A new day dawns, and if I can permit myself a brief moment of nostalgia for my – temporarily – lost world and stature, I shall temper that with enthusiasm for the construction of my engine room. This is progressing well.
Yesterday my enterprising assistant was able to help me to construct the furnace for the steam generator. True, in her dimension it is a small box coated with some strange, shiny substance, but for my present scale (one twelfth of my accustomed size) it provides a sturdy and robust firebox, particularly as much of it is lined with copper.
“We can use one of these to make the fire, Henry,” she announced, producing a cylindrical appliance of oriental construction, which utilises something she calls a ‘battery’ to produce a flickering flame in a small translucent bulb.
“It’s a battery tea light,” she continued, as if all should then become clear to me.
“Madam, I applaud your ingenuity,” I responded. “And a cup of tea would be most welcome, by the by. However, I should feel more comfortable if I were able to use a more traditional fuel for my engine. We will need a large quantity of coal and a means with which to ignite it.”
Nothing daunted, the redoubtable lady collected a sheet of extremely thin and pliable aluminium from her kitchen. It apparently has some culinary purpose which I am unable to comprehend. Having screwed it into a lump, she proceeded to spray it black. I have to admit, it certainly resembles a coal heap and the good lady assures me it will serve as such. I trust that she is not merely humouring me.
“I’m not sure how you would be able to light it, though,” she remarked, dubiously.
I am pleased to say that I provided a solution to that difficulty. However I am too fatigued by my day’s exertions to record the details now. It will have to wait for another occasion.
Should you wish to become better acquainted with Henry, do visit him at the Steampunk Dolls’ House. He’d enjoy the company. The link is here.
The good lady looked only mildly taken aback when I informed her that I would need an engine room – at 1/12 scale, naturally – in order to generate enough steam power to re-calibrate and start the Machine. She rummaged in a cupboard and produced a small valise of suitable dimensions (although quite UNsuitable design). Once I had persuaded her to redecorate it in a more suitable manner, though, I decided it would do very well.
“About that size and shape,” I said.
I am livid, madam, absolutely livid!
Well, yes, certainly one does depict you au naturel, Bertie, dear, but it’s only there to show the followers the transformation that occurred as you took on your current resplendent form. I’m quite delighted with your present appearance, and so should you be.
Well to my way of thinking, you’d be far better off with steam power and our ingenious mechanical devices. Fiddling endlessly with those strange little glass boxes of yours – it isn’t healthy! I trust that your photographs for this piece will be of a more appropriate nature.
Now this is the technology I feel most comfortable with – the glorious make-do-and-mend in which quite humdrum objects are cunningly combined and formed into wondrous contrivances (in time-honoured steampunk style, I feel).
As for contrivance, well don’t let her know that I’ve shared this information with you – heaven knows what she’d say – but the stick of her parasol was fashioned from a cotton bud stick, covered in copper tape (sold to gardeners as a slug repellent). The shade itself was moulded over the cap of a roll-on deodorant – lace and garden wire struts stiffened with PVA glue, before being covered and trimmed with fabric and lace. A few beads were added top and bottom, and her accessory was complete.
“I assure you, Miss Templemann, I would not dream of doing anything so ungentlemanly. All I have told you is the truth. I was crossing the Northern Sea in my airship, when a huge green tentacle appeared from far below and, as I explained, rendered most of my arm useless.”
Grace gave a throaty laugh. “Good gracious no! I asked Oscar to build me this dart launcher so that I might protect myself from attack when I embark on my expedition to darkest Africa. One simply can’t be too careful. I’ve been wearing it for a month and he is due to make any necessary adjustments before my departure on Saturday. But tell me more about your device. It looks most tremendously complicated.”
Grace is also available at the Steampunk Dolls House and can be found here: 
The lovely Alice can be found at this link: 
Allow me to introduce myself – Miss Delores Mayfeather.
I was delighted to discover a female photographer – such a pleasant change from those rough-spoken men – and this lady was both polite and a master of her craft.
Alex, the young adventurer whom regular readers last met on an airship journey 
James, a debonair gentleman carrying a telescope and sporting a very unusual monocle – are about to embark on a new adventure.
As promised, the first of the steampunk-themed rooms has now joined the items for sale at the Steampunk Dolls House shop on Etsy UK.
Professor Erasmus, in his black and gold smoking jacket and cap, stands, deep in thought, staring into the domed scrying glass set into his bench. Ancient books, contraptions and receptacles of various kinds surround him or lie on shelf behind him. An elaborate system of chains and pulleys hang from the ceiling and above the wooden wall panelling, the cogs that control various clockwork mechanisms can be glimpsed.
The scrying room was created by Matt, the shop’s owner, while Erasmus was made here in my workshop, to Matt’s specifications.
Here’s a rare picture of Amelia with her identical twin sister Leonora. When I first met them they both looked exactly like Leonora (left).
So here she is – a fearless flyer and expert mechanic. She may be petite and blonde, but she’s the equal of any other aviator and is happy to strip down an engine with the best of them.
As for Leonora, she must have been inspired by her sister. Following a very unpromising start as a dolls’ house housewife, she ended up as a renowned explorer, travelling the world with her glass astro-chronometer. Her unusual goggles have integrated clockwork dart-launchers. I wish I had the skill to make them work!
Steampunk - Shrunk! 