Lincoln Steampunk Festival

Hundreds attend Europe's largest steampunk festival in Lincoln

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More than 2,000 people are taking part in Europe's largest steampunk event.

The annual Lincoln festival, now in its sixth year, attracts people from around the world wearing pseudo-Victorian costumes.

The event, known as The Asylum, takes over the castle grounds and surrounding historic buildings for three days.

Steampunk has been described as "nostalgia for what never was" and draws on a wide variety of influences from HG Wells to comics.

One of the main themes is to be courteous, with any disputes settled with Tea Duelling - who can keep a dunked biscuit in the tea the longest.

Other events taking place in Lincoln include Whacky Races - Victorian styled go karts - and the Mad Hatters Tea Party - in which people have to drink tea as they are asked to move around a room and introduce themselves to fellow steampunkers.

Participants also hurled "polite" abuse at each other as they met near the city's castle - they then shook hands and asked "how do you do?".

Co-founder of the event Karen Grover explained what steampunk is about.

She said: "It is many things, but if you take the Victorian aesthetic and their technology, then put it into a future setting.

"Within that we have a music scene, lots of people making their own outfits and the gadgets that go with them."

However, she said the main purpose was for people to join in and enjoy it.

"This is an event you can bring your grandmother, or five year old children along to, it's for everyone," she added.

Modern objects are also given a steampunk twist by adding clockwork or steam power.

Source: bbc.com

A $7,300 Steampunk Coffee Maker...

...That Looks Like a Gothic Church!

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While the rest of the high brow coffee world becomes more and more minimal in design, Dutch Lab continues to release ornate slow drip coffee machines, like the Art Nouveau model seen here. DUTCH LAB

As if suffering from a Frappuccino-induced hangover, the high-brow coffee world has become an exercise in minimal design: Blue Bottle Coffee sells its $5-a-pop cups in Apple-inspired retail stores. Some of our favorite new pour-over coffee makers are so pared down they’re nearly invisible. Even the very definition of pour-over and/or cold-brew coffee—an analog technique that uses either piping hot water or a steady cold drip to draw out complex flavors in coffee beans—is really about getting back to basics.

The Gothicism.  Dutch Lab

Source: wired.com

The team at South Korean design studio Dutch Lab, however, is going against the grain by releasing maximalist designs, each one more ornate than the last. Their latest is the Gothicism coffee maker: an intricate laser-cut shrine dedicated to the art of slow-drip cold brew. This thing is a $7,300 temple of laser-cut aluminum panels, brass needle valves, and borosilicate glass tubes that can brew three one-liter pots of cold brew at the same time.

The Dutch Lab line includes pieces inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Big Ben in London, but Gothicism, for all its spires and rose windows, wasn’t technically modeled off an existing building. Dutch Lab is enamored with the steampunk genre (“It represents the ongoing development of the present era we are all living in,” says Ines Heu of Dutch Lab) and says the coffee maker is a sci-fi nod to the Victorian era’s “Gothic ambiance.”

That said, it’s not steam powered. Because the cold brew process just needs gravity (and a lot of time), Gothicism is totally analog. Espresso aficionados might want to compare it to the Alpha Dominance Steampunk—another coffee-making beast that uses digital controls to achieve a consistently perfect brew—but the brewing experience is likely less suited for a bustling coffee shop than it is a museum.

Check out Gothicism and Dutch Lab’s lavish offerings, here.

Morgan SP1 - A Steampunk Dream

Morgan is getting into the car-personalization business with its new Special Projects Division, unveiling that group's first product at the Salon Prive show currently taking place in London. Called the SP1, it looks like the perfect car for fans of Steampunk.

Morgan's signature anachronistic styling is embellished with BMW i8-like doors and solid alloy wheels. Inspired by the 2009 LifeCar concept, the SP1 features aluminum bodywork hand formed over ash and African Bubinga wood, and a steel chassis.

The interior is even more fantastic, with a highly-stylized mix of wood and aniline leather that would look just as good lining the inside of an airship. There's even a row of roof-mounted toggle switches the driver must flick to "prepare for flight" before starting the engine. It's not all retro cosplay, though. The SP1 is also equipped with an infotainment system built around a dashboard-mounted iPad.

