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Circus Sweeties

Created by Charmsey

Circus Sweeties are 18'' plushies all inspired by frosted circus cookies. There will be a lineup of many different animals, starting with a cat and a rabbit, and followed by a lion, elephant, and giraffe-- and perhaps, much much more!

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Remi Razzles Final Poll -- Please be kind!
15 days ago – Wed, Nov 06, 2024 at 04:57:45 PM

Hello Cookie Crew!

I missed everyone yesterday!!!! But I also needed a break, I think. I hope that is okay! I decided to work on commissions and went to the park with Charmsey Jr, and watched movies, and just had a real good time. It was really nice and I'm feeling refreshed, so lets tackle the topic at hand!

As many of you know, Remi Razzles has been a source of great debate, good and bad. MOSTLY good. So many of you have been very kind with your suggestions, and I think we've made a lot of forward momentum with our spooky Raccoon friend. I've also come to accept that I cannot make everyone happy, and there will be some of you who decide that Circus Sweeties just isn't for you if Remi's brains are not exposed, and that is okay!

If you decide after this update and poll that you are just not satisfied, I get it, and I'll be happy to help you with a refund or whatever else you need. Just reach out to me at [email protected]!

Keep in mind that I am planning to release several more spooky critters in the future, and I will not be changing them. I will let everyone know in advance that they will be creepy cute. I would like a zombie character that absolutely has some candy bones/guts/brains etc exposed. With Remi, I was open to change, because I understand that all of the other designs were on the cute side of things, and that this might have caught some of you off guard. Not only that, but Remi is more of a Frankenstein inspired theme, so for me... a zipper made a lot of sense!

I cannot promise it will be sensory friendly, but I can promise it will be cute. I'm very excited to explore future accessories that double as fidget toys in a way. I'd like the gummy worm to be stretchy, perhaps, and the brain to be squishy. If I can. I really want to try to make them more than just plushies, but we'll see what I can accomplish based on how much it'll cost.

I've attached another poll for those who had voted in our previous poll on options that had lost. I thought you might like to revote based on what is available! So, please, if you plan on adding Remi to your cart, this is your moment to decide which accessory will come with them.

The other will be available at some point! So please don't feel sad if the one you wanted didn't make it this time.

I'm a huge people pleaser, and this is really difficult for me. I really appreciate everyone who has been so nice throughout my entire campaign, and the Remi ordeal.

Here is the image as a reminder! 



I have been in communication with the manufacturer, and I SWEAR they are almost done with Lupin and Batty, and as soon as they are I'll make an update celebrating it! They face embroidery has been a bit of trouble, and I think we just weren't on the same page, but... I think we are now! I'm very excited. I feel bad for the designer. I'm being very particular about their faces, but it is the focal point and I want them to look as cute as possible!

They were also asking questions about Gertie Gumball, so... I think she is about to start on her, and I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO excited. I cannot wait for another Nessie update too!!

I hope my next update will be plushie related, but if not, I'm still chugging away at art, so I can do a big ol' post full of finished stuff we need! :3c That's exciting too right!?

I will also be back with an update about the Discord as soon as it's all done!! I want that to be it's own update, so it's easy to find hehe.

I apologize to your emails in advance-- even if most of you say you like to see them!

Anyway, I'm rambling, just like I always do. I have a problem keeping it short and sweet, sometimes.

Please be nice to each other in the comments. There is no need to downvote ideas you don't like or anything like that. Just state your opinion. Upvote if you like something!

Okay, byebyebye!! I will see you in the comments!!!

Charmsey

Remi Razzles Update 2 + Pre-Order Store OPEN!
18 days ago – Sun, Nov 03, 2024 at 08:06:26 PM

Hello again my lovely Cookie Crew!!

I have good news and maybe (?) bad news? Let's start with the 100% good stuff! The Pre-order store is now open. PLEASE remember, if you are a BACKER, do NOT buy anything via the pre-order store. You can use it window shop, if you want too, however! You'll be able to to add everything you want once the survey goes out~!

To reiterate!

Backers do NOT need to purchase through the pre-order store.
Everyone else --> Yes! If you missed the campaign while it was going or just decided to wait, go check it out.

The pre-order store will be open until all of the samples are complete, and surveys close!

Have fun everyone!!!

https://circus-sweeties.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders/

Remi Razzles

I have finally heard back from the manufacturer and they have said that creating a zipper in the hair will not be the best option. It will create an unappealing effect, and warp the shape of the head-- basically it will just look awkward. They also said they could only place the zipper to the side of the hair.

