My friend just shared this information with me, and I wanted to share it with all of you! These softies are absolutely adorable, and this book tells you how to make them!

What a fun project this would be to keep a child occupied on a rainy day - find all the broken bits of stuff in the house and turn them into unique toys! Heck, I think it will even keep this grown-up occupied on the next rainy day!

Steampunk Softies: 8 Scientifically Minded Dolls From a Past That Never Was by Sarah Skeate and Nicola Tedman

La Pere

My friend just IM'd me: "did you see google today?" I thought it was odd, what did she mean? so I went to Google's homepage, and then I understood. Today is Jules Verne's birthday, and they have honored the occasion by incorporating nautical imagery into their logo, and the Jules Verne Wikipedia listing popped right out at me.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Verne!

Is Nothing Sacred???

It seems like every day Sara Palin does something to annoy me. Now she has invaded one of my favorite genres--will Steampunk ever be the same?


http://www.antarctic-press.com/html/version_01/viewitem.php?id=5651

Do you think she says "I can see Victorian England from my window!"

Please make it stop!

The Old Mill

On my recent trip to Ithaca we visited Treman State Park, which is an amazingly beautiful park. At the beginning of our walk we stopped in at The Old Mill. It is a grist mill from 1839, and it still is setup so that you can see how it worked.




It is filled with lots of cogs and gears and other cool stuff. Although it was powered with very cold water rather than steam, I loved the look, and thought it somewhat steam-punky.

Pack up all your things and...stay home!

When I graduated from college my friend's parents gave me a vintage steamer trunk. It made them think of vaudeville actors traveling on the road, and that was about to be my course for many years as well (OK, children's theater and Ren fairs may not be vaudeville, but life on the road is the same).

I love that old steamer case: the little drawers, the wooden hangers, the patina of many years of travel...it seems to have countless stories of adventure packed inside. Once I settled down in one place for a while I was able to use it as an extra little wardrobe--so cute!

One King's Lane is bringing the style and elegance of old time travel into the home. Sink back into a canvas deck chair, in the comfort of your own home, and dream of being on a luxury transatlantic cruise. Store your hats and shoes in this adorable travel case, and you are ready to go at a moment's notice!

Calling all Adventurers

One King's Lane is now selling some lovely globes, campaign chests and other shipboard necessities.

From this to that...

How does one design their own wedding dress? I think I still don't know! I was led in part by my desire to use the antique lace my mother contributed--the idea of having all that history to carry with me seemed so romantic. And, of course, I had the Steampunk theme to guide me. I wanted a dress that was both Victorian and modern, elegant and yet with a touch of industrialism and ingenuity. Between the lace that I already had and the steel hooks I salvaged from a jacket I'd butchered for another project, I only had to purchase the satin for the dress and the green backing for the [removable]lace bustle(I must thank the staff at Rosen and Chadick)). Oh, and $5 for the crinoline at my favorite thrift store! While I had a lot of trouble--making clothes for yourself is much harder than for someone else--with the help of some friends it all came together in the end.


I accessorized with some diamonds my mother lent me--I pinned the brooch to a black ribbon choker--and of course one of the Steampunk bracelets my friends had made for my shower. I wore a ribbon-tape head piece. The arrangement of swirled ribbon reminded me of cogs fitting together. And instead of a bouquet I carried my great-grandmother's travel parasol. The silk had torn anyway, so I removed it, and just loved the way it looked with no fabric at all!

Add my new kickin' boots and I was set!

Final Countdown

My cat, being very patient about the fact that her window seat is covered in fabric.

OK, this "temporary" insanity has gone on too long! But I will be sorry when it is all over. I never thought that planning such a simple wedding would take so much work! But I will be sad when it is over, too. I imagine I will have the post-wedding blues a bit--although I will be so happy to be married to my fiance that it won't last too long.

So as I run around taking care of all the last minute bits: programs, decor, my dress... try to remember to relax and to enjoy myself.

And I appreciate the way everything seems to work out in the end. I have to thank my neighbors who moved out and left a lovely miniature lamp post lantern in the trash!






