Woohoo! Shipping Starts Next Week! 📮✨
12 months ago
– Sat, Nov 25, 2023 at 01:05:34 AM
Hello Wild Ones! 🎄✨
I have some exciting news… the decks have arrived!!! I had been expecting them all week and yesterday morning they finally turned up on an extremely large truck that blocked the entire lane while they were unloaded…
After almost two years of work on this project, I couldn’t be more pleased… the print quality of the artwork is incredible and gold foil looks amazing. Massive thanks to my excellent printer! 👏👏👏
Here's a little unboxing video if you are too excited to wait, although it won’t be long now! It's a bit grainy and dark because "Scotland" and "November" but hopefully you'll still enjoy your first glimpse of the deck...
I’m planning to start dispatching early next week and will ship the furthest addresses from me first (i.e. Australasia/Asia/Africa) followed by those closer to home (Americas/Europe/UK).
🚨 Addresses have now been locked so if you have any last minute changes, please get in touch with me directly. Please email [email protected] if you need to make an adjustment! 🚨
As soon as dispatched you’ll automatically receive a tracking notice so you can follow your package. Please be patient though as it's just little old me packing them all up!
Finally, there are still a few of you with uncompleted surveys/outstanding balances which will need to be attended to as soon as possible if you’d like your package to be prioritised in the first batch. It will probably not be dispatched until after the holidays otherwise as it’s a very busy time over here!
Oh! And a wee reminder again that shipping charges will show up on your bank statement from ASTRAEA CREATIVE as this seems to have thrown a few people off...
Super excited to start sending our all your goodies now!
Nicola x
It's Nearly Time! 🤩📬✨
about 1 year ago
– Wed, Nov 01, 2023 at 11:44:33 PM
Hello Wild Ones! 🌲
I've had an exciting update from my printer...
They have been working away and should be finished by next week, woohoo! I've also now received the last of your rewards, and have been sorting everything out, ready to be sent to you.
So! With that in mind, it's time to get you organised for shipping:
1. Have you completed your survey? There are a very small number of you who still haven't completed your surveys. Your final opportunity to do this is nigh! So please hop to it if you'd like to have your rewards dispatched on time.
2. Is your address correct? If you've moved since you completed your survey, please log in to your Backerkit account to update your address. We want to make sure your rewards are being dispatched to the correct place!
3. It's now time to charge for shipping! Your Backerkit account has been updated with the amount that will be charged on Friday 3rd November. If you'd like to check the amount, please log in to your Backerkit account. You'll also shortly receive an automated email from Backerkit with a link to your survey.
Although a wee bit higher for most international backers, happily the shipping charges have come out fairly close to the estimates on the campaign page. Obviously if you have ordered extra bits and pieces, this will be reflected in the final price.
Oh, and just so you aren't left wondering, ASTRAEA CREATIVE LIMITED will appear on your bank statement, and every package will be sent with a tracked and signed shipping service!
The link to log in to your Backerkit account for each of the above steps is here: https://the-wild-way.backerkit.com/
That's all for now! I'll be back in touch when the decks arrive with me—I'm getting pretty excited to see them now. I hope you are too!
Nicola x
P.S. Here's a little peak at the Cairngorm tweed pouches that arrived last week—they have been beautifully handmade right here in Scotland...
Woohoo! Final Artwork Completed! 🤩
about 1 year ago
– Sun, Oct 01, 2023 at 10:01:29 PM
Hello Wild Ones! 🌲✨
I can't believe its been over a month since I last updated you but I'm delighted to report that all artwork has now been completed and is with my printer, woohoo! I'm a little behind where I was hoping to be by this date (thanks COVID) but still on track to get your parcels dispatched in November. Keep your fingers crossed that the printing process goes smoothly!
Now, there was a mix of responses as to whether you'd like to see the final completed set of cards so what I've done is included them at the very end of this note. If you would prefer to be surprised on delivery, do not scroll to the bottom of this update! ⛔️
In other news, you may remember from an earlier update that a few months ago, I had to find an alternative printer... it was a bit of a challenge as I had a very specific list of requirements to ensure the eco credentials of this deck were met. After obtaining a squillion quotes from a load of UK based printers, I finally found a winner. However... as I was scouring the country, it became apparent that not one printer was willing to gild the edges of the deck, a massive disappointment as you can imagine. So what to do?! In the end (after a few sleepless nights), I decided that keeping carbon emissions low would always be more important to me than going overseas to find gilded edges.
