Steampunk by DreamSteam

Tip Top Top Hats by Gypsy Lady Hats on Etsy

2012-01-21T00:01:00.005-05:00

We are rapidly approaching the time of year which harbors many, many Steampunk and related genre events. Do you know what you shall wear on your perfectly-coiffed head?

I have a suggestion.

Behold this fabulous brown suede, black leather and brass tack top hat which a friend of mine purchased as a custom order item from Gypsy Lady Hats on Etsy. I must admit, I almost "squeed" when I saw it. The quality of workmanship astonished me, especially as the price paid was not much more than the prices listed in her shop for already-made hats of similar style.

The Gypsy Lady Hats shop page mentions that custom orders may take between two and three weeks for completion, but I say that judging from this example, the wait would be well worth it. I may have to place an order; even though hats usually do not flatter me whatsoever, I would love to wear one of hers, anyway!

What did you say? Chap-hop? ... Brilliant!

2012-01-18T15:09:00.002-05:00

If one of you resolutions for the New Year was to branch out in your musical tastes, the contents of this post may very well give that effort a massive shot in the arm. If it was not, consider this an adventure anyway.

I give you... chap-hop.

Yes, you read correctly. Chap-hop. Professor Elemental has brought the phenomenon to life over the last few years, and seems intent on continuing to astonish his audiences with his cheeky rhymes. This has to be heard to be believed. The following two tunes give you a sample of the style.

"Cup of Brown Joy"
and
"Fighting Trousers"

Professor Elemental describes himself:

"Elemental. The quintessential English fellow, explorer, scientist, exotic dancer and some might say raving lunatic. Banned from 13 of the colonies for 'unspeakable scientific experiments', yet heralded as something of a deity in a great many more."

Of "Fighting Trousers," he says this: " Brace yourself, as Professor Elemental fires off the first shot in a chap-hop/ steampunk battle."

Both tunes hail from the "Indifference Engine" album, and for a small fee, you can download MP3 copies of his individual songs or the entire albums from his web site, or from the Professor Elemental section of Tea Sea Records.

Enjoy the madness!

Rather Unofficial Girl Genius Day 2012 News and Poll!

2012-01-12T00:01:00.006-05:00

A happy Girl Genius Day to you all!

Perhaps unofficially, as my research has not found out if January 12th, 2012 is to be a repeat of 2011's public merry-making and steampunk celebration. January 12th, 2011 was declared by the Foglios to be Girl Genius Day, as well as Kaja Foglio's birthday and the release date of their wildly popular (and excellent) novel, Agatha H. and the Airship City.

This year, it seems that the Foglios are attending the Arisia con out on the East coast. From their calendar:

"Arisia '12

When: Jan 12 – 16, 2012

Where: Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel/ Boston, MA (map)

Description: A fine science-fiction convention held in the frozen north. Science fiction conventions tend to be more literary (when they're not all about Dr. Who). Boston is a charming city with the worst drivers in America, and that takes some doing. There are many fine museums and seafood restaurants."

The sequel to the first Agatha novel is slated for availability this month. If you are a GG fan and have not read the first book yet, I highly recommend it; I obtained it for the Kindle, and enjoyed it very much. If books do not appeal to you at this time,you may wish to peruse the Girl Genius wiki, here.

So, happy birthday, Kaja! And readers, if you wish, vote for your favorite Girl Genius characters in the poll posted on my blog in celebration of the many years of wonderful steampunk comics that the Foglios have given us! (If your favorite is not listed, please leave a comment and tell us who is!)

Brass Wing and Smoky Glass Bead Earrings by DreamSteam

2012-01-11T14:37:00.001-05:00


Brass Wings and Smoky Glass Bead Earrings by DreamSteam

It's 2012! As promised, here are my first pieces of jewelry of the new year.

The faceted glass beads have a pretty smoky quartz color to them. I really like the stylized, almost art-deco wings that I chose for these earrings, and I am very picky about my wings!

I had to convince myself to post these for sale in my Artfire shop, because I like them so much. (But if I do not like the things I make, they do not go public, hence I will actually want to keep most of the things that I sell. Catch 22!)

