Wire Not?

Dearest Em,

Look what I found! You know the lovely things you gave me that we thought we'd lost? The Prof managed to find them again!

Gosh, that's a lot of exclamation marks, but I really was very relieved when he handed me a little silver box with all the lovely gifts you got me from Lynne at The Altered Element. I'm still 'sperimenting with the stuff to go in the lightbulbs, but I'd forgotten you'd added some of these marvellous little cogs as well. What can I say, they make smashing centre pieces for the knitted wire rose brooches. I decided to go with watch faces and cogs in the end as it takes long enough to hand sew the wire to the Sparkles sieve brooches without adding hand stitched padded washi paper flower centres like the one I made for you (pretty, but very fiddly). This one has copper and brown knitted wire, a black watch face and a small copper spoked gear.

This one has a slightly different centre: a medium sized silver gear thingy, an old watch face and a lovely little blue heart to go with the lovely blue knitted wire.

Its always hard to get the Brownie to paint these properly, but they've come out rather well, I think. I've made a few more in different colours and with old watch faces as their centres, but I know you were particularly interested to see what I did with the gears.

Ah well, no rest for the Pixie. Best get back to recorded all my discoveries and tidying things up. Please give our love to Mr Dickens and Mr Rivett (and not forgetting Mr Woppit, as if anyone could!)

Love

F.

The Big Restock

Dearest Em,

You were right, its quite exhausting setting up a half-way decent gift shop, knowing what to include, what to price things at and how to display them. Hopefully I'm getting the hang of it.

This is a little something I put together from the bits left over when the Prof broke all those watches apart for me. The back plates were so pretty, but I wasn't sure what to do with them. Then, one day when I was sitting looking at them, I noticed that there were two sorts and that I had three of one and two of the other. "Excellent!" I thought, I know what to do with them now. And so this necklace was born and christened "Back to Black".


And then I got to work on those lovely little tiles we found in that delightful emporium in Derbyshire. They're very unsual and absolutely perfect for the sort of things I like to make. Although they were a little tricky to put together; I kept buying headpins to attach the crystals, but all the ones I got were incredibly tough to use and I ended up with very sore hands. I think I'll stick to having little loops everywhere - its much less painful on the fingers. These are also in the gift shop, as "Black Tile"

Full of industry, I cracked on with another pair. These are lovely flat glass beads, with grids printed all over them. The grids change colour depending on what direction the light hits them, so you never quite know what they'll look like. I added a silver cog from the watches and a pale green crystal that matched one of the colours in the grid and "Off the Grid" was completed.

These ones are faboo, but actually quite simple in a lot of ways. I got the blue frames when visiting the Queen of Canada, from the wonderfully named TANK fire + metal in the Distillery District. As you can imagine, we didn't tell the Brownie that we were going there, although I'm sure he wouldn't have enjoyed it. Much. It does have a very good brewery. Anyway, the earrings: they're called "Hard to Resist".

I bet you can guess who I was thinking about when I made these earrings? Yes, that's right, our dear Miss Rothschild. The pretty little pink roses reminded me very much of our favourite clockwork girl. I do hope she isn't working too hard on her magnum opus. Even clockwork girls need time to play and have enjoy a little tea and cake. These "Pink Rose" earrings are also in the gift shop.

So, as you can see, full of busy, and now its time to get the laundry done. Snorty's boiler should be about warm enough now and he says he likes doing the washing as it means he can snort bubbles out of his trunk. He's a funny steam elephant.

All our love,

Fuschia

Lava and Lumpies

Dear Miss Muse,

Its been a while since I sent the butterflies with salutations, so I thought it was high time I made ammends. I know you like unusual things and shiny things, so I got the Boxed Brownie to make some watercolours for your perusal.

This one I have named after something he drawled in his rather odd southern accent; he claims that he said it was luverly, but I thought he said "lava-ly" (and was attempting to be funny, seeing as the bead is made from cooled lava). He was a bit sniffy at first, but soon perked up when I told him what a great name it was for the pendant.

One of the other things I've been working with is some more of those old glass fuses I have. I put some liquid Fimo in one and baked it to see what colour it would come out; although not completely successful, it should be usable for what I want to do, but it will need a syringe to get it in tidily. I sort of got it everywhere as it dribbled out from under the fuse cap. Mind you, that was my fault as it was a fuse I'd previously baked to try and melt the glue holding the end cap on. Obviously it did melt it a bit, in all the wrong places. Ah well, c'est la vie!