However, I had doodled up a couple other options that they said would work!


One of my kiddos friends at DnD recommended sprinkles on the brain haha, so I did it. I also see people recommending a more candy like brain, like marshmallows and such. I could make it gummy worm colored, too? Like a gummy brain? Maybe if it was any color other than pink?


I'll include another poll, but I guess at the end of the day, I will have to make the decision one way or another. I hope this might be a good middle ground, though!

To address those with sensory issues, I am doing my best to figure out how to make this a non-nightmare. I didn't go into Circus Sweeties planning to be 100% sensory friendly (I mean I didn't plan for it to be a sensory nightmare either lol), but if I CAN avoid awful feeling things I will, as I'm also sensitive to certain textures. My kiddo is. My best friend is. If the zipper on the forehead can be concealed by fabric that maybe has a scar embroidered on it, I will do that, but I'm not sure what is possible yet. I'm just trying to figure out the brain issue at the moment! ^^;

We still have plenty of time to determine what we're going to do with Remi, but I'd love to figure them out sooner rather than later.

I also really loved the suggestion of having another group of Circus Sweeties called Sideshow Sours! Maybe they could be a band, since Remi plays guitar in my mind hehehe. I am really hype about that.

Anyway, I'll leave this for now! There is a lot to do still, outside of this. I have a lot of art to finalize for merch, and a lot of characters to make ref sheets before we pay for their prototypes. ^^

I'm still working on the Discord too, I swear!

ALSO ALSO!!!

I made a huge mistake when picking the winners of the writing contest, so please congratulate another plushie winner: ashtonamaya5!

They wrote 'The Lion, The Costumes, and The Wardrobe' and it was really good! If you haven't read it and you like to read, you should check it out!

Charmsey

Remi Razzles Update
19 days ago – Sun, Nov 03, 2024 at 11:45:12 AM

Hello Cookie Crew!

I have been trying to read all of the suggestions, and opinions, and everything else. It makes my head spin, a bit, if I'm going to be honest.

I would like to apologize to everyone who pledged based on whichever version of Remi you saw, only to realize they were still a really big WIP. I thought I had expressed it enough in writing, in various places, but I realize not everyone can see everything.

I'm also sorry to everyone who was unaware there was more than one poll. I don't know how to handle this in the future, yet. I thought making updates and including new polls as they happen was enough, but it doesn't seem to be? I'm going to have to figure that out for the future!

I've had MANY suggestions, and I appreciate it, but some are more feasible than others.

For example, I loved the idea of magnets, but the more I thought about it, the more I worried it might look strange? I worry the manufacturer won't be able to shape it to where it sits on the head in a way that it looks like its poking out and not just... sitting on the head.

Another suggestion was manufacturing both, and making them twins. I don't know if that is feasible from a financial standpoint.

A lot of people are recommending zippers, which I am for, but others say that it is a sensory issue.

So, I'm kind of feeling a little trapped, and I know that ultimately, there is no way to make everyone happy when it comes to this issue.

I have reached out to the manufacturer, asking if the concepts I think are feasible are... you know, actually feasible haha.

I don't want to show any of my concepts until after I speak with the manufacturer, however, because I don't want to put anything in anyone's head and inadvertently create more disappointment! I will definitely be back later tonight. I just wanted to address some things and apologize.

If you need to back out of the project because Remi isn't what you expected or wanted I understand! If I need to manually issue refunds, I will.

I hope that most of you will decide that you love Remi no matter what, but I also understand people have preferences!

Thank you in advance for that patience and understanding. I'm about to pack up and I'm on my way home from some obligations I had today, but I have more updates coming!!

Charmsey

BIG UPDATE! Roadmap for November + More!
19 days ago – Sat, Nov 02, 2024 at 05:36:42 PM

Hello Cookie Crew!

Sorry it took me so long to get to this big, important update! I am always busy on Saturday, but I have some time now and we have a lot to cover don't we!?

I just want to thank everyone again for being here. Do you all know how honored I am yet?? I hope you do! It's a super lot. I'm walking on clouds right now!

Yesterday was so amazing. I didn't expect, or even know that people could continue to back after 7pm. I was so confused at first, and then super excited. It lasted so much longer than I could have anticipated. It was very exciting!

Discord?

It's over now, but... not really! I know some of you would like a Discord, which I'm considering deeply-- though I am kind of bad at Discord. I know I need to get better at it, and now might be the perfect time to work on it, given that I might not be working on commissions 24/7. It was really all I could think about for a long time! So, we'll see. I'll post another update with Discord information, if/when I have it set up! 

