Friends, today I visited my local post office, and unfortunately, I’m bringing you some bad news.

Starting January 1, 2026 — and this change is now in effect worldwide — the option to send goods using International Registered Mail has been completely discontinued. I previously used this service to ship parcels up to 1 kilogram. It was flexible, reasonably priced, and allowed me to adjust shipping costs based on the size and weight of each package.

That option is now gone.

From now on, I can only use International Priority Parcel, where the price is fixed for any shipment up to one kilogram — whether you purchase one small countryball or two large ones. Other services exist, such as EMS, but they are even more expensive.

The biggest price increase affects shipments sent outside of Europe, where postal costs have jumped significantly.

What makes this even more painful is that today I already shipped orders that were placed before January 1, but had to send them under the new rates — absorbing substantial losses due to the sudden change in conditions.

Because of this, I have no choice but to completely revise my shipping price policy and synchronize it with the new global postal rules. I fully understand that this may discourage some buyers, and I genuinely hate that. Unfortunately, this situation is entirely out of my control.

Friends, unfortunately, the New Year brings not only joy, but also news that will probably make you angry and frustrated — and it’s not just us, it’s happening all over the world. Starting January 1, 2026, postal operators everywhere have decided to kill the option to send packages abroad via International Registered Mail with direct-to-hand delivery. Now, the only thing left for cheap shipments is Ordinary Mail — $1–3 cheaper, without any tracking, basically a useless service from a useless system.

So here we all are, facing the same brilliant choice: stick with low-quality Ordinary Mail, which costs almost the same as the old Registered Mail, or pay 100–150% more for International Priority Parcel — only to get the same level of service, but with a fancier price tag.

In short, if your business took losses last year because of customs wars, now the global postal machine delivers another blow — everywhere, not just here — from operators that care a lot about taking money and absolutely zero about responsibility.

Kazakhstan Brick proudly declares: Visit Kazakhstan. Drink kumys. Experience true Steppe hospitality.😊😊

n.

We are currently experiencing short periods of slow performance caused by disk stalls on our hosting provider’s side.
This issue is not related to our website or infrastructure — it is a problem with the VPS node managed by the provider.
We are working with them to have it resolved as soon as possible.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Updating for 2025

As in previous years, the shipping conditions and speed haven’t changed. The earlier you order your Christmas gifts, the higher the chance they will be delivered on time.

Dear friends, the pre-Christmas shopping season is approaching. In the upcoming months, from mid-October to early December, there is always an avalanche of parcels being sent around the world. Therefore, I would like to advise you that if you wish to receive your countryballs before Christmas, it’s best to make your purchases as early as possible, preferably by mid-October. For purchases made after mid-October and destined for locations outside the European Union, it’s highly unlikely that they will be delivered before Christmas, based on my past experiences.

Before making a purchase, please consider the time required for processing and manufacturing your order. Due to the large number of orders in the queue, the current processing time is approximately 4 weeks.

If you would like to calculate the estimated delivery time before making a purchase, please don’t hesitate to contact me

This information concerns parcel shipping to the United States of America.
Due to the recent cancellation of the duty-free de minimis policy for goods coming from Europe, my country’s postal operator has introduced strict limits on both the size and declared customs value of packages.

Because of that, I’ve had to temporarily limit the maximum number of toys per order — up to two large countryballs or three small ones per shipment.

This restriction will be lifted as soon as the postal operator clarifies the situation and resumes normal parcel acceptance for the U.S.

Thank you for your understanding and patience — I really appreciate your support! ❤️

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share news about an incredibly interesting project  Q-Tarot my husband was recently invited to collaborate on.

These images were created by the Q-Tarot team, inspired by their own ideas.

This is a unique case where deep technology meets an ancient symbolic system. The project team set an ambitious goal: to create a Tarot platform where interpretations are based not on mysticism, but on the intersection of probability theory, quantum physics, and a finely-tuned Artificial Intelligence.

He was brought into this collaboration to lead the technical side developing the complex logic and training the neural network.

Hey everyone,

And that’s a wrap! Our big August relaunch experiment has officially come to a close, and first things first: thank you, truly, to everyone who jumped in, shared the project, and sent good vibes.

So, let’s talk numbers. Our collective goal was to hit 35 orders to give the workshop a full-scale relaunch. We didn’t quite get there, landing at a final count of 24 orders.

