Love Steampunk....do you?

Beginning note: If you are my Lauren and are starting to read this then STOP and go no further...ppplease!!!

Just what is steampunk? Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that brings together the 19th century and the workings of futuristic machinery. Steam powered machinery and the use of brass, wood, working gears, leather and a whole lot of imagination bring this genre to life. Think of it as an earth alternative but in the 19th century. To get my imagination flowing I like to go to two of the best classic novels that really explore this unique and different way of thinking...."The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells and "Around the World in 80 Days" by Jules Vernes. Both get my muse to singing!!!!

I started with the basics......watch gears and pieces along with a lens from a pair of reading glasses. I just let my imagination go wild and whimsical and we all know just how wild and whimsical that can be.

Why the reading lens I bet you're asking. I wanted to make a monocle. Monocles were widely used back in the Victorian era which was in the 19th century and once you add the watch pieces and gears then you've designed something that fits perfect into the steampunk genre. It amazes me sometimes (and some have called me weird because of this) that I can "see" different objects within other objects. Like when I poured all the gears and pieces out on the desk and whooooo should show himself but a wise old owl.

A wise old owl....how perfect is that for a monocle focal point? Peoples who read the written word are just like the wise old owl. OK...maybe not just like a wise old owl but it can help the mind to expand if you pick  up a book and read. HEHE  If you haven't read the two classics I mentioned above then please do...they are both excellent tales of adventure.

I'm going to attached the monocle and some other items to a long silver chainmail necklace to keep within the Victorian era. I love the long necklaces they wore back then.....so elegant and pretty.

Here are all the pieces I've made to go on the necklace and with the way I'm making it more items can be added in the future.

Here's a close up of the monocle. As you can see I attached a pair of silver angel wings to the pieces and then added the owl on top of those. At the (left) bottom of the monocle I made a nice collection of watch pieces and gears. On the other side there is a Celtic cross with faux diamonds (if you did NOT pay attention to the first sentence and are still reading Lauren, sorry sweet girl...wish they could be real) and hanging from the cross is the letter "L" charm and a dangle made using a larimar butterfly bead (Larimar is believed to awaken feminine power and soothe emotions) a moonstone (Moonstones are believed to protect, bring good fortune and passionate love and are best called upon during a full moon) a Swarovski crystal (just because I thought it was pretty..hehe) and a falling time watch charm. We all need to let time fall as we need it too.

The next piece is one I'm sooo happy that I found. Found it at Hobby Lobby believe it or not. I was really surprised at all the great charms they have. I could have bought so much more if only I had the money...hehe. I like this key because it reminds me of the skeleton keys they used in the Victorian era for those beautiful homes they lived in. Lauren lives in NOLA where so many of those beautiful homes still stand so I thought it even more fitting, yes? Attached to the key is a dangle that holds a amazonite bead (amazonite is called the "Hope" stone and is believed to bring luck, promote kindness and balance) a dragons egg (which is a debride quartz that is believed to bring peace, harmony and balance) a prehnite bead (prehnite stones are believed to connect will and heart) and a tiny glass vial filled with wish dust (glitter....just cause it's pretty too)

The last piece to go on the necklace is a leather bound tiny journal with a fleur de lis attached to the top. (Go Saints)  I mean she will have a monocle and she might just read something that she wants to jot down and remember. The journal will let her do that. I added another watch charm to pull it together.

Here's the necklace all put together. I think it turned out VERY steampunkish and I love the length. It will allow Lauren to pull the monocle up and actually use it. (without choking herself in the process. Aren't I smart?)

Now.....it's on to the next project to get finished so I can get this piece and that project in the mail to arrive to my beautiful nieces by Christmas.

Until next time...........send me wishes that time is on my side and that Lauren did NOT read this post...hehe,
Regi

Wednesday work!!

Good Morning peoples!! Hope you're having a good middle of the week. Only 1 day, 12 hours and 19 minutes remaining until Halloween. ^_^

I decided to start working on some of my Christmas gifts. Those that come and sit under the old Southern ooaks tree know that I make most of my gifts for my nieces and nephews and "gulp" great nieces and nephews. Nooo, I'm not old...my niece was just really, really, really young when she had them...Bahahaha!!

I'm starting with my sweet niece Lauren. No worries that she will see this as she never comes to sit under the old ooaks tree. Not that she doesn't love my art...she does. It's just that she is a 17 year old that is doing her own thing these days. Just my luck though...she will THIS time. If so, all I can say is "Merry Christmas...I love you".Ohhh and "Surprise".

She really likes the steampunk look so I thought perhaps a necklace....a monocle necklace....a steampunk monocle necklace. Get the idea? Hehe...I think ya might.  I must admit that I got the idea when I was making the monocle for the witch ooaks I just finished. I had an old pair of reading glasses that finally decided to break on me and you know how much I love repurposing items so I just had to use them for this project. Add that to some watch pieces and POOF...steampunk....here we come!!

Whooooo's this cute lil fella? Isn't he a hoot? Bahaha..I love how the pieces kinda speak to me and this lil owl just kinda jumped out from all the pieces. He will be the focal on the monocle.

I'll be adding other watch pieces and natural gem stones around the edges of the eye piece. Since it's a reading glass lens then she might even be able to use it for reals. Wouldn't that be awesome!! I can't decide if I'm going to put it on a chain, a piece of leather cording or ribbon. What do YOU think?

Until next time.........Hoots (ummm I mean Hugs),
Regi

A beautiful Fall Sunday morning!!

