JUNE 16TH UPDATE:
The package was found after falling off the map for 2-3 months. Relieved. I'm leaving the post here for posterity's sake. Thank you for all your support.
MAY 18TH
I am choking back tears again. Just called the tracking service and the Japan Post says they can't help me because the lost package has entered China; China Post says they haven't received it in their system. Both always telling me to contact the other party and washing their hands of all liability. Sigh. I guess I have to accept that the hand sculpted doll heads I spent months lovingly and painstakingly creating are gone.
Among the lost items were the prototypes for:
New Zen head sculpt (Zendaya)
Updated Lorelei sculpt (Marilyn Monroe)
Beloved grumpy Akech sculpt (African)
Versatile Sura sculpt (African)
Fierce Nsia sculpt (African)
All of Inamorata shoe sculpts (10 pairs)
Neck parts for the S, M and L busts.
With all my African heads lost the backup mini preorder on Saturday 20th will be pale skin tones only (Milk and Latte), featuring the beauty bust (Solid M without neck joints) and the 4 remaining head sculpts: Elizabeth, Shani, Alita and Chie. I've invested everything I have in the casting deposit, so I'm hoping this preorder will at least save me from loosing the money and keep my art alive through this tough time. I'm counting on your help more than ever before. I know your first choice might be gone, and it helps to know that your mourn their loss with me, but I hope you can find a doll you love amongst the remaining alternatives.
One day I will try to recreate the lost ones. Right now it hurts too much. I have some rejected samples and on a odd sense of foreboding I took a quick cast of the Zen and Lorelei faces before sending them off. Now these poor casts look like Roman death masks, but they make it possible to bring these dolls back to life. So maybe next year... When there is life there is hope.
May 7th - PREORDER DELAYED
I am so sorry, but I have some bad news. I have to postpone the preorder and I don't know for how long. Hopefully we can launch in a week or two. Fingers crossed.
So, the issue is that the package that I shipped to the caster weeks ago still hasn't arrived. It contains the prototypes of 5 head sculpts: Zen, Lorelei, Akech, Nsia and Sura; all the shoes and the 2 neck parts I was tweaking. The problem with hand sculpted dolls is that they are unique. Every time I ship the prototype it is the only one of its kind. There are no save points. Can't reprint it.
The package shipped via international express 3 weeks ago, but it got stuck at Shanghai customs. It's there waiting to be processed, but there is "some congestion". If you have read the news about Shanghai lock-down, it's easy to understand why nothing is moving. The package is not lost but until the lock-down is lifted the customs will function at lowered capacity.
I have talked to my caster and agonised over the decision of whether or not I should delay the preorder until the package arrives. I do not want to take your money without knowing when the dolls will be ready. So to be fair, I decided to delay the preorder until my precious prototypes arrive safely to the caster. I hope you understand and think this is the right decision to make. It is the only part of this chaos I can control, and the safest and most honest course of action I can think of under the circumstances.
I will let you know as soon as the package arrives and set up the preorder sale couple days from that so you'll have a bit of advance warning. Or do you prefer the preorder to be the next Saturday from the package's arrival? Let me know.
Please be patience and try not to die out of stress (like me).
Hugs,
Emilia