How did you get started making upcycled and steampunk jewelry?
My first steampunk article was a pair of round, black sunglasses decorated with silver 1920s watch parts. It was a visual prop for a story I was writing about a woman with a mechanical eye. That was about a year ago, and I didn’t know what steampunk was, nor was I making jewelry.
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Can you describe how you look at movements and gears and see jewelry?
Some pieces take longer than others. I’ve had watch plates sitting out in my work area for weeks until something just clicks. Often it’s simply a matter of setting another piece next it and something sparks. Other pieces immediately hint at possibilities. There can be a certain shape or curve or perhaps time has left a colorful patina. With older watch parts many time there is some kind of decorative etching or even inscriptions by the maker that beg to be highlighted.
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How long have you been making jewelry, and how did you start?
I began making basic jewelry as a teenager- dabbling in stringing and hemp weaving through high school. Through most of college, my focus moved away from jewelry making in my spare time. As a senior in college, I began making jewelry again, this time, multi-strand necklaces. I planned out the materials and created pieces inspired by various tales, from Hans Christian Andersen and The Brother’s Grimm. I posted them for sale on a forum I am a part of, and from there I discovered Etsy.com
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Since I really enjoyed doing my last interview, I asked my friend to recommend more talented crafters. I was impressed by TotusMel’s unique offerings on Etsy and approached her for an interview.
Tatting lace is not a craft I’ve seen much lately. How did you become interested in it?
I’ve been an avid knitter and crocheter since childhood, but I eventually bored of making scarves and blankets and I didn’t have time to do more elaborate projects with a toddler running about. I thought I would look for something new to try and discovered tatting. I first attempted shuttle tatting and after many a failed attempt I ran to the internet for help. I found needle tatting, taught myself in an evening and I was hooked.
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I recently wrote to steampunk artisan and good friend Alexandra Sforza of Heterodyne Designs and the White Peacock Trading Company, asking if she would indulge me in a brief interview for my site. She was happy to oblige.
What got you interested in steampunk as a whole?
I grew up around Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and loved movies like Journey to the Center of the Earth, Indiana Jones and Allan Quartermain. I was reading Jules Verne in third grade, and taking apart stuff around the house a year later, so it’s really been a life-long thing. I’ve been collecting skeleton keys since I can remember, and it’s one of those things that just, BAM, hit me one day- I think likely my first issue of Girl Genius is what pushed me over the edge, and here I am, years later, enjoying the madness!
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