Blog 12: My Making Process

Blog 12: Tell a short version of your making process.

I started with the bead ornaments, making the blue one for my older sister first. The process was fairly simple: place a small bead on a pin to act as a “cap”, then add two larger beads, then stick the pin in the styrofoam ball. Having never attempted it before, I did not anticipate the weight the beads would add to the delicate pins. After adding a couple pins of beads to the ornament, as I was about to add another, all the pins fell off, sending beads flying all over the floor. To counter this problem, I reassembled the beads, readying them to be added to the ornament. This time, however, I added a dab of super glue to the ends so that the weight of the beads would not pull the pins out again. Once I added the glue, the process went very smoothly, aside from the fact that I got glue all over my fingers and thus accidentally glued myself to everything I came into contact with. After adjusting for those difficulties, it took only two hours to complete the blue ornament. The other two beaded ornaments, a pink one and an orange one, went even faster. Noticing I was running short on supplies after using so many beads on each pin for the blue ornament, for the other two I did not put more than one bead on each pin. Then I moved on to the painted ornaments. I started with the snowman for my mom. As I painted I discovered that on the glass ornaments, the acrylic paint did not appear opaque, but rather was almost completely transparent. To overcome this, I added several coats of paint, eventually achieving a completely opaque snowman. After letting it dry, I added the classic top hat, scarf, face, and buttons, completing the image with the pipe, carrot nose, and twig-arms. Once it was completely dry, I went over the whole painting with clear nail polish so as to avoid the acrylic paint chipping off if it came into contact with a harder surface. Letting it dry once again, I removed the top of the ornament to reveal the opening through which I would add the silver tinsel. This turned out to be much more difficult than I had anticipated, for I had to add the tinsel one piece at a time, taking some twenty minutes to do complete. I followed this same process for each picture, starting with the base image, adding accents to incorporate the festivities of the holiday, and completing each with a coat of clear polish before filling it with delicate silver tinsel. Having finished the project, I sat back and looked at my creations, knowing that each one was personalized and sure to put a smile on everybody’s faces. 

Blog 11: How the Pre-make Helped My I-make

Blog 11: What did the process of making something before you made it do for your project? Can
you apply this process to other places in your life?

Making a prototype was something that I was not very familiar nor comfortable with before this class. Typically, in my endeavors for creativity, I would go for the big project all at once, sloppily adjusting for mistakes as I went. In the end, the finished project always had flaws that I had to force myself to overlook. Making the prototype, however, brought a whole new light to my idea of creating something. While I was making this prototype, as I made mistakes all I had to do was write them down along with a solution as for how to correct it on the real project. In addition to this, I had the freedom to experiment with the different types of paint I could use on the ornaments, as well as the amount of room I had to paint. As with anything, making this rough draft will lead to a more perfect final draft, or final project.

This process can be applied to many other areas of life. Specifically, it can be applied to any academic writing assignment. Since my very first official essay assignment in the fourth grade, I have been taught to write a first draft, then go back and revise the paper until it is good enough to turn in as a final draft. And ever since fourth grade, for every paper I have been assigned to write, I have of course neglected to do this, because how fun is it to follow directions? Instead, I have spent the years turning in shoddy drafts that have tons of room for improvement. Until this assignment to create a prototype, I never saw the proof behind all my teachers’ reasons for assigning a rough draft. Having done this pre-make has made me see the value of rough drafts and of revision. This method can be applied to all writing assignments, which I will begin to do from here on out. Finally, I will be following the directions of the people who actually did know what they were talking about, and did know what was best for me and my essays. 

Blog 10: My Research

As you might recall from my last blog post, I will be making ornaments for my family members’ Christmas gifts. When I first started researching this, I was taken aback by the amount of research that could be done on Christmas tree ornaments. I had endless options. I researched the history of ornaments and Christmas trees themselves, finding both fictional and nonfictional versions of the legends behind decorating a tree for Christmas. I researched the different types of ornaments and their traditional meanings, so as to give the right gift to the appropriate person. Continuing my research, I looked up different methods for creating various types of ornaments from scratch. I found ideas such as Paper-Mache, clay, yarn and beads, and ways to turn regular glass bulb ornaments into something spectacular. Below are some examples of articles I found:

                                               

 

 

 

 

 

The research for this project was different from any other research I have had to do for school. My usual research includes scholarly articles about complicated, in-depth subjects that I then use to support my thesis statement, or synthesize together to uphold the argument in my persuasive essays. This research, however, was more engaging and light-hearted and fun, and really helped excite me for the rest of the I-make project.