Power is provided by a 3.7-liter Ford V-6 of the type used in the Morgan V6 Roadster. For this bespoke car, it gets a tuned engine-management system and sports exhaust, and there's unique suspension tuning as well.

The SP1 was built for an individual customer and thus won't go into series production, but it shows the capabilities of Morgan's Special Projects Division. The group will likely take on similar projects from buyers who want a car that's literally like nothing else on the road.

Personalization programs are becoming popular now, as carmakers seek to attract wealthier buyers who don't want to get their next car off the rack. Aston Martin recently launched its Q personalization division, while Jaguar Land Rover's Special Operations unit will oversee everything from one-off builds to limited-production models like the F-Type Project 7.

Source: motorauthority.com

Demon Hunting and Tenth Dimensional Physics

Words on writing from a speculative fiction author.

Announcing Dark Dancer, a Steampunk Fantasy Novel

What do you get when you mash together steampunk airships and metal men, Shakespeare's fairy world, legends of the fae, monsters, a prophecy, pirates, evil wizards, a young woman with stolen memories, and crystals full of power? You get Dark Dancer. This is how I do fantasy.

The idea for the series came from several places. I found a cool piece of art on DeviantArt (http://anacorreal.deviantart.com/art/Release-80921725) that sparked the idea of a woman with the power to open gates between worlds. I read a series by Frances Pauli where the passages between our world and the fairy world are re-opened (Changeling Race -http://www.amazon.com/Moth-Darkness-Changeling-Race-Book-ebook/dp/B005GRBYNE/) that fired my imagination about elves and magic and their world crossing with ours. I watched too many anime episodes with airships and cool steampunk tech. I've always been in love with Errol Flynn's version of pirates. Out of this tangle came the story for Dark Dancer.

Sabrina has magic that can open the portals to the fairy world. But with that power comes great danger. Her mother tries to keep her hidden and her power a secret, even from her. Sabrina's ties to the other world are too strong. Ruthless Seligh Lords, hungry for power, will stop at nothing to gain control of Sabrina and her gift. And magic will find a way to express itself, even if it destroys the one holding it.

I'm excited to release this book. It's my first fantasy novel and it's a stand-alone story, not part of a series. I have eleven other novels out, all part of a science fiction adventure series. I've published several dozen short stories ranging from science fiction to silly horror to fantasy, so I'm no stranger to the genre. Writing about magic really isn't that much different than writing about technology, though. And for me, it's all about the characters and story. Everything else is window-dressing to make it all more exciting.

Dark Dancer has lots of great characters. I had way too much fun dreaming them up. From elves with pointed ears, slanted eyes, and a penchant for arrogance, to ferocious pixie warriors, to renegade pirates, to evil sorcerers hungry for power, to talking birds, the book has a rich cast. The star of the book is a bewildered young woman trying to figure out who she is and how her past ties her to the world of the Seligh.

With magic, mayhem, monsters, and just a touch of romance, Dark Dancer is the type of book I love to read. I hope you enjoy it, too.

You can find a complete list of all my work athttp://www.jaletac.com

Available in ebook and print.
Smashwords (all ebook formats) -https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/465920
Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Dancer-Jaleta-Clegg-ebook/dp/B
00MRANX5A

Source: vossfoster.blogspot.com

Steampunk your home!

21 Cool Tips To Steampunk Your Home

The steampunk style is not one of the most well known in terms of interior design. Maybe that’s because many of us don’t even know which are the basic details that define this concept. When I say steampunk, I remember about the Victorian era, with all the inventions back then, but the meaning of this word would be incomplete without the industrial details.

In essence, this trend is a mixture between elegant Victorian interior accessories and the strength of industrial elements. Maybe you remember about Joben Bistro, that beautiful pub from Romania. It’s an inspiration for us.

So, give your home a steampunk look with these awesome décor ideas and items!


