Latest from the Creator
Critter Valley
7 days ago
Survey Smoke Test, Pre-Order Store, + Discord Server!
🌱 The survey is ready to test! Just before posting this update, I sent out the Smoke Test for surveys!  This test goes...
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Critter Valley
7 days ago
More Plushie Sample Updates! + Survey & Pledge Payment Info
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Critter Valley
15 days ago
Thank You! + New Prototype WIP Photos
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Critter Valley
19 days ago
45 Minutes Left + Plushie Video!
Hello again fellow critters 🐾 We are officially 45 MINUTES away from the end of the campaign! I wanted to sneak in one last update to share a video of me handling ...
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Critter Valley
20 days ago
Pay Over Time Payment Feature Now Enabled
Hey guys! This is a very short yet important update! It turns out the Pay Over Time feature wasn’t enabled like I thought, but it’s now up and ready to go! Let’s quickly c...
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Critter Valley
22 days ago
New Prototype Photos + Cross Collab Reminder!
Hi again so soon! As mentioned and the end of the last update, I have more to share! I couldn't fit it all comfortably into one update, so you're getting spoiled with 2 c...
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PROJECT UPDATE
Critter Valley
CREATOR
1 day ago

Project Update: Survey Smoke Test, Pre-Order Store, + Discord Server!

🌱 The survey is ready to test!
Just before posting this update, I sent out the Smoke Test for surveys! 

This test goes out to a small percentage of backers, so if you received it, please check your email and fill it out. Your quick response and feedback are a huge help in ensuring the survey is ready for everyone else!

If all goes well, the rest of the surveys should go out this Thursday! ⌛

Oh and If you’re part of the smoke test, you’ll get an early peek at Cinder’s sticker design and a brand-new add-on! I’ll be sharing these surprises in the next update when all surveys are sent out, so try to keep them a secret for now! 🤫 

To prepare everyone else, here's a quick Q&A regarding surveys!

🍄
When do I pay for my survey add-ons and shipping?
You’ll be charged for any add-ons and shipping costs after surveys are locked. While we don’t have an exact date yet, surveys are estimated to lock sometime in mid-January. Once the date is set and gets closer, I’ll post regular reminders so you’ll know when your card will be charged.

 🍄  Can I change my selections after I submit my survey?
Yes! You’ll be able to adjust your survey until it locks, which is expected to happen sometime in January. Once the lock date is set and gets closer, I’ll send regular reminders so you can make any final changes.

 🍄  I may be moving soon. Will I be able to change my address?
Yes! Even after the survey locks, you’ll still be able to update your address. You can edit it up until right before the rewards are ready to ship. A few weeks before shipping, I’ll send a reminder to double-check your address to make sure everything’s correct!

 🍄  I'm not sure what items I want yet. Do I need to respond to the survey right away?
The survey will stay open until January 15th, or until all samples are ready, which might take a bit longer. You don't have to make your decision right away! That said, early survey responses help us get a head start on production planning! You’ll still be able to edit your survey until it locks, so you’ll have time to adjust your choices if you're unsure.






🌱 The Pre-Order Store is now open for non-backers!

Missed backing during the campaign? You can now back through the pre-order store!

⚠️ Already a backer? Please wait for your survey to purchase additional items! Using the pre-order store will charge you for shipping twice, and that's no good! 








🌱 We now have a Critterfolk Discord Server!

Ever since Charmsey created a Discord server for Circus Sweeties, I’ve been inspired to make one for Critterfolk too! I’ve spent the past few days putting it together, and it’s finally ready!

The server is now ready for you all to join! I'm so excited to be able to chat more and get to know you all better ❤️

🔗 CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CRITTERFOLK DISCORD SERVER! 🔗

Please Note :
You will have to accept the rules in order to message in the server!


🌱 That's all for now!
If you are having issues with the Smoke Test, please let me know in the comments here, through discord, or through email @ [email protected]!
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PROJECT UPDATE
Critter Valley
CREATOR
7 days ago

Project Update: More Plushie Sample Updates! + Survey & Pledge Payment Info

So sorry for missing yesterday’s update! I wasn’t feeling too well and needed the day to rest. But I have lots of goodies to share with you today!

