With much anticipation, the ravenous hoard has arrived! They rode in their very own Fedex truck. We’ve never had such a big delivery all at once!
Ryan helping some dragons out of the truck to freedom!
After 70 boxes swiftly piled on in, they are now sitting happily stored away. We knew this day was coming, but we are getting clever about how we manage the inventory. Seventy boxes take up a lot of room!
That’s a lotta dragons!
They did come in squished tightly together and do need some fluffing out. But so far, they all look great!
In this day and age a lot goes into importing a plush like this. We made sure to have them tested for ages 3+ and to make sure that the magnet design in the smaller plush was safe for children. Shipping charges were also much higher than expected. It’s been quite the ride!
We have most of the Pins!
Most of the pins have arrived!
A few of the pins are still finishing up production. But they should be shipping to us within the next few weeks!
Shipping Charge coming soon!
At this stage we are working on determining final shipping costs of the plush before updating that part of the pledge manager. As it turns out, 2 lb of pins does not take up the same amount of space as 2 lb of plushie dragons. So we’re still locking that part down. That said we expect to update the pledge manager shipping details soon!
We can’t wait till these guys can flap their tiny wings and make their way to their cozy new homes!
Today we would like to touch base and tell you what is going on in production land!
A lot has happened since we last reached out. But first, a big thank you for your patience. It’s been over a month since our last communication and while we had a July Update ready, other opportunities swept us away. Namely San Diego Comic Con busting down the door last second, though was really fun, has completely thrown out our timelines on pretty much everything. So a big thank you is in order for your patience. We’re so grateful for your support and hopefully today’s update helps nail home all the expected progress!
Let’s get into it!
Mountains of Plush Dragons!
Last time we talked about these guys, they were in production. We’re happy to say production is completed! We had these lil chonkers tested for ages 3+ and they crushed all the tests! Such superstars!
Don’t these photos make you want to just jump in?
And guess what? They are on a boat sailing directly over to us! Navigating import changes was tricky, but everything is filed and we can expect them to be entering the US and making their way to us towards the later part of August.
Pin Production
All pins are in production and most of the way through! No mean feat. There are over 50+ design files submitted. This meant a lot of back and forth with the manufacturer to get these dragons absolutely perfect.
Let’s check out some of the production photos!
Many are already finished and getting ready to ship. We also expect them to all be on their way and to us in two batches. One by the end of August, and the remaining group within September.
Check out these finished pins!
Coin Production
All of the coins are finished! There was some trouble with the FrostFire coins as the two finishes made this difficult to get right. That said, we should be receiving the last batch also at the end of August.
Fulfillment and Shipping
Fulfillment!
We are on track to be ahead of the December fulfillment date by quite a margin. Right now we expect to begin fulfillment in October. There are only two of us and an unstoppable hoard of dragons to send flying. Please be patient with us as we navigate this and three massive upcoming conventions this fall (SacAnime Summer, FanX, and NYCC). C:
Shipping!
Earlier on in the year we had no idea what shipping might be closer to fulfillment and left the shipping charges for closer to the actual shipping date. We’re doing our best to keep on top of new regulations on small business goods imports from outside the USA. We’ll make sure to go into more detail as we come closer to shipping these dragons out.
Note: While convention pickup might be possible, this is new territory for us. We cannot guarantee that we can make it happen and definitely not for everyone. If this is something you are interested in please reach out to [email protected] so that we can work out the details.
Last Second Order Addons!
We will be sharing more pictures as we receive everything. Prices will be going up after fulfillment. If there are addons you missed and would like to have added to your order, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll see if we can make that happen. Unfortunately due to limited counts, we cannot change existing items on orders.
Whew! That’s all we have for now. Thank you all so much for your support and being so wonderful. We cannot wait to send these dragons out to all of you!
We hope the week is full of chill vibes and contentment. Take care!
Today we’ve got a long update. But I promise it’ll be fun. Let’s dive into it.
Action Item
There are a number of failed cards and surveys still not filled out in the pledge manager. If that’s you, be sure to fill out your survey and fix any incorrect information. For those who need their survey find it here! Comment or email us at [email protected] with any questions!
Shipping charges are still pending until all items of this project have made it our way and we have a better understanding of the state of the world at that point. Thank you for your patience!
Okay with all that covered, now to the Production status!
Plush Production Progress
The Dragon Hoard Keepers in full production swing! Progress is moving smoothly. Current projections are that they should be on the boats by July and aiming to land by August.
A small detail folk don’t go over is tag design and just how much detail is put together to get these looking professional with all the right information.
Coins Progress!
Coins are quite the beast to design. Ryan really digs into the detail and in some ways they are significantly more tricky to get right due to the management of height. Let’s take a look at what the final designs look like!
Now that’s a lot of detail! And I’m happy that the sampling of this detail has been very smooth. Let’s take a look at some of the samples put together for the Potion Decision Coins!
And the FrostFire coin sampling is still under way. The following do not have the aging effects that show off the detail like the other two. Each side of the coin is a different plate to help bring out it’s bird!
We were even provided with a photo of the molds! The process has been so very interesting.
As something fun for each of these coins, we’ve also included magic item descriptions that will be part of the backing cards of these beautiful pieces. We really hope this brings them to life when you receive them!
Pin Progress
Not much to report here just yet. Design files are submitted for the Hoard Keepers and production is soon under way! Mini Pin design files are being ironed out and finalized for final submission. We expect all 38 minipin designs to be in by end of June. I can’t believe there are that many!