Blog 9: I-Make

Blog 9: Give a summary of your proposal and discuss why you are interested in the make you selected.

 

For the I-Make project, I chose to make Christmas gifts for all my family and friends. I have yet to decide which gifts go to which family members exactly, but I have several ideas secretly pinned on Pinterest. This project was so conveniently placed with the arrival of Christmas, I could not help but choose to create my gifts for this year. I have never been a very creative person, however, so this project will really challenge my making abilities. I am interested in doing this make for several reasons, including the following: I have never done it before so it will be something new and fresh, you can never go wrong with a gift from the heart of your own creation, and it will be much easier on the budget than buying each of my family members a gift worth keeping. A big challenge lies in the decision for what to make for the boys in my family, since they do not typically utilize crafts like girls do. This will actually make this project more interesting, though, because it will really push me to branch out and challenge my own DIY crafting abilities.

 http://www.pinterest.com/pin/363736107378876113/

This is a link to one of the gift ideas that I really like for all my sisters. It would be simple and cheap, yet a totally chic piece of jewelry for any occasion as long as I choose the right colors.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/340092209334795869/

This is a link to a website full of DIY gift ideas for boys. It has tons of really cute ideas that I will definitely be trying for this I-Make project.

Pros and Cons of Community

Blog 8: What is positive about community and what is difficult?

Joining a community has many positive and negative aspects. Let’s start with the negatives. It is difficult to throw yourself into a community, and you can quickly become overwhelmed by the amount of information that is thrown at you from the get-go. In addition to this, the language is sometimes difficult to get a solid grasp of and be able to incorporate into your own contributions to the community. There may be parts of the community you disagree with, such as their beliefs or set of morals. Sometimes we struggle with going outside our comfort zone and opening up to a new community, new people, and new ideas. Joining a community also takes effort, effort that we may need to spend elsewhere, such as other homework assignments. On the flip-side, however, joining a community has many positive aspects as well. It is an opportunity to meet all kinds of new people, to try something new, to branch out and discover another part of ourselves we may not have known was there. It is a chance to open ourselves up to new ideas.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/

This is the link to the community I joined. Despite the fact that it took effort and time, joining this community has altogether been a blessing. Their inspirational, excitement-filled posts have inspired me to look deeper into the community and I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience. The energy and happiness that seeps out of every corner of the website is truly uplifting. In my experience with this new community, there have been no negative aspects, it is a great community with a great message.

Blog 7: Community Jargon

Blog 7: What is some of the jargon that you are encountering in your community?

I joined a community called nerdfitness.com. It is a website that is centered on scientific, natural, fun ways to lose weight and stay healthy. Like any community, they have words they throw around that are particular to their group. For instance, the main contributor refers to each person as “fellow rebel,” as opposed to saying something like “dear reader.” It expresses his enthusiasm for the community and provides a sense of “oneness” with the most elite member of the group. He also calls readers “adventurers,” inspiring readers merely with his word choice, and calling them to action. When I read these words I felt compelled to continue exploring the community and see what other inspirational things they had to offer. Another example of their jargon is their frequent use of motivational phrases. Each day the main contributor emails participants a new workout to try. In reference to the email he sent the day before, he mentions something along the lines of, “How did that workout go yesterday? Didn’t have time for it? That’s okay, today is the perfect day to turn things around!” His tone is always encouraging and understanding, yet still very motivational.

“Hey hey!

Did you give the beginner bodyweight routine a try yesterday? If so, you gained +1 STR. If you didn't get a chance to, that's fine too...today is an even better day to start.”

This is an excerpt from an email from Steve, the main community director. It is a great example of his encouraging and understanding tone. I still have yet to figure out what exactly “STR” stands for, but with further research into the community I will be able to find out what it means. Having come from an athletic background, nerdfitness.com uses a lot of jargon I am already familiar with, but also brings new phrases to the table for me to learn.

Joining a Community

Blog 6: What is joining a community like? What is an example of a community you joined in the

past and what steps did you take?

Joining a community is often something we are hesitant to do. We fear being “the new kid” or not fitting in. At the same time, joining a community is very exciting. It is an opportunity to try something new, to branch out and experience new things. We may meet new people, make new friends, or broaden our horizons in some way. We align ourselves to a new set of rules and/or morals, learning the ways of the community and how to fit them into our lifestyles. We let certain aspects of the community inspire us to change the way we are.