All samples have been paid for and are in progress with my manufacturer! The designers are really getting the hang of my vision for Critterfolk, so I’m hopeful that all samples will be completed by December 15th. 

🌱 Now onto some Prototype WIPs!

* the above photo samples are provided by our manufacturer


First up is Juniper!
Their face looks SO much better in this sample, and I’m really happy with their look now! We only have one last edit, which is adding back their ear fluff! It will be stylized and appliquéd like Willow’s ear fluff. Once that’s done, I think Juniper will be complete!

* the above photo samples are provided by our manufacturer

Next is Willow!
Her fur colors are PERFECT now! I’m so glad I was able to keep her browns a warmer tone and not have to resort to gray. The only tweak left is to make the blue of her eyes a little lighter. After that, she’ll be finished!

edit: I have heard all your feedback about Willow's muzzle length! I will talk with my manufacturer about whether or not it is possible to shorten it more.

* the above photo samples are provided by our manufacturer


And finally, we have Briar, who is now complete! 🎉
Briar is looking perfect! Please note, their dark fur is tricky to photograph accurately, so I’ll share better, true-to-life photos once I have them. Briar has been the plush to receive the most mixed feedback, so please be kind in your replies! They are just as I envision them, so I'm happy with how they look :')

We're very close to finishing all the plushie samples! We’re just waiting on Cinder’s first prototype, and the other plushies are either done or getting final touches. Clothing prototypes start this week, so I’ll have more updates on those soon!

🌱 Survey Update

Thank you all for waiting so patiently for the surveys! Backerkit recommends creators hold off for at least 14 days after a campaign ends before sending out surveys, so I’ve been following that recommendation.

Otherwise everything is all set up and ready — I’m just waiting for the final all-clear from Backerkit to launch surveys! Since I prefer not to send surveys over the weekend, they’ll go out next week instead! I’ll post an update when the “smoke test” has been sent (this test goes to 5% of backers to gather feedback and make any needed changes to the survey) and again when the survey opens up for everyone.

If you have any questions about the survey, please comment them below! When I announce the survey launch I’ll include an FAQ to help answer common questions — your questions here will be a big help in putting that together! ❤️

🌱 Failed Pledge Payments
A few pledges still need payment! If you haven’t yet completed your pledge payment, please know that your access to the survey won’t be granted until your pledge is paid in full. If you’re having trouble with payment or haven’t been charged yet, you can reach out to [email protected] for assistance. As the creator, I’m not able to access payment methods or manually push charges.

For any other related pledge questions, you can also reach out directly to me at [email protected]!
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PROJECT UPDATE
Critter Valley
CREATOR
15 days ago

Project Update: Thank You! + New Prototype WIP Photos

Hi there!


This is my first check-in since the campaign ended! I took the weekend to celebrate and am back now with a good update!

First, I just want to thank you all so much for the support you showed during the campaign. Critterfolk received way more love than I ever imagined, and I’m so grateful for every bit of it. Since you’ve shared so much with me, I want to return the gesture and share a little about myself and this project with you.

If mental health topics are sensitive for you, please feel free to skip ahead to the mushroom emoji 🍄 below!

My name’s Marlow, the creator behind Critterfolk. Long before Critterfolk , I was a full-time commission artist known as Critter Valley. I spent my days drawing other people’s characters and making works of art for them! It was honestly a dream job, and I absolutely loved doing it for many years, but eventually things started to shift.

Somewhere along the way, drawing got harder to enjoy, to feel inspired, to feel purposeful. I’ve always loved creating, but over time I’d gone from creating for myself to creating solely for others. I pushed myself hard to grow and I did what I’d learned to do to survive. I hosted raffles to boost engagement, tried to say the “right” things in posts, created ads, followed trends, and worked long hours. If something didn’t perform well, I took it really personally. I was extremely self-critical and self-depreciative. Repeatedly, I ended up burned out and battling recurring depressive episodes. Being so involved with how my art was perceived online took everything out of me.