And I MUST thank inspyretash for having the perfect border for our Ceremony Program(and for tagging it perfectly for my internet search). At 2 in the morning it seemed too good to be true.



So this is it, by the end of this weekend I will be a Mrs. and loving it!!!



Still working on the dress!!!






My Maid of Honor and I found the sweetest head pieces at Bigelow's in Greenwich Village (across from the Jefferson Market Library)

Come out of Your Shell...

and take a more daring approach to decorating!



The other day I mentioned an online home decor store, One King's Lane. It is my new favorite addiction, because at least every few days they feature a designer with products that I can fall in love with.
I don't actually buy everything I moon over, but I do love to look!

Today they are featuring the work of Eduardo Garza. He presents a collection of artifacts that would make the most avid beachcomber swoon.



Turtle shells, coral, sea fans and ostrich eggs set on simple elegant bases that highlight rather than detract from the natural beauty of the object.

There is a statement saying that no turtles were harmed and that the shells were all from turtles that died of natural causes. The coral, eggs and sea fans--I do not know how he gets those. But if you are aren't sure about having these real pieces from nature in your home, try his line of trays and coasters! I think this is my favorite...

Even Curioser!

Now I am just hooked on the beautiful scientific illustrations of yore. It is amazing to me the amount of widespread interest and also the relentless pursuit of specimens that existed for a few centuries. It seems that before the invention of television and video games, people actually looked to the world around them for entertainment. Fascinating.

My sweetiepie and I had a a date night last night, and we went to the Metropolitan Museum. While we were there I noticed a Taschen edition of Albertus Seba's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities. It is not the full edition, but it is pretty heavy none the less! And it is affordable, at $29.95.

They also have Cabinet of Natural Curiosities: Complete Edition, with over 500 illustrations, for $125.00.

On the internet you can also find the Jumbo Edition, and on Taschen's site they offer a 636 page version, for $200.00.

Curioser and Curioser

Today I was so excited to see this wonderful collection of illustrations by Natural Curiosities. It is being sold at One Kings Lane, an online store that offers 72-hour sales on home decor items. They always have lovely things--it's a great place to buy nice gifts for people, as they have very nicely scented candles, address books, vases, etc.

Here is the description:

The history of Cabinets of Curiosity dates back to Renaissance Europe when encyclopedic collections of natural history objects, geology, archaeology, and antiquities were gathered together for study and appreciation. Inspired by these collections, Natural Curiosities founder Christopher Wilcox created boxed sets of reproduction prints based upon illustrations of such collections from the 19th Century. Each box includes fourteen, 14-inch square images that can be framed, arranged, or simply kept in their box on the coffee table as a unique type of art “book”.

Dimensions: 15” x 15” x 2”

The illustrations range from Insectum to Botanicals to Sea Life. I feel smarter just looking at them.

Our Steampunk Wedding: A Work in Progress

So you got a preview of the Groom's outfit with my post about his frock coat. I was so relieved when I found that--I thought, "Yes! This crazy idea is going to be OK." Honestly, once we decided on the Steampunk component of our wedding, I started to panic--could we really pull it off? Would our friends want to participate? Could we create the right atmosphere? Could I ever explain to my mother what Steampunk is?

But now things are really starting to come together. I called my sister today, and by her report, I am going to have four nieces and nephews walking straight in from the set of Lemony Snicket. I have started my dress, and actually feel like I might finish it before the wedding. And we have been stock piling "set dressing" for the past few weekends. Since I probably can't afford Robbii Wessen to design the venue, we'll just have to pull it together ourselves. I am so excited by our finds and as they slowly take over our living room, I can envision each table setting in my mind. We have the best thrift shop near us, and every time we go in we find something great. Just take a look at what $40 in the Bronx will get you!

Steampunk art? I may place this in the Men's Room.
I found four glass chimneys for candles...
A Thermal-ray Vitascope Projector.
	A couple more candle holders, a cool metal stand to hold toiletries in the Ladies' Room, a barometer we just had to have...

and, of course, lanterns!



