Making with the Family at the MakerPlace
The Kentucky Science Center and the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana have teamed up to offer fun making workshops for kids and their parents!
MakerPlace, their unique makerspace, is located at the Girl Scouts’ main building on Lexington Rd and features a variety of activities led by Kentucky Science Center educators!
It doesn’t matter if you’re new or seasoned in making—the “Let’s Make a Thing” monthly workshops will guide you through an experience to create something fun. The location features a laser cutter, 3D printers, electronics, and woodshop equipment to use.
Past projects have included light-up cats, musical pencils, and even robotic beetles!
This is the perfect activity for any boy or girl (third grade and up) to experience with their family.
Buy tickets and learn more about the event here: http://kysciencecenter.org/kids/makerplace/
Did you make something awesome you want to show off? Sign up for the Louisville Mini Maker Faire here!
Drones – Racing of the Future!
Leagues are forming across the world with one goal: to race high-flying performance quadcopters. Skilled pilots control their vehicles through a planned course, and anyone with a headset can experience the ride like something out of science-fiction.
Just check out some futuristic footage from the 2016 World Drone Prix in Dubai:
Luckily, you don’t have to go out of the country to join the fun! The Louisville Drone User Group Network is a group of enthusiasts that meet regularly for flying activities and education.
They have been covered by local news and participated in a variety of events—including a race this summer at the Kentucky Speedway!
We are fortunate to have them return to Louisville Mini Maker Faire to show off their aerial tech!
To learn more about their community, visit their Meetup group: https://www.meetup.com/Louisville-Drone-Group/
Do you have a quadcopter or drone that you’d like to fly at Maker Faire this fall? Sign up here!
Image Credit: WAVE3 News
eBook Deal from Maker Media & Humble Bundle
Looking for an opportunity to pick up some great literature on Electronics & Programming for cheap, AND donate to the charity of your choice?
Enter Humble Bundle–an organization famous for its bundled pay-what-you-want packages–with a new eBook special presented by Make Magazine. But it’s only available for a limited time!
http://www.humblebundle.com/books/electronics-programming-make-books
Here for as little as 1.00 USD you can get some great electronic titles from Maker Media to start off a DIY journey, in multiple reading formats:
- The Best of Make, Volume 2: 65 Projects and Skill-Builders from the Pages of Make:
- Environmental Monitoring with Arduino
- Make: Volume 50: “Power Up”
At the higher levels, you can get more titles like:
- Electricity for Young Makers
- The Encyclopedia of Electronic Components (multiple volumes)
- How to Use a Breadboard
- Make: Electronics
And even a discount on a subscription to Make:!
This great deal is valuable for both experienced and fledgling makers alike. Check it out!
Do you have something to bring to Maker Faire? Register here!
Calling all Makers for 2017!
Join us this October 20-21 for the 2017 Louisville Mini Maker Faire! Our call for makers application is open, and we NEED you to apply!
NEW this year: Friday night public hours, with a block-party-style setting that you won’t want to miss!
Are you an inventor? An artist? Anyone with a creative project to show off? Think of this as the biggest, coolest show-and-tell you’ll ever attend–complete with robots, drones, and costumes!
Sign up as soon as possible. Spots are limited!
CLICK HERE to APPLY
Ingenuity, Engines, and Making
A great article from The Atlantic about the history of the word “engine”. It actually goes back to the 14th century (the medieval usage example they cite is of textile Makers using wool and linen) and is related to the same root as “ingenious”. Just goes to show that ingenious, creative Makers have been around for a long time.
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/08/engine-the-history-of-a-concept-from-14th-century-poetry-to-google/278611/
Maker Story: Makey Makey
Ever wanted to play a banana piano? Or play Mario with a Play-doh controller?
Some cool guys at the Media Lab at MIT came up with Makey Makey, a kit that allows you to use pretty much anything as a keyboard or joystick. Check it out below, and then imagine your own inventions.
You can now buy one of these for your own creative purposes at www.makeymakey.com, thanks to crowdsourced funds raised through Kickstarter.
Maker Story: Homemade Yacht
Ever look at the junk in your basement and say… “Hey, I wonder what I could make out of all that?”
Here’s a story of one family, trapped inside by rainy weather, who made a sailboat out of PVC pipe, duct tape, tarps and bungee cords. And more duct tape.
And then sailed it.
The Short Story of the Homemade Dog Island Yacht (Don’t Add a Jib Yet)
Dale Dougherty: “We Are Makers”
“What’s a Maker Faire”, part 2: Here’s a talk by Dale Dougherty which encapsulates what it is to be a Maker, and why Makers are important.
Dale is the president/CEO of Maker Media, which spun out of O’Reilly Media in 2013. He is the founding editor and publisher of MAKE magazine and the co-creator of Maker Faire. So, he’s pretty much our patron saint. Follow him at @dalepd.