I have this lovely purple wire, and I know you're a bit partial to purple, so I wrapped the fuses in it and dangled some crystals and some little silver lumpies (sorry, Snorty says I have to call them elephants or you won't know what I'm talking about) and voila! They're rather sweet, but in the gift shop they go.

Snorty says to tell the little Master that he's looking forward to giving him rides when he's big enough to hang on to the howdah. I have set the Prof the task of making a special safety harness, although I can't quite work out whether its for Snorty or the bairn...

All my love,

F.

Full Circuit

Good morning, Mrs Foggy

Or is it evening? All these time differences make me wish that some of the clocks and watches we have lying around the Circus actually worked! Still, it would be a terrible shame to break them open for all the pretty things inside if they were actually doing something useful like telling the time.

I have been investigating some strange apparatus that the Prof brought back from his travels. I believe they are called quartz watches, which made me think that they might be nice and glisteny, like the stones (well, once they've been polished; quartz can be a little dull until its been well and truly buffed). Sadly, this has proven not to be the case, but the do have interesting innards, once you get past this strange material called plastic.


In some of my earlier experiments, I extracted the little copper coils (called solenoids) by use of some teeny-tiny screwdrivers and a bit of pixie determination, thinking at some point that I would use them as dangly connectors in earrings. In two of the watches, however, the solenoids refused to be parted from the little circuit boards (which I have already used on their own in some other earrings I've been making).


After a bit of a ponder, I decided to wire a crystal into the gap between the coil and the board, so making it into a "Full Circuit" (hence the name). They are quite simple, but very chic and shiny. They remind me of a period that Miss Emilly calls Art Deco, although I think I shall describe them as electropunk (as there are no cogs, I can hardly call them steampunk now, can I?).

I look forward to hearing what adventures you and your good husband have been having, but please try not to feed the butterflies too much ice wine when they deliver this letter. I know they're rather fond of it, but they were pretty tipsy after their last visit to your Northern shores (and its bad enough having to deal with a drunken Boxed Brownie).

Love,

F.

The Path to Your Heart

Dearest Em,

As promised, I've been a busy Pixie, making things and experimenting. And, following your advice, I'll be popping my creations up in the gift shop in the Etsy Big Top.

I've called these ones "Path to Your Heart", because they're made from the printed circuit boards from some broken quartz watches we got from the other Rummage Man a few weeks ago. And a circuit is a path, and there are hearts on there, so it seemed like the right name for them!

I added the green Swarovski crystals because there's green on the printed circuits, and gold wire and black hearts so that it all toned together nice and harmoniously. There'll never be another pair of earrings quite like these, as I'll never have circuit boards exactly like these ever again.

All in all, I'm quite proud of them and I think they'd make a smashing addition to any steam/electropunk lady's jewellery box, even if I do say so myself!

Right, time to tidy up the display cabinet ready for the next set of new arrivals. Be good, and give our love to Mr Woppit.

Love

F.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Dearest Terry,

Hope your latest excursion with Oolon wasn't too nerve-wracking and that you didn't need all that gin you packed to cope with his piloting skills. You did remember to take your Brownie along, didn't you, or at least one of those new-fangled gizmos? I always like looking at your holiday snaps, they're funny - all those running feet and blurry images. And you say your Brownie isn't fond of a tipple!

Anyway - (I'd better hurry up, the butterflies are looking aggrieved at me taking so long to write this) - I've been making stuff again. This is part of a watch I picked up ages ago from the Rummage Man. The bracelet was damaged, had been badly repaired and the case was a bit corroded, but it had ever such a pretty movement when I levered it out of the back. I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it really hard to break these objects up, even when they are very poorly and neglected. Maybe its just me, but taking apart something that somebody put together with such love and care a long, long time ago seems a bit naughty and disrespectful somehow. Unless its utterly buggered and then, really, what else are you going to do with it?

