My Story

Where it all began

My journey into the world of 3D printing began in a way I never could have imagined. On Mother's Day of 2024, my son gave me a few 3D printed creatures that he got from a local shop—and I immediately fell in love with them. Before long, those little creatures turned into many, and I found myself discovering and purchasing from 3D printing shops all over TikTok.

What started as collecting quickly became something even more fun. I began making silly unboxing videos, tagging the shops and sharing their creations with others. I made friends throughout the 3D printing community and became especially known for my videos of Kaida dragons dancing. I loved the creatures, the community, and most of all, making people smile.

One Printer Changed Everything

By the fall of 2024, a friend I met through the 3D community on TikTok encouraged me to try 3D printing for myself. She convinced me to purchase my very first Bambu A1, and I had no idea at the time just how much that one printer would change my life.

I began printing creatures of my own and incorporating them into my videos while still supporting many of the shops I had grown to love. Eventually, my friend told me she thought I would be good at running my own shop. I already loved the community, loved the creatures, and apparently had the personality for live selling—so I decided to take a chance.

DancingKaidas3D

I purchased two more printers and created a new account called DancingKaidas3D, inspired by the dancing Kaida videos people already knew me for. On August 15, 2024, my tiny 3D printing shop officially began.

At first, I printed designs from artists whose commercial memberships allowed me to sell their creations. Slowly the shop grew, friendships formed, and what had started as a fun little side adventure began becoming something much bigger.

Our First Exclusives

Then came a turning point. I worked with a designer to create a creature exclusively for my shop: The Windrunner. The response was incredible. We created so many different Windrunners that we began giving individual ones their own names. Everyone had to have all of them added to their collections!

Not long after, my husband created his very first model for the shop—The Dunerunner—and it became another success. By late spring of 2025, the path forward had become clear. My customers were falling in love with our exclusive creatures, and those designs were quickly becoming the heart of the shop.

GaleForge3D Is Born

On July 22, 2025, I formed my LLC and GaleForge3D was born. Gale comes from my family name, while Forge represents what I wanted the business to become—a place where imagination could be shaped, created, and brought to life.

At the time, I was still working a full-time job while running GaleForge3D during my evenings and free time. My dream was to grow the Forge enough that I could eventually make it my full-time career. But that dream was about more than simply running my own business. I wanted the freedom to build something I loved while also being present for my autistic son and giving him the support, time, and consistency he needs as he grows.

My plan was to make that leap sometime in 2026.

Life had other plans.

Taking the Leap

By early fall of 2025, circumstances at my full-time job changed, and I found myself standing at a crossroads. Instead of waiting for the "perfect" time, I decided to take the leap.

On September 24, 2025, I returned my work equipment, said goodbye to that chapter of my life, and walked into GaleForge3D full time.

What had begun as something I did after work was now my future.

Building the Forge

Once GaleForge3D became my full-time adventure, it quickly became clear that we were outgrowing the small space where it had all begun. More creatures meant more printers, more supplies, more orders—and definitely more room.

So we began transforming a large unfinished space in our basement into something I had only imagined having when I purchased that very first printer: a dedicated home for the Forge.

Little by little, walls went up, workspaces took shape, printers moved in, and the room began filling with the familiar hum of creatures being brought to life. What started with a single Bambu A1 had grown into an entire production space built around the little business that had somehow become my full-time dream.

It wasn't just a bigger room. It was the moment GaleForge3D finally began to feel like a true Forge.

Welcome to the Forge

This is where the GaleForge3D Realm comes to life. Today, the Forge is home to 36 printers, working together to turn digital designs into the colorful creatures you see throughout the Realm. On printing days, the room is filled with the constant hum of machines, rows of filament, and creatures slowly appearing layer by layer.

But printing is only part of what happens here. This space is where colors are planned, prints are inspected, glass eyes and finishing details are added, orders are prepared, and each new creature gets ready for the journey to its forever home.

Seeing all so many printers lined up and running still feels a little surreal. This isn't just where GaleForge3D creatures are made—it's the heart of the Forge.

Behind the Forge

While I run the majority of GaleForge3D day to day, there are two very important people behind the scenes who have become part of this adventure with me—my husband and our son.

My husband Ron has become our unofficial IT department, printer mechanic, live-table helper, and fellow creator. He keeps the printers running, helps with new models, and somehow manages to keep up with the endless stream of ideas I bring his way.

Our son Colton has his own special place in the Forge, too. He loves coming up with ideas for new creatures and especially enjoys helping us pack orders for their journeys to new homes. Some of the creatures in the Realm have even been inspired by the things he loves, making his imagination a little part of GaleForge3D as well.

Lord of the Chair 👑🐾

No story about GaleForge3D would be complete without mentioning His Majesty, Lord of the Chair, Monarch of the Treats, Binx—our Maine Coon and unofficial mascot of the Forge. Somewhere along the way, Binx became just as familiar to our community as the creatures themselves, regularly making appearances and earning a loyal following of his own.

Whether he's supervising from his throne, investigating the newest creatures to leave the printers, or simply reminding everyone who's really in charge, His Majesty has been a constant presence throughout this journey.

These days, his royal duties also include silently training his apprentice, Sultan Tazzy, Prince of the Fluff, in the ancient and highly respected arts of causing chaos, demanding treats, and supervising the Forge. Under Binx's careful guidance, Tazzy is well on his way to becoming a master of chaos himself—and perhaps, one day, worthy of a throne of his own.

Together, they make sure no box goes uninspected, no chair goes unclaimed, and no day at GaleForge3D is ever too peaceful. 👑🐾

More Than a Business

When I look back at where this story began, it's hard to believe that getting a few little 3D printed creatures on Mother's Day could lead here.

GaleForge3D has become so much more to me than a business. It's a place where I get to take the creatures that once existed only in our imaginations and bring them into the real world. Every new design begins as an idea and eventually becomes something I can hold in my hands—and then send off for someone else to love.

There are long days, late nights, countless glass eyes, boxes to pack, printers to keep running, and always another creature waiting to be brought to life. It's a tremendous amount of work, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Because perhaps the most special part of all is knowing that somewhere, someone is opening a GaleForge3D box and experiencing a little bit of the same happiness and wonder that I felt when I opened my very first 3D printed creature.

And that is what I hope to keep forging for many years to come. ❤️