SASPC: Grand Finale

Hello steampunk friends! Welcome back to our challenge at Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges, where we are all about steampunk and industrial mixed media. Once again, this will be a two month challenge, and you can enter up to five times. 

This is a bittersweet moment, as this will be our final challenge. We have been running these challenges since 2013, and I have been honored to be a part of this as a player, guest designer, and team member. What an amazing journey across the steampunk universe this has been! We invite you to be part of our Grand Finale and celebrate with us in our final act. 

I wanted to create something extra special for our final challenge, and when a friend gave me this bottle to alter, I knew I had my project. 

I think we are often jealous of those who can fly freely...birds, butterflies, angels...and wonder what it would be like to soar across the sky. Do you every imagine yourself flying high above the earth? These were my thoughts as I read the words on the bottle. 

I also imagined this bottle as a treasure discovered in the depths of the ocean and brought to light...covered with crusty barnacles and rusted. Let your imagination soar and come join us!

I began my project by pouring fluid acrylic paint inside the bottle and swirling it around. I repeatedly swirled the paint as it dried (and it took a very long time). I like how the light comes through it.  Then, I started to adhere Boozybear chipboard pieces to the surface with heavy gel. After adding many layers of chipboard, gears, bubbles, etc. I was happy with the way it looked. Once dry, I dribbled some paint down it, then added detail with waxes.

 

Lots and lots of rusty, crusty details...

This was a joy to create, and I am so happy to share it with you as my final project. I wanted something special to inspire you. 

I will be looking forward to seeing the creations you share with us in the challenge, and wish you an amazing creative journey forward! Keep those cogs and gears of creativity turning!

Hugs, Maura

We are so grateful to our sponsors, Glenda at Boozybear chipboard and DecoArt, especially through these past difficult months. Many, many thanks!!

SASPC Summer Special Challenge

Hello, hello Steampunk friends!! Welcome to our SUMMER SPECIAL CHALLENGE at Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges! Our Summer Special runs through the end of August, so you have TWO months to work on your always amazing steampunk makes and join us. You may also enter FIVE times during our summer challenge, so hope to see you there!

Around here it finally feels like summer, so I was inspired to create a nautical themed notebook to use. I kept it simple and covered it with the awesome Stamperia Sea World papers. I love these for the amazing steampunk images. I thought the compass rose on the front was appropriate to "guide" me through the season.

On the back, I could not resist the deep sea diving Kraken. 

Of course, I had to add more, so I used a gear stencil (DecoArt) and tried out Izink Ice for the first time (cool stuff). After the gears dried, I added a mix of Quinacridone Gold and Cobalt Teal Hue to add the the water and rust theme going on here. 

Here's the finished back...

I added gears and watch parts to the front...

Gears with the Izink and the fluid acrylics like on the back...

Chipboard from Boozybear, and some metal bits...

Now I have this cool steampunk style notebook to use all summer!

I encourage you to put your top hat on and get cracking on your creations and join us this summer in our challenge! Looking forward to seeing your awesome creations. 

Many many thanks to our generous sponsors, DecoArt and Boozybear Chipboard!!

Enjoy a wonderful summer, and I will leave you with a peek of my summer life here in upstate New York.

Wishing you a creative, steampunk-filled summer! Maura