Making is a growing trend, not just as something we do, but as something we aspire to be. Makers. Makers of pies, makers of technology, makers of useless doodads that make us laugh and makers of awesome stuff that is beautiful and functional.
Phil from Broken Airplane says:
A maker is a philosophy/worldview that is an alternative to a consumer. Many of us have one skill or trade that we make a living from and we need to purchase everything else that we need or want.
A Maker will examine their life and see what they could do the reduce the amount that they buy and what could instead be made. Everything is fair game, food, entertainment, clothing, electronics, etc. Some do it out of financial necessity, because fixing or making something yourself is often the cheaper way to go. Others do it out of the sheer rush and excitement one gets by creating. To have full control over how a project turns out is priceless.
If you want something that it doesn’t yet exist, there’s only one sure-fire way to get it: become a maker.
We aspire to learn. We inspire others. We teach what we know. We make community.
How to solder, how to cure olives, how to make a table top letterpress, how to turn a VCR into a toaster, how to build a solar chicken coop door.
There is something unbelievably wonderful about the creation of something out of something else. Sometimes it is an utter failure. I love utter failures (especially when I haven't spent too much money on them) because they often teach me far more than my successes. Also, the failures tend to make me laugh out loud. The sprinkler system was a pretty large failure.
Having said that, a successful make is a thing to behold. Whether it is a garden bed or a Hallowe'en prop; a success will make me giggle and sing the "Fucking Genius" song. Someday I'll print the lyrics. It's a song the Mr. and I sing when we've done something successfully that was particularly difficult. I also love saying, "I made that!"
Here are some of my favorite making resources.
- CRAFT
- MAKE
- Instructables
- Maker Faire (so want to go to this!)
- IKEA hackers
- This to That (advice for gluing things together)
For Hallowe'en
In Los Angeles:
- Machine Project
- Any Extension program from city colleges for sewing, jewelry making, woodworking, etc.
If you know of others, add them in the comments section!
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