Maker-Faire Weekend review

I need to write about Maker Faire 2007 before any more time elapses! After a review of pictures, my enthusiasm has been revisited and i feel this desperate need to keep it from slipping through my fingers...

We stayed with our friends, who have a daughter close to Tread's age. We weren't sure what all this festival would entail, and since it was muchos expensive, decided to let the kids play at a park for FREE and i'd go to this event by myself and meet up with them when my friend A got off work.

I actully found the place without getting lost and was giddy by the time i got there. I hadn't been so excited since the Roller Derby Boot Camp last December.

As i approached the fairgrounds, I had to take this pic because i wanted to remember this sight clearly...(i see now that it doesn't make that interesting of a photo, but hey--I'm no photographer; i just document for touristy memories!) That aside, surely you can see what a BEAUTIFUL day it was! I had as much of a spring in my step as a gimp can have...on an adventure by myself and so excited! Those strands of yellow balloons on the right had bells on them, so there was this subtly sweet ringing sound in the breeze.

it was all sprawled out, 3 buildings chock FULL of crafty/ techno goodness. Outside was food, music, Art Cars and all kinds of entertaining stuff for kids in the middle.

I don't know how this thing worked, but it was fascinating to young and old to see. My lil guy loved it. Look at that blue sky.

Here is a speaker made out of Cheez-It box.

I found this incredibly inspiring (look sandy! i took this pic for you!) This guy was making his art out of DIRT! These drawings were incredible.
(wish these pics weren't sideways, but if you tilt your head just so, you can appreciate it...) It's made with wonderful detail out of just tape and cardboard. ( see the mouse on the cardboard-tube branch?)
I loved this presentation on Automata from the Cabaret of Mechanical Theatre. The founder's daughter was there from London to give a history and show some examples of an art form i knew nothing about...and loved immediately. Some of the collectors were there with their pieces to share, including Richard Garriot. (I didn't know who that was until the show, but apparently he's got a great collection of Automata)

See the poster hanging from the ceiling to the right there? That is the cover of the current issue of CRAFT. Now, see the lady in red giving the demonstration there? That's the same gal, Natalie Zee Drieu from http://www.craftzine.com/. Here they are making Vintage Tie Faceplates, but i took the picture because i was so excited to see her, among others, in person!!! Weeeee!

As i'm writing, i'm going over my dog-eared itinerary i had in my pocket all day. I had so many things circled that i never made it to, such as Making Art out of Junk Mail, Knitting and Sewing Machine Lessons. I got to see plenty, however...my favorite being How to Make a Light-Up Purse with Allison Lewis, of http://www.iheartswitch.com/.

She teaches a class about integrating Design and Technology at the Parsons School of Design in New York! She taught us how to wire some LEDs using a sautering (soldering?) iron...and assured us that we shouldn't be intimidated by electronics. She talked about how empowered she felt once she learned the mechanics of wiring (?) and i was sold! I bought a kit on how to do this project, but i haven't tried it yet....i'll let you know how it goes. She was really neat...oh, and a Texas gal, too.

The music line-up (particularly Foot Patrol) convinced the guys to meet me there, despite the sky-high ticket prices. Here Lil' T is stomping one foot, just like Naven R. Johnson in the Jerk. It was as if he'd just discovered his rhythmn. It was particularly funky music, though.

Eventually the nap-deprived kids cut the Men Folk's trip short, but i stayed behind to digest as much as i could. There was just sooo much to see, i walked and walked all over the place, being so thankful that i wasn't on those dang crutches anymore!

Some other high-lights of the Faire was the Swap-O-Rama-Rama clothing remix, a Life-sized Mouse-Trap game, an Interactive Art Car Build with the guru Harrod Blank, Catapults, Fire Shows, Kite-making and some musical Tesla Coils. Also, cool tools and electronics....too much to take in for one day.

The mayor of Austin declared Oct. 20-21 "Maker's Weekend".

I can't believe that i took so few pictures of staying at the M's house!!

Staying with them was the Icing on the Cake! A is a longtime friend from way-back in the Clear Lake days...met her in 8th grade when i first moved there and we've been friends ever since. Its so much fun to see our kids together. Her husband T is great with the kids and has the most unique maniacal laugh i've ever heard. B and I both have failed at trying to mimic it. We've decided that its impossible to impersonate.

They had a cook-out on Sat.night, celebrating A's last day working at a crappy job and just to celebrate in general. Fingers came over and we actually got to perform a few songs. Ahhhh....memories. Another highlight was hearing their 2.5 year old's masterful memorization of KISS information. "That's Ace Fweewy". I also learned that B's crazy-hot hot sauce and red wine aren't a good combination.

The ride home was nice. I crashed heartily when i got home, with a smile on my face.