Revolución II: Handcrafted writing tools for revolutionaries
Created by Chad Schumacher
A pen/pencil set handmade with wood stolen during a revolution, paired with a limited edition make/100 journal and pen case.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Touching Base
about 4 years ago
– Sat, Apr 25, 2020 at 12:32:06 PM
Hey folks,
All is well here at the Allegory home-base. We've adjusted to the new normal and are getting back into a comfortable rhythm of work and daily life. We hope things in your homes and workplaces are settling in as well.
We've made some good progress on production for this project in the last week, and the first rewards shipped last weekend. This batch was orders with just the Revolución Notebook (no pens). The next batch to ship will be the Revolución Pen Sets. Backers in this tier should expect seeing shipping notifications by the end of this coming week.
Our next batches will the Revolución Pen Set & Journals. These guys take quite a lot of laser time to engrave the map and the custom numbers and quotes so, although many of the components for these rewards are already in progress, we don't expect to be wrapping up these orders until May.
We've been lucky so far to have very few delays in any of our production related to sourcing supplies and materials. However, we've run into an issue with our Moleskine notebook supplier. The Moleskine notebooks we ordered at the end of February are still back-ordered and don't have an estimated ship date yet. We'll keep you all posted as soon as we hear anything back from them about a definite ship date for notebooks, but it's likely that rewards with the Moleskine size notebook will be the last batch to ship. I'm sorry about that guys!
Thank you all for your support and patience with our team as we have adjusted to this new normal. We hope you and your families are doing well, too.
All the best,
Jess & Chad
Update
about 4 years ago
– Tue, Mar 24, 2020 at 03:29:59 PM
Production Update:
Before schools closed in Illinois last week we were rockin' and rollin' on this project. We took last week to re-balance to the new normal and will be getting back to work on your rewards at the end of this week. Shipping by the end of April is still possible. We'll keep you posted as we have a more firm timeline. A lot will depend on whether or not we can have any staff working with us in our shop or whether it will be just me and Chad! :)
Other Ramblings:
Feel free to stop reading here if you are busy or just done with the COVID-19 talk! We get it! But, last week we were asked for an update by one of you. Not about production, but about us. About our family. It stopped us in our tracks. Rather than checking on production timelines, they asked about us, about our family (we've discussed family health challenges in the past as they have impacted our fulfillment timelines). We set out to create products with deeper meaning. We never could have imagined that would end up with hundreds of customers, once strangers, feeling like family. And we are so thankful. Especially at times like this. So thank you, thank you.
I'll share an update below (with more detail than you probably need - HA!), and please know we'd love to hear from you during this time. And that's not a joke or marketing copy. We're likely entering a phase where human connection is scarce. We (Chad and Jess) would love to take this opportunity to connect with you more deeply. Tell us how you and your family are dealing with this crisis, just so you can tell someone. Share your story - tell us how you found us and why this brand we've created matters to you. Just talk. We're all carrying so much extra around inside us right now, it's important to let it out. Plus I'm an extrovert in quarantine - so... let's talk before I chew a hole in a wall of my house.
Our Family
In some ways we're very fortunate. Jess and I live outside of Chicago in a house we purchased from a car collector. His 14 car storage building has become Allegory's workshop, so no matter what lies ahead we can stay productive while isolating our family as much as necessary. We're also experienced homeschoolers, although both boys (Liam, 8 and Griffin, 3) were in school this year - we had just done a year of homeschool with both of them. In those respects we're dealing with less change than most. And while we've had to shift some projects around, and be more frugal than usual, it looks like Allegory will continue to meet our needs for at least the next few months.
Our biggest challenge comes with both of us being only children with elderly parents to care for. We live in the same neighborhood with them, and this was by design to allow them to live independently for as long as possible. My father has had recent health complications, and my mother has been struggling with memory issues we thought were from medication. But a few weeks ago, when Covid-19 was still lingering on the horizon, we got news on the same day that dad would need open heart surgery, and mom received a formal dementia diagnosis. This took our breath away. And it certainly hasn't gotten any easier.
In order to protect them we are all in extreme isolation mode right now. Even from each others households. Our intention is to stay that way for two weeks to ensure that we haven't picked up the virus before quarantining ourselves, and then we will resume contact with each other while staying cut off from the rest of the world except to get supplies. Dad's heart procedure has been delayed, and with his heart in it's current state we have to assume this virus is likely deadly for him. Mom is pretty great physical health for a 70+ year old, as are Jess's mom and stepdad. But it's still risky for them as you all know. If you're a praying person, we'd love some.
