Maker Faire 2009

Twelve foot tall steel flower sculpture by Charles Gadeken

This weekend I was able to attend the Maker Faire at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds. For those not familiar with the event, it's a fair that celebrates arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself attitude. Here's a few pictures from the event.


My mother came with me to the fair. Here we are at the wooly hoodwinks booth.

One of the popular attractions was the life size mousetrap (just like the game). We got a chance to see it in action. Here, they are setting up the ball to put the mousetrap in motion. For more information and pictures you can visit the official site, The Lifesize Mousetrap.

Life Size Mousetrap

Natalie Zee Drieu and me

Natalie is the Senior Editor for Craft. It was exciting to get to meet her in person. I owe a lot of Zakka Life's success to the people at Craft who have featured my projects on the Craft blog. I wanted to introduce myself to everyone but I think I was a little overwhelmed. My nerves got the best of me.

Here I am in one of the famous cupcake vehicles. Yes that's right, I said vehicle, these can actually be driven around! To learn more about the motorized cupcakes and muffins visit the official site, Acme Engineering.

Artist Quincy Pearson

Recognize those little cloud factories? That's right, Pearson-Maron was at the Maker Faire selling their whimsical artwork. The sculptures were so cute, that I couldn't pass up the chance of buying one ( the cloud factory). It makes me smile every time I look at it.

cloud factory

Xylocopa was also a vendor at the fair. One of my favorite items was this mushroom puzzle and yes I purchased this too. They also make the popular "mad scientist blocks".

Here's another item that stood out among the vendors, a spoon hair clip. I thought this was a clever idea and worth sharing. The artist behind this piece is Gabriel Colaluca. He makes one of a kind hand crafted pieces from salvaged materials. You can find more of his work at The Brown Banana.




Last but not least, we got to see Eepy Bird (Fritz Grobe & Stephen Voltz) perform with their famous diet coke/mentos fountains. Here's a video of what the performance was like.

How to Recycle Old Crayons into New Crayons

Ever since I got a glimpse of the candy molds at Bake it Pretty, I new I wanted to make crayons with them. At first, I wasn't sure how the candy molds would hold up. After a little craft R & D I can tell you they're perfect for crayon making. I originally wanted to make mustache crayons but the mustache molds were all sold out (bummer). Apparently mustache candy is hot in the baking world, who new? So instead of mustache crayons, I present you with car crayon directions.

P.S. This is the kid craft I promised for Friday. It's just a little early.

Supplies
Candy molds - I purchased mine at Bake it Pretty but you can get them anywhere. The main thing is you don't want a mold skinnier than a crayon. Otherwise, the crayons will break easy.

Crayons - I got a bunch of used crayons from the kindergarten teacher at my son's school. This is the perfect time to ask teachers since school is coming to an end. Often the crayon nubs are sorted out and thrown away.

Used cans from fruit, vegetables etc. . .

Large Pot

Instructions
Peel all the paper off crayons. Sort by color into the different cans. Place in a large pot of water. Melt down using the double boiler method.

Other melting techniques - Some sites will tell you to melt down the crayons in paper cups in the microwave. From my experience, the paper cups begin to burn before the crayons melt down. You could also use a microwave safe container to melt down the crayons as well. Note, even though some Tupperware is microwave safe, it will melt if it gets too hot.

Pour the hot crayon wax into the molds. Don't worry if it spills over. You can peel it off when it dries. Let it set for a couple minutes. Then place the mold into the freezer for approximately fifteen minutes. You don't need to spray the molds at all. When the wax cools it pulls away from the mold. All I had to do was turn over the mold and the car crayons popped out. There wasn't even any wax left behind.

top view of car crayon

Other idea

You can mix glitter into the wax to make glitter crayons. I think these rock molds would be perfect for this.

Vintage Handbags

Lobster Stencilled Tote
Needle craft for Today July/Aug. 1979

You know that expression, "what's old is new again". Well, I'm realizing how true that is when it comes to crafts. A lot of the craft projects in my vintage magazines are very similar to the projects I've been seeing on the craft blogs. Take for example, this handbag above. I know I've seen it in a current Japanese Craft book (just can't remember which one). So, below are a couple of pictures for inspiration along with some links to handbag tutorials. Enjoy

Needle point flower clutch
Needle craft for Today July/Aug. 1979

Necktie carryall
Needlecraft for Today July/Aug 1979

Since I can't share the tutorials for the handbags above, here are some similar tutorials I found online.

Necktie handbag pattern - Craftbits

Apple print tote bag - Craftstylish

Clutch purse with antique pin closure - BHG

Kid craft coming this Friday.

Upcycle: Wine Cork Rubber Stamps

When I make smaller stamps, I like to use wine or champagne corks for the handles. After I carve out the stamp, I just glue it to the wine cork with a little E6000 glue. The wine and champagne corks add a little extra charm to the rubber stamps.