So, I jiggered it about a bit, took the pretty blue face off (no point in hiding it away), popped the mechanism back in and pushed the back back on. Then I put it onto some fine black ribbon to make it look all stylish and minimalistic. Well, that was the general idea, any way. I have a couple of other watches in this category - mostly intact physically, just not working mechanically, so I may well be creating a few more along these lines. Watch this space! (Sorry).

Ah well, according to the clock on the tent wall, its nearly time for all good Pixies to go to bed. So I'll be staying up for quite a while longer...

Let me know when you've got something other than that grotty Battenburg cake and I'll pop over for tea.

Love

F.

Roses are, well, pink and gold

Dear Miss Jameson,

Its all been a bit of a frenzy over here at the Circus of late - I've been getting my sketch book up to date, teaching Snorty macrame (he's doing remarkably well, all things considered) and trying to instill some sort of order on my boxes of stuff. And making pretty things, as well, in between bouts of putting things away then getting them straight back out again.


I got this squishy stretchy knitted wire ages ago when Mr Fenwick was having a sale at his emporium. I've tried to use bigger gauge knitted wires before, but they tend to sproing all over the place when you cut them, as well as being a tad unruly when wrestling them into place. But while I was tidying and pondering the other day, I suddenly thought that the finer stuff would make pretty steampunk roses. I also have this lovely Japanese washi paper bought whilst visiting an art shop on Messers Haight & Ashbury's estate in the city of Saint Francis, which just so happens to be exactly the right shades of pink. It has gold dragonflies on it (but sadly far too widely spaced to be seen on little bits like this), so I bunged a bit in the middle, stuffed it with wadding, couched a clock cog on to it and finished with a little dragonfly that you could see.

This is the prototype, and as you know, you always learn a lot when experimenting (except the Prof, who still doesn't seem to have got the hang of not blowing things up even after all that practice). I'd make the centre of the flower a little differently next time and use a longer length of wire for more ruffles, but not bad for a first attempt!

Speaking of explosions, I can smell burning and (come to think of it) I haven't seen the Prof for a while either. Better just go and make sure that the potting shed's still intact...

Be good! Love

Fuschia

Lost and Found

Dear Mrs Foggy,

Blimey, its been a while, hasn't it? I don't know where the time went since your nuptials. It was very good of your Boxed Brownie to send us his little paintings over the aether, although our Brownie is now sulking and has eaten several daguerrotypes in protest (including the one of Mr Mesmer's cravat pin). I have confiscated his gin in retaliation and attempted to convince him that his images will be much more in focus without it. Funnily enough, he won't believe me.

To prove I did do some creative stuff in between then and now, these are some earrings I made for a Canadian friend of ours. She's a very talented jewellery maker herself and over the years we have whiled away many a happy hour in the bead shops along the street the Queen of Canada has designated specially for that purpose. I found the lovely little crystal butterflies on a shopping trip with Miss Emilly, and the little silver hearts. The main challenge was finding some nice posts that weren't for pierced ears. All in all, I think they worked quite well.

And then there was something for Terry; she likes purple and again, she's a very talented jewellery maker (its always a bit nerve-racking making something for other designers, but we all have our own unique style and no-one's sent anything back yet!). Its very simple, just another of those lovely circley bits the Prof found in the circus basement when dismantling the old Babbage Engines.

Last, but by no means least, this necklace was for Miss Emilly, to go with the earrings that I made for her when I was 'sperimenting last summer. I made the ribbons a bit long, but seeing as she's rather handy in that department, she soon sorted that out to her satisfaction.

Life at the Circus since then has somewhat got in the way of making pretty things, but now its the off-season I'm hoping to get the sketch book out again (and the power tools). I even dutifully sorted out the big pile of stuff I'd accrued over the last year, so I pretty much know where everything is and even what I have! Except for the little light bulb things that Miss Emilly gave me; I've no idea where they are. I suspect the Brownie, but he's denying everything and its not as if Snorty would know what to do with them.

Best be off, I think I can hear George chasing the Prof around the workshop. He's a good lion, most of the time, but he does get bored easily and I don't fancy having to give him another bath if he gets in amongst the dye vats again (although he did rather suit that shade of purple).

Please give our love to your wonderful hublet, and ta-ta for now!

F.

'Tis the Season...

