Classes and special deals at TechShop RDU

Come take a class with me at TechShop Raleigh Durham!  TechShop is a membership-based workshop that provides members with access to tools and equipment, instruction, and community of creative and supportive people so they can build the things they have always wanted to make.  Have you always wanted to know what you could do with the laser cutter?  Making your own custom rubber stamps and stencils is a great introduction to the capabilities of this awesome machine! 

You do not need to have prior experience or a membership to take this class, and you will be able to choose your own images and take home your own custom stamp and stencil! 
 Check it out and sign up here:
Stamps and Stencils on the Laser!

Also, TechShop is currently running some special deals on membership/class packages.  See them here:
TechShop Specials

I'm baaaack!

Greetings Loyal Readers:

The blog has been on hiatus for some time while I dealt with some personal issues, but recent activity of folks linking to me from Reddit has inspired me!

I am opening an Etsy store by the end of the week so check back soon for the link.  You'll be able to purchase my awesome deck boxes, purses, and Kindle covers there!

Thank you to all my regular readers and welcome new ones.  I've been doing lots of interesting stuff over the past few months that I will share with you all soon!  In the meantime, go enjoy this slideshow that Mark made of makers we met at the World Maker Faire in New York this past weekend.

World Maker Faire 2012 NY - Maker Mustaches

For Sale at Gamer's Armory in Cary

My Magic boxes and other items are now for sale at Gamer's Armory in Cary. 

Wreck Markers for WarMachines

Now available for pre-order at Game Theory

If you're in the area, stop by Game Theory on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh and check out the samples of Commander / EDH boxes.  They are taking orders starting today.

Keep your eyes open for more styles of boxes at other game stores in the area!

Commander Magic MTG Boxes

New and Improved Designs for Commander Decks

I've updated my designs for MTG boxes.  These two boxes are sized to fit Commander (EDH) decks.  On the flex box, I've added a backer piece to enclose the card compartment and create a nice little side compartment to hold dice or counters.

I also tweaked the hinge to make it more flexible and, I think, pleasing to the eye.

This is a regular box without the flex hinge.  I found a zombie Uncle Sam to customize this one in a zombie theme!

Is it too early to start getting ready for Halloween?

The bottle on the right is a creation from Halloween 2011 - Now that I can etch glass on the laser cutter, I can make them even more awesome.

Recent Projects

I've been so busy, I neglected to update the past few weeks.  Here's a quick roundup of what I've been up to!
First up:  A cute little valentine puzzle for my husband. He liked it, so I don't have to replace the heart in the middle with another name!

 A recipe box for my mom.  It needs a little sanding touchup, but it fit together nicely and the wooden latch mechanism I designed is working very well.  Look for more on that in another post!

Here, a box for Magic League play for a good friend.  It holds six deck boxes nicely.  This was a special request, and he provided the artwork.  I like how the image came out in the negative, I'll be doing more of this. 

Kindle Cover

Here is one of my recent projects, a case for a Kindle.  It's sized for the WiFi version, but I'm sizing it down to fit the Kindle Fire for my next project.

This post is short and sweet because I'm also working on getting my KickStarter campaign off the ground.  If you don't know what KickStarter is, go check it out - and please keep your eyes peeled for the launch of my campaign in the next few weeks!

Thanks for following me on my journey!

Acrylic and Wood Lamp

I've been working on this one for a while.  It was actually one of the first projects I started as a Christmas gift for my sister, but it was delayed due to a little bit of a learning curve on lasercutting acrylic, ordering supplies, and tweaking the design.  So, it's finished now, and my little sister should be getting her package in the mail within the next few days.  Sis, if you see this post before the package comes, don't peek!  Just kidding, I hope you like it!

The images on the acrylic are sea animals that I positioned so they would wrap continuously around the piece.  Sis is an aquarist, with a particular interest in raising seahorses, so one of the panels has a nice big seahorse on it.

It has a candelabra size fixture, and a flicker glow bulb makes it a gorgeous little nightlight/mood lamp.  It's not very big, but I might make a larger one at some point.  I'm also thinking about selling these on Etsy, so let me know if you're interested in a custom design.

One last pic of the panels side by side so you can see how the images are wrapped:

The holes will be eliminated in the next piece - they were originally intended for holding pegs so the lamp could be hung or set on its side, but I found I prefer it upright.

Watch for my next post: a Kindle case!

Magic Boxes

Today was a holiday from work, so I used my time wisely at Techshop RDU!  Check out some of the things I made today.  First up, the treasure chest box:

This box was fun to make.  And to all my MTG playing friends:  This box is sized to fit an 80 card deck in Ultra-Pro sleeves or a 100 card deck in the thin generic sleeves.

Next, another book box.  This one is also sized to fit Magic decks.  It's a bit of a tweak from my previous design, with a cool Celtic image on the front.

I also made some other things.  Can you tell I'm obsessed by the living hinge?  I've also seen it called a lattice hinge or a "sninge" which recognizes the lab that made it popular on Make lately.

Prototype of a bracelet

Business card holder

My next post should be something a little different... I'm still working on my sister's Christmas present since I didn't get to see her over the holidays.  It should be ready for pics soon.

Works in Progress

I spent some time over at the TechShop on Sunday.  I'm finding one of my biggest hurdles is the fact that I use Adobe Illustrator and they use Corel Draw, so I have to import my designs as a generic .EPS file... and of course they don't always transfer properly.  I spent more time messing with the design than I did cutting.  I taught myself how to use Illustrator, so now I guess I need to do the same with Corel Draw!

Despite the slight design hang-ups, I did get a few neat things cut out.   

These are coasters shaped like gears.  When linked they actually interlock and turn.

This is the frame for the gear coasters.

  

This is my first prototype of a box perfectly sized to fit a standard 80 card MTG deck with sleeves.

I have some more time scheduled with the laser for next weekend, so I hope to have a completed working prototype to share very soon.  I'm planning to make several different sizes.

Stay tuned!

Launching Laser Love

I'm launching my blog to share my zero to maker journey.  I've been inspired so much by working at the College of Design and by reading other people's stories of things they've learned and created, like this: http://blog.makezine.com/tag/zerotomaker.  I've turned one of our extra rooms into a craft room that my husband and I share to do "projects."  It's full of things I've slowly collected over the last six months or so, planning to use them in my crafts.  I've completed a few items, and I'll be posting photos of those and others as I finish them.

This Christmas was good to me - my wonderful Mom got me a sewing machine because I've been wanting to learn to sew.  I have it set up, and I'm trying to decide what to make first.

I also joined Techshop RDU an incredible makerspace here in Raleigh.  I'll have access to all kinds of awesome equipment, but right now I'm most excited about the laser cutter.  I learned to use a laser cutter at the shop at work, but since it belongs to the school, the rules are pretty strict about what it can be used for.  Now I don't have to worry about that, and I can design and make things to give as gifts or maybe even to sell!

This is a small box I made - it's inspired by a design I saw on Make of that flexible hinge.  I'm planning to make more things with it, probably some boxes for Magic the Gathering cards, purses, jewelry... I have about a million ideas.  I hope you'll follow along my journey to design and learn as I go, it should be entertaining!

Thanks for reading, stay tuned for more crafty love from the laser!