Visionary Vultures Enamel Pin Collection

First pin samples photos are in!
about 4 years ago – Mon, Oct 12, 2020 at 10:50:49 PM

If you haven't answered your survey yet, please do that ASAP! If you wait any longer it is likely your rewards will get delayed, I need to know what items you want to account for them. You can find your survey at https://vultures.backerkit.com - please feel free to contact me if you're having any trouble!

After weeks of back and forth with the manufacturers, doing color proofings, I've started getting photos of the finished sample pins and they are *amazing*!!  Over half the designs are now cleared for mass production (which takes a bit over a month, then time for shipping) so things are on track time-wise.  I anticipate there could be potential delays during production, depending on how quickly they can be made (the process takes at least a week in the various stages, and some parts are done or adjusted by hand) but so far things have been going smoothly, and I will keep you updated as we progress towards getting these out to everyone!

I have also gotten the first sticker proofs back and have made the order for the rest of the designs (15,000 stickers!). Those should arrive to me within the next two weeks, as soon as I have them I'll start sending out the pledges which were for stickers only. Stickers and sticker packs that were purchased along with pins will be shipping with the pins when those arrive. I'll post photos when I get the rest of them in. :) 

Thank you again for your patience in waiting while all the pins are being made, I can't wait to get them and share them with all of you!

Sincerely,

Foxfeather

Pin Production Photos & Update
about 4 years ago – Wed, Sep 30, 2020 at 12:15:25 AM

Greetings!

     I want to thank everyone who has answered their surveys, I really appreciate it. There are still 172 people who haven't answered their surveys yet - if you are one of them, please take a moment to do so. If you wait much longer your order could end up delayed, since I could run out of certain items without knowing what you wanted for my final counts. You can go to https://vultures.backerkit.com/ to get your survey link if you've lost it or need a new one. If you are having any trouble, feel free to contact me so I can help!

     After a lengthy (but expected) back and forth with the manufacturers to get all the art finalized, checked, and approved, I have just gotten back the first sample photos! These are the first raw metal pin trays out of their molds - and they look great!  From here, the metal gets plated to its final color (in these cases gold), filled with enamel, and then polished smooth.  It's a huge production but so far everything is on track and moving along. :)  I can't wait to see the colored samples soon!

I've been spending time researching the most eco-friendly options for shipping and packing materials. Everywhere possible I will be using most earth-friendly options I can find. I had hoped to use compostable mailers, but found out that they take more resources to manufacture than using fully recycled materials. Many are also not composted but end up in landfills, which causes more trouble along the line.

     It's been interesting and enlightening to look in to; I've always tried to reuse recycled packaging items when mailing, but on this scale I need to purchase materials and want to be sure that I'm being as responsible as possible. Unfortunately there are a lot of compromises when it comes to trying to minimize your carbon footprint when mailing.  All of the items I am using (labels, mailers, packing materials) will be recyclable though, and most will be home-compostable if you are so inclined. Of course they can also be re-used, too, which is always a great option to save on new materials being made! 

     It will probably be a quiet few weeks going into October; the pin manufacturers have a national holiday for the first 10 days where no one will be working, and I'm also waiting on stickers to be made and shipped to me. During this time I'm continuing to work on getting all the add-on items organized and shipping supplies gathered so that when things do start arriving to me I can get your orders out as quickly as possible!  If your shipping address changes between now and November, you can change that through your Backerkit link, and I will send notices when that goes into lockdown (a few days before shipping) as a reminder to double check as well.  

      I will update again when I have finished pin samples and stickers to show you - in the meanwhile things and rolling along behind-the-scenes and don't hesitate to contact me with any questions!

     In wildlife rehabilitation-related news (which I'm sharing because this project has directly allowed me to expand my work there, for which I'm immensely grateful!), I was chosen this year as one of the Fellows for the University of Minnesota Veterinary School/Raptor Center's Partners 4 Wildlife Program. I am greatly humbled and excited for this opportunity to learn from such amazing people and to work on a project to help increase the quality of welfare for wild animals undergoing rehabilitation. If you're interested in my wildlife work, I'll be posting more updates regularly on my Patreon (both free for the public and patrons only) at https://www.patreon.com/foxfeather

     The Foxloft also has two new temporary residents to introduce, Vel and Yen. They are juvenile American crows that need more time in rehab, causing them to miss this fall's release window. They came down to me from the Wildlife Rehab Center in Roseville, MN and will be overwintering here til spring, since I had some free outdoor aviary space. 

