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April 14th, 2011

06:52 pm - Peregrina Peregrina was inspired by the beautiful pair of porcelain wings she wears, which I received from Melanie Brooks of Earthenwood Studios Ceramics. This is my first experiment with scales, and I discovered a great method of making them which keeps them very even and neat, and I fell in love with the idea -- in fact, my next project was inspired by these scales, as well as one that is still to come. (One blaring hint? Oh, very well: Koi.) I also experimented with mica and mineral oxide powders on Peregrina, with some bright orange. I think it did wonders, highlighting and creating a wonderful gilded look. I'm definitely going to play with this technique more. Look at that sweet little face! Current Mood: productive

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November 8th, 2010

03:04 pm - Exciting News And A New Collection I have been accepted as an official vendor at the annual Edwardian Ball, a themed weekend-long event (Saturday workshops and events, and the Ball on Sunday) in San Francisco celebrating the works of Edward Gorey. In anticipation, I have begun work on a new series, inspired by my deep and abiding adoration of Edward Gorey's work, cross-bred with my peculiar Steampunk whimsy. The RuddiGorey Collection 'The Royal Scarab' 'The Louse With A Clock In Its Walls' Current Mood: excited

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October 8th, 2010

06:11 pm - Cadet Cadet The young girls of the Aetherial Pilot Corps are hand-picked from the top-ranking students of several aetherial flight and navigation schools. The girls of Admiral Madeleine's Aetheric Transnavigation Academy who are chosen as the mascot cadets of the school to perform in the interscholastic competitions each year are presented with these necklaces as part of their uniform. Current Mood: tired

September 25th, 2010

02:23 pm - Golden Muscat Golden Muscat The crispness of autumn is settling across the city, and the hazy evening light is spilling through the windows. Laughter, as the garden lights illuminate. Bowls of spiced fruit and cream... and a demitasse of golden muscat wine. Current Mood: productive

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September 23rd, 2010

12:23 pm - Aetheris Libra Aetheris Libra One of the Professor's deepest fascinations is with this elusive and ephemeral essence, aether. Not only the medium through which we have learned to travel to other worlds, or to move like quicksilver through our own, slipstreaming through time and space, but it is also, he believes, a quantifiable and measurable entity, if only we can find a way to capture a predictable quantity of it. He has been constructing these Aetheris Librae for all of us to wear whilst in aetherial travel, during which some of us have noticed our Librae begin to dimly illuminate. Perhaps we are on the right path after all. Current Mood: productive

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September 22nd, 2010

01:32 pm - Lightbulb Necklace One quick new item before I bustle off for my Law & Ethics class... Lighbulb Necklace An elegant and simple necklace equally suited to women or men, with long faux suede straps to be tied at the back of the neck. Current Mood: productive

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September 6th, 2010

07:55 pm - New Etsy Listings! This weekend was a veritable flurry of activity in my studio, and very productive. Prepare for many pictures and links. First, my favorite, which deserves I believe to sit outside of the cut tag, because I am so very proud of it, I proudly present... The Patriarchal Destabilizer "Gentleladies: Have you stumbled upon some of your husband's academic literature by chance, and found yourself intrigued by its contents, but struck with social paralysis when attempting to engage in intellectual discourse? Have you encountered the experience of feeling ill-at-ease when considering stating a personal opinion whilst in public? Are you attempting to enter into a scientific or philosophical sphere, but are concerned you may not be taken seriously? Presenting: The Patriarchal Destabilizer! The Patriarchal Destabilizer is a simple and easy-to-use device which will assist you in immediately appearing more intelligent, educated, and worthy of attention. If the Brontë sisters can do it, so can you!" ( Onward ho for more sparklies! ) Current Mood: productive

