Steampunk gift machine!

Sorry it's been a while, I haven't been feeling well, and this latest project took quite a bit of planning. My husband is a real fan of steampunk, so for one of his Christmas gifts, I've built him a funky gift machine, complete with little gears and moving pieces.

No how-to on this one, it's really just experimentation. I just got a bunch of materials together and winged it. If you're interested in doing one yourself, here are the colors, textures, and materials to use:

- metal gears and (if you're really ambitious) watch movement parts
- woodgrain paper (I used cherry wood Con-Tact paper)
- metallic cardstock
- little brass stick-on buttons
- jeweler's wire (for the tiny coil)
- faux leather (I didn't use it, but it would look awesome)

Once again, for complex gift wraps like this, I prefer a box with a top and bottom, so you don't have to tear any paper. And you can use it for other things post-gifting.

I'll be back tomorrow with a holiday how-to. Stay tuned...

Isn't it romantic?

I know, it's a little early, but I'm a romantic, and I love Valentine's Day. While I don't love the overly commercialized, ready-made corner cutting method of celebrating your sweetheart, I like the idea of giving something inspired and sweet to someone you love.

This little gift box starts with a simple paper jewelry box, the kind you get at the department store. I dressed it up with some lace ribbon, 2 layers of satin ribbon and some little adhesive gems. The little key was something I had around. You can find these little embellishments at craft stores everywhere. Antique buttons or beads could work just as well. Experiment and look for things that speak to you. Little personalized touches like this are what make people feel special.

Well, that's it for now -- stay tuned for another Valentine next week. I'll be uploading more soon.