UMBRELLA DUELLING AND STEAMPUNK BOOKS

Today we were transported into the world of Steampunk and the Mueseum of Power was the perfect setting.  

People dressed for the occasion...

and there was tea duelling, and another that involved umbrellas.

There was also interestings stands,

and other events, which I missed as I was running two book making workshops.  

There was rust effect, stitching of pages, and college. Here is my sample book:

And here are books that other people made....

Didn't they do well!

The two workshops were only an hour long because there were lots of other events happening through the day. So I designed a book that would suit the occasion; simple in design but with some fun techniques. I made a sample and was feeling relaxed and organised, until I started to pack, and couldn't fine rust powder!

No worry, I would simply buy more.

Except that when I went to the shop they didn't have any!

To me this effect was integral to the design. I could improvise but it wouldn't look the same, and other ways of producing this effect
could not be achieved in the time scale. What to do?

I have learned that getting stressed does not help. I experimented with salt and paint, salt and glue, but there was a chemical reaction and it didn't produce the effect I hoped for. So I resigned myself to managing without.

But I didn't give up hope, and five minutes before we were about to leave I decided to look in a bag. I had taken it on a retreat and I don't remember taking the rust powder with me. But I must have. Because there it was, tucked at the bottom! What a relief! I would have done a happy dance if I'd time but a shriek of joy sufficed!

There was a lot to fit in during the workshop but it went well and I loved that some men came along to join in. It felt quite surreal seeing everyone sitting around the table wearing Steampunk costumes, but they looked amazing. I had a great time and everyone seemed relaxed and to enjoy making a book to take home.
 
And I hope you had a fun filled weekend too, what ever you were doing. I'll be back again tomorrow as part of my 30 day challenge. Bye for now.

Unfortuantly I forgot to charge the battery in my camera. I don't often use my mobile to take photos so the quality of these is lacking. I need to check the settings because I know it can do better than this, but at least I have a few photos to remember my day!