Search Results for: steampunk

March 1

Come to the Dark (Chocolate) Side

Since yesterday’s post was a duplicate of an earlier one (oops!), I decided to atone for the mistake by posting something delightful (and not a repeat). Voilà the following awesomeness.

Damn, I would totally join the Dark Side if work parties involved cakes like this one! Talented baker Bernice Camlin (aka Smurfesque) has not just created a Death Star cake that both looks awesome and sounds like it tastes amazing, she has graciously posted a tutorial so even those of us who aren’t professional cake artistes can make our own. At some point in my life, this is going to happen. I will make it so! Wait, that’s the wrong sci-fi. See, I’m just that excited about this cake.

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February 8

MessengARRRRRR Bag!

Someone’s going to take away my post-titling privileges, I can tell. ;)

Seriously, though, how could you not be psyched about this awesome pirate bag, put together by Three Geeks and a Needle? It’s a look you could rock at any pirate-, steampunk-, or Victorian-themed event! (Am I wrong? I think those skulls & crossbones, whales, and sea monsters are quite frilly.) I have to admit, I covet these ladies’ bags. Look at the inside, all that attention to detail!

And there is the suggestion on their site that they have made TARDIS bags in the past. And Tron. And pretty skulls. Seems like they found a great source of geeky fabrics! Maybe if we’re very kind, they’ll share the info? :)

Category: Craft, Geek | 3 Comments on MessengARRRRRR Bag!
January 25

Beautiful Balloons

In case you don’t know, Jen of Cake Wrecks fame has a newish blog, Epbot, which is devoted to a variety of things crafty/steampunk/sci fi/Disney. (Dunno where the woman finds the time to run both blogs, but she does it somehow!)

For Christmas 2011, Jen and her husband, John, opted for a steampunk tree, which was a multi-step process that involved making/customizing ornaments—gears, test tubes, snowflakes, all kinds of things. But my favorites are these fabulous mini hot air balloons, for which Jen has helpfully provided a thorough tutorial. I know the holidays are over, but given that most of us don’t have the apparently boundless energy of Jen and John, I thought it might be a good idea to start crafting now so we’re ready for next year….

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June 2

Giskin Anomaly Detector

Giskin Anomaly ContestIf you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting San Diego’s Balboa Park, you’ll know what a beautiful place it is. With its Spanish-Renaissance architecture and landscaped gardens, you feel like you’ve truly stepped back into another time.

It seems like I’m not the only one who feels that way. The Balboa Park Online Collaborative (BPOC) recently launched an interactive cell phone game called Giskin Anomaly, to encourage visitors to fully explore the park’s historic treasures.

Guests can dial in to hear the adventures of two people who use a memory-sensing device (called the Giskin Anomaly Detector) to retrieve WWII-era recollections throughout the park.  

As part of the game’s launch, BPOC hosted a contest inviting artists to create a Steampunk-inspired model of what this fanciful device would look like.

San Diego-area artist John Hosford walked away with the grand prize. His intricate model, dubbed “Sir Tellabeem’s Tempress Mark II” took him over 80 hours to construct, involving cutting and dying the leather of the glove by hand.

Though there was only one grand-prize winner, the competition was fierce indeed. Check out the Flickr pool showcasing the winners, and the afternoon their costumed creators spent playing with the contraptions in the park.

A moment of full disclosure: I used to take karate classes with John and his siblings, back in the day. I knew he was a creative kid, so it’s great to see how his talent has blossomed over the years. Congrats on the win, John, and keep up the awesome work!

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May 27

Crafts of WonderCon 2011

WonderCon Intro 2If the San Diego Comic-Con is the arena rock star of the convention world, then San Francisco’s WonderCon is the concert-hall favorite. It’s not nearly as big, but much more manageable, and (in my humble opinion) just as much fun.

I attended two days of this year’s Con, where I met numerous writers, artists, and geek icons. My favorite folks to talk to, though, were the hard-working crafters tabling throughout the Con.

Some had made items to promote books and webcomics, others were devoted to selling thier handmade crafts. No matter the reason, though, they were always happy to stop and share a little about their creations.

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Category: Books, Comics, Craft, Geek, Girly, Movies, Sci-Fi, Toys, TV, Video Games | 4 Comments on Crafts of WonderCon 2011