After months of contemplation, I decided I had to step away. And while I’d been through plenty of woes, this really was one of the darkest points in my life. I hit the bottom and let me tell you, that well went so deep. My art and career had become so tied to my identity that, without it, I felt completely lost. I realized I didn’t have other hobbies or interests, barely any friends, and no idea what to do next. I felt heartbroken and truly grieved for myself. Leaving was soul-crushing, but I wanted better for myself. And in truth, I got worse before I got better. I spent over six months in a deep depression.  I was jobless, lacking any motivation, and full of self-loathing during that time. Looking back, I needed time to be sad, hurt, and broken.

I did my best to focus on rebuilding my sense of self. Slowly, I learned how to not push through everything so hard and learned to slow down. Eventually I started a new job, one where I learned so much. I started at a small (but big!) online shop as a fulfillment and shipping assistant. I learned how to pick and pack orders, process preorders (over 10,000 orders and 2,500 preorders!), and later moved into a purchasing role. It was scary at first, but it taught me confidence, and I stopped being so afraid. I stopped being afraid of failing, of losing, and so many things other things that held me back.  Would you believe me if I told you I was too afraid to make simple, animal inspired products because I thought "that's been done too many times already"?
 
Little by little, I started creating again, and somewhere along the way, the Critterfolk were created. At first, I kept them close, sharing them only with my inner circle. I didn’t want anyone’s feedback or expectations to shape them for me. Once I finally felt grounded in their concept, I shared Critterfolk with you all for the first time this summer — and here we are, at the end of this wildly successful campaign! 🎉 

I’m sharing this story because I know some of you might be in a place like I was.
 
It’s amazing to look back now and see how that hard decision led to the extreme happiness, gratitude, and sense of fulfillment that I feel today. Had I not stopped, I would have never gotten here. Letting go let me show up for myself, tackle big fears that one froze me, and find myself again.

If there’s one thing I hope you take from this, it’s this: healing takes time. It might get harder before it gets easier. It can feel like setting a broken bone — painful at first, but necessary to heal. 
Also, you may never feel “ready,” but you’ll know when it’s time.

🍄 Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has been there for me. Thank you to my partner Arin for supporting me these last two years. By handling finances when I was down, to always trying to encourage me and lift me up, you have been just as much a part of my growth as I. Thank you to my friends, who’ve shown me unconditional love and given me the best support, feedback, and advice. Thank you to my online community, who saw Critterfolk’s potential even before I did and pushed me to launch this plush line. And of course, thank you to every one of you here now. You’ve been an huge integral part of this journey, and I’m so grateful for each of you. Thank you. ❤️

---

🌱 Now onto some Prototype WIPs!

First, here's a peek at Rowan and Honey's prototypes!

As a reminder, the first samples are rarely perfect, so they might look a little silly right now. No worries, though! We’ll make improvements and get them looking just right before they’re finalized! I have not edited these images yet.



Rowan is looking so cute already!
His cheeks and tail look so perfectly fluffy and squishable. We still need to tweak his colors and face, but overall he is looking really great!



Honey is almost perfect! While the pink fur makes her look like a cute cotton candy bunny, it just doesn’t quite fit the natural aesthetic. (Sorry to everyone rooting for her to stay pink! 💔) She’ll be a soft cream color instead.

But honestly, I’m so happy with her shape and pattern — it’s looking great! My manufacturer is really getting the feel for Critterfolk’s style, so I’m hopeful we’ll see even faster progress on samples from here!

My last show and tell is a sample of Frasier's Signature Outfit!

Frasier's Outfit contains the Autumn Striped Sweater and Hickory Pants


The lighting in these photos isn’t the best, but I couldn’t wait to share!
Despite that, the colors are looking amazing, and the fit seems pretty good too. I might ask to try out a different fabric but overall I’m really happy with this first look at the clothes!

That's all the prototype updates I have for now! Which clothes or plushie are you most excited to see next?

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 🌱 Surveys are scheduled to go out by November 15th

I have almost completed setting up the survey! I only have a few steps left, so keep a look out for updates regarding it's launch.

