#steampunk community

[praetorianxxiv]

The Epic Tale of the South Wales Light-Fingered Infantry's Heroic Defense of the Public Conveniences at Penscynor Wildlife Park, 1983.

We defend the latrines to the last drop!

[praetorianxxiv]

Finally completed a project that I was meant to start many years ago 🤣

The badges for the Swansea Steampunk Association, The Coppernauts.

These are the first batch for the Coppernaut members at our monthly meeting tonight.

The Swansea Steampunk Association meets at ERA cafe & bar in the Uplands, Swansea. On the last Tuesday of the month at 7:30 / 8pm

I made these by sculpting in clay, then making a ruber mold before casting in resin.

If your a Steampunker and live in South Wales, please feel free to join us 🍻

[brasskingfisher]

Steampunk festival fun

I returned home from the weekend at the asylum steampunk festival today (the biggest steampunk festival in the solar system) and thought I'd share some thoughts before I have to head back to work tomorrow.

Positives:

1. I had a really good time and enjoyed myself

2. I got to hang out with some friends and other cool people I haven't seen since before covid

3. I did my 1st ever cosplay

4. I got complimented multuple times on my ace pride flag painted nails and my ace hatband

5. I met another Ace person (they commented on my nails) and got to hold their hand (I know that sounds like a really feeble thing, but this is the first time I've done anything like that since accepting myself as ace and they're cute)

Negatives:

1. The whole event felt quieter than the ones before covid (probably because of the plauge and fuel costs and stuff)

2. I still struggled a lot with my spoons (I didn't feel like I was running out, but spent a lot of time feeling like I do when I am short of spoons)

3. I ended up spending too much money (not so much that I'm not going to be able to pay bills, but I am going to have to do a bit of financial juggling)

[clockwork-cafe]

"The Team" page is up and edited now!  There you can see the masterminds (and my friends) behind this endeavor.  And if you haven't yet check out the "My Goal" page to learn what I'm planning and want to get out of the Clockwork Cafe.

[steamingenious-blog]

Living a Steampunk Lifestyle

If you hang around steampunks enough, or read much discussion of the topic online, you will probably hear the term "steampunk lifestyle" or "steampunk lifestyler."  But what in the world does that mean? Sometimes the latter term is used to describe someone who wears steampunk dress every day. Now, I'm a cynic, and I think most of the time the term "steampunk lifestyler" is used by and for men who dress slightly more formally than usual.  Wearing vests and maybe hats is considered by some sufficient to be a lifestyler.  It's certainly a much more complicated issue for women, since bustles aren't generally considered appropriate office wear. But regardless of whether that particular term is gender biased, I think that's a pretty shallow definition of a steampunk lifestyle.  Although steampunk is an aesthetic most often expressed through clothing and costume, I don't think it's all about what you wear.  I think steampunk is also an attitude, a philosophy, and a way of approaching things.  Steampunk celebrates DIY, remixing, reusing, and repurposing.  Steampunk includes an appreciation for beautiful things, decoration for decoration's sake, and quality craftsmanship.  Steampunk doesn't follow the rules and defies expectations.  And I think all of these ideals can be used to live a steampunk lifestyle, regardless of what you happen to be wearing. I'll be the first to admit, if I'm not at a steampunk event, I'm most likely wearing a T-shirt and some form of pants.  (I may also be wearing a corset, but that's not so much a fashion choice as a back-support issue.)  I own skirts and more fashionable items, but most of the time I go for the easy and practical.  I think it's neat when people want to incorporate a steampunk look into their everyday clothes, but I don't feel any real need to do so.  If I worked an office job these days, particularly one where I needed to dress nicely, I might feel differently.  But I still feel that steampunk has affected my life on a deeper level.  The number one thing steampunk has taught me is that I can do a lot of things.  I can make things from scratch.  I can learn new skills.  If you take things step-by-step, do your research, and try your best, it's amazing what you can do. And this knowledge has infiltrated my life in lots of little ways.  My first instinct when I need something is no longer to go to the store and buy it.  My first thought is "can I make it myself?"  Which is why I now make my own laundry detergent, coffee creamer, and cleaning supplies.  Recently I realized I really needed new underwear, but decided to try making my own.  And I can make them in any fabric, exactly how I want them, in the exact right size and style!   Almost all of my household DIY experiments have ended up with me making something that is as good or better than the corporate alternative, for a fraction of the price.  Now obviously DIY isn't unique to steampunk, but for me the two things are really all part of the same attitude.  Steampunk celebrates the independent artist, the one of a kind creation, not the mass-produced.  And part of that ties in with the original punk rock, anti-corporate ethos.  There's no reason to let a corporation get rich selling you something you could easily make yourself, right? I really do credit steampunk for making me look at the world around me in a different way.  I look at my bland home and I want to personalize it.  I want to do wild things to the walls and the furniture.  And perhaps most importantly, I now have a voice inside me telling me that I CAN do all these things.  Even things that scare me, like anything involving power tools or major home repairs, I know deep down I could it do if I researched enough and worked hard enough.  I didn't have that inner confidence in my own abilities before steampunk.  I was terrified of using a sewing machine!  I never would have thought I could make a corset!  I definitely never would have tried working with leather, or metal, or any of the other skills I've learned in the last 4 years. So that's what I think of when I think of "living a steampunk lifestyle."  It's about not looking at things in a conventional way, seeing the potential in the everyday, and not being afraid to try new things.  It's about looking for ways to make your everyday life more interesting, more beautiful, and less normal.   When it comes right down to it, THAT'S why steampunk is important, and it's not just about wearing brown clothes.

