Crafting: Book-Purse & Steampunk origami

I’ve been getting off my computer in the evenings lately and working on a handful of crafty projects. I’ve always been impressed by people who make things and frankly would like to be one. Given my current small apartment I’m starting small. Currently I’m focusing on creating things from used materials with a Steampunk flair. Here’s a taste of what I’ve done so far.

Woordenboek Purse

This “purse” is actually a small book I hollowed out and attached to a leather strap. Language dictionaries are great for this type of project because they tend to be thick for their cover size.

I purchased the book and the leather (as a briefcase actually) at the Kringloop Zuid and the brass ring on the top at Mattie’s Kringloop. The thread also came from Mattie’s. The snap I purchased new at the Panhuis on Markt square.

Steampunk Tulips

After cutting out most of the pages of my purse, I was left with a lot of rectangular paper. It didn’t seem right to throw it away so I did what I usually do with scrap paper. Origami. Because the text comes from a Dutch to English dictionary, I chose to make tulips using a traditional origami method (and a few lilies). The leaves are my own design and left me with very little scrap to be recycled.

I picked up the stems and copper wire at Pipoos. I’m now looking for containers or objects to build bouquets around.

A Future Project: Umbrella Rain Pants

Ok, so this one isn’t about Steampunk, but it is about reusing material. Around Christmas it occurred to me that there are a lot of broken umbrellas laying around Maastricht and that while the metal parts may be busted, the fabric is almost always still intact. So I’m going to collect umbrellas and make things with them. I’m starting with a pair of rain pants and maybe some tote bags, but ultimately I think it would be fun to create a tent.

But to do all that I need more umbrella fabric. If you’ve got some umbrellas you’re planning on trashing anyway, why not send them to me (or if you’re local, let me know and I’ll pick it up). Email me for my address if you’ve got a trash umbrella or two to spare.

A Blogging Challenge Plea

As you know I’ve been working on the Problogger 31 Days to Build a Better Blog challenge. Today’s challenge is a reader “Call to Action”, but Day 17′s challenge was to watch a first time user read my blog. Since I haven’t done Day 17 yet, I’m going to combine the two. This is a plea, to you good reader, to visit my other blog and give me some feedback.

Please visit Fallen Kitten and just surf around a bit, noting anything you like or don’t like, as well as anything you can’t find that you’d expect to find. Here are a few ideas of things to look at:

• Content itself.
• Do you find the categories helpful?
• How easy it is to browse or search for a subject?
• How do you like the design?
• Etc.

Then send me an email with your comments. I will post a thank you post later with the names and urls of everyone who helped me out.

A bit about Fallen Kitten

Fallen Kitten Productions is the name we use for all our comics publishing activities, digital and print. In addition to the publishing our webcomic under the name, I also run Fallen Kitten Services, a web design and support business. The blog itself is focused on web design and website issues that concern webcomic creators.

(More) Framed Webcomic Art

I hope you’ll forgive me a moment of fan-girlness to share two new additions to my webcomic art collection. I actually picked both of these up a while ago, but only just now have gotten around to framing them. I encourage you to check out both of these comics. Lots of fun and each has an interesting and unique story.

Gunnerkrigg Court

Paradigm Shift

Get to Know your Potatos

No one commented on my pun when I Twittered it, so instead I must terrify you with my comicing abilities. For those of you unfamiliar with Dutch, “Patats” is what they call fries up in the Northern parts of the Netherlands.

Cheers!

Quick Gasps of Art

I was going to blog about the coming of Carnival here in Maastricht, but since we’re planning on shopping for costumes this weekend, I thought I’d save that adventure for Monday. Instead I wanted to share a few pictures I’ve snapped over the past few months of art and statues in the Netherlands. I love how these sometimes small, sometimes grand gasps of art are sprinkled all over the place. Hope you enjoy.

« Previous Entries