The most recent community I joined was Facebook. First, I had to sign up, putting in my email and birthday and other information. Then I had the opportunity to put a profile picture up, and I chose my senior picture. Next I was given the option of putting in where I work, live, go to school, and graduated from, as well as my interests and political orientation. I bypassed most of these boxes, not wanting to put too much of myself on the internet. The final step in creating a profile for Facebook was to find and choose friends to communicate with via Facebook. I started with only a few friends, but quickly accumulated many friends from my high school and relatives. As I explored Facebook, I learned that people post pictures and general updates from their days, as well as asking for prayers for people they know that are sick. They also post about the happy things in their lives, and share the general goings-on in their respective families. I learned that Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family from distant places, to keep people posted about what is going on in my life, and to share the exciting things that happen to

Blog 5

Blog 5: connect your experience starting at Regis with the idea of your manifesto

I start my manifesto by stating that I will search for things that inspire me and then I will create them. When I first started at Regis, this was exactly my goal. I wanted to get involved, make tons of friends, and hold nothing back. Everything about Regis inspired me, from the environment to the classes to the people I was surrounded by. The next part of my manifesto was that I will remain conscious of the fact that my creations may not be perfect, but that I will stay positive. During the first week here, it was a roller-coaster of emotions. One day I would think I had made a really good friend, then the next I would speak to nobody. But I stayed positive and kept opening my heart to new people, knowing that nothing would be perfect but that I had the power to create something wonderful for myself. Next, I declared my resolution to be patient with myself. This is the most applicable part of my manifesto in connection with coming to Regis. Patience was absolutely key. From classes, to homework, to loud hall-mates, to the new schedule, patience helped me overcome the struggles. I saw the beauty in every opportunity I was presented with and stayed positive through the whole experience. My manifesto also states that I will create not for me but always for others. During the experience of first coming to Regis, I did my best to live for others and help others instead of myself, opening myself up to others and helping them. Despite the fact that my manifesto was specifically a “maker manifesto,” it was and still is applicable to how I live not just in the making world but also in everyday life.

My Maker Manifesto

Blog 4: Maker Manifesto

I will search for things that inspire me, and then I will create them. I will not let the hustle and bustle of everyday life keep me from trying to create these things that inspire me. I will remain conscious of the fact that my creation may not be perfect. In the face of failure, I will salvage the project for whatever purpose it may be salvaged for. I will take my time, not rushing through a project in order to finish it, but working slowly and surely in order to produce the best results. I will be patient with myself, knowing that my work will improve with practice, and nobody is a professional overnight. I will see the beauty in all things I create, even if it was not what I planned to create at all. I will create not for me, but for others. I will grow through my creations as I improve and explore my abilities. I will not look back in regret, but rather charge ahead onto the next inspiration, knowing that I will improve as time goes by.

http://occasionalstory.com/maker-movement-manifesto-conversation-mark-hatch-creative-revolution/

This is a link to a brilliant maker manifesto. Mark Hatch produces a whole new way in which to drive a creative revolution in the current age of technology. Not exactly sure myself what a maker manifesto should look like, I found this website. After reading the article and watching part of the video, it really helped me to form my own ideas about what I wanted my maker manifesto to look like. While Mark’s is extremely long and well thought-out, it gave me some basic ideas I used to form the rest of my manifesto off of. The way he talks about making and creativity is awe-inspiring, and really drove me to think deeply about the prompt. Now it’s your turn: what is your maker manifesto?

Blog Post 3: My Relationship to Writing

Blog Post 3:

Often when assigned a paper or essay of some sort, my initial reaction is to cringe and become immediately stressed about when I will ever have time to complete the assignment. In fact, that seems to be many people’s reactions. There’s always the groaning and complaining, and then the intense stress that comes with writing a paper. The last semester of my senior year of high school, I took a college writing class from the college in my hometown. When I first started the class, I was slightly apprehensive about the amount of effort I was going to have to put into the essays. Being a senior with senioritis, I was not confident about my choice to take a college level writing class. Throughout the class, however, as I learned the tricks and tips to writing good, solid essays in a manageable amount of time, my respect for the art of writing greatly increased. I learned how to recognize and apply the various techniques to writing many different types of papers, from narratives to cause and effect, and everything in between. Although I was happy to complete the class and get a break from writing, it was hugely beneficial and helped to hone my writing skills.

http://www.slideshare.net/aireland1/reading-and-writing-for-physical-therapists

The above link leads to an article about the writing requirements of physical therapists. Given the fact that my major is physical therapy, this article interests me very much. I am aware that I will not need the skills of a creative writer or journalist; however, I will need to know how to write patient reports and record their information. While the skills from my writing class won’t ultimately be used throughout the rest of my career, they will provide a base for all the different types of writing demands I am bound to encounter. While my relationship to writing is riddled with contention, I nevertheless have developed a deep respect for writing skills and techniques.

