For this month’s International Bloggers Club (IBC) challenge, the theme was “Felted Fixation.” My interpretation was simple: create something using felt. With Christmas just around the corner, this DIY Steampunk Nutcracker came to life.
It’s time again for this month’s International Blogger Challenge (IBC), and the theme is “Beads Galore.” Our task is to create a project using beads in any way we like. I decided to make a beaded wall hanging. What seemed like a simple challenge turned into a series of mishaps, with everything that could go wrong, going wrong. More about the IBC at the bottom of this post.
Assemblage art is all about taking ordinary or discarded objects and transforming them into layered, imaginative creations. When I found an old teapot at the back of my cupboard—bought at a car boot sale over 20 years ago—I knew it was the perfect base for a new project. Rather than throw it away, I decided to upcycle it into steampunk assemblage art.
Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with spooky DIY decorations, and this cement grim reaper Halloween decoration is a showstopper. Made from cement, chicken wire, and an old towel, this eerie figure looks like it stepped straight out of a haunted graveyard. I chose to make a Grim Reaper because Halloween is just around the corner, and people are always looking for unique DIY Halloween décor ideas. This project uses the cement-and-towel method, which is not only great for making a creepy Grim Reaper but can also be adapted to create cement planters and other fun projects.
I wanted a planter that didn’t require watering and my dogs couldn’t wreck, so I made this Upcycled Chocolate Tin Handbag Planter with Secret Storage. It hangs like a handbag, looks chic with embossed faux leather and steampunk details, and hides a secret compartment inside. I used recycled materials wherever possible, artificial succulents for zero maintenance, and quick-drying UV resin so the whole project stays fast and fun.
If you follow my blog, you’ll know I love creating projects from recycled materials, and this time I’m sharing a DIY Upcycled Aluminium Can Wall Hanging that transforms empty Pepsi Max cans into embossed metal panel art. By using an embossing folder, pop rivets and a simple wooden frame, you’ll end up with a striking, interchangeable wall display that you can rearrange whenever you fancy a fresh look.
If you’re a fan of science fiction, industrial technology, or vintage aesthetics, you’ll love these 20 steampunk-inspired DIY projects! As a passionate steampunk enthusiast, I’ve found that this creative genre often sneaks its way into many of my designs, whether I’m working on a furniture makeover or a quirky decor piece.
Who doesn’t love a sock gnome? In How to Make Steampunk Sock Gnomes: A Quirky Upcycled DIY Tutorial, you’ll learn to turn simple recycled socks into charming steampunk decorations perfect for your home or as handmade gifts. Steampunk sock gnomes fuse Victorian-inspired flair with thrift-store finds, making this project eco‑friendly, budget‑wise and endlessly customisable.
In this DIY Resin Bowl: Shape Resin Around a Wooden Stump tutorial, I’ll guide you through moulding colourful epoxy resin into a unique bowl that hugs a wooden base. Our International Bloggers Club challenged us to work with resin, and although my first bowl’s colour didn’t excite me, the technique inspired this project. Choose your pigments and create a bespoke bowl that suits your style.
In this DIY Boho Mixed Media Cow Skull Wall Art Tutorial, I got a Facebook message one day from a friend asking if I could breathe new life into a couple of sun‑dried cow skulls. It sounded odd until I remembered the Instagram‑worthy painted skulls I’d seen on Pinterest. As much as I love painting walls and furniture, detailed skull art was new territory—yet my knack for mixed media transformed a rustic skull into a fashion‑forward statement perfect for a boho‑style home.
I’ve been steampunk mad all year, so creating this DIY Steampunk Christmas Tree: Upcycled Recycled Mixed Media Holiday Decor was inevitable. A reader’s comment on one of my previous projects—“I hope you make a steampunk Christmas tree!”—sparked the challenge, and I couldn’t resist. In true upcycling fashion, I built the entire structure from recycled cardboard, timber offcuts and found trinkets before giving it a mixed-media, industrial-chic makeover that’s sure to spark conversation this festive season.
Welcome to our next Int’l Bloggers Club challenge, “Don’t Sweater the Small Stuff,” and I’m thrilled to present Steampunk Sweater Doorstop: Don’t Sweater the Small Stuff, where a recycled sweater and a broken cement bottle transform into a striking, functional piece of Victorian-inspired home décor. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to turn project “fails” into a flourish, layering lace, leather and gears to create a doorstop that’s as practical as it is eye‑catching.