Two resin rings are in process now; I am using some new materials and have to fidget with them until I am happy with the results. Soon, I hope!

Happy New Year! Preview of DreamSteam's Jewelry 2012

2011-12-31T15:11:00.000-05:00

Greetings, everyone!

I just want to wish you all a Happy New Year (starting tomorrow, of course), and to mention what I have planned for jewelry in 2012.

I have in my possession a plethora of Victorianesque printed paper, which will be incorporated into both copper and silver-tone rings, then coated with resin to make a clear dome. I made two papier-mache ornaments for other people using some of the paper in small quantities; the details of the patterns do not come through as much on these because I added a layer of white glitter to the surface. Here is a photo of one ornament:

I also plan on making more pocket watch pendants/necklaces. They may have a wild west theme, like the one I mentioned in my last post, or involve other steampunkish ideas that came to me along the way.

One of the most exciting projects for me in 2012 will be creating with copper precious metal clay. I have to decide what to make, then I have to get the firing process right, so any of those items may be a while in production! (I may even post photos of my failed attempts, depending on how spectacular they are.) I have worked with silver PMC before, but the cost of silver right now makes that an expensive endeavor. The copper version is much less expensive, and perhaps more suited to steampunk themes.

Anyway. This year has been very difficult for me, for many reasons (as it has for many people), and I hope to be able to buck up and produce more jewelry in the coming year. Thank you all for reading my blog, buying my jewelry, and leaving kind comments here. May you have a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2012.

~ DreamSteam

A Bullet Sits Atop It - Copper Watch Face and Bullets Pocket Watch Pendant by DreamSteam

2011-11-28T16:13:00.008-05:00

Bullet Pocketwatch Pendant by DreamSteam

Greetings, everyone!

This is the newest piece I have made; it is the first in a series of Wild West steampunk influenced pocket watch pendants that I hope to continue making as long as my supply of pocket watch cases and bullets holds out (I know, I can get more of either).

A vintage pocket watch case forms the base for the piece. The stamped copper watch face forms the background for some interesting found items, two of which I found at the shooting ranges I frequent: an exquisitely rusted gear, a feathered brass fired bullet casing, and a fired bullet which bounced off of a steel target. Crystal-clear resin encases all of these items, forming a smooth dome on the front.

As for the photo, I am not finished attempting to photograph this piece (translation: I want a better picture!) and I may or may not sell it with the brass chain seen here, since I want to sell it with something better. My many ideas for a fancy necklace to enhance the pendant have been eliminated one by one as I have tried them and either they did not work as I had planned, or I just did not like them as well as I thought I would. The creative process can be a harsh one!

This pendant/necklace will be for sale in my ArtFire studio very soon (hopefully this week), so keep an eye out for it there. (Edit: Done! I have posted this piece for sale, with the brass chain pictured, and posted a better photo of it.)

Steampunk (and other) Things I Saw in San Francisco in 2011

2011-11-02T16:06:00.003-04:00

Greetings, everyone! This post is link-rich and a little edgy.

As you may know from my Winchester Mystery House post, I finally made the voyage to the Bay area in September, and had a laundry list of steampunk-related things I could still go see (most sp events occurred earlier in the year, drat). Though it was but a wish list, some became memories for me as I was guided to some amazing local establishments (The Chieftain and Roux, both were amazing!) and some traditional touristy places by my resident guide, even after I had lost my wallet on the second evening I was there.(It was found and returned the day before I was to depart, so I tried to enjoy myself even though I sweated bullets the whole time about having no identification and no money.)

Reminiscent of days of yore is the Hubba Hubba Revue at the DNA Lounge. Some reviewers claim it is the most presitgious variety/burlesque show in the country, and it was on my agenda, jet lag allowing (I had find some coffee to keep me going long enough to see Lee Presson, yet I still did not make it long enough; the "standing room only" venue madie it tough on my weary... well ... everything. One a.m. SF time was 4 a.m. to me, and I had to fold shortly thereafter. Lee apparently emceed the last set of the night.). Oh well, maybe next time I'll plan a little better and not try to stay up all night after a 20 hour day of travel. The show was fascinating, nonetheless! The costumes alone were worth the price of admission (corsets and ruffles, anyone?). Here is a link to the video they showed on stage as a tribute to the 5 year history of the Revue. (Probably NSFW, depending on where you work. Just saying.)