Dear Teedles,

You might have been thinking that its been awfully quiet on the Pixie front. Well, you wouldn't have been wrong. Its been terribly hectic both at Pixie School and the Circus, and then there's the sideline I have to take care of at this time of year, if you know what I mean (big fat man, white beard, seriously in need of a new outfit, needs to stop drinkinng all that fizzy brown stuff).

So here are some of the stocking fillers he's had me making this year.

First off is this lovely red and silver pair. The fuse caps came off these ones, so it was really easy to stuff 'em full of beads. I really like these ones; very festive.

And then I real problems getting the fuse caps off any of the other ones, so I had to think outside the fuse. Quite literally, actually. Hmmm, lovely purple swirly beady things. That's two seperate pieces of wire there, one going up through the middle, the other twirling round the outside.

So, thinks me, what am I to do now? Each pair has to be different and I can't get the caps off. Trying to twist them off with pliers makes them go tinkle-crack-smash and heating them in Snorty's firebox just makes the glue go brown (you can't get them out of the oven quick enough to get the caps off while the glue is still molten).

I had some very pretty turquoise wire and I thought, let's do a variation of the beady one, just with wire. And instead of a loop on the bottom, lets have a pretty swirl ('cos its a bugger getting those loops to sit right underneath).

Right, one more pair to go. I got my lovely drill out again, only this time I got one of the bigger bits and drilled a stonking great hole in one end of the fuse.

The advantage of that is that I can cram the little beads up through the hole. The disadvantage of that is that there's this big hole in the bottom. I did think about sticking a big bead over the hole, but trying to handle that with very quickly drying glue would be sure to end up with Pixie fingers stuck in there as well. So I thought the swirl would make a very agreeable alternative. The beads are iridescent, so it sparkles very nicely in the light.

There have been other things I've been working on, but they're super-special secret still (until after the big man has been out on his rounds. And I don't mean the Prof; he's currently helping the Elves. He looks really cute in green, especially with that hat and the stripy stockings).

Ah, my new crystals have arrived. Best get back to the other two pairs of earrings.

Have an excellent festive season

Lots of love, Fuschia

Coppers and Computers

Dearest Emilly,

I do hope your polar trip is progressing well. The post-butterflies have complained a bit about the cold up there, but they think that the coloured lights are very pretty, like the shimmer in their wings in fact.

We had a bit of a party in your absence and while the Prof was pootling about preparing the moonshine and the nibbles, I thought I'd better make some more things for the little gift-shop.

First up is this little item, or "Green Machine" as we've decided to call it. I know you know a bit about the future and these strange things called computers. I believe that some of our current compatriots call them Difference Engines. I haven't had the heart to tell them that the ones I've seen in the future aren't steam-powered. Still, if you take a nice big hammer to them, there are some very pretty things inside. It would be fun even if there weren't pretty things inside; you know me and hammers!

The Prof says this piece is called a hard disc reader head. I know it doesn't look like a head or like it can read, but I thought the ribbons and the little beads made it much more presentable to the library types, particularly Sir JJ and Miss Homewood (and I don't think it would be interested in Sir JJ's secret stash of very nice whisky, unlike some of his other readers. Hic!)

Anyway, its available here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33224817

And then there's this one: Time Flies. Not all of the bits of clock we got from the Rummage Man were in tip-top condition; even though I felt a bit sorry for this watch-face as its seen better days, I still think its very pretty. Its such a lovely colour under that enamel; maybe true beauty does lie within?

The shiny circular piece the Prof assures me is a hard disc spindle thing. No idea what one of them does, but its got some very useful holes in it for putting ribbons through. And the little dragonfly liked it so much when he came to see what I was doing, he asked if he could stay.

Its available here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33225023

Some of the other reader heads that we recovered from more old computers the Prof found in a wonderful yellow boaty called, I believe, in the local parlance a "skip", weren't as pretty as the one above. In fact, the only pretty thing in them was the copper coily; not only is it a very pleasing shape, there's a class of butterflies called Coppers, or Lycaenae.

Well, if there's butterflies involved (however tenuously) you know I'm your Pixie! So I snapped them out of their ugly surrounds, polished them up and added some pretty Chinesey beads and a few cogs for good measure.