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August 31st, 2010

11:31 pm - 'The Mechanical Kingdom' WHUT Disney apparently released some Steampunk stuff earlier this year, under the name 'The Mechanical Kingdom.' Here's a look. I posted about this on Facebook, with absolutely no whingeing. That is simply not how I roll. I did note that I wasn't sure what my reaction was yet, but also acknowledged that it was likely the absence of a clockwork Cheshire cat pin, which would have me jumping for it like (and pardon the repetition, any and all FB readers, but I was so proud of this simile that I want to use it again) a caffienated spaniel. A friend of mine posted a link without comment to a blog post which basically said "quitcher whining, so-called Steampunks. Disney practically *invented* your aesthetic," citing 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and Swiss Family Robinson (and also Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was neutered with an erratum noting that it was not, in fact, made by Disney -- good one, guys, that was your ace in the hole!) as obvious influences on the pupal Steampunks who were now myopically railing against them wanting to play in our sandbox. But no, it's not any of that. I'm not upset that my secret club isn't secret anymore. The more the merrier. I'm not pissed off that Disney's riffing on the aesthetic. Steampunk *is* appropriation, and besides, the artist who presented the idea did so from his own personal love (and, from the spectrum of Steampunk archetypes represented, clearly a well-rounded one). What I am potentially upset about, which upsets me about a lot of the mass-produced "steampunk" products, is the isolated use of *only* the aesthetic of an appropriation-loving subculture in order to spur consumerism. Just like I get frustrated when Michael's starts manufacturing "detritus," the genuine articles of which would be relegated to obsolete trash fame until a loving Steampunk like me comes along and puts it into a piece of jewelry, or an outfit, or some other form of art. Just like I get upset when people buy new, in-perfect-working-order pocket watches to disassemble for the cogs and gears to resell on eBay as "Steampunk art components." Now, as I said before, I am not immune to the Disney brainwashing -- I grew up with Disney movies, and so there is still a part of my brain that cannot for the life of itself emotionally detach my favorite characters (aforementioned Cheshire cat, the purple and pink stripes of whom superimpose themselves even onto the Tenniel illustrations, for example) from my adult knowledge that they are not "real," and that the corporation is ultimately out to make money. Lots of it. And so yes, this falls into my same "wow, you really don't get it" facepalming, despite my honest appreciation of the art itself. 'Cause dude? Daisy Duck looks *awesome* in jodhpurs. I know I am probably treading dangerously close to inviting assignation of the logical pitfall that Punk protesters are shackled with when their own movement careened into popularity, and inevitably one could buy red plaid pants and an anarchy t-shirt at the mall. Popular culture grows out of counterculture, and vice versa. I'm aware. But that has nothing to do with this. Know why? To compare the two is not logical, because the two are not logical equivalents of one another. Steampunk, despite borrowing the 'punk' moniker, is not about disestablishment. It is not about anarchy, it is not about a rebellious overthrow of authority. Steampunk's vision of 'punk' is one of a possibly even more radical proposition -- that of shared artisanship, craftsmanship, and *resource conservation*. My experience with the fellow artists who populate my Steampunk subculture has been one of open-sourced information, apprenticeship, mutual support and encouragement, and a deep desire to stop wasting so much STUFF. Steampunk has no problem with an economy, what it has a problem with is a *wasteful* economy. So am I a little miffed that a global corporation is co-opting the aesthetic to undermine precisely that in pursuit of massive profit? Yes. And I have every blasted right to be, thank you. Current Mood: aggravated

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July 17th, 2010

10:16 am - Pretty Penny Now Featuring Sly Violet I have some fantastic news! My jewelry is now being featured at The Pretty Penny in the Rockridge shopping district of Berkeley/Oakland, CA! The first time I walked into Pretty Penny, I was floored by their fabulous vintage clothing selection, and I also couldn't help but notice their wonderful jewelry and accessory collection. And now, my own jewelry has joined the party in the display case. This is my first local store, and I am so excited. Current Mood: proud

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July 12th, 2010

10:26 am - 1900's Predictions of The Steampunk World of 2000 Hildebrands Deutsche Schokolade, a German chocolate company around the turn of the 20th century, created a beautiful set of postcards right around 1900, predicting what marvels awaited humanity at the turn of the following century. These are images of the whimsical retrofuture that I wish I were living in, as one of the lucky ones to see the year 2000 arrive. I also find myself wondering whether Hildebrand "Tuppy" Glossop, a sweet-toothed foil character from PG Wodehouse's 'Jeeves and Wooster' novels, might have been named for this German chocolatier, apparently very well-known and favored in Britain at the time. Current Mood: cheerful

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