Trinket #17 - Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe

My family's roots in Richmond go back several years before Edgar Allan Poe created a stir here at the Southern Literary Messenger. Maybe that's why I've always felt a resonance in his work, or maybe it's that we have other things in common since he was also a constantly-struggling creator.

Celebrating Poe's life and accomplishments is still a big deal for me, as well as for this city as a whole. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum hosted a party for the author's 202nd birthday (which is actually January 19th) this past weekend - complete with cake! Though unable to attend the festivities, I still felt the need to show my appreciation, so I turned my attention toward today's trinket.

This pendant was quite a test of technique and patience. I used the theme from today's Motif Monday (cookies and milk) as the jumping-off point of the design. The disk is made from FIMO to look like a Keebler Chocolate Cheesecake cookie that I saw at my mother-in-law's house on Saturday. To pay homage to Mr. Poe, I tried a new toner transfer technique on a picture of a raven in the pendant's light-colored center. It failed fabulously. I ended up baking the FIMO and using some PITT artist pens to hand-draw the raven on the finished clay.

The completed fob measures a hefty 2-inches across and is by far the most detailed and labor-intensive trinket I've made so far this year. The chain on which it hangs is made entirely from wrapped copper wire, amber glass beads, and faceted jet beads. The clasp and jump rings are also homemade.

I think instead of donning a "Thinking Cap" while writing a short story for the upcoming Richmond horror anthology, I'll wear this piece instead.