Rusty Butterfly Catcher

 

Hello steampunk/industrial friends, and welcome to our MarchApril challenge at Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges! With the ongoing pandemic, things are a bit different at SASPC, and we are again hosting a two month challenge. It gives all of us a bit more leeway to create in these times. 

I am sharing a project I created in an on-line class with Anna Dabrowska, aka Finnabair.  It was a wonderful experience to have Anna on the computer screen in front of me, while I had access to all my crafting materials. 

Pulled up from a shipwreck down on the ocean floor, is this treasure from a bygone era - a butterfly catcher.  Even through that rusty crust, details emerge - cogs, gears, flowers, butterflies... I imagine this might have had a small candle or light inside to attract the butterfly so it could be captured and added to the growing collection of specimens. What a find!

RUSTY BUTTERFLY CATCHER

Getting started in class...

(and since it was a class, I will just share some photos of details of my project, not how to actually make it, out of respect for the teacher)

Creating rusty detail...

Messy hands...

Details from my project...

...and here is my rusty butterfly catcher!

I loved making this project, and it was a treat to be able to take a class on the web to create this steampunk style home decor. Many thanks for Anna Dabrowska for teaching us, you are one amazing teacher! I would recommend taking a class from her if you enjoy this style. 

Well, now it is your turn to create and share a steampunk/industrial style project with us! I am looking forward to your creations, Maura

Voyage to the Poles

Hello and welcome friends to our two month Steampunk/Industrial challenge at Sandee & amelie's Steampunk challenges. We are planning on doing two month challenges for awhile due to the pandemic, and are hopeful when things improve around the globe, we can return to our usual monthly challenges. I hope this finds you healthy and safe and looking forward to a creative 2021!

I think I was inspired by all the snow and cold we've had lately, and headed to my art journal pages to create a story of exploration. 

Scientific and Natural exploration took center stage during the Victorian era. Societies were formed to support explorers and their journeys to remote and unknown areas of the world, so they could bring back amazing things to share. Unfortunately, this zest for exploration led to the decimation of many species, as they were often killed and stuffed to be put on display.

Hence, the need for a new story...Sir Albertus Loovingstone and his voyages around the steampunk world. Sir Albertus often sponsored other explorers to visit the far reaches of the world. One such expedition was sent out to Antarctica - the steamship Cogsmania with directions to record as much of the flora and fauna they found. Skilled artists were on this voyage, to draw in detail the amazing new species, and if you are very lucky you just might still find one of their books. Unfortunately for the crew of the Cogsmania, it grew bitter cold and the ship found itself locked in the ice. Never fear, Sir Albertus came up with a rescue plan and sent an aeronautics fleet to the rescue! Many more journeys were made, drawings came in from all corners of the world showing the multitude of species never before seen. Perhaps you have seen some of these drawings? Maybe even some of the newer cinematic moving pictures from these journeys?  If so, you are lucky indeed!

I headed to my art journal with some Arctic/Antarctic papers and stencil from Stamperia, and Titanium white paint from DecoArt...and then I started playing...

I loved this image of the rusting ship, which gave me my story idea and a rescue by airships. I added a mariners compass and a fun knob, plus a huge whale swimming by.

Sir Albertus with his goggles on for airship travel, and that amazing waxed moustache. As you can see, he is always ready to explore!

Details...

North, south, east or west...no matter what direction we head, we will discover something. I hope you discover amazing things this year, and will stop by to visit from time to time. I am so thankful for all of you who participate in our challenge and share your amazing talent!

Blessings of health and joy for 2021, Maura

 

Kraken Treasures

 

Hello friends and welcome to our October steampunk/industrial challenge at SanDee and amelie's Steampunk Challenges! So happy to see you here!

This week I am sharing a project I actually made for another design team I am on, and you can go HERE to get all the details if you are interested. 

I am away at an art retreat with my sister for a bit. We've rented a house for our virtual retreat so we can create together. 

TREASURES OF THE KRAKEN

I hope you will join us this month! I am so inspired by all of the amazing makes you've been sharing with us, keep them coming!

Many, many thanks to our amazing sponsors DecoArt and Boozybear chipboard!!

Have a wonderful autumnal October, Maura

 

Collector of Curiosities

 

Welcome back steampunk fans! Our September challenge at Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges is up and running for this month. We were blown away by the awesome creativity of each of you who joined our Summer Special Challenge!! Thank you for joining us.

COLLECTOR OF CURIOSITIES

Dr. Hibatsu has just returned from another collecting expedition into the deepest heart of Steampunk Victoria, with some new finds to add to his already extraordinary collection. Every few months, he heads out in the Airship Descobriment to bring back the most unique and bizarre finds. 

Does he collect these for the National Museum? No. Does he collect these for others to view? No. Does he share with other collectors? No. Sadly, he only collects for himself and hides them away in his stuffy mansion, so we are very lucky to get to see these finds.  

The fabulous "living" dress form will most likely to be modified into another steam powered helper, since he is such a recluse.  His other big find on this trip is the live bird inside the propeller light bulb. You ask, how does the bird stay alive? Well, dear me, how would I know that? You will have to ask Dr. Hibatsu if you can ever find him... he's a rare bird. 

I started out with a gesso and paint background. If you are interested in learning how to create this, HERE is a link to my friend Anna-Karin's video.

Love that gorgeous mottled and grungy look.

Next, I added a layer of random stamping...

...and then, I started creating my creatures. Lucky for me I have a bag with all kinds of images I've stamped and colored, which makes it fun to pull pieces out and see what I can build.  The lively, spinning dressmaker is made up of five different stamps. The propeller bird light is made of three. 

 Of course, I had to find some curious items to use in the display, like the dinosaur riding on the scooter.

What do you have in your stash that you could pull out to tell a story with?

I hope you've enjoyed my little story about my art journal pages and are ready to create and join us at SASPC!

Stay well and happy crafting! Maura

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