Sunday, November 24, 2019

Steampunk Christmas Ornament


Sara Emily Barker Altered Steampunk Christmas Ornament https://sarascloset1.blogspot.com/ 1

Hello and welcome! Have you ever had something in your possession that almost drives you to re-make it? I've had an ornament in my bin of things to 're-make someday' for years now. When I saw the Recycle challenge at Simon Says Stamp, I felt a little sad I didn't have the time to play along. But I allowed myself a couple of sinful hours to play in my Closet this afternoon, and I pulled this from the top of the bin. How it worked it's way to the top is beyond me, but I do believe it was calling to be re-cycled into steampunk decor from the moment I picked it up.

Sara Emily Barker Altered Steampunk Christmas Ornament https://sarascloset1.blogspot.com/ 2

Here's the drab ornament as it started. My original thought was to give it a quick face-lift with a wreath made with die cuts and a cute Tim Holtz deer. But when I removed the existing wreath and tag, and I saw the maker's stab at RUST. From there the ornament practically re-made itself. I was just a person with the mixed media goodies and the hands to put them on it.



  I pulled out my long neglected gears box, and it chose which ones it wanted to be decorated with.


And a little baggie of mini's salvaged from God only knows what spilled out, and it chose a few items to add.



A little over an hour had passed, and it helped me magically transform this ho-hum ornament into a Steampunk stand-alone decor piece. Prima's rust pastes and some other paint in my stash provide the background for it's chosen elements. I also re-cycled a link from an already rusted length of chain to hang my altered bell with a rusty nail I found in my toolbox. The bell was altered with black crackle paint that doesn't crackle anymore, Steampunk Copper paint and antiquing cream. I used the antiquing cream throughout the design to pull all the random pieces together.

Sara Emily Barker Altered Steampunk Christmas Ornament https://sarascloset1.blogspot.com/ 3

The cog die cut from Tim Holtz Gadget Gears Bigz was leftover from a project I did several years ago, and I don't remember what I used to alter it. The little brass toned instruments were removed from the broken dangly ornament in the mini's baggie and altered with black gesso and more of the copper paint. Merry was a die cut scrap of Metallic Kraft Stock I found in the Holiday Words #2 envelope. I probably used the letters for another project, and thought this might come in handy some day. I embossed it with the Foundry Folder, sanded it and used Rust Alcohol ink and Smolder Alcohol Pearl to color it.

Sara Emily Barker Altered Steampunk Christmas Ornament https://sarascloset1.blogspot.com/ 4

Here's that foursome of tiny nutcrackers from the mini's bag all lined up along the bottom. You can see I backed the ornament with a scrap of Abandoned paper stash I had on my desk.

Sara Emily Barker Altered Steampunk Christmas Ornament https://sarascloset1.blogspot.com/ 5

Sara Emily Barker Altered Steampunk Christmas Ornament https://sarascloset1.blogspot.com/ 6

I hope you like my re-cycled project! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week ahead! Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate! Sara Emily

Challenge shares:


17 comments:

  1. Wow, love it just shows that Xmas doesn't have to be pretty and glittery xx

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  2. ooooh, Sara! What a fantastic Christmas ornament. Is your whole tree filled with such items? Not only would it be fun to stand and admire your tree, but to see tiny works of art on every branch would be a fabulous time! It's beautiful! hugs, de

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  3. A+ remake! Makes me imagine what an entire steampunk Christmas tree might look like.

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  4. AMAZING recycled ornament! I am so impressed with your rust/gunge effect!

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  5. What an awesome transformation from ho-hum ornament to outstanding STEAMPUNK ornament!! Love how you totally remade this Sara! Thanks for sharing your amazing ornament with us at Sandee and Amelie's Steampunk Challenges! hugs, Maura

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  6. This is such a fabulous transformation Sara!! The rusting, the patina, those fabulous little soldiers, the gears - wow, everything is superb. The bell at the top is amazing too. Love, love, love this masterpiece! Hugs, Anne xx

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  7. Seriously amazing re-make! You’ve blown me away and now have me wishing for a steampunk themed tree! Wow, the patina and those nutcrackers just totally takes my breath away! xx

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  8. An amazing project! Love the detail and texture you've achieved!
    Thank you for joining us this month at We Love 2 Create With Polkadoodles! Jane (DT) Paper, Pencils & Pretty Things xxx

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  9. What a genius piece this is, love how you used all those found bits and pieces to create and transform into this rusted beauty. I have always had an obsession with Christmas Tree ornaments and have made them since a child, some have survived the test of time and still displayed on my Christmas Tree alongside ones my Children have made over the years. So you can imagine how much this appeals to me. I hope you display it with pride and where everyone can see.. Hugs Tracey xx

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  10. Wowzer - that's one heck of a makeover. What scrumptious textures and rusty goodness you created. You've really hit this one out of the ballpark!
    Alison x

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  11. WOW, what a stunning transformation! Your re-made looks amazing and totally different from what it started out as. Thanks for sharing this with us for the Scrapy Land Challenge #126. :-)

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  12. What a great project! I can't believe what you transformed it into! Just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing with us at Scrapy Land Challenges!

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  13. Love this steam punk inspired piece! Gorgeous! Thanks for joking us on the Bleeding Art Challenge!

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  14. Thank you for sharing with us at SanDee&amelie's Steampunk Challenges. Great recycling with a lot of Christmas spirit. Really good work with the rusty paste and antiquing cream. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hugs, Susan

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