I also rode the cable car (quite an adventure, that!) down to Pier 39 and passed the Musee Mechanique, which contains a vast collection of vintage carnival machines. (I had planned on going in, but it was getting late, and I wanted to go take a photo of Alcatraz and the SF Bay Bridge before it got too dark); then on the walk back past the Musee, I was famished and decided to go eat instead. But you can investigate their site; they have better pictures than I could have gotten with my phone!

Here are photos I took from the pier.


Alcatraz, seen through the rigging of the sub USS Pampanito

The Golden Gate Bridge, seen behind the 1800's ship Blaclutha

A very large and inquisitive gull, who found a good seat for the gorgeous sunset

I have other photos from around the area, but these are the only vaguely steampunkish subjects (except the seagull, of course, he was just too cute). It was a memorable trip; I hope to go back someday when actual steampunk faires and such are going on, which usually happen in the spring/summer. I tip my hat to all who use public transit as their main method of travel around there; your patience astounds me! (My journey to the pier went something like this: walk, wait for and then ride the bus, walk, light rail, train, walk, find and wait on the bus, walk, wait for the streetcar, then walk even more. The up side is that I lost four pounds in five days from the walking, lol.) A memorable experience all around, indeed.

Games, Airships and Laudanum! Steampunk Meets "The Guild" at Megagame-o-ramacon

2011-10-17T19:30:00.002-04:00


The Guild -- Clara tries to fit in with steampunks at Megagame-o-ramacon.

     This year, the worlds of online gaming and steampunk fandom collide in Felicia Day's webseries, "The Guild". Rumors have it that this is the final season for this delightfully candid series about the trials and tribulations (mostly trials!) of an odd and disparate group of MMORPG players who all play "The Game" MMORPG together while trying to deal with their circumstances and with each other in real life.

     In Season 5, Episode 4 of "The Guild", one of the main characters, Clara, a game-obsessed mom, first discovers steampunk when she sees a booth at the gaming convention that the guildies have attended: "Megagame-o-ramacon". As she puts it: "It's my new favorite thing!" because of the "clock pieces, and corsets, top hats and brown and shiny bits." We like those, too.

     The steampunk characters in The Guild seem to be stereotypes of steampunk fans exaggerated for effect (and perhaps to make a point), but the scenery for the steampunk booth at the con and the costuming for the characters shows the care that the creators took to recreate the genre.

     I do not intend to start a spoiler post about the show, so if you are interested in watching "The Guild" and their take on steampunk (it does start out a bit less than complimentary, I will warn you, but the steampunks are good sports in the end), then watch Season 5. (There is a semi-flying homemade airship. That's all I'm saying!) Or if you have the time and the inclination to get to know the characters, watch the whole series from the beginning.

     From Wikipedia: episodes are available "on Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace, Zune Marketplace, and MSN Video. The webisodes were later made available on the official Guild website, YouTube, and iTunes. The webisodes are also available via DVD and on Netflix and Hulu. Bing seems to have the best availability of episodes.

     I have watched the entire series since 2007 because it truly amuses me. Having been in their ... not shoes... their computer chairs... over the years having extensively (perhaps obsessively) played different MMORPG's, the scenarios and humor bring me lots of laughter, even if it is mostly laughter at recognizing myself in the quirky characters and some of the things that happen to them happened to me. If "the Guild" is truly over, many people will be very disappointed, but it went out with a bang or steampunk flair. Literally!

If you would like to purchase some of the clothes from the episode, Clockwork Couture has replicas of the fashions for sale because they designed Clara's outfit! From their web site: "Clara's character wears our 2 Piece Victorian Traveling Ensemble, Star Floating Corset and Show Stopper Topper."

      I hope you enjoy the series.

The House That Fear Built: The Winchester Mystery House

2011-10-10T12:48:00.059-04:00

The Winchester Mystery House, San Jose California 2011

     Many of you may be familiar with the story of the vast and bewildering Victorian style Winchester Mystery House. a mansion once inhabited by Sarah WInchester, the widow of William Winchester inventor of the Winchester repeating rifle, but for those who are not, I would like to introduce you! (Readers, house. House, readers.)