1. Use muted neutral colors

Brown, sepia, cream, black, dark red and dark green, these are the most common colors used to describe this style. Choose one of them according to the room, or combine them if you want. Also, metallic colors should work.

2. Don’t be afraid to use refurbished furniture


It’s a fact that old furniture adds a special charm to any home. If you want to create a steampunk interior design don’t even think about buying new furniture, unless it’s specific to Victorian age.

3. Add an industrial touch with exposed bricks




Another idea will be to induce an industrial feeling by showcasing exposed bricks walls. If the structure of the building doesn’t allow you to do that, use wallpaper.

4. Decorate with old maps




Create awesome wall murals using old maps, or just frame some of them and hang them on your walls. Another idea is to decorate the lampshades with maps. The older, the better! You’ll love the result!

5. Buy a terrestrial globe (in case you don’t have one already)


Make sure it’s old and very used. It would be one of the most popular items in the house, and kids would love to spin it over and over again.

6. Expose leather items or furniture




Leather sofa and chairs are definitely a must for steampunk admirers. It’s one of the most important materials used to define this trend. Not only comfortable, but also elegant, this material increases the luxury level of your home.

7. Classy hats will bring elegance and style


Top-hats or bowler hats can be used to impress your guests. Because they are symbols of the Victorian era, they will easily become a part of your steampunk decor.

8. Victorian sewing tables


A Victorian sewing table always has a history and that’s why it will easily become a new source of inspiration for your visitors. If you don’ t have such a beautiful item in your home, try the antique stores.

9. Decorate your walls with gear wall clocks




Gears are important items of the steampunk culture, so don’t forget about them. Let your imagination run wild! A gear wall clock will certainly make a statement, but you can also use them to create and display industrial art pieces.

10. Use an old steamer trunk as a living room table




Sometimes you must improvise in order to obtain the desired result. If you don’t have a proper table for this kind of interior design, use a steamer trunk or any other suitcase to fill the empty space.

11. Use exposed framed herbariums


Sometimes we do our best to properly decorate the rooms of our house, but we forget about the entrance. Your hallway would never look more beautiful and sophisticated without those framed herbariums.

12. Decorate with sepia pictures




Create an antique effect by using sepia photos to decorate your walls. It’s your choice whether you use old pictures with your family, or with other places around the world.

13. Add some details by exposing technical and anatomical drawings




These kinds of sketches are highly representative for this trend. If you happen to have something like that among your personal things or you’re an engineer, don’t hesitate to use them.

14. Expose antique items like barometers, telescopes or typewriters


Victorians had a passion for inventing new tools and gadgets, and the best part is the fact that you can still find them in antique shops. Even though many of them are not functional, you can use them as decorating items.

15. Try textural contrast


You can create a steampunk interior décor if you manage to combine a hard material (leather) and a soft one, like lace. So, part of the appeal of steampunk is the juxtaposition of traditionally feminine and masculine elements.

16. Expose a Victorian dress, or canes, or helmets on the wall


Maybe some of you will consider this a creepy idea, but I think it’s worth a chance. Canes or helmets are also a good choice, and they are certainly easier to find in antique shops.

17. Don’ t forget about small wood jewelry boxes


Walk up to your local hardware store and buy some small metal pieces like gears, or screws or anything else that could be glued to the wooden box. You won’t regret this!

18. Use wallpapers with a Victorian pattern


If you don’t really like those, and you happen to be a talented painter, try something new: paint some creatures in the books of Jules Verne, or some mechanical installations you remember from Time Machine.

19. Display old books


Old books are a must in this case! Hard covered books are usually used, but paperbacks are also welcomed. Old notebooks with leather covers will also make a statement if they are tastefully arranged.

20. Create a metal pipe bookshelf


Industrial all the way, even when we talk about ideas to display your books! Steel pipes are elementary in industrial design and quite easy to handle. Here we have a special article about how you can recycle steel pipes. Have a look!

21. Add a chandelier


Light fixtures are always important. Through light you can easily emphasize the interior design of the room and even the furniture. If you have high ceilings, use a chandelier. Bring a little luxury and comfort!

Source: homedit.com