I don't usually name birds that come in for rehab, but if they're going to be here for more than 3 months I relent. Yen was illegally being raised as a pet and needs time with other crows to learn to be one, and Vel was found covered in road tar & motor oil, destroying its feathers (you can see how scraggly it looks from the damage). Because they are rehabilitation birds, they need to be away from humans as much as possible to keep from getting acclimated, but I hope to set up an unobtrusive camera in their enclosure. That way I can share some sessions featuring enrichment challenges to keep them busy, like foraging opportunities to mimic food-finding skills they will need in the wild. If you're interested on keeping up with Vel and Yen, I will update my Patreon with more information about this and other wildlife-cam streaming, as well as my twitter at:  https://twitter.com/foxfeather 

Thank you again for being a part of this project, I'm so excited to share it with you!

-Foxfeather

BackerKit Checkout surveys are coming! Plus some fun pin manufacture updates - Visionary Vultures
about 4 years ago – Sat, Sep 19, 2020 at 04:37:56 PM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

Amazing Success! Ending Update and Survey Info (how to choose your reward items)
about 4 years ago – Thu, Sep 10, 2020 at 11:07:01 PM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

Lots of Announcements! Final 2 Days, All Images now up - Stickers, Prints, Pin Designs, Originals, and free gifts for Patreon Supporters!
about 4 years ago – Wed, Sep 09, 2020 at 03:52:00 PM

We are now in the final 2 days of the project, and all of the art is now up on the page! After the project closes on Sept. 10th you will get an email survey soon after asking to choose your rewards, so that is when you'll be able to pick which pins or items that you pledged for. As a Kickstarter backer, you are getting a discount on the pins and will get first chance at any extras that might be leftover, before they are released to public. Since we're in the countdown of the final hours, please consider sharing this project with anyone you think might be interested and help them nab a great early-bird deal, too :) The project link is:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/foxfeather/visionary-vultures-enamel-pin-collection 

All of the designs are now available as stickers! These large (4-5"), high quality, water-resistant stickers are ready to adorn your water bottles, cars, notebooks, or anywhere you'd like to stick them!  Stickers can be added on to any tier for the following prices:

• $5 - Individual Sticker of your choice
• $15 - Vulture Sticker Set (6 designs, all the New World Vultures)
• $40  - All Stickers Set (All 16 stickers, one of each design)

These final 4 original paintings are (as of writing) now available for sale. The original, one-of-a-kind watercolor paintings each come with the full set of 16 pins and stickers, so if there's one you like, nab it now, they have been going quickly!   There is also just *one* final slot left for a custom designed bird pin, the others are all taken.

I have finished proofing the available art prints; they look amazing! Prints are suitable for framing and display, they are a great way to own a cost-conscious version of the watercolor paintings. 

You can add your favorite print to any pledge for: 

• $15 - 1x Fine Art Print of your choice, 5" x 7" paper size
• $25 - 1x Fine Art Print of your choice, 8.5" x 11" paper size
• $75 - 6x Fine Art Prints of your choice, 5" x 7" paper size
• $120 - 6x Fine Art Prints of your choice, 8.5" x 11" paper size
• $200 -  16x Fine Art Prints (full set, one of each design), 5" x 7" paper size
• $350 -  16x Fine Art Prints (full set, one of each design), 8.5" x 11" paper size

 Teaser Images of special new items below! 

I also have a sneak peek for you of some INCREDIBLE one-of-a-kind hand-embellished gold foil prints made by Anastasia (these are not the same as those listed above, they are original pieces) - we are still figuring out exactly how to offer these to backers but after the project closes, backers and Patrons will have first dibs at them! 

Speaking of Patrons, I am excited to announce that ALL backers who are also my current Patreon supporters - including those who join now -  will get a free, exclusive gift (which will only ever be available for patrons) - and it's a good one!  https://www.patreon.com/foxfeather

What is Patreon? It's a sort of tip jar/subscription/membership service where you choose your monthly donation (and aren't locked into any contract, you can donate $1 one time or change your pledge at any time). Right now my wildlife rehabilitation work is 100% funded through Patreon and my art business, Foxloft Studios. In exchange for your support you get access to a library of posts; exclusive behind-the-scenes content, patient stories, art and sketches before they are released, and help sponsor free public articles about wildlife as well as sponsoring no-cost live bird shows to schools, nature centers, and other public venues in need!  Take a peek and try it out, you can help fill one of our birds' empty food bowls with a delicious meal or two, and get a special gift in the meantime! 

Thank you again for supporting my project, and for your time - I can't wait to get these pins and all these goodies out to you!! I will be in touch again after the project closes, to gather your choices for your rewards, and then during the creation process with samples of the pins as I work on them, as well as stickers and other items, and exciting news about the progress of our new wildlife hospital building!!

-Foxfeather