Roadmap for November!


2nd-14thish -  Pledges will be processing. Any failed payments are being retried automatically by Backerkit. Now is the time to make sure your payment went through or update your card info if it didn't.

3rd - Preorder store opens! (Backers DO NOT place an order in the preorder store or you'll be charged twice for shipping. Orders DO NOT automatically combine.)

15th - Backers are imported into the pledge manager, survey smoke test goes out to 5% of backers to make sure everything is working correctly.

16th - All surveys go out (unless you're on a payment plan). These will remain open until all prototypes are finalized so you can edit/add/remove items at any time!

16th and onward - Funds are released to me so prototyping can start in earnest!

Additional preorder store and survey note: you won't be charged right away. The preorder store funds and any added survey charges will be collected when surveys lock/the preorder store closes.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to leave them below, or message me on Twitter (This is a great way to reach me quickly), or email me: [email protected]!

Batty and Lupin!

Believe it or not, they are mostly complete! There were some changes that needed to be made with their face embroidery, but it is very minor. The manufacturer is working on that now, and then they will be shipped to me, so hopefully in the next few weeks we will have tons of mischievous photos and footage. I MEAN, it IS Batty and Lupin. I can only imagine the trouble they will get up to as soon as they arrive. Good thing Catsie and Bella are relaxing while they can!

In fact, I have some fun news about those two! They actually fit in BAB clothes!

Lookit how darn cute they are! I especially liked Bella in her iridescent pants, not gonna lie! She was rocking it. So... do with this news as you will. I'm not saying you should stock up on some outfits, if you don't already have some, but... I mean.

Come on.


Remi Razzles


I don't even know how to start this one ahaha. There is such a divide. I need just a couple days, if that is okay? I was going to do some doodles, look over peoples comments/emails (I have seen them!!) and maybe talk to the manufacturer before I make any decisions, just to be sure it's feasible!

I really appreciate the patience in advance. I really want to make everyone happy on this one. When I first designed them, I never imagined the brains would be an issue for some. 

As of now, brains are in the lead, but if we could find a middle ground where both sides would be happy, that'd be really cool for Remi, don't you think? I'd hate for 50+ folks to pass up on our cute little rockstar if there was a way around that.

Sticker Sheet 


I am steadily working on the sticker sheet for the add-ons! Here is a cute rough Zoey and Elliot to hopefully help tide everyone over!



Elliot needs a darn bubble, but hopefully the safety gear will suffice! If not, Ellie will take care of her I'm sure hehe.


Okay! I think that is it for this update! I realize there are other things I'm probably missing, and I haven't even looked at my email today, but I am about to! ^^ I appreciate the patience again!

Talk to you again very soon!

Charmsey

Writing Contest Winners!!
20 days ago – Sat, Nov 02, 2024 at 02:02:30 AM

Hello Cookie Crew!

I apologize that this took me so long. I was determined to have it figured out today, and I think I managed with Evan's help hehe.

It was a really tough decision. These stories will live rent free in my head for awhile. I just loved 'em all! I can't believe how long some of them were, too! Like wow, some of y'all can really write!!

It was a good time, though! It was so cool to see everyone's take on our cookie friends! Some of them were exactly what I imagined, and others were different and exciting for it. It was just so cool and I think I'm even more attached to everyone after reading everything ehehe.

Okay, enough rambling!

Top 3 Winners for the Plushie Prize!

  • Una's Magic
  • Echobrook (I dont think your story had a title!)
  • Haunted Mansion

5 Runnerups!

  • London and Marla Haiku 
  • There Once Was a Limerick 'bout Nessie
  • What Lurks Below
  • Dotty's (and Millie's) Halloween Eve Day Mission
  • Circus Sweeties Surprise Party

To everyone else, thank you so much for participating too! Please please know I didn't make this decision easily. It was so dififcult.

But I am so glad we had a writing contest, and we are DEFINITELY doing it for Series 2, and I hope all of you return and dazzle me with more tales!

I was writing down thoughts as I finished each story, so if you wrote a story and want to read what I was thinking in the moment, please check out this document!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U5ANUcAZVB_8jgpYIdlV6QsPCiKX8a6CsOOz7qDgdfo/edit?usp=sharing

I also think I need everyone's email associated with Backerkit, so feel free to email that to me!

I will make another update tomorrow after a little rest regarding our campaign being over and how wonderful we did and more!! All I can manage right now is a BIG big thank you to everyone. This has been so exciting and I am so happy to have each and every one of you here! 

Goodnight Cookie Crew! I will be back ZzZzZz~