And while we fell short of that 35-order goal, I want to be crystal clear about something. That number was a target, but your support is what truly matters. That’s why, even though we didn’t hit the goal, I am 100% committed to making every single one of those 24 orders for you. No matter what. Your trust is the only “green light” I need.

As promised, I’ll be crafting them with love through September, and they will all be shipped out during October.

So, What’s Next? A New, More Personal Workshop.

Starting September 1st, the shop is shifting gears into a “hibernation mode.” All toys will be listed as “Out of Stock.”

This doesn’t mean it’s over! It just means we’re moving to a one-on-one model. From now on, if you want to order a toy, you’ll just need to contact me directly first. We’ll chat about the timeline and details, and once we’re on the same page, I’ll make the item available for you to purchase.

To the 24 of you who placed an order: thank you. You didn’t just buy a toy; you kickstarted this new chapter. I can’t wait to get these into your hands.

With huge thanks,

Your friend,
Anna

People sometimes ask me, “How do you manage everything? Making orders, shipping packages… and who takes care of your website and all the tech stuff?”

Well, with a smile I always say: my husband does.

He’s been there since the very beginning of ANNA FORTUNE, back when we were sewing our first countryballs by hand. While I was sketching designs, he was building the infrastructure behind the scenes — writing code for custom patterns, creating and maintaining the website, solving tech issues… and yes, even dealing with a few cyberattacks. (It got wild sometimes.)

Since then, we’ve been working side by side — each of us in our own zone, doing what we do best.

Our website has been up and running for many years now — and honestly, it’s ready for a serious upgrade. Right now, my husband is working on a completely new version. It might be built on Shopify, or maybe he’ll go full custom with a fresh WordPress from scratch. He hasn’t decided yet — because he’s not just about “making a website.” He’s about creating an experience.

But beyond helping me, he’s also been building his own project — Vibe Coding Flow

Check out his blog — it’s a space where he shares coding insights, talks tech, and… unexpectedly writes philosophical reflections.
Yep — he’s not just a coder, he’s someone who stops to ask why it all matters — in the bigger picture of life, time, and everything in between.

So if you’re curious how someone who quietly supports my creative journey ended up writing software and existential essays — take a look at his site.

There’s a real vibe there. 😊

Hey everyone, it’s Anna.

Years ago, in my small workshop, I designed and sewed the very first plush countryball in the world. It was a true passion project, and after reading so many of your letters, I knew I had to return to that original, authentic spirit of creation.

Today, I’m inviting you to join me in a big experiment to bring the workshop back to life on completely new terms.

The Workshop is Reopening! (But It’s Not Just a Shop)

Starting this Friday, August 1st, I’m opening the doors for orders. This isn’t a typical sale; it’s a collective project—our first campaign—that will determine the future of the workshop.

Here’s the plan. Please read it carefully:

• The Pre-Order Window: The shop will be open for pre-orders for one month only, from August 1st to September 1st, 2025.
• Our Collective Goal: To make the workshop’s relaunch possible, we need to hit a minimum goal of 35 total orders. This is the “green light” that brings this project to life.
• Progress Updates: I’ll post a weekly update on the site’s header (X/35) so we can all track our progress!
• Production & Shipping: If we hit our goal, I will close the shop on September 1st and dedicate the entire month to lovingly crafting every single ball. Shipping for all orders will begin in early October 2025.

Yes, this means the wait will be longer. But it also means your order isn’t just a purchase—it’s a vote of confidence. It’s the literal fuel that will bring this project back to life.

What Can You Order?

I’ve set up three tiers of creation for you to choose from:

• The Classic Edition: The warm, handcrafted ball you know and love. The perfect way to support the project and get a piece of its history.
• The Collector’s Edition: An artifact featuring my personal signature on the tag, plus your own unique name or phrase, which we’ll discuss personally via email after your order.
• The Legacy NFT Edition: The ultimate package, including all the benefits of the Collector’s Edition, plus a permanent digital NFT passport to certify your ownership on the blockchain forever.

You can find all the details and pricing on the product pages in the shop. Please also take a moment to read the full Terms & Conditions for our campaign, which details the entire process.

Thank you for your incredible patience and belief. This is more than a sale; it’s an invitation to write a new chapter together.

The doors open on August 1st. Let’s bring the legend home.

With excitement and hope,

Your friend,

Anna.