     In September, I had the chance to spend some time in the Bay Area of California, and the first thing I did was visit this house in San Jose. They call it a "house," but as the main building has over 160 remaining rooms (500 to 600 were built over the years and later remodeled), "house" is an understatement. Photography is not allowed anywhere inside the house itself, so please click on the links I have provided to go to the official site for pictures and more background.

     The story behind the family, the house, and the spirits that many say still inhabit the Winchester Mystery House could fill a novel-sized volume, but here is a summary:

    Mrs. Sarah Winchester lived with her daughter and husband in New England during the mid-1800's; they held a position in high society there due to the immense profits totaling $20,000,000 which Mr. Winchester had gained in part from the manufacture of his reliable and very useful technology, the repeating lever action rifle (repeating meaning that the rifle held multiple rounds, and the lever action made for fast shooting without the need to reload each round every time one wanted to shoot).
Tragedy struck as both her daughter and then her husband died. Distraught, Sarah consulted a spiritualist who advised her to move out west and begin building a home there to appease the spirits of those killed by the Winchester repeating rifle; she believed the spirits of the American Indians, Civil War soldiers, and others killed by the rifle were responsible for the deaths in her family. The catch was that she must keep workers constructing or otherwise changing the mansion twenty-four hours a day every day to keep the spirits from killing her as well. This she did, and also held nightly seances to enlist the aid of friendly spirits, for over 38 years.

From the gift shop.

     The house is amazingly opulent and very well-made. I faced room after room of ornate brass, gold paint, rich red fabric wallpaper, and exotic wood paneling (not to mention the glorious Victorian furnishings that were not original to the house but made me drool anyway) and managed to resist the urge to photograph any of it. *sigh*
     Sarah's obsession with the number thirteen and spiderwebs appeared throughout the rooms in the design of the windows and even the number of stairs.
     One of my favorite parts of the tour was the room that displays the unused windows and doors that Mrs. Winchester had made in Austria and imported by Tiffany's of New York; pictures do not do these creations justice, as the crystal bevels and glass shimmer with the intensity of diamonds. Unfortunately, these priceless doors and widows do not appear in the official photo gallery, but it is well worth it to take a look at the photos of the other windows, the stairway to nowhere, the bell tower, the furniture, and many of the other curious features.
     The site even has a section with first-hand accounts and a graph of the numerous ghost sightings which have occurred in the most psychically active rooms up until very recently.

     I hope the story behind this structure and its' inhabitants will entertain and chill you as much as it did me. Enjoy!

Identify the Antique Medical Devices!

2011-10-07T12:42:00.000-04:00

I found these interesting and seemingly antiquish brass devices on a very high shelf at a local store (a pharmacy, actually), and asked if I could take a photo of them. To her credit, the employee did not appear to think I was a crazy person (for long) and even stepped aside for me to snap the shot.

The employees that I asked did not know what they were, as the items were "just for decoration." I would think that the instrument on the far right is a microscope, but the purpose of the other two eludes me. I would like to know what you think (or know) these medical curiosities/devices are. If they are simply some excellent examples of steampunk quackery, please let me know that as well! (To mention, the sprigs stemming from the center item are sparkly gold reeds, and are not a part of the device. I know, I was disappointed, too.)

Please leave your helpful comments here. Thank you, and enjoy the mystery! =)

Fall Collection by DreamSteam - 10% Off Everything in the Shop

2011-10-05T13:56:00.002-04:00

As the season for lighthearted mischief and/or possible reflection on our own mortality approaches, I have assembled a collection of a few pieces of my own which I think would make wonderful additions to a steampunk or noir ensemble. Do click on the links in the captions to view the specifics of each item in my ArtFire shop.

Oh, and everything in my shop is now 10% off, for a limited time. Squee!

But I digress. On to the jewelry!

"The Duchess" Noir Necklace

The first item is the dark filigree necklace which I neamed "The Duchess". The design uses the understated elegance of seven lustrous pearls to make an unmistakeable impression. It also has its' very own blog post.

