Hi there! Can you believe that it is already June? Summer for Fired Figments means that I am in full production mode for the New York Renaissance Faire and lots of exciting things are happening online and in the studio! I wanted to write this so that you don’t miss anything that is going on!
First up - Early Bird Savings!
If you’ve ever worked a seasonal job, you know what it is like when the work season is a month or two away and your savings from the previous year are running thin. (It reminds me of all my summers working at an ice cream shop in high school and college.) Getting ready for the Renaissance Faire feels a little like this when I have to start saving more inventory for the faire and less pottery is available online. Around this time of year I like to help you help me with an early bird discount - win win!
Now through July 31st you can save for the NY Renaissance Faire by purchasing an e-gift card for 10% off values of $25 or more! And do you know what the best part is? While everyone else is in line for the ATM, you can shop with me using just your name and I’ll have your credit on file!
Getting a gift card now helps me make it to Ren Faire season and you get to shop at the faire knowing you already got 10% off your pottery!
Want to save even more? Patreon members of The Fan(g) Club or higher get 5% - 15% off all their orders, which will apply on top of the 10% you already saved!
Speaking of Patreon - Three BIG Updates
NEW Membership Mugs
I’m so excited that I finally have the new stamps for Patreon club mugs! If you didn’t know, Patreon members can earn an exclusive member mug over a year, six months, four months, or in as little as two months depending on your tier! YOU get to customize your mug by choosing the mug shape, handle placement, glaze colors, and custom colors for the club crest. Here are some examples from the 2022 crests, and a peek at the new club crest.
Surprises are Coming
Renaissance Faire season means that I am too busy to keep up with the normal exclusive monthly pre-orders for Patreon members, but I will still try to make as many exclusive offers as I can manage. I actually have a deal going on right now, but I wanted to let you know that paying members who are active June through October will get a special pottery gift when the faire is all over! I like to give some pottery away as a thank you for sticking with me during my busy months since I might go a little quiet online.
First Dibs on Puppy Wizards
My Patreon deal going on right now is first dibs on my first two puppy wizards - an extension of the kitty wizards I released last year. All this week, members of The Nest or above can comment their interest to purchase one or both of the sculptures, and on June 9th I will randomly pick a winning buyer for each sculpture. My hope is this method avoids the stress of “first to claim,” and anyone who is interested in buying will get the same chance to purchase. I am also offering payment plans if you’d like to buy in installments. If no one claims a sculpture during this first dibs period, the sculptures may become available online, or they might be saved for the Renaissance Faire.
On Social Media . . .
You may or may not know about Meta’s new claim that content on their platforms can be used to train their AI generative programs. Many artists on my feed are stressing about the implications, and it is just another reminder that we don’t truly own our audiences or work on social media platforms. Whether or not this ultimately sways the majority of users away from Meta platforms, I just wanted to remind you about other ways to keep up with my work.
1.) I am going to start utilizing the free membership aspects of Patreon more. While exclusive behind-the-scenes content will still stay reserved for paying members, I will post anything that would normally go on Instagram for free members on Patreon. You can choose to receive notifications when I post so you never miss a thing.
2.) Fired Figments news right in your inbox! If you’re not already an email list member, now is a great time to join! Email members get to know the exact times of online restocks and occasionally get exclusive discounts during the year.
3.) For something completely different - YouTube! If you didn’t know, I have a growing channel on YouTube with content that is totally different from my other social media platforms. I talk a lot about the aspects of running a pottery business and give you a more in-depth behind-the-scenes looks at my studio. If you are an artist yourself, or someone who likes videos playing in the background of your day, these are great work companions in the studio or while you’re washing the dishes.
Thanks for reading this far! I actually had about 75% of this typed out when I accidentally “discarded” the blog post and could not retrieve it, so I’m a bit wiped from typing it all out again. I really appreciate every form of support for my small business - purchases, shares, comments, and likes all mean a lot in their own way. I hope you are having a great start to summer and we’ll talk again soon!
- Stephanie, Fired Figments
