again for supporting this project!

Production has begun!
about 3 years ago – Thu, Mar 18, 2021 at 03:19:25 AM

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your patience! I've been waiting for Kickstarter to send the funds through to my bank account in order to start production on the pins but it's taken 2 weeks longer than it should have for funds to finally reach me (it seems they misspelt my name on the first transfer attempt and Japanese banks are super strict about that kind of thing!). However, I'm pleased to say that the funds arrived today and we have now begun production on the pins. 

This delay might set our timeline back a bit but hopefully not by long. The lanyards and washi tape have been in production for a week or two now and the sticker sheets will also go into production this week.

Production on pins usually takes 2-4 weeks, but given the number of designs and quantity of pins (over 7000!) on this project, it's more likely going to be 3-5 weeks. I will, of course, keep everyone updated with any news - the next couple of weeks will be pretty quiet while production is happening in the background.

In the meantime, if you have any queries at all please let me know, and if you've not yet completed your survey, please try to do so as soon as possible.

Thanks again for backing this project!

Survey Update
about 3 years ago – Wed, Mar 03, 2021 at 10:21:45 PM

Hi everyone and happy Wednesday!

Just a quick update - there are 7 days left to complete your BackerKit surveys before they are locked in. Please ensure any reward choices are made (and double-checked) by then.  Around 85% of surveys have been completed which is fantastic! If enough surveys are completed over the next couple of days to give me a better idea of how many pins of each design are needed, I should be able to start production this week. If you've lost your survey link you can get one resent by entering the email address associated with your Kickstarter account here. Also, as a reminder, you will be able to change your address as much as you like until I actually come to ship rewards so no need to worry about your shipping address getting locked in.

As ever, if you are having trouble with your survey or have any questions, please message me on Kickstarter, DM me on social media, or email me at [email protected] and I'll do my best to help! 

The lanyards and washi tape went into production yesterday and I will of course share photos as soon as they're finished (in 3-4 weeks). The sticker sheets will be ordered as soon as surveys are locked in as I need the final count for those. 

Thanks so much again for backing the project and for being proactive with completing your surveys! It's been a huge help in getting a head start on the lanyard and washi tape production. I'm really pleased that most experiences on BackerKit have been positive too - the site really does simplify so much of the production and fulfilment process for me, so thank you for engaging with it where possible!