A Steam-Powered Wedding -- Results of the Etsy Steam Team's Steampunk Wedding Contest!

The results from the Etsy Steam Team's wedding contest for their many talented and industrious steampunk makers have been released! (As it turns out, the winning entries were the ones I picked as my favorites waaaay back then. Squee!)

1st - Steampunk Wedding Ring by SteamSmithWorks

2nd - Brass Clockwork Key Bridal Necklace by Silver Owl Creations

3rd - Ladies Bridal Leather Top Hat by TomBanwell

Congrats to the winners, and a hearty huzzah and thank you to all who submitted their wonderful works of art.

Let Them Eat Steam Cake!

Honorable Mention - Professor Gearheart's Otherwhen Machine

      With the proliferation of cake and cupcake decorating shows on television, I am happy to find cakes with lots of technical difficulty and panache.  (Personally, I think it's crazy to pay someone to make cupcakes for you, even if you do order 1000 of them. It's a cupcake, sheesh! Maybe if I liked the little pastries more, I would be more sympathetic. But... too much frosting! Yuck!)  I must admit that I have watched some of these shows out of sheer curiosity!

     Cake Central held a steampunk cake decorating contest earlier in 2010.   There were representations of robots, cellphones, wedding cakes, radios, gas masks, and bugs.  Versions of steampunk "Hello Kitty" even made an appearance a couple of times.

Victorian Era Bionics cake

The top entries and honorable mentions can be found on this page of Cake Central.

Steampunk Squid Cake

     I liked the winning entries, but have included pictures of some that did not win, but thought showed a good bit of creativity.  You may view all of the entries here on Cake Central.

Steampunk bug cake

     As long as regular viewers of the foodie channels must restrain a groan every time a new cake show appears, we should demand that there be steampunk in the mix!  Perhaps the "Challenge" show should present that challenge to the chefs and see if any of them know what steampunk is.  Now that would be a fun cake show to watch.  *grin*

Vote in the Etsy SteamTeam Steampunk Wedding Contest!

     The attached photos are two of my favorite entries from the Etsy SteamTeam's latest contest,  steampunk wedding.  (Voting ended on August 21st at midnight, Eastern Time.)

Steampunk Wedding Ring by Steamsmithworks

      There were several clever and beautiful wedding-themed items created by the talented member artists of the SteamTeam.  The winning entry will get a prize from the previous winner's shop, and there will also be (was) a random prize drawing from all submitted  votes, so you can (might have) win something wonderful too!

Steampunk Bridal Necklace by Silver Owl Creations

Here are links to more entries, since the poll has now been taken down:

Victorian Cinnabar Butterfly Necklace

Ladies Bridal Leather Top Hat

Arachne's Necklace 

Brass Clockwork Key Bridal Necklace  

 

My Immortal Boutonniere

Steampunk Guest Book Pen 

 (p.s. - I will post the winner as soon as that info is announced. It has not been as of 8/25)

Steampuffin’s 1st Annual Steampunk Form & Function Design Competition

     To my surprise and delight, the president of ModVic and SteamPuffin, Bruce Rosenbaum, contacted me on Etsy and asked if I would post some information about his current Steampunk contest here on my blog. 
     Though the awe of being requested to assist with the efforts of someone so influential in the steampunk world is still making my brain tingle, here we go.

      Modvic and Steampuffin are creating a Steampunk Form and Function Design Competition in partnership with the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham MA.  There will also be a short film documentary shown – SteamFusion: How Steampunk artists infuse modern technology in Victorian homes and objects.

      They are looking for Steampunk artists who are interested in entering the competition and to possibly be featured in the documentary.   The deadline is September 5, 2010.

(The following is a direct cut-and-paste from their contest site, to communicate the requirements most accurately.)

• Entries will use primarily authentic Victorian objects, salvage items, clothing or antiques from the period of 1850s to early 1900s. Entries will creatively incorporate/infuse modern technologies and conveniences into the design of the authentic Victorian objects. All Steampunk design solutions should function and work as the designer/craftsman has intended.
• Designs can include lighting or clock solutions, but will judged based on the innovative use of the design application.
• Steampunk Design solution designed and produced by the person/Team submitting the entry (not purchased from others or made from a kit).
• Submit only actual work; not designs in process.

 Entries will be judged based on the following:

1. Creative use/modification of primarily authentic Victorian objects, salvage items, clothing or antiques as the basis (skin) for housing modern technology. Invention may also include recycled items to promote environmentally-friendly reuse designs
2.  Innovative re-use of the original purpose of the object or new use of the object
3. Seamless blending of the old item and new technology leading to a feeling of ‘permanence’ to the Steampunk technology design solution
4. Use of cutting edge technologies within the Steampunk design
5. Possibility of reversing the design process for future designers to incorporate new technologies into the Victorian objects in the future

Prizes include: 1^st  Place - $1,000, 2^nd Place - $500, 3^rd Place - $250, Honorable Mention $100 and People’s Choice.  Also – ‘Steamies’ awards will be given to the winners.

The entry fee is $25 per item entered into the contest, with an additional $25 per item late fee for items submitted after September 5, 2010.

The main contest flyer is on SteamPuffin.  You can go to the "More Information" site page to learn how and where to submit entries. 

"All Steampunk design projects will be exhibited at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation in Waltham MA from October 22, 2010 to May 10, 2011.  In addition, all chosen design solutions will be available for online viewing and sale on www.steampuffin.com."

      Please pass a link to this post or to the contest itself to any steampunk artist you know who might be interested.   Good luck to all who enter!  It is sure to be an amazing collection of fascinating pieces.

~ DS