If you've never made a rubber stamp before, Geninne's Art Blog has a well detailed tutorial.

How To Make Weepuls

Weepul on Skateboard

Remember how popular weepuls were in the 80's? People would stick them to just about anything... cars, backpacks, trapper keepers. They came in all kinds of themes including holidays, animals, etc. I always wanted a weepul but like many trendy toys, my parents wouldn't buy me any (never got to have garbage pale kids either).

Well, I decided to fill that childhood void and make one. But first I needed a picture. And that's when my Google quest began "the weepul search". The only problem, I couldn't remember what they were called. The first day I googled just about everything, warm fuzzy stickers, stickers from the 80's, fuzz ball stickers, 80's warm fuzzies, hang ten feet, pom pom stickers, stickers with googly eyes , and the list goes on. I asked friends. I searched eBay. No luck. Then, one day I got a lead. When I clicked the link I got the message, "adult content". But in my desperation and obsession to track down the illusive weepul, I was willing to take that risk. And trust me, it's a risk when you're searching "80's warm fuzzies". And what do you know, it was actually a post about the weepul!

Two Weepuls on a Skateboard

Supplies:
Pom Poms
craft foam
googly eyes
glue
double stick tape
ribbon with printed message - one could also print a message on paper
pearl sprigs - Picture below. One can find these in the wedding section of the craft store.

1.Right click, copy, save and print foot template. Fold on dotted line, cut out, unfold. Trace feet onto the foam and cut out.

2. Cut pearl sprigs in half and glue to the top of your pom pom. Glue on googly eyes. Refer to picture.

3. Add double stick tape to the bottom of the feet (optional). Glue ribbon to the top of feet. Glue the pom pom to the ribbon/feet. Let dry. Done.

Recipe: Chinese Cabbage Salad

I was first introduced to Chinese cabbage salad at a church potluck. And where there's a church potluck, there's good food and recipes. This salad is no exception. It's a dish that's tasty, easy and inexpensive to make. Try it out and tell me what you think. Directions below.

Ingredients:
1 head of napa cabbage - Green cabbage can be substituted. Half of a green cabbage = 1 napa cabbage
3 green onions

Ramen mix
4Tbs sliced almonds
2Tbs sesame seeds
2 packages of top ramen (chicken)
2Tbs butter
1 tsp oil

Dressing
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2tsp soy sauce

1. Thinly slice the napa cabbage. Chop green onions. Mix together and set aside.

2. Crush the top ramen into bite size pieces while it's still in the bag. Remove the seasoning packets.

3. Saute the almonds, sesame seeds and top ramen (uncooked) in the butter and oil til lightly browned . Take off heat and mix in seasoning packets. Set aside.

4. Mix all the dressing ingredients together until well blended. I usually add everything into a jar and shake it up. Often I only use half of the dressing but it all depends on taste.

5. Mix dressing, cabbage mix, and top ramen mix all together. Serve immediately.

Special Instructions

*If you plan on bringing this to a potluck, mix everything except the ramen mixture. Add that last when ready to serve. Otherwise, the ramen noodles will get soggy.

*Add cooked chicken chunks to make a hearty salad for lunch or dinner.

How To Make Wine Cork Magnets

Have a lot of wine corks lying around? Why not make some kitchen magnets out of them? They're quick, easy and inexpensive to make. Simple directions below.

Supplies:
Wine corks
E6000 glue
Strong Magnets
Exacto knife
Here's what kind of magnets you'll need. I purchased these at the hardware store for about $3.

With an exacto knife, dig out a hole in the back of the cork that is the size of the magnet. Place the magnet inside to make sure it fits well. Take it back out.

Place a good amount of glue into the hole and add the magnet. Wipe away any excess glue that comes out the sides. Because the magnet is so strong it is important to use a strong glue. Make sure to let the magnet dry overnight. Done.

Craft Project: Plastic Bottle Jump Rope

You can never go wrong with the classic jump rope. It's a simple toy that can entertain children for long periods of time. Even better, you can make one out of items you probably have lying around the house. It's a quick and easy craft project. So pull those plastic bottles out of the recycling bin and make a jump rope with me.


Supplies
Two Plastic bottles: any bottle with a circumference small enough for little hands
Rope - anything you have around the house. you could also make rope by braiding plastic bags
Scissors
Exacto knife
Glue (optional)
Two plastic flowers (optional) - I used some flowers I salvaged from a wrapped gift

Here's the bottle I started off with. Optional - you can have your child decorate the bottles with stickers.

Cut out a hole with the exacto knife in the center of the bottle. It should be slightly larger than the circumference of the rope.

Take apart a fake flower. Thread the flower onto the rope one petal at time.

Thread the plastic bottle onto the rope next. Tie a knot at the end (refer to picture).