Our latest project is The Five Dragon Kings! We were lucky enough to be invited to participate in PinQuest. The community there is so accommodating and we couldn’t help ourselves. This campaign follows the story of the Dragon Kings of China. Each a powerful divine deity who controls all weather, rainfall, and bodies of water. Each residing in the kingdoms of the four cardinal directions.
Be sure to follow the campaign and receive a lantern pin free when you back within the first 48 hours!
Thank you everyone for your support! We’re one step closer to all the goodies making their way to your doors!
Long time no see! Since we last spoke, we’ve been busy bees, finalizing designs, communicating with manufacturers, and participating in three conventions (a fourth coming up this weekend!). A lot’s happened! Let’s dig in!
Survey Lock & Charge Date!
Okay, important thing first. We will be charging cards and locking surveys on May 1st. That means you have until then to make any changes to your survey selections. At that point, we will be locking down numbers with our manufacturers and finalizing plans for production. If there’s a coin or keeper you’ve been eyeing to collect, now is the time!
Pay-over-time backers and UK backers, hang in there. We see you. Extras of each pin and plush will be ordered to account for seconds quality and to accommodate the extra demand for when you receive your surveys.
Green and Purple Samples!
LOOK AT THEM.
Purple and Green samples are in! Both are fat, happy, and perfect! They turned out better than we could have hoped. Green Pickles is pretty grounded, while Purple Debbie must be the most soothing of the bunch. Like the others, they are impossibly soft.
The hooks for the straps have been moved down lower on the plush.
The hooks for the straps are now below the head!
Something fun we found out is that the straps can come in different colors. Each dragon will now be coming with straps matching its primary body color.
The whole family together!
Thoughts & Prayers Coin Design
We’re deep in the design sheets for the coins and tweaking every little detail. Have a look at the Thoughts & Prayers Coin!
Because coins do not need their details filled in with enamel, we can really punch up the detail. That said, we are adding hard red enamel on this coin for the filled side. I’m super excited to see the final coins as it’s like seeing two worlds collide!
Let’s take a look at the details on Gambler’s toss. This coin is a great example of how tight the texture and design can be!
Project Status
Let’s talk about each part:
Plushes: Finalizing legal/safety pieces and hang tags. Details around testing, labeling, and timeline are worked out. Final plush detail changes and collecting the rest of the funding are needed before getting started.
Coins: Alchemist’s Flip and FrostFire design details are being finalized. We are also inquiring about fancy finishes.
Pins: Much of the work around the pin design is complete. Final factory design files are being put together for each pin in preparation to be submitted in May.
We will be at BookCon!
This weekend, we will be making our way out to New York for BookCon. This will be our first Convention on the East Coast, and I’m super excited to be a part of it. If you are in the area, please come say hello at booth #1039! We will have the prototype dragons for you to check out in person.
Thank you so much for your patience. We’re almost there.
Hope you’re having a wonderful week! It’s been a moment, and well, we’ve been buried in spreadsheets, samples, and a lot of behind-the-scenes magic.
Today, we have a fun update packed with important stuff! Grab a cozy beverage and let’s dive in!
🎉Surveys Are Live! Locking: Early April
Surveys are officially going out! Filling out the survey is your way of picking out all your goodies and maybe adding something a little extra. Please keep an eye on your inbox. We plan on locking and charging cards in early April with accurate counts for production.
Reasons you may not receive your pledge:
If your pledge survey does not reach you, check the following:
Wrong email. Double-check your Backerkit email address associated with your Backerkit account.
Spam Filtering. Check your spam folder within your email.
Valid Payment Details. Payment details may need updating to a valid payment option.
Bank Rejection. Check with your bank to resolve these issues.
Pay-over-time Backer. Your survey will arrive right after your final payment is processed. No action needed. Please fill out your survey as soon as you receive it so we may have super accurate counts for production.
For our amazing Early Bird, Returning, and/or Cross-Collab backers, your gift freebies will automatically be added to your order. You’ll be able to confirm from the addon’s menu of your survey. If something looks missing, please reach out!
Preorder Store is Open!
Know a friend who would just love to get in on the campaign? Send them our way! The preorder store is now open for them.
Note for existing backers: Do not use this store. You will manage your order through the pledge survey. Using this preorder store will duplicate your order and create complications.
Okay, so…we couldn’t help ourselves. We really want to add a few more colors to the Dragon Hoard Keeper family.
Meet Purple Debbie and Green Pickles!
These will only become available to backers if unlocked within the pledge manager and preorder store. So if you’re vibing with Debbie or Pickles, be sure to add them to your survey. We have samples coming soon, and we can’t wait to show them off!
Production Timeline & What’s Next
Much of the prep work for the Dragon Hoard Keeper Plushies is already done. Production files for the pins are still being put together. Production should begin shortly after we lock the pledge manager in April. We’ll keep you posted on the timeline as things move along.
💬 Questions? We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about the survey, please reach out to [email protected]. We’ll do our best to respond within 24 hours. Be sure to check out our FAQ for quick answers.
The best folks to help you with navigating the Backerkit space are the Backerkit Support Team. They can be reached at [email protected]. Questions about the project itself will be forwarded to me, and I will apply as soon as I can. Please do not message me on other platforms, as I may miss it.
Thank you for all your support! We’re so excited to bring these dragons to life!
