Saturday, April 10, 2010

The Steampunk Mother's Day Gift Guide

This post was authored by Stephanie, my significant other.

There’s less than one month left until Mother’s day (May 9th), and if you’re planning on ordering a handmade gift for a mother in your life you’ll need to make a decision soon! I’ve created a guide to buying steampunk themed gifts; however, they aren’t so specialized as to not appeal to the general public.

Although all these gifts have a steampunk or NeoVictorian theme, I’ve tried to create a well-rounded gift guide that’s categorized according to different interests.




Bath and Beauty

Ah, bath and beauty, that classic Mother's Day standby. This time show that you put time and effort into choosing quality and unique bath items rather than choosing something in haste at a drug store the day before!

Steampunk Soap - Essence of Bustle by Steampunkerie
These delightful steampunk soaps are wrapped in pages salvaged from a damaged Victorian book on ornithology. This scent is "Bustle", but you can choose a different custom scent if so desired.





Secret Scents Steam Bee - Steampunk Art Print Cameo Necklace Solid Perfume Oil Pagan by mysticmemories
This sweet little bee lockets comes equipped with a beeswax based solid perfume inside. This cute little clockwork bee would be great for the mom who loves oddities or bees!






Vintage Edwardian Victorian Travel Bottle Set of 5 Gibson Girls
by nineteenOthree
"In the 1890s, Charles Dana Gibson’s magazine illustrations of fashionable young women gained wide popularity. The physical type he portrayed became the standard of beauty, a romantic ideal that suggested a new female independence while also celebrating the privileges and glamour of elite society." -George Mason University


RAY GUN Steam Smoother, 8oz HEMP lotion by SteamBathFactory
This scent sounds incredibly enticing: citrus combined with tea leaves and cinnamon! In addition to leaving a lovely scent it
also promises to leave skin feeling soft and smooth.







Reading and writing (but not arithmetic)

Does the mother in your life like reading? How about writing? My mother loves both, so I put this category together while keeping her in mind.

STEAMPUNK BOOKMARK with DANGLING WATCH PARTS and GEARS by Thesteampunktrunk
Are mom's books dog-eared from her folding down the corners to mark her place? Is she reading so many books at once that she's run out of bookmarks? You can never go wrong giving a voracious reader a bookmark, especially when it's as stylish and eye-catching as this.

Does your mom keep a diary? Does she like to take a lot of notes or do some creative writing? This inspiring and fun steampunk journal may be what she needs to start writing her magnum opus!






This quill pen is constructed from "antiquated machines and other curiosities." It's definitely a unique and fun way to write, perhaps even as a designated signature pen.




Set of 8 BOOKPLATES - The Mobile Library by adorapop

Is your mom the kindly sort who is apt to lend out her books? Increase the chances of her getting them back with this beautiful and playful set of steampunk bookplates.







Cooking, eating or drinking
Does your mom love her kitchen? Maybe she just loves delicious food or coffee. If that's the case these kitchen related picks may be just the thing.

Two pipes make one handle by iHRTart
This rugged industrial mug is perfect for a hot cup of coffee or tea. I personally prefer tea, but I won't judge anyone who likes coffee!








Lithographed Stoneware Bowl by trudalakingglatz

Perfect for some cereal, soup or ice cream, this intricately patterned bowl will provides enjoyment for any mom that eats from it.





Delicious Cookies - letterpress card by industrialfairytale
Is your mom a fantastic cook? Does she make delicious cookies? Show her you appreciate it with this adorable steampunk robot card!









Summer is approaching and that means mom will need cold drinks to cool off. Help her preserve the beauty of her tables by getting her a set of steampunk coasters.









Accessories
There are a lot of options and amazing creations in the world of steampunk accessories. Help your mom steam up her outfits with one of these picks.
These lovely soft lace knitted NeoVictorian gloves would go well with an assortment of styles and you don't have to worry about them clashing with any colors because they're black!





Tenebrous - Tatted Earrings by TotusMel
These gorgeous tatted earrings would be perfect for a jewelry loving mother. They're both uncommon and beautiful, so she's sure to enjoy them!