They're next to the candyfloss at: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33225252

There is one other piece of jewellery that I've made, but this one has sort of already been commissioned (along with three more pairs). At a different point in the future I found these natty little glass tubes. They had a rather boring wire in them, but I managed to pull the caps off a few and soon remedied that. I've called them "Blown a Fuse", although the Prof looked at me really archly when I did and muttered something about "more like a gasket...". Do you think I should have words with him, Em? Or was he making another odd Circus-type joke, do you think? (For odd, please read not funny)

I await your answer as to whether or not Snorty and I should take him in hand. Give my love to Mr Worthers

Fuschia

Apologies on Flutterby Wings

Dear Lady E,

Um, sorry about the whole, er, Miss, thing. I'm sure you understand, being a bit Fae yourself, that these human appellations are very confusing, especially when they seem to change them at the drop of a hat. Or maybe that should be heart...

You're not going to be offended by me calling you a lady, are you? 'Cos I can be much more insulting if you like.

Any road up, I've been busy again, as the latest daguerrotype shows. This one is for me and was really a test piece to see if these interesting ground sections from the Clock Man's clock would work as pendant bases. I think you now know the answer to that.

It was also interesting in terms of technique and the order you should or shouldn't do things. I was gluing a whole load of bits and bobs together, so popped this one into the pile. However, trying to do the wiring after the gluing was a bit of a duff idea. No, it was a lot of a duff idea, 'specially when the holes are so small and all the bits are really close together.

Still, it didn't suffer that much from me having too many thumbs today. I blame Snorty; I had to assist the Prof giving him an oil change and my thumbs are still a bit sore from all the nuts and bolts I had to tweak and preen. Mustn't grumble, though - Snorty's humming away nicely and I have a very interesting necklace (even if I do say so myself)!

Now all I need to do is purchase some pretty ribbons and some crimps and I can finish the rest of the pendants for the gift shop.

And thank you for the special tea; most restorative!

Love
F

Spring has Sprung

Dear Miss Elytis,

You'll be pleased to know that I've been keeping out of mischief by making sparkly things. These ones are called "Spring has Sprung".

Um, they don't actually have springs in them though, but "Spring has Cogged" doesn't quite work.

Anyway, they're for sale from the little gift shop on the way out of the Big Top - here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32365336

Yes, I know that's shameless self promotion, but shy bairns get nowt, as they say.

Time for a nice cup of tea!

Lots of love
Fuschia

Star Potential

Morning Teedles,

Its been a bit hectic over the last few weeks as we've had some work experience Pixies and Circus folk in the Big Top. Spot the Tiger wasn't very happy, but Fred the Lion took to most of them and not like last time. Not that we like to talk about that (I still say it was his own fault; we did mention about the whole mime thing, but you know young people, they always know best. Its the stripy tops that do it).

But, I have been busy, as you can see. I was playing about with the design I did for Miss Emilly and came up with these. They're called Star Potential, because Mr Merlin said that the slotty things could also be called potentiometers. The lady who trains Pixies (I think I told you about her) decided she liked these ones too, and she's bought them as a little present to cheer up her friend. I like the thought of that; after all, Pixies are supposed to spread a little magic as they go.

Be good,
Love
F.

Flutterby Blue

Dear Miss Jameson,

You know how partial Pixies are to butterflies, so I thought it was about time I incorporated them into some swishy earrings. And I like blues and golds almost as much as I like fuschia pinks and purples, so overall I'm rather pleased with the results.

I've put them in the gift shop by the back door of the Big Top, in amongst the souvenir giraffes and cannons - here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=32364653

They're probably better for your teeth than toffee apples. Er, actually, no, they're probably not. We do do some nice carrot sticks, just don't tell Snorty we've been sharing his tea time treats!

Love,
F

Clockwork Heart

Dear Emilly,

Just a short note to let you see what else I've been up to lately. I bet you thought it was too quiet over here at the circus...

These are the earrings I made for the lady who trains Pixies. She has excellent taste in colours, even if I do say so myself. You know I like to give everything its proper name, so these have been christened "Clockwork Heart" and I'm happy to say that the lady was very pleased with them.

Better go, more letters to write! I look forward to our imminent shopping trip for sparkly things

Lots of love,
F.

Dingly Danglies

Dear T,

I'm glad to say that I've been at it again, this time with many sets of pliers. I've kept these ones a bit of a secret up 'til now, as the pink ones are a present for a certain red and black spotted aquaintance of ours (and you know how the post-imps can never be entirely trusted not to peek and gossip).

