Remembrance and Steampunk

I am really intrigued by "steampunk" which is defined as "Retro-Futuristic and Neo-Victorian". I have tried my hand at a few steampunk pieces and rather liked them - even sold a few - which is ALWAYS nice!

A few months ago the Etsy Beadweavers had a challenge (well... they have one every month but this was in April of this year) which was entitled "Time Machine". I had just started dabbling in steampunk and thought it perfect for my new-found love. I even had a perfect title for it - "Remembrance". Well, as things often go when you are as ADHD and scatter-brained as I can be, time got away from me (hee, hee... no pun intended!) and I never quite got going on my creation. I had lots of ideas and, as usual, laid out all of the components I picked out.

Several different arrangements were tried - most I didn't like well enough to even photo for future reference. I finally made up a center focal piece which I really liked but it never actually made it into the finished project - I liked it too well all by itself. So it became a pendant and I hung it from a simple chain. Never knowing if I would finish the original "big" bead project, I called this piece "Remembrance". It's posted on Etsy in my jewelry shop called "caraway".

I had also picked out an old skeleton key from which this aforementioned center arrangement was meant to hang. I had done some nice beadweaving on it and, again, it happened! I liked it better by itself than as a part of something bigger. I suspended it from some vintage glass rosary beads and it became "Keeping the Key". You can read the story behind the title and see it in my "caraway" shop, as well. Here it is:

FINALLY, I came up with a design for the main piece (it's just 4 months too late!) and it is also called "Remembrance". It just came down to "less is more". Some clear glass pebbles backed with the words "time", "mystery", "journey", "imagine" and "remember" along with an antique watch face and workings, with the addition of some inspired beadweaving, finally became "Remembrance". The neck strap is St. Petersburg chain (my first real attempt). You can visit my gallery shop on Etsy - "CindyCaraway" - or my shop on 1000 Markets to read the story about my Great Aunt Grace and how her life inspired this piece.