Our Business Outlook
As I shared above, we're still able to be pretty productive amidst this crisis. Without our usual part time staff (due to quarantine) or grandparents to babysit, Jess and I are playing "zone defense" with one of us in the house with the kids and the other in the shop moving projects forward. We might need some extra time to fulfill our recent Kickstarter, but otherwise things are on track. We're adjusting to the new environment and economy in a few ways:
We're focusing on journaling, and its mental health benefits, for awhile. I've adopted a daily journaling practice in the last few months and will share some of the approach I'm using with all of you in the hopes that our products can help folks stay sane if we end up couped up for awhile. Expect some content about that in the next couple weeks.
Our next Kickstarter launch was specifically for mobile and traveling workers. So we're going to hold off on that, and we're very open to ideas you might have about what you want you would like to see from us next.
We're exploring the the idea of creating a new brand that would allow folks to build a custom subscription box of handcrafted bath products (hair, skin, and body care). We'd love your feedback or thoughts: here is our perspective on this new idea. So far it's just an idea but if many of you like it that will certainly encourage us to make it happen faster.
We have lots of great relationships with artisanal producers in this space, and we're confident we can create an excellent ordering/shipping experience.
We think our recent situation has exposed some weaknesses in the retail supply chain model, and this sort of subscription is a great answer to that. It's a way to know you'll have what you need without the need to hoard or stockpile.
In addition to the security of not running out of things, we want to continue to support people who want to make investments in themselves. Our morning routines are a great opportunity for that. Small habits of self care are more important now than ever.
We believe he future is still very bright, even if there are rough times ahead. We have faith that we will get through it all together. And we're so thankful to have you on that journey with us. That itself means more than all the pens and paper and business growth and whatever else put together.
All the best for you and yours,
Chad & Jess
Production Update
about 4 years ago
– Tue, Mar 03, 2020 at 07:30:45 PM
Thank you for getting your surveys turned around quickly you guys! We were able to get all our ordering done today and even get started a bit on production! Wooohooo!!
200 Cuban Mahogany inlays broken down and ready to be made into pens.
Important Notes About the Survey
about 4 years ago
– Tue, Feb 25, 2020 at 06:48:15 PM
Hi all,
The survey is coming soon! We have to wait until we have the majority of surveys back before we jump into production because we need counts on the various styles and options before we can order supplies from our vendors. So...the sooner we have surveys back, the sooner we can start working on your rewards!
For backers who ordered journal, we have a couple notes to help you answer more quickly. Also, just a quick reminder that only the make/100 version of the Revolución Journal's have the map engraving on the inside cover.
Pocket Choice
2-pen case closure
The pen case closure option holds two pens and keeps the hardware protected from any scratching.
Zipper pocket closure
The zipper pouch closure option can hold anything you need!
Important note: Your cover will be sized specifically for the notebook of your choosing. It will not be interchangeable between the three notebook options.
Thanks everyone for participating in the project. We're looking forward to getting surveys in and getting these rewards out to you. If you have any questions, please shoot me a message at [email protected].
All the best!
Jess
A Huge Thank You & Next Steps
about 4 years ago
– Fri, Feb 14, 2020 at 11:16:49 PM
Hi all!
Thank you for being part of this project! We just wanted to put together a quick outline of the next steps for any folks new to Allegory or Kickstarter.
What's Next
February 14-28 (the next two weeks): Kickstarter processes all the payments and transfers the project funding to us on February 28. During this time we will be working on preparing the post-project survey. We use BackerKit for the surveys so keep an eye out for the link to the survey from them. We'll also update the project here when we send the surveys so you can be sure to track down your link. In the survey you will select two types of pens you would like from the three options (ballpoint, pencil, or fountain pen), colorways and notebook sizing for your leather item(s), let us know any customization, give us your shipping information, and be able to add-on any additional items, including just about anything we make at special Kickstarter pricing.
March 1 - 15: We will be collecting survey responses and placing orders with our vendors. The more quickly you can get your surveys back to us, the better. It will let us get orders placed ASAP. We need the majority of the surveys back before we can place our orders and have a good estimate of the various finish and color break-downs.
March 15 - end of April: We'll be making and shipping rewards in small-batches. We'll post an update here when each batch ships so you know when to keep an eye on the mail! You'll also receive a shipping confirmation with tracking when your specific reward ships. As we mentioned in the project, our standard shipping is USPS. If this is a problem for you please shoot Jess a message at [email protected] so we can arrange an alternate shipping method (additional shipping fees may apply).
Sound good? Any questions, let us know. You can reach us here on Kickstarter or at [email protected]. :)