The blue and purple ones are mine for our outing to Lincoln. I found some more of those resistor thingies and they really are quite nifty for wiring things together. The dangly bit with the heart on is made of old watch parts, so the earrings are ever-so-slightly different. The nice lady who was training me to be a better Pixie liked them too: she's asked me to make her some!

The pink and green ones with the little stars are for you-know-who. The linky bit is something I think the Prof called a "variable resistor". Apparently you jam a tiny spanner into the slotty bit to make it more or less resitant. I think someone jamming a spanner into you would be guaranteed to make you more resistant, really, wouldn't you? Maybe this future gubbins has some sense after all; I remain to be convinced. The only problem with the stripy resistor bits is the colours they come in - I'd kill for a nice pink or purple one.

Anyway, must dash - I need to pack Snorty ready for the trip southwards. I have to dig out the smart howdah with the silk cushions and the nice tea set if i want to travel in a bit of luxury. Well, the Prof has to actually dig it out from the back of the outhouse; its far too large for me to do much with, but you know what I mean.

Be good,

love
Fuschia

Tinkering Along

Hello there, Terry!


You know I said that I'd been tinkering away again? Well, here are the fruits of my labours thus far:

You've seen the little cabochon that I usually wear with my nice white posh going out and about blouse, haven't you? This is the pixiepunk replacement, made especially for the Convivial in Lincoln this coming weekend.


Its a terrible shame that you're on the wrong side of the Puddle; Emilly, Oolon and Mr Merlin will all be there. We shall try to grab daguerrotypes for your perusal.

The backplate is from a very noisy alarm clock - I think I told you about having to hide it under Snorty's straw to deaden the racket. Once I got the straw out of the little holes, it made quite a nice mount for everything. Some of the other bits are from the Clock Man's mechanism, some

from the Rummage Man, and a few resistors we borrowed from the future. And you can't beat a few crystals. Please assure Miss Elytis that they're quite safe and there won't be a repeat of that unfortunate exploding incident.

Not to be left out, I made the Prof a nice badge (he says its not manly to call it a brooch; honestly, men!). It was his design, but he was humming and harring about actually clagging the bits together, so I did it for him.

He's foregoing his usual choice of outfits, so there won't be any leopard skin (probably a good idea, as it might be just a little bit too carnival for polite society). Instead he's aiming for what I have jestingly called 'FlyPunk (I think he took some fashion tips from Cap'n Tightpants last time he popped over for tea). He says it looks like a marshall's badge and he's inordinately pleased with it. I believe the correct exclamation at this point is "Yipee-Kiyay!"?



And then there was the experiment: some of the old watches we got from the Rummage Man were in a "not quite sure what to do with" pile. Some were so exhausted, we put them out of their misery; others were so interesting I intend to use them as they are. And then there were the not quite had it, but not quite outstanding lot. I dug out a book from our extensive library (Circus folk need to be ready to turn their hand to anything) and made a wire bezel for one of them.

It was blinkin' hard work, let me tell you. That so called craft wire was really tough to bend to my whim, so it didn't come out quite how it was in the book. The back was supposed to be the front, if you see what I mean (hence the swirly thing), but I accidentally managed to put it in the right way up and I rather like the front being the front. I know its wonky, but that's me really, isn't it?

Oops, better go, I can smell burning. And that means either Snorty's run out of water or I've left the soldering iron on again.

Be good,

Love,

Fuschia

A not so quiet day at the circus

Dear Emilly,


Its been quite quiet at the circus of late, and so I have decided to raid the mysterious cupboard under the stairs (which is quite tricky when you live in a big tent) and begin making things.


What things, you ask? All sorts of things: small stitched pieces, jewellery, accessories.


How, you ask? Traditional embroidery techniques, combined with more modern influences; paper, silk, lace, wire, things I find in the Prof's toolbox.

What style, you ask? I shall call it Pixiepunk, because there's nothing wrong with a semi-eponymous title. Part steampunk, part atomicpunk, all pixie (you know, shiny things, grubby things and ribbons).


Why, you ask? Because a pixie must do what a pixie must do.


Love


Fuschia