It's been a while since I've posted, and I've missed writing (but I do get to do plenty of that at my new job at Tulsa World where I am now feeling quite at home). Although we're well into the New Year, I thought I'd still tell you about this Christmas. It was very Steampunk indeed! My mom sewed me an exquisite Steampunk quilt. I love each of the blocks--the Victorian ladies are part human, part sewing machine & dress form, and sewing notions are strewn about their hair. It's a quirky quilt that reminds me of both my mom (who first introduced me to steampunk and jewelry making) and of my grams (who taught me how to sew & quilt). 
Each of the blocks is interesting and fun with bright bursts of color. What I also love is that each piece of fabric has a subtle background with quotations about sewing & quilting or just the act of creating things.
This is my favorite block. It sums up the feeling of being in my gram's kitchen at the table, everyone tinkering, sewing, baking, and filling the room with our imaginations, laughter, and conversation. We truly are knit together in love--a love of each other & a love of making things.
My Uncle John (who I lovingly call Uncle Crab) found a neat pair of old goggles for me to steampunk. He is one of my best scavengers of junk. He and the rest of my family send me care packages of flea market treasures. I love getting my "snit supplies" (Snit is his nickname for me).
A tradition of my mom's is to get my brother, Caleb, and I a new calendar every year as one of our presents. A practical gift, but one I look forward to getting every year. My mom always finds us calendars with art or styles we like. She outdid herself this year! I absolutely flipped when I unwrapped mine.
The calendar is titled "Things Come Apart" by photographer, Todd McLellan. Each month is a different object--broken apart and photographed to show its various components. Some were more complex than I had guessed--like a Swiss Army knife! What I love about repurposing old objects is taking them apart, and often I am surprised at the inner mechanics and the sheer amount of pieces. 
My favorite present was given to me by my future mother-in-law. Lory gave me her mother's periwinkle rhinestone choker. Jewelry that's passed down is precious. It's heritage, and I was so deeply moved by her gift. Rhinestones are a love of mine to begin with--when I was a little girl my mom gave me her rhinestone bracelet--it was broken and missing a few of the stones--but I felt like a queen whenever I wore it. It still has the same effect as it did then. I still have that bracelet, and to this day I prefer rhinestones over diamonds.
I won't be a stranger; I have been busy in the studio and wedding planning is well underway. More about that next week!