This campaign is focused on creating a pin for each sub era of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras of our Earth. This is a stretch across 542-62 mya (millions of years ago.)

Each pin corresponds to a specific period, and will come with an info backing card about the chosen species.

Some pins will be community voted either for extra species or colours!

The main funding goal of this campaign is to create the first 4 pins in the series. Here they are!

As you can see, the Devonian period is actually skipped, even though it took quite a bite of space on the timelines. This is because this period is majorily focused on growing the very first plant life, fungus, and early fish and tetrapods. This is also the time where early cephalopods have dominated the seas.

Arthropods such as trilobites have steadily lived during this period too, as well as one particular species called Rhyniognatha, which has had scientists arguing about its taxonomy for ages. The only sources I have found on this species have sporadic reconstructures of its head- and a speculative version in the game Ark Survival. But there's actually very little information whether it was a myriapod, a flying insects, or anything in between. Therefore I am leave this period as bugless, because I am not a scientist.

If any researchers would like to reach out and give me pointers and suggestions, then I absolutely welcome it!

The first 4 pins don't cover all the periods yet, so here are the remaining few!

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Now that all the periods are ready to be unlocked, the TRUE stretch goals are starting. These are the extras that didn't fit into the main campaign, the cool things I would LIKE to make but are not part of the main goal.

Now for some special pins! Some non standard pins... and stuff. These are not a must-make, and more something I would love to try and throw my hand at. If these do not get unlocked, then they might never make an appearance at all.

A set of 5 mini pins!

1 inch in size and made of only antique gold metal with no enamel filling at all. These pins mimic what actual fossils would look and feel like, with the dark bits being recessed metal. I would like to have these on a single pinback, but utalised locking pins to make sure they do not fall off. They would be sold as a set, or perhaps as a blind bag in the future.

SOCKS!!

I have always wanted to make socks. However, as someone who is very particular with fibres, these would be made out of bamboo.

Bamboo fabric is very soft to the touch, and very light. The technique used for them would be jacquard knitting, which unfortunately will have a few loose but interconnected strands on the inside. I have originally wanted to use a technique that would have no loose strands on the inside- however it is a lot more expensive, difficult, and has a higher minimum order quanity that I would have stock of for life. HOWEVER. I have been wearing bamboo socks with this technique for over a year, and have never had any issue with the threads sensory wise, and deem it just invisible enough to the touch that most people won't notice.

Two designs would be available, and this stretch goal would unlock them both as a future add-on and backing tier.

Here are the samples! (They will have a few edits done on them!)

A speciality pin!

Just like in the last campaign, the very last pin to unlock is a massive 3.2 inch pin featuring a Meganeura with stained glass transparent wings and screen print. This design wil have polls attached to it so that you can choose the perfect whombo combo of colours.

Mini Pins will be available both individually and in a set!

A special little goal to match with the mini set, a mini Hallucigenia if we reach 200 backers! That's super doable right? ;D

I am happy to say that I will be partnering with Extrashvaganza from Annadrawsstuff!

We are both EU creators who want to show the love towards creatures who deserve to be shown in a light full of love.

Together we are creating two enamel pins that are part of one whole silly scene.

My design is the little Trash Bug, which is known as a species of lacewing larvae which gather trash and debris from it's surroundings to stick onto its back and confused predators and blend in with the surrounding area. Lacewings have been around the prehistoric era, and who could say if this behaviour hasn't stuck around for the past millions of years.

To get these two pins you will have to back BOTH OF OUR PROJECTS.

Backerkit is starting a very cool new initiative as well. Much like the previous Oddities & Obscura mini collaboration project I had with my last crowdfunder, Animal Akademia works much the same.

There is several projects under the same theme that unites us all. BACK 3 OR MORE OF THESE PROJECTS WITHIN THE ANIMAL AKADEMIA BANNER and earn yourself a freebie from each of the ones you back. Pretty cool right?!

This is the freebie pin you can earn from me:

Check out the other participants by clicking here or on the banner:

Each backer will receive a big ole sticker!

If you pledge in the first 48 hours, you will receive an Opabinia sticker too!

If you've pledged to my previous campaign, 7 Sinful Bugs, you will be eligible to receive to this cool wood engraved charm as well~

AND... If we reach over €2500 in funding, a second freebie will unlock for ALL backers!

And to top it off, if you spend over €45 on ANY of the items in the campaign, you will receive a freebie rubber charm of the Manipulator! Alternatively, it is €10 as an add-on!

General Wikipedia articles on each species were used for majority of research, linked below are individual papers I have also used as references material.