Box Opening-Dollzone Carter

I actually received this guy about a year ago (oops!), but I didn't post his opening here so I thought I would now. He's really quite a lovely little creature, especially with his steampunk parts.

Nowell is slowly becoming my dancing buddy.  Not that I dance with him, but as I design dance clothes, he is beginning to get more and more of his own.

Nowell has always been kind of a funny doll style-wise.  He is a kid, and I find myself often dressing him as such.  So while he can get away with the fairy coat for example, I really don't like him in leather pants.  Can't explain it other than to say it feels weird to me.

Today he's kind of pushing to the edge of what I feel is...appropriate for him? I just threw together some pieces and kind of liked it, so here he is.  Choker is from a fer, shirt is handmade to match one I own, and leggings are from Dollmore.

He also isn't a doll that I can put in dresses.  Uri will wear pretty much anything, but Nowell is a little more specific in his style, at least in things he won't wear.  So it's taken me a while to figure out what works and what doesn't.

Recently I started working on some dance costumes of my own, for various upcoming parties and such.  I've also been reworking my own wardrobe to include mostly a mix of mori girl and somewhat gothic pieces, because that's what I prefer to wear.  Nowell seems to have come along for the ride, and I find that I've been sketching up outfits and purchasing clothes that match some items I have.

I'm working on getting him a pair of black capri pants that look exactly like a pair of belly dancing pants I have.  He's got that lovely fairy coat already, and I'm working on developing a leather/fur belt for him.  Very tribal style, which is what I tend to wear as well.  I'm heading off this afternoon to pick up a few odds and ends for my outfit tomorrow (leather, rabbit fur, bells, etc.) and I think any leftovers will go to him.

Nowell's story, like that of Uri and eventually Paks, moves in separate arcs.  So there is his beginning as a child turned pseudo-zombie, and the early days of the world falling apart.  Then it progresses to the future time, after humanity has begun to rebuild.  It's in that second part that more of the steampunk/sepia fashion comes in to play.  Lately I only seem to want to dress him as the latter, probably because I am doing the same.

Steampunk Weekend Roundup

This past weekend was the big steampunk convention, and while it didn't end up being big, it was fun.  I didn't got a lot of pictures, but here are a few I did take.

 

Outfit for day 1, a sort of gothic steampunk  pirate ensemble.  I love my boots. :)

  

Outfit for day 2.  It's basically a steampunk belly dancer inspired look, give or take.

  

This sign was awesome.  I squeed, and then ran to take a picture.  

  

And finally a picture of Uri from day 1.  He had two different costumes too, but I only got a picture of this one.  This is my new phone's camera believe it or not.  Awesome!

Pictures!

I mentioned that I had bought Connor his very own Saints coat, as part of his cosplay/character.  It's adorable, I must say. :)

 

Next we have a project I've been working on for a while, but haven't taken any real pictures of until today.  It's a doll case that was made primarily for Gabe, but Connor looks cute in just about anything. ;)

The box itself is a sort of mini wooden suitcase from Hobby Lobby.  I loved the outside design so much that I grabbed it without having a really solid plan of what it might become.

Then I realized it would make a great, steampunk-esque doll case.  Specifically I was making it for Gabe (Volks SDC Arashi), who is supposed to be a vampire with the adorable habit of sleeping in a very large piece of luggage.  Not because he has to, but because it is safer for a vampire to sleep in something during the day, and this was what happened to be around at the time.  He took a liking to it and never let it go.

I bought some Victorian style scrapbook paper and used that as a background for the box (previously it was unfinished wood), and then glued various things on top of it.  Here you can see his framed Nosferatu picture, a snipped from the Dance of Death, a planetary diagram, a flattened/imprinted penny, and the beginnings of a world map.  These images were just printed on some stationary paper I had, and then ripped out to give them worn edges.

More posters here, and you can see the full extent of the world map at the bottom.  There are also Clash and Dropkick Murphy's posters on top.

Even more posters!  I printed out a diagram of Firefly's ship Serenity for kicks, a tiny version of "Lunch on a Skyscraper," and a miniature Voltaire poster from a show that was on my birthday.  On the bottom there is a picture of a Davinci sketch.

Just one last bit of detail here, I included a Fleur de Lis, as well as some miniature Mardi Gras bead.

Connor says goodbye and thanks for looking!

It's not completely finished yet, but it's done enough to post some pictures of.

Updates

A little non-doll update just because it's fun...I got my septum pierced. :) It's a piercing I've wanted for a while, but just hadn't done. Well no more! It's funny to me that because it's so easy to hide. Currently it's flipped up until I get the courage to take it down (ouch!), but no one even notices anything which is nice. Now I'll be the girl with tons of tattoos and a facial piercing no one can see.

In doll news, I'm working on ordering Arashi some new wigs. I contacted my favorite wig maker, Elena at Spite & Malice wigs for some fantastically colored hair. I'm hoping to get one in orange and another in turquoise and neon green.

I've also started working on Arashi's Steampunk costume for our local convention. It's not for a few more months, but I'm trying to get ideas together now and see what I want him to dress as. Thus far I've considered purchasing him an outfit from MoC, which is nice but a bit pricey. I've also looking into having him wear the MSD size overalls I have with a ton of accessories, funky boots, and his new sweater coat when it comes in. We'll see!

Steampunk Medals

When my friend and I went to the recent steampunk convention, me of our favorite items we saw there were medals. They looked great, and were actually simple enough to make. I had some free time last night so I wandered over to my local craft store and picked up all sorts of bits to make some medals. These are the results:

This one is my favorite as I think it came out the best.
The red striped ribbon works well with the red in the crown.


Next up is a piece i love but don't think I executed very well.
I may pull it apart and try again, but either way I love the little locket.

This one is a ring from the same collection (not made by me).

A future medal. It reminds me a bit of something Tuxedo
Mask wears in the Sailor Moon comics.

I love, love, love this piece, I just don't know what I want to do with it.
I think I may end up cutting the ring off the top and making it into a pin.

A pretty pocket watch just because. It's small, but it reminds me (once again)
of something from Sailor Moon, so I just had to have it. :)

Omake!