Antiqued Brass Scroll Stamping Earrings

While not a match to the Duchess necklace, these brass earrings still have a regal aura about them.The hematite faceted beads sparkle above the pure brass Victorian-esque stampings and gears.

Brass Bourbon Decanter Tag Necklace

This cheeky adornment uses a brass bourbon decanter tag as the centerpiece, the pure brass chain accented by glass crackle beads to give it sparkle like the street lamps of New Orleans! How many people have you seen wearing a decanter tag as jewery? Exacty. It is very unique, and would look fabulous on one bold enough to wear it.

Steampunk Sherriff - Brass Brooch

Going western? I have just the thing for you. The steampunk Sherriff's star!
   "This unique handmade brooch has the appearance of long-standing rugged authority; the quality components including a copper filigree star and brass pocket watch gear, have been aged to a multi-color finish as well as a distinctive verdigris (green) hue.
     The star itself measures just over 1 3/4 inches from tip to tip.
     The pin back and the gear cabochon are securely wired onto the star with pure copper wire to ensure durability on those long trail rides." Saddle up, pardner!

So there are a few ideas for bold jewelry for your holiday season. Of course, there are many more subtle pieces in my ArtFire shop, if you would like to peruse them. If you have read this far, thank you for reading my self-promoting post. and I hope these pieces find a home (besides mine) soon! =)

DS

(Some) Jewelry by DreamSteam Returning to Etsy

2011-10-03T13:31:00.001-04:00

Greetings!
I have re-opened my Etsy store: all of my items will also be for sale on ArtFire, but for those of you who prefer to make purchases on Etsy, now you can buy some of them there. Both venues have been good to me, but I believe I had more sales on Etsy per month than I have on ArtFire and also wish to remain a part of their community.

The fact that I have not made much jewelry this year (and have also limited my advertising with Project Wonderful) has slowed sales, certainly. I will not post photos of the items I am relisting on Etsy, since I have already posted them here and on ArtFire as well. I will post photos of new items as they are completed, though. =)

I thank my readers for sticking with me.

Steampunk Couture

2011-09-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Steampunk Couture - Lady Grey Dress for sale on Etsy

As the fall season approaches and makes wearing corsets and luxurious draping fabrics more attractive, it feels like the time to speak once more of steampunk fashion!

Maker Steampunk Couture published a beautiful video of a spring collection, but have more recent items for sale in this Etsy store; jewelry, dresses, vintage-looking bottles, pritned images, and more. (I have not personally dealt with Steampunk Coture, but almost 1200 positive feedbacks means they are probably a safe place to buy some choice steampunk goods.) The video may inspire some ideas for the handy do-it-youselfer, as well.

Puzzle Me This: Free Steampunk Computer Puzzle Game

2011-09-06T17:05:00.000-04:00

While searching for new and unusual things this week, I discovered a maddening computer game, and just had to share!

Armor Games has created a steampunk-themed puzzle game, and offers it free to play here. The beginning levels seem too easy, but they are supposed to show one how to achieve the goals: set the hero upright and level on the ground, and jettison the villain off of the scene.

If you enjoy endeavors that challenge your mind bit, then this might be something to try for a minute or thirty.

Offerings from The Team of Steam - recent items from the Etsy Steam Team

2011-08-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

I like to promote items and makers besides myself, as there are so many amazingly creative steampunk artists out there, and many are on the Etsy Steam Team (and so am I!). The Etsy Steam Team is a coalition of very talented artists who make unique steampunk items of all sorts; without further ado, here are a few selections created by EST members.

Copper Bald Eagle Necklace, OsteoOsophy

In this shop, you will find animal skull pendants/necklaces cut from recycled copper printing plates by White Raven Arts.

Mechanica Folium Aranea - CatherinetteRings

Daniel Proulx a.k.a.CatherinetteRings has posted an addition to his collection of steampunk-inspired spiders for sale on Etsy. This splendid arachnid will set you back $1500, should you choose to purchase it.

Miniature handmade journal - DeathMau studios

DeathMau has a splendid shop filled with many handmade journals. Prices seem to range quite reasonably from $15-50 for pendant journals to full-sized versions in which to pen your secrets.

I hope you have enjoyed these selections, and will investigate the shops of these EST members at your leisure. Cheers!

