Teen Tech Week- DIY Maker Space Creations

 DIY Maker Space Creations

So, you've probably heard the term "maker space" thrown around in the past year or two.  If you don't know what it is, here are a couple of brief definitions:

Makerspace.com definition:

To describe them simply, makerspaces are community centers with tools. Makerspaces combine manufacturing equipment, community, and education for the purposes of enabling community members to design, prototype and create manufactured works that wouldn’t be possible to create with the resources available to individuals working alone. These spaces can take the form of loosely-organized individuals sharing space and tools, for-profit companies, non-profit corporations, organizations affiliated with or hosted within schools, universities or libraries, and more. All are united in the purpose of providing access to equipment, community, and education, and all are unique in exactly how they are arranged to fit the purposes of the community they serve. 

Wikipedia (of all places) describes it quite nicely:

The maker culture is a contemporary culture or subculture representing a technology-based extension of the DIY culture. 

Here are some places you can look for cool projects:

Make: Projects

Howtoons

Instructables

*Remember: for Teen Tech Week, if you send us a picture of a DIY project you've done, we'll enter you into our raffle for a Barnes and Noble gift card! (Your photo and project explanation must be submitted to us no later than Saturday, March 15th. See a librarian for more details.) 

Teen Tech Week- DIY Writing Creations

 DIY Writing Creations

Black out Poetry or Newspaper Blackout
Both of these poetry styles use the idea of taking an existing text and covering up the words you don't want to see by blacking them out, leaving only the poetry behind.  Some examples are straightforward sharpie-to-the-paper, while others have a more artistic approach.  Either way, the idea that the poem was there in the text the whole time is kind of neat.  You're like a sculptor of words, chiseling away the unwanted parts.

Six Word Memoirs
As anyone who texts and/or tweets knows, sometimes it can be challenging to be brief.  We all have a lot to say, right?  Well, try writing an autobiography using only six words.  What six words strung together would give us a sense of who you are, where you've been, or what you're feeling right now?  'Smithteens', the teen portion of 'Six Word Memoirs', is dedicated to just that. 

*Remember: for Teen Tech Week, if you send us a picture of a DIY project you've done, we'll enter you into our raffle for a Barnes and Noble gift card! (Your photo and project explanation must be submitted to us no later than Saturday, March 15th. See a librarian for more details.) 

Teen Tech Week- DIY Music and Dance Creations

 DIY Music and Dance Creations

DIY doesn't always mean creating a physical product that you can hold in your hand.  Sometimes it's about creating an experience.  

And with all of the music and dance related shows on TV today, you can't help but be inspired.  Whether you have formal training or not, you can still join in the fun!  

The Cup Song has been going around the internet for some time now, and although it looks really hard to do, when you break it down... oh, who am I kidding- it's hard!  Doesn't mean you shouldn't try it though!  Here's a tutorial:

And here's proof that many, many people have mastered this rhythm!  All ages, guys and girls!

And there's always a good old-fashioned flash mob- done so many ways, all across the world, the idea of people getting together to surprise others with seemingly spontaneous entertainment will never get old.  So many cool ones are out there.  Here are just a few for inspiration!

Classical Flash Mob:

College Campus Flash Mob:

Broadway Show in a Mall Flash Mob:

And just for good measure, here's a song and video that can't help but inspire you to sing and dance!  Go out there and show the world what you've got!  Be brave!

*Remember: for Teen Tech Week, if you send us a picture of a DIY project you've done, we'll enter you into our raffle for a Barnes and Noble gift card! (Your photo and project explanation must be submitted to us no later than Saturday, March 15th. See a librarian for more details.) 

Teen Tech Week- DIY Food Creations

DIY Food Creations

Playing around in the kitchen can be loads of fun.  Even if you're not a great cook, you can still do some basic stuff with a little twist that will knock the socks off of your friends and family.  Here are some easy and fun ideas to try for dessert.

Just add marshmallows to a cake or cupcake.  Frost over them with different colored frosting and voila... Lego cakes!

Replicate the ball pit that Sheldon had so much fun hiding in on an Episode of The Big Bang Theory.  Easy, fun, and delicious!

Make a heart-shaped cake using a square cake form and a circle cake form.  Cut the circle cake in half and place each half on the sides of the square cake as shown above.  Frost over the forms for a perfect heart cake!

Or how about cutting a circle cake into a yin-yang shape.  Flip the right side over to be a mirror-image of the other and what do you know... you've got a mustache cake!

Turn things inside out.  Hollow out strawberries and pour melted chocolate inside.  Let cool and enjoy an inside out treat... strawberry covered chocolate!

Or why not turn things on their side?  Make jello (with out without fruit) in glasses that have been tilted on their sides.  (Let the glasses rest in muffin tins to keep them on their sides.)  When the jello has formed, fill the other side with whipped cream or cool whip.  That certainly makes a statement! 

*Remember: for Teen Tech Week, if you send us a picture of a DIY project you've done, we'll enter you into our raffle for a Barnes and Noble gift card! (Your photo and project explanation must be submitted to us no later than Saturday, March 15th. See a librarian for more details.) 

Teen Tech Week: DIY Paper Creations

 DIY Paper Creations

There are so many things you can do with paper... regular, normal, everyday paper and of course, a little bit of imagination. Here are some cool ideas:

Paper Dress Fashion- Check out what this little girl and her mom did to recreate their favorite dresses from top designers.  Read the full article here.


Or go with a classic- the paper airplane! There are tons of videos out there from simple to elaborate.  Here's a relatively easy one to get you started. 

If you are into paper folding, origami is for you.  From functional design to purely decorative, origami spans many different styles and many different levels of difficulty.  Try this site to find a design you'd like to tackle.

Or for something completely different, take a stab at Paper Roller Coasters.  Winding, curving, rolling tracks that take a marble on a thrill ride... all made from paper!  Check out a really cool one here:

*Remember: for Teen Tech Week, if you send us a picture of a DIY project you've done, we'll enter you into our raffle for a Barnes and Noble gift card! (Your photo and project explanation must be submitted to us no later than Saturday, March 15th. See a librarian for more details.) 

Teen Tech Week: DIY Fashion Creations

DIY Fashion Creations

Feel like making something?  Check out this cool T-shirt tutorial... make an oversized T-shirt into a cute summer shirt.  A little measuring, a little cutting, a little sewing, and voila... you've got a one-of-a-kind shirt with personal flair!  Raid the bottom of your closets for shirts you don't wear anymore or go to a thrift store and pick up a shirt for cheap!



Turn a shirt into a cardigan sweater- with options for an easy hem, or more advanced buttons.  Either way, it's beautiful and completely a fashion DIY!



And sometimes fashion doesn't need to involve cutting and sewing.  Here's a short video on how to make an infinity scarf into a skirt or dress.  All it takes is a belt and some fabric manipulation.  Easy and so impressive!





*Remember: for Teen Tech Week, if you send us a picture of a DIY project you've done, we'll enter you into our raffle for a Barnes and Noble gift card! (Your photo and project explanation must be submitted to us no later than Saturday, March 15th.  See a librarian for more details.)