Disguises
A couple of days ago a family came into the MAKESHOP and made some masks. They were so much fun to interact with. They were a genuinely goofy group of people. The two boys immediately knew that they were going to make “bank robber” masks. The mother and daughter designed and built a very intricate mask. During this entire time there…
MAKEnight
Join us tonight for MAKEnight! This Thursday, October 11, 2012 from 6 – 9 pm, MAKESHOP™ will host our first after hours event, MAKEnight. It is our hope to provide a cultural evening where adults can get together (without the kids!) and explore DIY processes centered around the theme of electronics. You don’t have to know about electronics to come!…
Duquesne Incline Machine Room Field Trip
Possibly the best fifty cents you’ll ever spend is a look inside the Duquesne Incline’s machine room. At 135 years old, it is the oldest cable car operation in the United States, predating San Francisco’s trolley system. The Incline now runs on electricity instead of steam, but much of the machinery is unchanged from the original 1877 design. In 1962 the Incline…
Making Connections
Taking something that was going to be thrown away and giving it a new purpose is always rewarding. The “Book-Shelf” pictured above is a great example of a project that uses entirely re-purposed junk. Actually, “junk” seems like a negative term… Let’s call it “repurposed treasure.” My friend, Becky, wanted to make gift cards for her salon (Tula Organic) in the…
Goofing off at Maker Faire
We hosted the second annual Pittsburgh Mini Maker Faire last week. It was a lovely day full of lovely people. I could go on in great detail about all the gadgets and amazing inventions on display. Instead, what I noticed most during the day was a sense of goofiness. Everyone was genuinely having fun. We had so much fun at…
SparkTruck Pit Stop
We had some amazing guests visit the Museum from Stanford University in sunny California. Jason, Didi and Eugene have spent the summer traveling across the United States in a mobile workshop dubbed the SparkTruck. Check it out! Along the way, they have been stopping at museums, community centers, events, and parks… Anywhere they can find. Their truck is full of various…
Pittsburgh Mini Maker Faire Recap
This past weekend, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and HackPittsburgh hosted the second annual Pittsburgh Mini Maker Faire, showcasing makers from the Southwestern Pennsylvania region. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with what makes someone a maker, you’re not alone. A maker is any person who devotes creativity, energy, and time to simply creating. It doesn’t matter if…
Renaissance Faire Field Trip
The day after Pittsburgh’s Mini Maker Faire I decided to take a trip to Pittsburgh’s Renaissance Faire…What a weekend! The DIY spirit was in full force at the Ren Faire. Vendors were selling all kinds of wares, from handmade armor to beautiful ceramics. Much like the Maker Faire, the Ren Faire was filled with people having a good time. I would say…
Making MAKESHOP
A couple of days ago, we hosted a “Making MAKESHOP” workshop. Participants of the workshop visited from Museums and other institutions from around the country. All of them were interested in developing a maker space of their own. We decided to share some of our secrets with them. Over the course of two days, we played, talked, asked and answered…
Meet a Maker!
Here at MAKESHOP we are just bursting at the seams with talent, which we credit to our amazing Teaching Artists. They are the ones that help you tie your knot at the sewing table, solder a pin, or hold two pieces of cardboard in place while you’re taping a recycled sculpture project. Let’s take a closer look at the MAKESHOP…