Waxing Magic Among the Spirits - The Voice of Harry Houdini

2011-07-19T12:32:00.000-04:00

Harry Houdini, attempting the bridge jump

Harry Houdini led the way in the world of showmanship and performance magic and enthralled a generation with his spectacular death-defying feats of escape.

During his life, Houdini was outspokenly anti-spiritualist, and vehemently descried any who claimed to be mediums or fortune-tellers; he penned a book, entitled A Magician Among the Spirits, attempting to expose such performers as charlatans. (He also challenged spiritualists to prove their beliefs were true, under test conditions, in this speech.)

Houdini had some illustrious friends, one of whom was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. In contrast to Houdini's mindset, Conan Doyle readily embraced the Spiritualist world, yet despite their conflicting ideals the two gentlemen were friends until a genuine row over their spiritual beliefs brought an end to their comradeship. (In early 2011, rumors spread of a possible SyFy channel show about Houdini and Conan Doyle joining forces to solve crimes in 1920's New York. The name of the show is "Among the Spirits"; the scenery and costuming will take aspects of Victorian and Steampunk to appeal to fans of both.)

Houdini in handcuffs, 1905

But for now, we have access to recordings of Harry Houdini's voice preserved on wax cylinders. Some of the clips came from sessions where he was practicing his lines; here you may download a file of Houdini speaking about his Water Torture Chamber act, from 1914. The enunciation we hear on the Edison cylinder recording was necessary for the words to be inscribed clearly, so his actual stage voice was probably a bit different even though it is said that when one speaks on stage it should be loudly and slowly as well.

When he finally succumbed to complications from a ruptured appendix, Houdini had already revolutionized the world of stage magic and openly challenged the magicians of the world to better their skills as performers. You may find details regarding his death and final resting place (including monuments to him) here.

The below video includes photos, a recording of Houdini's voice, and also one of his wife speaking about her efforts to contact him after his death (she held a seance at least once per year to try to contact him, apparently without any luck).

Whether you like Houdini's act or not, he certainly embraced the style of the times. It has been said by many that certainly nobody before him put on such spellbinding performances and while looking as dapper in collar and jacket. Bonus points for that, chap. Bonus points for that.

The Time Has Come -- Own a Datamancer Laptop Computer!

2011-07-06T13:16:00.000-04:00

The prototype Datmancer laptop, open

Good day, everyone!
Over time, I may not have sufficiently extolled the creativity of the maker known as Datamancer, but his undisputed success in the steampunk world has undoubtedly made up for any such oversights. Regardless, I will now tell you of his seemingly latest endeavor: one-of-a-kind, dazzling steampunk laptop computers -- for SALE!

The prototype Datamancer laptop, closed, with key

That is right, ladies and gentlemen, you may now place a pre-order for a cutting-edge handcrafted work of art with immense practicality, created by the world famous Datamancer. He says that the new designs will be lighter and even more elegant than the prototype model, with all the bells and whistles upon which discerning technophiles insist (but he says PC only for now, sorry!). The new models will still have the lovely collection of gears on the lid, but they will now spin. Purchasers may choose from many options regarding the design of their wondrous contraptions, including the color of the wood stain, the type of metals used, and even the style of font on the keys. He even has plans for the devices to be brought to life by the use of a brass key. (Squee!) To further involve patrons of the arts in the process, buyers will have access to YouTube videos of their own laptop machine being made. Now that is customer service.

All of this may be yours for a mere 50% downpayment, with a total cost of around $5500 (he mentions that future models may cost around $7500). Here is where you may read more about the design specifications and place an order; you may email him at laptops@datamancer.net. Thank you, Datamancer, for your hard work and contributions to steampunk!

A Little Bit of Brass! Butterfly Key Clock Necklace and Victorian Brass Stamping Earrings

2011-06-01T16:46:00.000-04:00

Brass Butterfly & Key Necklace

Two new whinsical pieces of steampunk-inspired jewelry now reside in my Artfire shop! Click on the links mbelow the photos to go to the studio and read more about them.