So! In order to find you an alternative stretch goal, I launched into negotiating with my printer to get you a box upgrade. And I'm really pleased with how it's turned out... instead of a basic tuck flap box, you will be getting a fancy hard lid and base box smothered in gorgeous gold foiling! It's way more fitting to house the deck and will hopefully last a lot longer than a basic box. I hope you like it...
While the deck is being printed, I'll be starting to prepare all your rewards! With that in mind, if you are one of the few people who haven't yet completed their surveys, please please pleeeeeease could you do that now? If I don't have your address, I won't be able to send you anything! There are also a few people with outstanding payments so it would be great if you could attend to those as soon as possible, you might need to update your card details.
Equally, if you need to update your address, please make sure to do that soon. I will be shortly be sending a note out to confirm when addresses will be locked and shipping charged. You can access your survey here! 🙏✨
If you're scrolling down, please let me know which cards are your favourites in the comments!
I'll be back in touch soon!
Nicola x
P.S. I will be closing the pre-order store at the end of this week so if you know anyone who was on the fence about ordering a deck, please let them know!
Tiny Update! 🤏✨
about 1 year ago
– Sat, Aug 26, 2023 at 10:48:36 PM
Hello Wild Ones! 🌲✨
Just popping in to give you a little update on where I’m at…
Over the last month I’ve been working away, deep in my art cave and painting the remaining artwork which has been going pretty well. I’m pleased to say it’s almost complete! I’ve been working on 17 paintings simultaneously which I’ve never done before…
Thanks to all who left a comment on my last update, there were a varying mix of opinions! What I’ve decided I’ll do is share the remaining artwork when it’s all finished, right as it goes off to print with a warning in the header! That way you can choose whether or not to take a peek. It also means I can 100% focus on finishing the deck as soon as possible rather than updating you as I go… it takes quite a lot of time and energy to create mock ups for each card! 😅
Right! Back into my art cave… nearly there! I’ll be back in touch regarding the box and a few other bits and pieces as soon as possible.
Take care everyone!
Nicola x
P.S. I’m working on the card for Imbolc at the moment which features three mice, and look who showed up in the garden… only a tiny baby mouse! It was just sitting on the pathway in the vegetable garden so I scooped it up and put it in a dry stone wall. It doesn’t even appear to have even opened its eyes yet, so please send good vibes it’s way!
Checking In! 👋✨
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Jul 21, 2023 at 11:53:46 PM
Hello Wild Ones! 🌲✨
I hope you are all well and enjoying your summer... it's unseasonably cold and wet here but I know that a lot of you are experiencing the exact opposite! And southern hemisphere friends, I hope you aren't too chilly...
I'm just popping in with a quick update to let you know how everything is going... it's been an exciting week as a bunch of goodies started arriving! All of the additional items have now been ordered and have already arrived, or are currently in the process of being manufactured. Here are a couple of my favourites:
As well as lots of back and forth with manufacturers, I've also been working on the rest of the artwork, albeit a little more slowly than I originally envisaged. Unfortunately making art is a very physical process and I've been experiencing some repetitive strain issues which have slowed me down a wee bit. The mind is willing but the body is weak, as they say. That said, it is all coming along nicely now I've got myself some good painkillers and additional support!
I do have a question for you as I finish the remainder of the cards... would you like to see them in an update, or would you prefer a surprise when you shuffle through your deck for the first time? Please let me know in the comments! ✨
Finally, I will have an update on the box very soon! I had a little setback with the printer I originally chose to work with but thankfully I've found a very capable, enthusiastic and most importantly, environmentally-minded UK based replacement to take this project forward. I'm just working out the final details with them at the moment, but will share with you as soon as I can.
Oh! And I'll leave you with a lovely piece of synchronicity. I'm just about to start drawing the card for Virgo III which will be a roe deer and have been having a few doubts about whether this was the right animal... but look who turned up on my dog walk earlier this morning!
That's all for now folks, take care and I'll be in touch again soon!
Nicola x
P.S. A few of you STILL haven't completed your surveys... please remember that if I don't have your address, I won't be able to send your rewards! You can access them here! 🙏✨
