About 7 months ago, I did a blog piece on Faberge and those fabulous eggs that the House of Faberge created for the royalty of the Russian Empire. I'm still in love with them.. researched them, found numerous sources. While my creation of music boxes has slowed down here recently, it's by no means stopped. Matter of fact, the projects I've been working on have all been learning experiences and have helped me develop tools to create even more "toys" in Second Life, which is really what I'm doing. I'm being a toy maker.
Now what that has to do with Faberge is nostalgia. Why are those eggs looked upon with wonder and amazement? Partly because they are masterpieces of clockwork, mechanics, and creativity.. but also because they recall a time in history that seemed elegant, magical and mysterious.
Bear with me.. I swear this is all going somewhere.
About 2 weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that one of the professional musicians/composers I watch was doing a stunning thing. He opened up his email to the general public and said.. if you want free music, send me an email with an idea and I may just do it. Well, the friend who brought it to my attention had requested a Steampunk Anthem, which the individual in question came hollaring to me saying "HE DID IT! HE DID IT!" My own curiosity was sparked, and while I do my own music, one can never have too many sources. So I sent in an email with an idea and 4 hours later, had a very melancholy professionally done music box theme.. get this.. done to the same melodic steampunk anthem. It is, quite frankly, gorgeous.
Now.. back to Faberge. I heard this new piece of music box music and knew immediately what I was going to do. I wanted to do a new music box as an ornamental egg, but in a more steampunk variety. And since it was New Babbage in Second Life (it didn't really introduce me to steampunk.. but it gave me a name for something I already loved) where I made my home way back in 2007.. and New Babbage where I have met some of the most amazing friends and have had some of the most creative ideas I've ever had.. and New Babbage where I still base my store and Second Life Ideology.. I wanted to showcase New Babbage as well.
Most of the landmarks that I hold dear to my heart aren't really there anymore. These were builds that I loved, were imaginative and there was just something about them that kept me wandering about Babbage. Some of them are still there, most are not and if you are a newcoming to New Babbage, you won't know them at all. So, this heralds back to my nostalgia of a New Babbage that is not really there any longer (though, if you know the lifespans of actual places, you know that New Babbage is breaking all the odds, right next to Steelhead and Caledon).
So I created an ornamental egg that's slightly larger than the rest of them, dusty aged glass with sculpted brass base, ornamentation, topped with a dark jade egg. Since Tesla is also hailed higher by the majority of people in the steamlands, I gave it a slight Tesla twist. When you touch it, to turn it on.. the key starts to wind, there's the sound of an electric current popping to life, and you can see the arc between the brass plates inside the egg. Once the egg winds, the music starts to play and the music box rezzes a holograph-ish centerpiece with pictures of those places in New Babbage I loved the most; Tiny Tin, The Lighthouse, the tunnels under the Vernian, the Church Tower, the city landscape, the Academy of Industry.. all places that hold fond memories for many of the older residents.. and some of the newer. Not all these builds are gone, but the ones that are, they still exist in New Babbage. Even if you don't see them at first glance.
The mayor of New Babbage and Maggie examining the new music box.