The first is a one-of-a-kind necklace containing contrasting metal colors and textures; the filigree butterfly and a minature skeleton key are secured to a clock-like antiqued pendant base by solid copper wire, which will ensure durability of the piece even under the most stormy airship conditions.

Victorian Elegance

The second pairing of wondrous brass parts includes a pair of identical brass watch gears which embellish two detailed antiqued solid brass Victorian-esque stampings. A lustrous faceted hematite-colored bead tops off each earring.

As ususal, upon purchase, each item will be placed in a pretty organza draw-ribbon bag and lovingly packed for shipment to anywhere in the world.

Men of Steampunk Calendar 2011

2011-05-12T08:00:00.007-04:00

Though the year is partly spent, if you should be in the market for a calendar to markt he remaining days of this year called 2011, then here is one you might wish to peruse.

Sprockets and Lockets.com has the Men of Steampunk 2011 calendar for sale for 20 American dollars, which makes it a steal in any country! The pages abound with dapperly dressed gents showing their steampride in picturesque settings. I believe this calendar originated with Bianca Namori, an industrious member of The Steampunk Empire, and may contain many photos of members of said group. Brilliant!

~ DreamSteam

(My sincere apologies that this post is so incredibly late! I just noticed I scheduled it for posting many months ago, but Blogger did not follow through and do that. Horrors! At least you will know where to get a calendar next year....)

Vote to bring back the LoLmart Steam Wars shirt!

2011-05-10T13:12:00.001-04:00

Steam Wars, from LoLmart.com

Attention steampunk and Star Wars fans! Are you disappointed because you did not get to buy a splendid Steam Wars t-shirt before they were all gone? I do believe I am. But you can do something about it! (Not me being disappointed, just about the shirt.)

You too can go to the LoLmart.com web page where the shirt with the steampunkish Death Star hot air balloon, steam-driven Imperial walker, and propeller-driven X-Wing fighter images resides, and cast your vote to let LoLmart know that you want one; they will even notify you if/when it becomes available for sale again, if you provide your email addy. And, of course, there is room for posting comments there as well.

This wondrous link will take you directly to the place where you can cast your vote:
LoLmart Steam Wars Shirt

There's a SALE in my shop. Everything is 10% off!

2011-05-06T15:30:00.000-04:00

You can now take advantage of the 10% off of everything sale in my Artfire shop! This would be an ideal time to buy something that you liked, but perhaps did not get around to buying. Or multiple somethings, if you so choose.

Just to let you know, I do ship internationally, and most of my items come nestled in lovely organza gift bags (rings come in white ring boxes, and earrings will come to you on a black velvet earring card inside the organza bag).

I truly appreciate all business, and as always, if you would pass along links to my shop to anyone who you think might have an interest, that is also appreciated. Enjoy the sale!

~ DreamSteam

Lee Presson and the Nails on Calliopes, the one steam-powered musical instrument

2011-04-16T14:46:00.000-04:00

This post is stretching the steampunk link a bit, but the connection between this very lively jazz/swing band and SP is that Dieselpunk magazine once interviewed the lead singer. In that interview, he made a good point about musical instruments that can be considered steampunk ... that there is only one! Here is what he said:

"I take great pride in the fact that the San Francisco Chronicle coined the term "Goth Swing" to describe LPN in 1996! The "electro-swing" I've heard so far I haven't been that impressed with, although I like the concept. Thomas Dolby's done dieselpunk as well as it could be done. Steampunk? I don't think it has an official sound yet. If you want to get VERY technical, the calliope is the world's only steam-powered instrument (that's right - CIRCUS music) so let's use that as a springboard for something! Second swing revival? Jazz never dies; it just lays low for a while. It'll be back, and we'll be ready."

The band has been active in the San Fran music scene, playing accessible music halls and generally giving audiences a great show (they often play at the DNA Lounge, solo or as part of the burlesque Hubba Hubba Revue. (Just this week, Lee helped with the bash in honor and memory of Eddie Dane, another SF entertainment icon, who recently passed away.) If you would like to learn more about LPN, here is their web site. They have played ballroom, jazz, swing, polka, waltzes... you name it! So by way of musical styles that are still evolving and making toes tap everywhere, I give you something to discover for yourselves. I intend to investigate calliopes further, soon, though!

~ DS