 🌱 The Backerkit preorder store will open after the survey launches

I know many creators typically open their preorder before the survey goes out, but I will be waiting until after. This is to avoid any unnecessary complications between backers and preorder store customers!

 🌱  Weekly Update Schedule : Check in's every Wednesday

Just to keep everyone in the loop, I’ve decided to check in every Wednesday until all rewards are fulfilled! Even if there’s nothing big to report, I think it’s important to keep communication open and updates flowing. I'd much rather send too many emails than not enough!

---

Please let me know if you have any more questions!
As always, you can reply to this update or email me at [email protected] for private inquiries! 
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PROJECT UPDATE
Critter Valley
CREATOR
19 days ago

Project Update: 45 Minutes Left + Plushie Video!

Hello again fellow critters 🐾

We are officially 45 MINUTES away from the end of the campaign!


I wanted to sneak in one last update to share a video of me handling the plushies!

I meant to do this much earlier, but I was a little self-conscious about my hands. For years I’ve struggled with chronic nail-biting, so I’ve spent this whole month working on healing my hands just to make this video! 🥺❤️

Here’s a short video of me wiggling them around and showing off more details!
(You will have to open the update on Backerkit to watch the video!) 


Look at their cute little faces! Frasier's little paws! Clover's little dew claws! They are so soft and fun to stim with!

Alright, now this is the final reminder! Now’s your LAST CHANCE to submit or update your pledge before we wrap things up!

Thank you all SO much for your amazing support this past month. I've teared up a few times today because I'm so happy and grateful to have had the chance to share my love with you, and to have you all give back so much more. Thanks for believing in me and my critters! I'll chat with you all again soon ❤️

(By the way, even though the campaign is set to end in 45 minutes, overtime mode is on! Every pledge adds an extra 10 minutes, so let’s keep it going as long as we can! 🎉)
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PROJECT UPDATE
Critter Valley
CREATOR
22 days ago

Project Update: New Prototype Photos + Cross Collab Reminder!

Hi again so soon!

As mentioned and the end of the last update, I have more to share! I couldn't fit it all comfortably into one update, so you're getting spoiled with 2 check-ins tonight ❤️

🌱 Juniper & Willow Prototype WIPs

Photos of some plush prototypes have started to arrive! Let’s take a look at them! 👀

As a reminder, the first samples are rarely perfect, so they might look a little silly right now. No worries, though! We’ll make improvements and get them looking just right before they’re finalized!

First up is one of our most popular critters, Juniper!



Juniper’s color choices turned out perfect on the first try! That’s pretty rare in plush making, so it’s definitely worth celebrating! Their overall body shape looks fantastic too. All the fixes will be super easy, so I’m hopeful we’ll have Juniper completed soon!

Next is our kitty, Willow!

 
Willow is coming along nicely as well! The grey color isn’t quite right, so we’ll switch it to a dark cream/light tan instead. But the brown on her face, arms, and legs is spot on! Her shapes are nearly perfect too, so I’m really happy with how her prototype is looking so far. Just a few tweaks and she’ll be perfect!

And here’s a little update on Frasier!
We decided to change his longer fur to a higher-quality fabric. It’s a small change, but one we really wanted to make!
The new fur is much fluffier and looks more realistic, plus it should have a better feel than the old fur. This new type of fabric will also be used for the rest of the plushies! This change doesn’t affect the short fur used on most of the plush bodies.

Below is a little video from our manufacturer!


That's all the plush updates we have for now! We will check back in again soon when we have more to share ❤️


🍬 Circus Sweeties Collab 🍭

Our cross collab campaign partner, Circus Sweeties, is also in its final 40 hours!
Charmsey is SO close to unlocking her last cookie! It would be so awesome if you could help her reach her last goal too  ❤️



 As a reminder, when you pledge to both of our campaigns, you get a total of 4 FREE stickers!
 


Please check out Circus Sweeties to collect all the treats without any of the tricks this Halloween! 🎃🍬 

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Thank you all for reading! I'll check back in again soon ❤️
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