Repost from Steam Ingenious: Living a Steampunk Lifestyle

[aerielleblabs-blog]

The Steampunk Community: Part of the Ship, Part of the Crew

I really don't wish to offend here.

I was first introduced to the community about two years ago. A friend of mine was coming up to my home state of Oklahoma for a small con and invited me because it wasn't far from where I lived.

I had no idea what I was in for.

This was one of my first cons to entire the entire weekend at, and I knew nothing, and I mean NOTHING about steampunk. At this convention I learned about the Victorian, pre-Industrial Era type of style and the homemade weaponry, beautiful costumes. I even got to wear some really nice things thanks to my friend's awesome assortment of theme inspired clothes she had. I met amazing people and learned of airships and crews and all these characters that these people had created. Sat in on some interesting panels. Watched some awesome entertainment.

It was a blast! I was immediately enthralled and wanted more and more.

The friends I went with had an airship of their own, which unfortunately ended up disbanding because of some personal issues, but I quickly met many more through them. Plus most of these fellow steampunkers attended pretty much all of the anime cons that we went to. 

You're wondering when I'm getting to the problem, huh?

Well, maybe it isn't much of a problem, but I have been "on the scene" for about two years now, and I haven't been welcomed as much as I want to. These people have known each other for years, and it makes me so...I guess you could say sad that I'm not being accepted. I simply don't fit in, and it really bums me the fuck out.

I want to be more involved. I want to play a bigger part, but I don't know how. I asked my close buddy if I could join his crew, but he said he didn't want me to because I live so far away. (I call bullshit, since I go to every single one of the cons he goes to.) 

It all sort of stems from people basking in their "awesomeness" and built up egos, which ultimately makes me the outcast. I want to start building up my character. I want to be "part of the crew," but I'm not being accepted. I have met so many people in this community, but they  never remember me the next time we meet. And maybe that's me and my bashfulness, but I'm sick of it.

I want to be involved, but I'm a little stuck here.

Help?

[stitchedtogetherinapreservedjar]

Gosh. I miss being in a Steampunk group. Everyone has "grown" out of it and it makes me sad because the best thing about Steampunk to me is/was the diy aspect of the community. When I was with my group in early highschool there were always things being made and discussions about stories and characters and I truly miss that.

Granted the guy/s who got me into the Steampunk community are still going at it and are making amazing creations/fashions/etc. and, I have the utmost respect for them.

I'm not gonna lie, but, Steampunk kinda made me enjoy fashion and opened my eyes to a lot of new ideas revolving creativity.

When I move again, I really want to get involved in making things and even the local Steampunk community there.