Pandora's hatbox

Remember the $5,000.00 Victorian leather hatbox I coveted a month or so ago? Of course I can't afford to buy it, so I've decided to make my own. At the craft store I bought a plain cardboard hatbox (and a cute little suitcase, too), then headed for the fabric counter for some faux crocodile skin vinyl and other trim and accoutrements. I may have gone a teeny bit berserk in the haberdashery section, with braid and tape and studs and so on....  I'll post step-by-step updates as I complete each stage of the construction.

Finally, a map of the future!

If you have been patiently waiting to see the finished Map of the Future visual journal cover, please accept my apologies. I've been unable to sit at my computer for several weeks now due to a compressed disc in my spine – ouch! The project is now finished, and I've been scribbling away in the journal with more ideas for designs and patterns while I've been ill, so please come back to this blog soon to see what's next. 

After completing the embroidery of the map I had fun finding and adding the brass embellishments shown here, including the compass of cogs and watch parts, the ornate brass hinges and the hasp-and-staple lock to keep it safe.

The pattern and full step-by-step instructions are available from my etsy store, if you would like to make your own visual journal cover. And please add your email address to my mailing list using the form in the sidebar if you'd like to know when new patterns and designs are available.

Friday fashion

Buy Brian Kesinger's steampunk mouse T-shirt design from welovefine.com. Congratulations to Brian on winning the first ever Star Wars T-shirt design competition!

Stephenson's locomotive

My calendar tells me that on this day in 1814, George Stephenson successfully demonstrated his steam locomotive. And the world changed...

Map of the Future embroidery

With the embroidery for the Map of the Future visual journal cover complete, today I have rinsed the whole piece of fabric in lukewarm water to remove the water-soluble fabric marker, and spread it out to dry. Because it's linen, I won't let it dry completely before I iron it, pressing from the back on a soft towel so as not to flatten the stitches. There's just a little more preparation (which I'll discuss in detail in the pattern that will soon be available from my etsy store*), and then it will be time to assemble the cover and put it on the visual journal.

* If you'd like to be informed when the pattern is available, simply sign up for the newsletter in the sidebar. I'll email you when a new pattern is available, and I promise I won't contact you for any other sales or marketing.

Friday fashion parade

Chanel can always be relied on to have a steampunk element in the collection (Karl Lagerfeld often dresses like a time traveller). The gauntlets and Peter Pan collar on this outfit, for example, give a simple black velvet dress a touch of steampunk. Click on the photo to see the whole Autumn 2012 collection for more inspiration.

Decorating the landscape

The embroidery for the Map of the Future visual journal cover is almost done. I've used fairly simple embroidery stitches, and kept details to a minimum: waterways, major roads, parks and bushland. I'm tempted to add signposts to my favourite cafés, bookshops and cinemas, but I might find that the map is complicated enough by the time I've finished all the little French knot trees.

There will be instructions in the pattern detailing which colours and stitches I used, including photographs showing how to do the embroidery stitches. Keep an eye out here on my blog, or sign up in the sidebar to receive an email when the pattern is available in my etsy store.