I have to 'fess up--the pretty gilded birdcage I splurged from eBay ($10+s&h)



An objet on each table, with some fall foliage, and I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Peruvian Connection

I don't know how I got on the mailing list for this catalog--it just appeared in my mail box a few days ago--but I am glad I did! The clothes are beautiful, and even if I can only afford one piece a year from them, I feel that I am their newest lifelong customer. The style suits me to a T, and as I read more about the company I was very impressed by their values.

The PC website says, " We are happy to be able to share our success with organizations devoted to improving and enriching people's lives through better health, education and a healthy environment." Two of those organizations are Pro Mujer, a micro-finance institution that helps women in Latin America with a variety of programs, and The Textile Museum, located in Washington DC.

On their website are videos of their catalog shoots. The most recent was "shot close to home in historical sites of civil war-era Missouri, and the grasslands and rustic architecture of Kansas." There is one great moment where the model, walking down the train tracks, brings home the meaning of "thin as a rail."

"But what about the actual clothes?" you are asking. Well, here is a sampling of what they have to offer:


How about this elegant linen jacket to complete your late-Victorian or Edwardian outfit? Edgy enough for a Steampunk riding habit, too, I daresay. Switch it out for the sweater (above) when it gets cooler...



And this is why shoulder pads are back in style. Can't you just picture Veronica Lake slinking around in this number? Classic!


And wouldn't anyone would feel beautiful in this simple art nouveau style dress.


Every outfit needs some accessories!





These will definitely be going on my fashion wish list!

Lucky Odds

First, a very important announcement: Odds Costume Rental, after 22 years of serving the film, television and theater world, is going out of business. Considering rent in New York, and the odds of most theaters having the budget to afford rentals like these, I was amazed they were able to stay afloat so long. I suppose the film & tv budgets did the trick ( considering the number of police uniforms on the racks, I'm guessing the Law & Order franchise alone could have kept them going).

While I am very sad to see any business go under, I did take advantage of the fact that they are selling their stock to see if they had anything for our Steampunk wedding attire. Boy, am I glad I did. I found the perfect item for my groom: A lovely velvet frock coat, created by the talented folk at Euroco*, in perfect condition!

I won't guess at what was going on with the crazy alterations someone had done--I was just thankful they'd handstiched them and not shoved it through an industrial. After picking out the "darts" and giving it a good steaming, it was back to its old self. Won't my fiance cut a figure in this number?!

Go to Odds. You'll find some great stuff, they'll make some cash, and the costumes will live on.

Odds Costume Rental
231 W. 29th St.
Third Fl.
New York , NY 10001
Phone: (212) 268-6227
sale 10 am-4 pm
Cash Only

*see photos of Janet Bloor's silicone caulk techniques

Just a quickie!

Oh my goodness, you just have to check out the sale at J. Peterman. So many lovelies but I have to run to work now so I can't tell you about them! Just trust me and go look. But hands off the portrait dress--it's mine!

Hope all this Sales Insanity isn't Temporary

Everyone is having sales these days: every day my Inbox is filled with offers topping off offers, plus free shipping, plus an extra discount...madness!But if you are lucky enough to have a little bit to spend, now is the time to do it. Newport News is giving you an extra 25% off your order if you enter Promotion Code 645.But it is just for today.

Perfect for an Airship Captaine:


Leather military jacket
Our military-style jacket, now in soft, supple leather with a double-glazed rubbed finish for rich character; distressed seams (Deep Brown only). Mandarin collar, button-trimmed bib and sleeves; waistline seaming with flap details. Double back slit. Hook-and-eye close. Not a Zipper, for the Period Purists like me.
Was $229.00 Now $69.00 Plus the 25% Discount!!!


She'll need these, too:




Multi buckle boot
Leather-look and microfiber. Stacked-look 4" heel. Imported.
Was $74.00 Now $59.00

If only they had the goggles...

Classic Victorian Romance:



Ruffled lace blouse
Romantic band-collar lace blouse with detachable bib of tiered ruffles. Full sleeves gathered at the ruffled button cuffs.
$39.00



This is rather lovely




Ruffled blouse
Romantic blouse with ruffle-trimmed deep V-neck, ribbon-accented flounced cuffs and peplum. Button front with ribbon tie.
Was $49.00 Now $29.00


Plus the loveliness from my last post is still available...