Flower STEAMPUNK Brooch Pin Vintage Bulova Watch Part Filigree by mysticpieces
This adorable yet elegant brooch could be worn with both casual and formal outfits, depending on the occasion (and mother).








This versatile and stunning pin comes from one of my favorite places in the world, beautiful Vancouver Island. It can be worn as a hair pin, a shawl pin or a multitude of other uses.






La Lune et L'Hibou - The Moon and The Owl by TheThriftySparrow This one of a kind necklace features amazingly vivid shades of blue in addition to white, gray, jade and silver. I must confess that I love birds, but then again so does my mom!








Moment in Time Steampunk Wooden Jewelry Treasure Box by NandJDesigns
If the mom you're shopping for loves jewelry, the odds are that she already has a lot of it! Help her keep it organized in this cute wooden steampunk jewelry box. Although the featured colors are suitably steampunk, if you desire custom colors you can request them.




Animals
Does your mom love animals? Does she dote over
doggies, kitties and birdies? Is she a birdwatcher? If you answered yes to any of these questions you may find the perfect gift in this section.

CUSTOM Mechanical Birdie - Freestanding Industrial Steampunk Bird by monsterkookies This adorable little mechanical birdie would be wonderful for any mom, not just one who is an bird lover! You can even choose custom colors, something to keep in mind if the mom you're shopping for loves a specific color.








Steampunk Cat Victorian Gothic Fantasy Art 5x7 Print by tigerpixie I know that the word whimsical gets tossed around a lot these days, but this cat if isn't whimsical I don't know what is. If your mom is a feline aficionado the chances are good she'll enjoy this.








11 inch Extinct Carolina Parakeets Hand Carved Wooden Bird by jjstudio
At first glance this beautiful and colorful Carolina Parakeet carving may not seem like it's related to steampunk or Victorians. However, the Carolina Parakeet was driven to extinction in part because women of the 19th century loved wearing their colorful feathers.

By gifting or displaying this stunning and lifelike carving you can help people never forget the greedy vanity that contributed to these beautiful parrots extinction. Any mom who is a birdwatcher will realize what a unique and precious gift this carving is.


Weiner Dog Steampunk Necklace by darkcarnival Is your mom more of a dog person than a cat or bird person? No worries, there are steampunk dogs too! This cute dachshund necklace is the perfect combination of steampunk and canine.






I hope that this guide has helped you start thinking about what to get mom for Mother's Day.

If you have any suggestions for steampunk or NeoVictorian themed Mother's Day gifts please mention them in a comment!

11 comments:

  1. Your creativity of the selections are superb! Excellent post!
    www.mysticpieces.net

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  2. Great selections!
    www.asecondtime.ca

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  3. Such a wonderful collection! Thank you so much fo including my "Steampunk Cat" Art Print :)
    ~Carrie Hawks
    www.Tigerpixie.com

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  4. omg, thank you so much! I really love everything that you've chosen! Thanks so much for including me, you rock! Your work is so beautiful as well!

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  5. hi--I really love all your selections--each and every one of them is unique and lovely!!!!! I wonder if you would take a look at this purse and consider it for your guide--thanks so much--Lisa
    http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=44206342

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  6. Thank you for all of the compliments!

    Lisa, I love your NeoVictorian cuffs! Expect to see them showing up in a treasury from Travis or me in the near future.

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  7. I had to come back and thank you for this wonderful journal entry. I finally found the time to explore the site you posted. I spent over an hour just enjoying the jewelry, artwork, particularly of the children and mementos from the life of Albert and Victoria. Since I know I may never see these in person, this was a rare treat.Ladies, if you have not visited this site, take the time to see the romantic side of Victoria and Albert. I loved the orange blossom parure from Albert. He had to be so in love with his bride to have this created. Just seeing the beautiful sapphire wedding brooch was unreal. However, the brooch he had created of the thistle with her milk tooth was the best. How inspiring to see the drawings of the beautiful children, especially Princess Victoria, but the creative cast of her arm and hand was so special.As Marline stated, they put far too much emphasis on the events of her ruling, and not enough on their incredible relationship.Victoria is still giving and so are you.

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  9. Awesome steampunk gifts & your guide is very helpful.

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  10. Great work!!! I think these are the best designs. Thanks for giving these ideas.

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