Blog Post 2

Blog 2:

Learning brings a plethora of things to mind, both good and bad. From the moment we are born, we begin to learn. We learn to move, smile, walk, and talk. Before kindergarten, our parents try to teach us to read, color, and use manners, among many other things. As we grow older, however, some of us begin to feel as though learning is forced upon us. We would rather be outside riding bikes, home baking a pie, curled up on a rainy day reading a book, or any number of things. Then a miracle happens, and we suddenly are struck by a certain topic in school, and cannot wait to learn more. It changes the entire perception of learning, for, what once felt like a chore in math class now reels us in towards new concepts in carpentry class. Suddenly it doesn’t feel like learning, it feels like fun.

                                                               

       VS.

The above pictures represent two entirely different learning scenarios. In the first picture the students appear less than enthusiastic, none of them smiling or looking eager. In the second picture, however, their curiosity and intrigue are apparent on their faces. To me, these pictures show the difference between classes we are forced into by requirements and the classes that pertain to our areas of interest. We struggle to motivate ourselves in our base-requirement classes, letting ourselves get bogged down in the negativity of it. Once we get to our classes that relate to what we hope to spend the rest of our lives doing, suddenly our energy spikes and our attention hones in on what we are eager to, dare I say, learn, that day. Although learning may represent a plethora of undesirable images to us, we all have those few instances where learning is in fact a true pleasure. Discovering our own particular ways of coping through the required classes will eventually lead to the exciting, major-specific classes that will leave us thirsting to learn more each day.

Blog Post 1: My Knowledge of DIY

I do not consider myself a creative person, especially when it comes to crafts and artwork in general. The popular website, Pinterest, packed full of brilliant crafting ideas, continually prompts me to try new things.  My knowledge of DIY, though, is disastrously limited, and when I do see something I decide to attempt the end result looks as though it is the work of a five year old, despite the colorful step-by-step process explanations frequently attached to the links.

Recently, however, I happened across the following idea:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/363736107375506254/

The link shows a picture of plain white candles wrapped in whole cinnamon sticks and tied together into a bow with rustic twine. The photo of the candles inspired me; I could almost smell the cinnamon, see the Christmas tree in the living room, feel the snow falling outside a frosted window. Overwhelmed by the sensory appeal, I immediately wrote up a list of supplies I would need to complete this project. As I worked I struggled to follow exactly what the picture told me to do, not daring to deviate. I stacked, wrapped, and tied. I re-did one of the candles. Afterwards, stepping back to admire my work, I noticed many flaws when compared to the picture. At first I was disappointed in myself, feeling I had failed yet another attempt at creativity. Then I realized, however, that I had not failed, I had simply made it my own. Although it was not the exact same thing that was shown in the picture, my result was of my creation, therefore making it unique and special to me.

When the Maker Space class first started this semester, I was nervous about my lack of ability to create. I figured I would be the only one who did not have brilliant ideas flowing out of me, or who could not seem to create the perfect piece of creativity. Then I thought back to the candles I had made, and felt confident. That project taught me that I do not have to be perfect, and my work does not have to be flawless; if it comes from me then it is creativity in itself. All I need to worry about is improving myself and making something wonderful out of a mistake, not comparing my abilities to the abilities of others.

Doggie Drag Bag Questions

1. What, in great detail, is the problem?
2. Can the dog be upright or is it necessary to slide on his hip?
3. How much does the dog weigh?
4. How long is the dog from the his middle (where the bag would wrap around) to his end?
5. What is the measurement around his stomach where the bag would wrap around?
6. How tall is the dog from the top of his hips to the base of his paws?
7. Is he a short-haired or long-haired breed?
8. What kinds of terrain is he required to navigate?
9. Should the material be washable or should there be a removable insert inside the bag that could dispose of waste? 

Makers-
I found this story of a home-made doggy drag bag; it's an interesting design and something I think we should consider! The diaper on the interior may help alleviate the blisters.



http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/paralyzed-weiner-dog-drag-bag