It is indeed a beautiful Fall feeling Sunday morning. What I want to know is......WHO moved me during the night to a different location? Bahahahaha!! Not complaining and I have the windows open so I can enjoy the crisp, coolness for however long it's last. That should be until around 11ish and then......Welcome back to the South!!

I'm feeling a tad bit better today so I'm hoping that I'm FINALLY on my way to recovery. Thank goodness!! I do believe I look much better than yesterday. What do YOU think? Be honest now...hehe

I love the AMC Walking Dead Dead yourself app...bet ya hadn't figured that out yet....had ya?  Here's the link if anyone else would like to play with it. Click Here!! Ohhh, go ahead...ya know ya want to and no one will know...unless you share yourself. Don't go yet though, ppplease, wait until you have finished visiting. YOU know I love your visits!!

I was able to work on Sabrina some yesterday and early this morning. She has her beautiful dreadlocks (really they are pretty wool yarn) and is attached to the wooden block. She has her earrings on and all she is lacking is her unique witches hat. I mean she can't be a part of "The Black Hat Sisterhood" without her black hat now can she?

Such a pretty little witch, ri iight?  If ya don't agree then remember the saying "If ya don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all". I mean I can take the criticism but not so sure Sabrina could and she is a witch. Bahahaha

I told ya'll yesterday that I was redoing the goggles and not going to be doing the spyglass but replacing it with a monocle. Well......I have the monocle completed and I really like how it turned out. See.....when some of our projects don't turn out the way we thought the new ones can turn out to be even better.

 Steampunk spy spider

Love...love....LOVE steampunk!! There is an actual piece of clear plastic in the center of the monocle. The focal point is the spy steampunk spider. I will go more in detail about it with Sabrina's story so make sure you come back to visit. (yeah yeah.....I'm tempting you so that you will come back. I'm badddd!!!) I'm going to attach this to the chain that is already attached to the moon on her hat. Ohhhh, wait......I haven't shown you that yet. Guess you will just have to come back to see THAT too...hehe!!

Today, I'm hoping to work on the goggles. I have my pattern (as I showed in yesterday's post) done and just need to cut the pieces of the leather out and start assembling it. Fingers crossed these goggles turn out steampunkish!! I'm hoping that the pattern works out with this one too because I already have that other Sister ooaks bouncing around in my head and she is going to be wearing goggles too. It's the steampunk witch coven....bahahaha!!

Until next time............Hugs,
Regi

Happy Oct 18th!!!!

WOW....I can't believe that I let a whole week go by without coming to sit under the old Southern ooak tree. I must confess that I'm dealing with a few tiny, minor health issues BUT I'm strong and will be fine...eventually!! I think perhaps I might even venture out a bit today. Do you think anyone will notice I'm a tad bit under the weather? Bahahahaha!!! Not to bad for a woman that turns 156 today, yes?

I have been attempting to work on the Black Hat Sisterhood piece and must tell ya that the clay spyglass and goggles did NOT work out the way I planned. That's alright though because my overactive imagination muse has plenty of other ideas.

I'm still going to use the clay lens as I think they will look good once painted and the lens attached. The pieces that fit around the lens is going to be made with cardstock and that pretty piece of leather. The nose piece (fingers crossed) will be made from watch parts. Instead of the spyglass, I'm going to be making a monocle instead and of course it will be steampunked too. ^_^

Now....since it's my birthday today (but shhhhh, it's one I want to pass on by cause I'm getting OLD peoples) I thought I would share one of the Chazman's favorite treats we make this time of year. Okay, okay....we start making this time of year all the way through Valentine's. They are called "The Forgotten" cookies and you will soon learn just why they're called that. Bahahahaha

Ingredients you will need:

2 large egg whites, room temp

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2/3 cup fine sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Non humid day (yes, ya read that right. These will not make if rainy or extremely humid)

Yield: 4 dozen (if ya make them as recipe calls. You can make them larger)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for now.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites til foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy. (DO NOT overbeat peoples)  Add sugar slowly, about 3 tablespoons at a time. After at least half of sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue adding remaining sugar. Meringue should be shiny and tight. If you want....at this point you could add any one of the following:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup crushed peppermint

3-4 drops of food coloring

If you do want to add any of the extra ingredients gently fold them in at this time. 

One teaspoon at a time, push one teaspoon of meringue from tip of teaspoon and with the back of another teaspoon place onto baking sheet. Leave 1-inch space between cookies. (They will NOT spread out but stay in the original shape) You use the two spoons so you do not touch cookies. Owww, what a gooey mess you'd be. So follow directions!!! ^_^

Place sheet in oven and turn oven off. YES....you read right......turn oven OFF. Leave the cookies (undisturbed...that means NO PEEKING peoples) in the oven for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

(yeah riiight, like that's gonna happen....hehe) Cookies will be crisp, dry and ohhhhh so yummy!!

Now you know why they are called The Forgotten cookies, eh? The Chazman has names for them at different holidays....BAHAHAHA!!! Halloween they are called "ghost poop" cookies (adding the chocolate pieces makes them even more poopy...hehe) Christmas time they are called "Angel cookies" (without any added ingredients) Valentine's they are called "Cupid's cookies" (add the crushed peppermint) Mardi Gras time they are called "Jester cookies" (separate meringue into three bowls gently and add purple to one, green to one and yellow to one) I'm sure that you can come up with even more add ins. All I know is that I have to keep a close watch over them when they are in the oven because apparently I haven't taught the Chazman just what undisturbed means. ^_^

Have a wonderful Saturday and until next time............Hugs,

Regi