comment: >
  
  It's not really too bad, takes some basic circuit knowledge, soldering skills, and beyond that not much else. You don't need to do programming to make and flash a keymap for qmk. Check out some build videos in YouTube, I'm sure that anyone with a couple days worth of time and effort could learn the necessary skills. It's not necessarily simple, but it's definitely learnable.
context: Looks great! Can the Pi Pico run something like qmk? Or is it custom programmed? >
  
  It can run QMK or even KMK which is written in CircuitPython and can be modified by editing a text file in a virtual drive from the pi. Really nifty.
  Edit: link www.kmkfw.io >
  
  Very cool, thanks! >
  
  A little numpad for my nephew I designed and printed. It is using some keycaps from a previous build and Novelkeys BOX Jade Clickys. 
  His name is printed on the underside. He was very happy to receive this gift. >
  
  Are the switches not on a PCB? I can't seem to understand how this is done, what are the switches attached to? >
  
  I think they're slotted into a 3d printed plate and the connections are hand-soldered wires. OP has hidden the wires underneath the plate as you could see a Philips screw head at the top left corner. >
  
  I don't know what I could use it for but it's way past cute!!! >
  
  He calls it a macropad so I'm assuming gaming macros. >
  
  it's amazing! would u share a guide on how to do one like this? >
  
  Go check out Joe_Scotto on YouTube! He has multiple guides on how to build a handwired board. That is where I learned! It was a little bit daunting at first but it all makes perfect sense after you watch some videos. 
  It is definitely a fun challenge and not so difficult as it might seem! :) >
  
  Hey it's me, your other nephew. I would like the same gift, thank you. >
  
  Sorry if i am uninformed but it seemed so logical to need at least 1 pin (of the controller) per keys can someone explain why this is not the case (or why it isn’t necessary at all) >
  
  If you wire it in a matrix like this then you'd get 12 unique connections at each of the crossings to differentiate the keys. >
  
  This was exactly how I wired it up :) >
  
  I did something similar this weekend too, have wired an rp2040-zero to a 3D printed 3x3 layout keyboard.
  Yours looks much neater though. >
  
  I’ve always been fascinated with handwiring a keeb. Looks complicated though.