Empire State Maker Fair

August 25, 2020August 25, 2020 Erica UntermanLeave a comment

When in-person events are nearly impossible, we go virtual! That is the route Maker Faire Twin Tiers will venture this year in consideration of the Covid-19 outbreak. Our friends at Maker Faire are leading the way to hlep us host a virtual event slated for October 16 and 17, 2020. This event will be all online, but there is a call for makers to apply NOW. The deadline for applications is September 20, so no time for procrastination!

Dan Schneiderman is the organizer of this virtual event, which combines all New York State Maker Faires into one event to rule them all. Twin Tiers will join Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Long Island, Fredonia, and World Maker Faire to give our audience an experience unlike any other. Let’s stroll down memory lane to entice folks from New York State inclined to the Maker Culture to apply to be part of this Epic Event.

Maker Faire Twin Tiers is well known for the Power Tool Drag Race. Participants customize power tools to be able to race down a wooden track. Finding the best tool for the task can often be tough, but making the machine aerodynamic and able to steer a straight line is often impossible! Dewalt generously donated power tools as prizes to first and second place winners in 2019.

Creation Station Crew with the Makerbot Replicator

Our maker faire has traveled the region over several years. We began at the Steele Memorial Library in Elmira, New York, but soon grew too large for the venue. The faire then moved to the Arnot Mall for a few years, until we found the perfect setting for a learning event like this. The Corning Community College is one of our partners and sponsors their campus as the location for Maker Faire Twin Tiers.

What better place to grow the Maker Culture than at a college? The Southeast Steuben County Library makerspace, Creation Station, brings so many goodies to the event each year. Above, you see our amazing crew having too much fun at the mall telling our patrons all things Maker. Our 3D printer runs the entire event with raffles throughout the day. Each crew member finds their favorite activity to highlight, too. We love the makeup effects Painted Love by Jennifer Sekella offers.

Corning is well known for glassblowing, so it seemed obvious that we needed to cover that topic. Luckily in 2019, we had 2 options for viewing. On the left is Mobile Glassblowing Studios from Americus, Georgia. Their equipment is totally mobile, making it perfect for touring Maker Faires!

On the right is a wood-fire ceramic kiln built by Fred Herbst, who instructed ceramics at the college for 20 years. He invited glassblowers from the Corning Museum of Glass to show their skills at this unique furnace. The odd thing about our faire in 2019 was that it SNOWED! That’s right, our April 27, 2019 maker faire gave snow and gusts of wind that no one anticipated. Sometimes weather in the Finger Lakes can be unpredictable.

The organizers of Maker Faire Twin Tiers always think of ways to make the event more enticing and memorable. If snow in April is not memorable enough, we ensured some quality enticement with Zack & Wheezy, the two-headed, fire and water breathing dragon! This beast was built by the Auto Body Welding class of 2019 and we can’t wait to get it back out to the public in 2021.

If you have a knack for creativity, tinkering, problem solving, building, engineering, or designing (the list does not stop there…), put your talents on display for us and help take over the Empire. Be sure to click this link to apply before September 20 to be considered for Empire State Maker Faire. Watch this video to learn more.

While Maker Faire is foremost in this post, I still have so many projects and fun stuff to share. I discovered the glory of harvesting plants for natural dye techniques and am excited to share the results. Last Friday was my first Field Trip to a local Micro Farm to see what’s happening in our neck of the woods. Hints are pending soon to get you all traipsing through the woods on a treasure hunt. I promise to share all the news, but none of the secrets. You have to be the hunter for those.

I leave you with some snippets and hints to your view next week. Until then, get outside! Keep calm and Let nature ❤

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

TwoFer Tuesday

August 11, 2020 Erica UntermanLeave a comment

That’s what 90 degrees Fahrenheit calls for, a twofer special. Being a library blog author, I don’t have the licensure to sling brews, but I do have the power to pass on programming. In case you missed the Caton sessions of Yoga in the Parks with Elizabeth Moses, we have a Two Fer fer ya!

Let’s rewind to remind you that the Southeast Steuben County Library has offered this mindful programming since the onset of Covid-19 in the United States TWENTY WEEKS AGO. I capitalize that time frame, because we all know this epidemic is carrying on far longer than Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy. You can also click that twenty weeks ago link to see all the videos we have curated on our Facebook page.

The library ramped up online and virtual classes back then, knowing the need to connect with community would be even stronger as we all isolated ourselves from each other. Now that the heat of summer is here, it’s wise to take advantage of socially distant gatherings. Therefore, we are touring the parks of the library’s coverage area. We hit Caton park twice so far. Follow these links to get a dose of rejuvenation.

Energizing Yoga at Caton Park

Refreshing Yoga at Caton Park

That double-shot of goodness will surely perk your spirits and your heart rate! Today, though, I urge a retreat to the forest. The Finger Lakes offers plenty of wooded protection to explore. A gem I found nearly in my backyard surprised and inspired me. It happens to be the same location we just visited…

If you have not yet been, go now to check out Caton Park! There are three pavilions, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, swing sets, a playground, and a volleyball court. I hesitate to mention the sprawling tennis courts. While they exist, mother nature is taking over and the gate is locked. The forefront amenities excite any adventurer, but finding an entire course of trails was more than a respite welcome on a hot summer’s day. The trails are not blazed, but paths are visible. A trusty canine friend will surely show you the way if your sight deceives you.

There are two entrances to this walking trail. Our hike led us about a half mile into the woods, up and down hills. While I heard cars on the main roads, I felt totally serene and cool in the sanctuary of the tree canopy. There was a moment that I felt like Bill Bryson in A Walk in the Woods. (idea: Download the Libby app, dial in your library card information, download that audiobook, then listen to Bill as you walk these trails! A-yo!!)

