Hey there, everyone.

I know I said I probably wouldn't have an update this week, but it's Friday, I'm sitting in a coffee shop working on prep lists for both VoltCon and the Artist and Author's Fair, and I got inspired to write something more than a list.

So, here we are.

As I said last week, new products are on hold until after VoltCon. I know I have some display racks that need to be reprinted, so they are taking priority. Even after the con, though, I want to focus on holiday items for the show in Anderson. Besides, I've already listed a ton of items in the shop, 69 physical products according to the main page (nice). I have enough there, so I do need to pause, focus on the shows, and then focus on some of the more time-consuming aspects of what I want to do with Troxell's Trading Post. Things like figuring out 3D design so I can get some ideas out of my head and onto the printer. I also need to get my leathercraft gear out and start using it again. I've been intending to use that skill to enhance some of the 3D prints, and make some simple items like dice trays as I practice and get better at making items again. I've got so many patterns of things I think people would like that I've purchased, I can't even remember what all they are!

So, I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but the goal of Troxell's Trading Post has never really been to have a huge inventory of items. This is a "hobby" business, with the kiddo and I making and selling items we think are neat, with a portion of the profits going to pay down the $20K in debt accrued in the process of getting custody of the kiddo, because he wasn't in the best of situations. We will never be able to compete with those 3D Print Farms who have ten, twenty, thirty machines constantly printing out dice towers and all that. Instead, we want to focus on things that we think are cool. Unfortunately, the people I license files from are constantly coming out with cool stuff, which is why we're now drowning in dice towers!

Anyway, thoughts get away from you when you're putting pen to paper. The point is, we need to focus again. Instead of printing things we think look cool using pretty filaments, we need to slow down a bit. I need to get Kat to spend less time on Roblox, and spend more time creating and working on projects I know he enjoys. I need to spend more time learning programs that will allow me to make these awesome things in my brain. I need to spend more time enhancing prints with paint, cloth, cork and leather to make them unique. I need to spend time in the workshop, building nice replicas that someone would want to have on their shelf, or part of their cosplay.

Troxell's Trading Post has never had the goal of being a replacement for a full-time job. As I said earlier, it's more of a hobby gig. We're paying down debt, and maybe getting Kat a new Monster High doll or two to restore. We just want to make cool stuff for people to enjoy. We want to make the experience as pleasant and stress-free as possible. We want people to smile when the package arrives and they open it. Finally, we want people to feel comfortable reaching out if there are any issues with their order.

If you've read this far, thank you. We really appreciate every one of you who stop by, read our words, and brows our products. We hope you find something you like in our shop, and no matter what, we hope you're hanging in there. The world really sucks out there. We're hoping we can make it suck just ta little bit less.

Take good care of yourselves, and your loved ones.

Tony Troxell

Owner, Troxell's Trading Post

October 6th, 2025.