Pull the rope tight so the knot is at the end where you cut the hole out of the bottle. Glue the flower to the bottle. Repeat on the opposite side of the rope. Done!

Here's a childhood blast from the past, Miss Susie jump rope rhyme. Anyone else remember this?

Miss Susie had a steamboat
the steamboat had a bell
Miss Susie went to Heaven
the steamboat went to
hello operator
please give me number nine
and if you disconnect me,
I'll paddle your
Behind the refrigerator
there was a piece of glass
Miss Susie sat upon it and broke her little
ask me no more questions
tell me no more lies
the boys are in the girls' room
zipping up their
flies are in the kitchen
the bees are in the park
Miss Susie and her boyfriend
are kissing in the
D-A-R-K
D-A-R-K
D-A-R-K
[fast] DARK, DARK, DARK
dark is like a movie
a movie's like a show
a show is like a TV screen
and that is all I know
I know I know my mother
I know I know my pa
I know I know my sister
with the alligator bra!

Basil Lemon Cake

I first sampled this basil lemon cake at a party. It had such a fresh flavor from the combination of lemon and basil. I knew it would be perfect for potlucks in the summer. So of course, I had to ask for the recipe. Wouldn't you? Well, it turns out the recipe is from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool. I did a little poking around the internet and found the recipe here. You will need to scroll down a little to see the recipe, it's the second one. Enjoy.

As you can see, I had fun decorating the cake. I placed a doily over the top and sprinkled powdered sugar all over the cake. Then I added some toothpicks tied with ribbon to make it a little more festive.

How To Make Paper Lanterns

The inspiration for these paper lanterns came from the lanterns I saw on Bloesem. I liked the unexpected print and began to wonder what else would look good. That's how I came up with using doilies for paper lanterns. I could picture these hanging in trees all lit up on a summer's night. Perhaps for a wedding, a party, or just because. Directions below.


Supplies:
Square or rectangle doily - The size of the doily I used is 10" by 14.5" (placemat size). I purchased mine at the party supply store. Sometimes I see them at the dollar store as well.
Scissors
Double stick tape or glue

This is what the doily looks like starting out. Optional, you could sponge them with water color for extra color.

Cut the sides off.

Fold in half. Cut slices just before the doily part starts. The slices are about an inch in width. You can click on the image to get a better view.

Unfold after cutting. Roll into a cylinder. Glue or tape shut. I tried both ways and I preferred using glue. Done.

If you plan on having the lanterns on the ground, I recommend using a tall glass vase to hold the candle. The doily is a little flimsy so the tall vase supports it well. You might even want to use glue dots to adhere part of the lantern to the vase. You can find glue dots at the craft store. I found the vase at Target ($1.50). I used an electric tea light which I purchased at the dollar store (2 for a $1). I recommend using these because it's easy to drop into a tall vase and you don't have to worry about a fire if one tips over.

If you want the lanterns lighted while hanging, place them over icicle Christmas lights.

Floral Advice with Julie Mulligan & A Giveaway

Winner of the Contest is cpullum!

Poodle in A Basket made from Chrysanthemums

The "poodle in a basket" is one of many ideas you can find on the 1-800-Flowers blog by floral lifestyle expert, Julie Mulligan. Along with sharing floral ideas and tips, the blog is featuring moms around the blogosphere with the campaign "Spot a Mom" in celebration of Mother's Day.


I was given the opportunity to ask Julie's advice regarding flowers for Mother's Day. Here's what she had to say.

Are there any specific flowers you would recommend for Mother's Day arrangements?

Every flower is beautiful. When choosing flowers for a special mom in your life, be sure to think about her personality and what type of mom she is to you. For example, if your mom is a free spirit, I would recommend giving her gerbera daisies. If she is a Red Carpet Mom, roses may be perfect for her. Also, tulips are in season around this time period - so take advantage of them.

What unique flowers are in season now? Tulips and Peonies.

What are your personal favorite flowers for Mother's Day ?

Just like children, it is hard to pick a favorite. I love all flowers that I see. If I had to choose, I would say hydrangea and tulips.

What kinds of arrangements would you recommend that could be left on the table as we enjoy Mother's Day dinner?

I would recommend any arrangement or centerpiece that is low, so you are able to hold a conversation with everyone at the table. Any type of flower will accent a dinner table nicely.

~ Giveaway Information ~

In honor of Mother's Day, 1-800-Flowers is offering one lucky reader a $30 gift card. To enter all you have to do is visit the "Every Mom Counts Collection" and leave a comment stating what your favorite arrangement is by Sunday, May 10th. One entry per person. Please leave a way for me to get back to you if you win (enter your email address in the comment form). The email address is only used to notify the winner. I'll choose one winner at random and post their name Monday. Good Luck.

Contest Closed