Steampunk Circus Swap (SU 12/4/09-12/22/09 SO 2/15/10)

[Wulf]

You rock, Aisy! The necessity of combining two seemingly unrelated swaps has created a really brilliant one.

And Steampunk and Circuses are much more connected than it might seem. The traditional circus is essentially an invention of the Victorian age, and in many ways never moved out of the 19th century until Cirque du Soleil kicked it into the 21st. If you go around the back of the rides at any carnival, it's still pure Steampunk -- cogs, levers, pistons and grease-blackened steel. Even the 'punk' part is very much part of it, as the circus was always an underworld for misfits to "run away to".

I've been enjoying going through your list of sites and tutorials - some great stuff there. I can suggest a few more for general reference and flavour:

http://thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com -- the Martha Stewart of Steampunk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHA5ypvetQA -- a French circus troupe that's sort of the anti-Cirque du Soleil. A lot of punk and at least a bit of steam.
http://www.carterssteamfair.co.uk -- The Royal Berkshire Steam Fair, a traditional steam-powered travelling carnival
http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2006/11/sideshow-finland.html -- some great 19th c. circus and carnival posters. In Swedish, but still good for style ideas.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/p?pp/ils:FILREQ%28@FIELD%28COLLID+tisc%29%29::SortBy=CALL  -- US Library of Congress Tissandier Collection of airship/circus stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzyWja6vg3I -- The amazing Royal de Luxe company's giant mechanical elephant. Can there be a more awe-inspiring meld of steampunk and circus anywhere in the world?

I'm too much of a newbie here to be a participant in this swap, but I'll be watching it eagerly!

Wulf

[aisy]

my winter break starts on wednesday, and i am so browsing through all of these websites!thanks Wulf!
maybe you can join  us in one of the subsequent rounds

[jiasaykea]

This is very tempting to join. I love steampunk, and circus is cool if it's old school victorian. My problem would be thinking of things to make and what I'd want to recieve.

[blushingbluegrass]

I'm too much of a newbie here to be a participant in this swap, but I'll be watching it eagerly!

Wulf

!!!! All you have to do Wulf, is post 10 more times and you are eligible for one swap! The rules are 1 month, and 15 posts. You could totally join this one if you post 10 more times!

DO it!

Also, fabulous links! I know where I will be spending my evening 

[Wulf]

Thanks for the encouragement! Let's see if I can get 10 (now 9) posts by Friday. This would be a fun part of the pond to dive into.

Wulf

[aisy]

oh, please do!it would be super awesome to have you wulf!!

[Staar84]

Thanks for the encouragement! Let's see if I can get 10 (now 9) posts by Friday. This would be a fun part of the pond to dive into.

Wulf

I went around and said stuff like "oh cute!" on posts I liked, that's really all you have to do And those links are great!!

[cursive_queen]

Ok, I'm going to throw caution to the wind (and put aside my anxiety about being flaked on -- I have been flaked on twice lately) and send in my questionnaire

I'm new to liking steampunk (long time admirer - first time caller -- so to speak) and love sideshow/carnivale type stuff.  Lots of good inspiration from the links, will have to order some supplies when I get paid next week.

[aisy]

oh, im so sorry about that cursive_queen. thats really terrible

[Alchamy513]

I've never done a swap before, but this one is calling to me... I just got in my 15 posts and I've been lurking for a long time so I'm all set! Just have to send in the questionnaire and hope I can figure something out. I love Steampunk, I just haven't been able to find anyone else who does!