Fashion plate

With only a few weeks left until International Steampunk City Waltham, I've been busy making costumes. I have something I could wear in a pinch, but hubby had nothing at all, so I got his ensemble together first.

For his waistcoat I used Simplicity pattern 2895. The welted pockets nearly ground the whole project to a halt, but once I worked through that little problem, the rest was a breeze.

The gun is a repainted toy store find (see before and after pics), and the holster is my own design, made from scrap leather from the upholstery shop at work. It hangs on a belt and also fastens around the thigh. The wing embellishment is borrowed from our own jolly roger design. 

Fall Craftastic

I've been a crafting machine the past two months. My creations include:

My niece's Halloween costume. A friend picked up hairclip Minnie ears in Disney World, and so the costume was inspired. The dress is Simplicity pattern 2460 and the bloomers are Simplicity 7189.

A bubble paint batter bowl I made at Clay Dreaming's paint your own pottery studio. I had a terrific time there, and I'm seriously considering taking their introductory throwing class in the near future. (Like I need another hobby, I know.)

Our Renaissance Faire costumes. My dress is Mccall's pattern M6097 and the french hood from Simplicity 2589. My capelet was my own design. Dan's coat I made several years ago for another costume, but it worked wonderfully for his plague doctor outfit. It was made with Rocking Horse Farms men's coachman coat pattern from Smoke and Fire Company. Dan's mask is my design, inspired both by historic references and recent video games.

Craftster steampunk swap items. I ended up swapping with another partner after my first one. The faux leather hip bag is a modified version of Matt's Map Bag from One Yard Wonders. I added waist and leg straps of my own design to make it perfect for my partner's steampunk courier character. I also made a magic braid bracelet, ballet style slippers, and a steamy necklace for her.

Airships and lace

I recently partook of a Steampunk themed swap on Craftster, and made some things that I really loved and gave away with much difficulty. This was my favorite.

My partner requested a messenger bag, and one of her favorite steampunk genres is air pirates. It's made of unbleached cotton duck and faux leather, and used this Simplicity pattern. For the blue design I used a piece of lace as a stencil and sprayed the fabric with Simply Spray fabric paint. The technique worked beautifully, and I love the result.  The airship lithographs I found as copyright free images here and here, then printed them onto fabric transfer paper. The key and lockset I got at scrapbooking store, they are Tim Holtz Idealogy findings. I really enjoyed making and embellishing the bag, and I'm in need a of new one myself, so I may be making another one soon!

Steampunk sparklies

I recently participated in the Steampunk charm swap on Craftster. 



I made charms for six partners in our group, The Coopered Lushingtons. The bottlecap charms are painted with oxidizing metallic paint and filled with resin and watch parts. The blue teardrop and the amber oval piece are resin colored with transparent pigments, and the two opaque gold teardrops are resin mixed with gold mica powder. It was my first time working with resin; it was fun and fairly easy to work with and I love the results. I'll definitely be using it again.

See all the swappers' creations at the Steampunk charm swap gallery, here.

Airship Pirates!

When we bought our house last year, the previous owner had a flagpole attached to the side of the house. I never noticed the flag when we went to the first showing, but Dan did. He started talking about getting a pirate flag to hang there, even before we owned the house.

Once we moved in and finished unpacking, we started shopping for a pirate flag. We wanted something different from the typical Jolly Roger, nothing too "Pirates of the Caribbean" looking. We searched the internet and couldn't find anything we liked. As lovers of Steampunk aesthetic, we decided to design a flag that airship pirates might fly. We designed it in one night, but the flag stayed a sketch for many months while I finished up other projects and looked for local help with flag-making.

I stopped in to Sew Creative in Beverly looking for resources, and the owner suggested I contact a woman who used to teach a flag-making class there, Carol.

Carol and I emailed back and forth over the winter months, and finally in March we met up at the Sunday Sew-in at Bernina Design Workshop in Topsfield.

There, in the span of an afternoon, Carol taught me how to construct my own custom Jolly Roger.

I also met some other amazing sewing enthusiasts and artists. BDW has a wonderful little community of people who frequent there. I was back again this month for another Sunday Sew-in, but that's story of another project for a later time. 

Now our airship pirate flag is on display. It took me almost a year, from idea to completion, but I'm really happy I saw it though. Dan and I are both thrilled with the result. 

Doin's

What I've been up to so far this February:

Got the Urban Bone Crusher and its sign hung. Used a coworker's suggestion (thanks, Sam!) and attached the machete to the wall with magnets for quick access in case of apocalypse.

Very nearly done crocheting the Icelandic Turtleneck from Crochet Me, which I started in October 2007. Only a few more inches on the second sleeve and sewing up ends to finish. That's right, Mary, you may get your sweater before it's too warm to wear it!

Also working on a little mural for the Steampunk Library. I'll be painting the right wall Voodoo like the rest of the room, and gears will transition the purple library color into the cream color of the stairwell. So far I've just gridded out and started transferring my design onto the wall. Stay tuned for more progress pictures!

Next tour starts in 5 minutes

We had a housewarming party this weekend, an open house all afternoon and evening. Somehow our guests managed to show up at pretty regular intervals throughout the party, so we were running house tours every fifteen minutes. The highlight of the tour, at least in my opinion, was the library.

Yes, the Steampunk Library! It's in its infancy now, there are a few more elements I definitely want, and of course I would love suggestions to increase the steaminess. Obviously missing is a window treatment. I'd also like a reading lamp and a footstool. We also own several antique reproduction maps that have yet to make it on the walls.

The wallspace next to the tall bookshelf is reserved for some form of loft access. We're thinking a library ladder, if anyone knows a good source for one, let me know. We'd also like some kind of shelving or storage system for the loft. I made my hubby crazy arranging and rearranging the boxes we have up there so you can't see them from below. I think cardboard visible up there, like it is in the photo, is an eyesore. Any thoughts? Do share!

Steampunk on MAKE : Television

Hurrah for local Steampunk! Featured within are Jake Von Slatt of The Steampunk Workshop, the Mass Steam Steampunk Society of Massachusetts, and local band HUMANWINE.

Steampunk Library

I'm loving how the Steampunk movement is reemerging in my scope of consciousness right now, popping up in such places as issue 17 of Make Magazine, 'Lost Knowledge' and episode 3 of G4 Underground, 'Urban Spelunking and Steampunk'. Feeling inspired, and with the gears in motion for buying our first house, I'm daydreaming about creating a Steampunk influenced library in our new place. We already have a few pieces for the space: several world maps that we acquired on our honeymoon, my newly reupholstered armchair,




Dan's antique cupboard,



a replica classic globe, and lots and lots of books.
I only wish we had more musty, leather bound tomes.

Some things we're missing are appropriate bookshelves...

some art...



and maybe a phonograph. Who doesn't need a phonograph?




I've found more inspiration at The Steampunk Home, Brass Goggles, The Steampunk Workshop,
and searches on Etsy and Flickr.