The terrain can be rugged at times, so proper foot coverage is advised. Be prepared to contain your refuse, because this is a Carry-in, Carry-out park. Bathrooms are available, which is a rarity in rural parks where an occasional Porta-Potty might lurk. Overall, this gem is a secret I want to keep, but know it’s best to share. The park is located in the heart of Caton, just a few miles south of Corning, NY. This rural part of the United States has been land-marked by the corporate conglomerate Dollar General. While I don’t support the existence of that store at all, it’s bright yellow sign is a golden beacon letting you know you are close to your destination.

Aside from seeking a stimulating adventure and refuge from the heat, I had a secret purpose to my mission. Hints will begin for a game of hide-and-seek. As the clues come together, it is my goal to not-so-subliminally train your eye to the treasure. Memorize what you see and get prepared. Become part of the Geocaching community now. Time is of the essence!

TORONTO, ON – JUNE 23: People participate in an outdoor yoga class at Hotel X, inside domes to comply with social distancing measures to control the spread of Covid-19, June 23, 2020 in Toronto, Canada. As Canada begins to reopen its economy following Covid-19 shutdowns, gyms and fitness centres still remain closed as they determine how to comply with social distancing measures. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

While I work on the final touches of this treasure hunt, I want to remind you that Yoga with Elizabeth Moses is Live and In-Person (weather permitting) this Saturday, August 15 at 9am in Hornby Park. We’ll be there again on August 22 at the same time. Both sessions will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel. Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Share with all your Yogi/ Library-Loving friends. If you can join us in person, please remember to bring your own towel or mat, water to hydrate, and a face-mask to protect one another. We’ll skip the yoga domes, for now.

Before I close– can I get a witness for Beyoncé’s Black Is King?! This visual album, although limited to Disney Plus subscribers, is VISUALLY STUNNING. For a kid from the ’80’s who LIVED for music video premieres, this one knocked off my socks! Despite what critics critique, I enjoyed the pure beauty of the set designs and costumes. There was a point in the movie where I thought, “I just can’t even!” I still can’t. I just have to put it here to share, because that’s what I do. ❤ Brava Beyoncé! I’m going to price myself a cheetah print Rolls-Royce. Cheers!

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

Still Workin’

August 5, 2020August 11, 2020 Erica Unterman2 Comments

Some days things take longer than others. You know those times, when the internet lags, but all the work you need to do is online with approaching deadlines and then the power goes out. Yep, that’s how these days can feel. Some folks complain about the weather being too hot. Some folks give their opinions over politics. Some of us just keep on truckin’. I find that I’m still working on some ideas and projects that never seem to end. 2020 holds that theme of never-ending. When will Covid-19 “end”? When will the political banter “end”?

Perhaps we all need a winsome Luck Dragon like Falkor to take us away from all the woes of the world. OR maybe we can use some creative outlets to break the tension, anxiety and uncertainties. Then, those outlets might allow us to think more clearly and solve the quandaries of today with less quarrel. I allow my creative outlets to produce results that hopefully inspire our readers. Whether in the garden, kitchen, studio, or makerspace, it is my goal to keep us positively motivated. We are all in this time together. Let’s make the best of it!

One way to make the best of life is to use that which is at hand. BLUEBERRIES are now at hand, or should I say in season at this very moment. I made a beeline to Peek-a-Blueberry Farm in Bath, NY to get my hands full of these azure colored gems. Since our most local berry farm in town is closed due to Covid-19, I had to do some research. If you have never picked your own fruit, promise that you will put this on your bucket list. That sweet farm I found even provides a picking bucket and I overfilled it. With all that abundance I tested a scrumptious Blueberry Lemon Loaf recipe from Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. If you are local to the Southern Tier Library System, please check out the book for all the vegan inspiration. If you are a reader from a far-off universe, test this recipe from V is for Vegetables. This recipe far surpasses the old adage of making lemonade from life’s lemons.

If you read Work with Whatcha Got, this mask was in progress. It certainly has become a Lemony Snicket! I wanted to test a different pattern in an extra large size to compare it to our Face Mask Pattern and Tutorial. I wanted a slouchy effect that felt more like a bandana tied around my head than a close-fitting face mask. This tutorial is one of the most popular on YouTube, so I wanted to give it a whirl. The pattern size is slightly larger than the one Tangled Hangers provided, but after a few tweaks and retries, I struggle with the design. It’s just too big on my face. Dastardly Device! Luckily, the majority of my Work with Whatcha Got ensemble is complete and ready to reveal.

The headband I created out of the excess fabric from the skirt hem. It fits very well and holds down those stray hairs on a hot day. To make a similar one, follow this tutorial and share your creation in the comments. I wanted to accent the tank top with some fabric from the skirt to tie the two together. There was a sheet of paper towel closest at hand, so it became my pattern paper. I creased the paper in the seam gap on the shoulder strap and cut out an abstract shape. The pattern was traced onto the fabric, then pinned in place on the shirt. I decided to alter the shape just before the final application.

Tell me what you think of my work. I enjoy this comfortably cool “new” addition to my wardrobe as much as I enjoyed the journey of upcycling the “lemons” from my closet. Although some parts of the project took longer than expected, it feels great to meet my goal. While we can’t control what comes at us tomorrow, we can Keep Calm and Create.

I’m still working on creating new programs for the (dare I say) Fall season. In the meantime, I have to return to this free (until August 31) Anti-racism Training. There is a lot of work ahead of us. The work begins with you. The work begins with me.

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

Creation Stationary

A Southeast Steuben County Library blog for creative endeavors. This is an online companion to the Creation Station Makerspace.

Month: August 2020

Empire State Maker Fair

TwoFer Tuesday

Still Workin’