Royal Steamline The Blog | Inspiration for Brides & Grooms

Offbeat Bride’s post on the spider in the wedding bouquet reminded me it’s been way too long since I’ve checked in on artist  Ann Wood’s blog. I try to stay up-to-date on her creepy (and not so creepy) creations. These stunning pieces are made up of lovely scraps of vintage fabric and buttons…and I want them all.

Here’s a round-up of my favorite so far…

Black Bustled Spider

Chillingworth Owl

Strolling Spider

Botanical Experiments

I’ve always been a sucker for vintage ephemera, so I was thrilled to find these hand-altered tags from Brandywine Boutique. These “vintagized” tags are perfect for a darker, Fall or Winter wedding. Besides the obvious gift tag, here are a few ideas to use hang tags in your wedding:

• Tie the tag to a skeleton key with twine or vintage seam binding for an easy-to-make escort card
• Add a unique look to your favors
• Use them as labels for each station at the buffet table

How would you use vintage ephemera in your wedding?

{Halloween Mix Tags}

We’re on the countdown to Halloween season, but you don’t have to wait for Fall to start celebrating. Here’s an ode to some of our favorite body parts on Etsy…

From top left:

1. Industrial Heart Pendant by Monster Kookies
2. Skeletie by Toybreaker
3. Heart Tie Tack by Tilly Bloom
4. Brain in a Jar by Your Organ Grinder
5. Tin Woodsman’s Heart badge by Cici’s Stash
6. Crochet Oxygenated Blood Cells by Concertina Pieces
7. Tell Tale Invitation by Royal Steamline
8. Anatomical Brain Placemats by Girls Can Tell

Created from new and old design books and paper samples, these recycled paper flowers by Lei Chartru are a lovely alternative to the traditional bouquet. I love how typography petals mingle with swirly patterns and metallic hues (we’re huge fans of Stardream’s paper colors).

Does anyone have other examples of recycled design magazine crafts? We’d love to hear your ideas!

{Blueberry Lime Truffle - Magnolia Flower Paper Bouquet}

{Breathe of Fresh Air - Magnolia Flower Paper Bouquet}

You want your wedding to be perfect. And this naturally applies to those who’ve boldly committed to non-traditional affairs. But we’re faced with challenges that more traditional brides and grooms just don’t have to tackle. For example, if you’re going to have a Steampunk wedding, how do you really convey a sense of the neo-Victorian era? Or how do goth brides and grooms establish a suitably macabre atmosphere?

Well, there are of course lots of answers, but here’s an original solution: go Hollywood. Who else could offer set decorations and props that look straight out of your favorite horror, fantasy or sci-fi film? And here’s how you do it: 20th Century Props in North Hollywood, California, is auctioning off its inventory today through Saturday as it’s going out of business.

{Period lighting galore}

{The owner, in a prop electric chair}

{Prepping the groom?}

{There is something inherently steampunk about a submarine - even if it's only a movie set}

So if you’re in SoCal and have an upcoming Steampunk, goth, or other themed wedding, be sure to check out this auction…and let us know what you picked up!

I love the quirky twist on these vintage-influenced portraits by the Canadian artist Mademoiselle G. You can find prints of her work in her Etsy shop.

{Mr. and Mrs. Wood}

{Mr. and Mrs. Dear}

{Evelyne and Victor}

I’m more on the PETA side of the line when it comes to hunting, but I have a strange fascination with taxidermy. These recycled cardboard animal trophies from Cardboard Safari set my conscience just right. With options like deers, moose, bison and rhinos, I just may need to create a mini safari at home. And for those of you planning a vintage wilderness or travel-themed wedding, animal trophies could be the perfect wall decorations and keep the guests buzzing.

{Bucky - Large Deer Trophy}

{Micro Robbie - Small Rhino Head}

{Micro Billy - Small Bison Head}

{Rambling Robbie Jr.- Medium Full Body Rhino Model}

Find your animal trophies at Cardboard Safari.

It seems that sometime in the recent past, that venerable bastion of Young and Hip, Urban Outfitters, decided that retro is what the Cool Kids need. And we’re not talking about the latest fashion trends. We’re talking about record players, cameras and even typewriters. Check it:

Crosley Archive Portable USB Turntable

Olivetti Manual Typewriter

SuperHeadz Blackbird Camera

Hell, they’re even hocking Scandiphones:

Scandiphone

So what does all this mean? Who knows, but we here at RS tip our caps to UO for recognizing how beautiful some the designs of yesteryear can be. Can you find these things (and other, even more authentic items) on places like eBay for much better prices? Sure. But eBay doesn’t influence the kids like retailers like UO, so here’s to hoping that new generations will begin to understand that cool technologies come in colors other than Apple white.

I love this idea featured on Craft. It appeals to my inner secret agent and makes use of all the old books I’ve been collecting for their covers. This clever case could be used to store all sorts of secret stuff…

{I spy}

Find all the details How to Turn a Book Into a Top-Secret Camera Case at Photojo. And if you don’t happen to have any extra old books sitting around, eBay is a great resource to pick some up for decoration or craft.

… A

Here’s a miniature post for one of my favorite curiosities: miniature replicas.

{Message in a bottle}

{Micro-miniature book on parasols}

{Handmade miniature "vampire killer's kit"}

Find these miniatures here:

1. Message in a bottle letter service by Miniature Rhino
2. Micro-miniature book on parasols by Bo Press
3. Handmade miniature vampire killer’s kit by Pjjammer