Steampunk Tree Topper

Hello and happy Friday!! Jennalee here today. Christmas is right around the corner so I am sneaking in one last Christmas project this week. At first glance, you wouldn't think Christmas but it is. My hubby started a small Steampunk tree for his man cave. We are still working on collecting ornaments but he requested a tree topper. I got to thinking about the Skeleton Clocks from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts and knew they would make a perfect base!! I pulled out my embossing powders and heat gun and got to work. 

Here are the pieces I started out with from top left ATC Coin, Photo Reels Miniatures, Gears Shape Set, Clock Hands Shape Set, Skeleton Clock.

  

Heat emboss clock and inner ring. I covered the whole clock using Charred Gold and heat set. Then went back and added Oil Rubbed Bronze to the numbers. The inner ring was embossed with Oil Rubbed Bronze. Not pictured is the smaller inner clock that I embossed in Charred Gold. 

For the clock hands I used Burnt Copper Leaves with a few sprinkle of Ancient Amber.

The gears are done in Oil Rubbed Bronze, Burnt Copper Leaves and Ancient Amber. 

I covered the ATC Coin with a piece of aluminum tape that had been embossed and colored with alcohol inks. 

Once I started constructing my clock I realized I needed a layer for the back to hold the 2 clock faces and inner ring together. This Trellis Frame was the perfect size. I painted both front and back black.

At this point, I fit all of the two clocks into each other and added the ATC coin in the center of the smaller clock. I adhered the layers together and backed them with the Trellis Frame. I got so caught up in the flow I forgot to take a picture. 

I used a paper mache cone that I had in my stash to attach to the back of the clock and serve as the tree topper. 

I layered the gears on top of the ATC Coin until I was happy with the configuration. The Photo Reel was embossed with Charred Gold and adhered on top of the Gears. I used a clock key that I found in the jewelry section of Michael's and poked it thru the Clock Hands and Photo Reel.

The clock hands are set at 10:04 as a tribute to Back to the Future as requested by the hubby. I really enjoyed this fairly simple project. If you love heat embossing then you will definitely enjoy it as well. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! ~ Jennalee

Phone and Tablet Charging Station by Gloria

Good morning! It's Gloria and I am sharing a "super cool" phone and tablet charging station tutorial today! While I only have a "dumb" phone, the rest of my family has smart phones, and I do have a tablet that is need of charging. Who wouldn't want a pretty charging station?! When GSL came out with the Tablet/Ipad/Phone Holder, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it!

I combined the NEW Tablet/Ipad/Phone Holder with the Hidden Drawer Book Box to make a storage and charging station.

I used GSL chipboard elements (see supply list at the end of the post) along with Graphic 45 Communique and Typography collections to decorate the station. Since I am not planning to use the project as a viewing station, I decided to decorate the front as well as the back.

A Graphic 45 drawer pull made the perfect handle for my (not so hidden) drawer!

I attached the Tablet/Ipad/Phone Holder to the Hidden Drawer Book Box with strong glue so that it would be very stable. 

The Miniature Photo Reel makes a great rotatory telephone piece!

The back of the station is also decorated. Plus, the station is raised up on 4 little feet, made from bingo tiles!

I love this quote by Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th President of the United States, who said, "The telephone is an amazing invention but who would ever want to use one?" I used the lightbulb with my "fake Rutherford" inside to make a joke about "great ideas."  

I used a chipboard decoration to act as the cord holder for when the phone or tablet is charging. 

You simply feed the cord through the holder and around the side to the phone. I love how pretty AND functional this project is!

The charging station can hold two smart phones, or one smart phone and one dumb phone, as shown here.

The station also holds my Ipad Air. My Ipad is in a case, but there is still enough space in the holder part to accommodate it!

For the step-by-step tutorial, visit my Snapguide below.

Check out How to Make a Phone Charging Station by Gloria Stengel on Snapguide.

Thanks for looking! Find all these wonderful chipboard items at the GSLCuts Store! Find amazing Graphic 45 papers HERE.

~ Gloria Stengel: Scraps of Life

Supplies:

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts: 

Tablet/Ipad/Phone Holder 

Hidden Drawer Book Box

Photo Reel Miniatures

Gears Shape Set

Steampunk Lightbulb Set

Victorian Corners 2

Graphic 45:

Communique Deluxe Collector's Edition

Antique Metal Door Pull

Washi Tape Set

Typography Paper Collection (retired)

Other: 
Ink: Ranger Distress Gathered Twigs
Mini brads: craft supply
Bingo tiles: Tim Holtz
Tools: Circle punches, Crop-a-Dile, bone folder, sanding block, sponge dauber
Adhesive: Gel Medium, Ranger Glossy Accents, Scor-tape