Browsing “DiYVR”

DiYVR is a weekly spotlight on all things handmade, done-by-oneself, crafted and hacked around Vancouver, featuring profiles of makers, event announcements, exhibits and general DIY fun. Know someone or something we should cover? Email me!

VIA is a media sponsor of Vancouver Mini Maker Faire, which pleases me to no end. This event is bringing together so many never-before-introduced-to-each-other creative tinkerers, it’s quite possible people’s lives will be changed forever. And maybe yours.

More than 80 local makers are participating*, spending those two days showing off the stuff they make, letting people touch it (assuming it’s not on fire [oh, there will be fire!]), explaining how it’s done, having fun and getting even more inspired. Also, we’re going to have a photo scavenger hunt.

Save this weekend: June 25th–26th. This is when the Great Northern Way Campus will be transformed into a science fair/hands-on spectacular/conference – a giant celebration of do-it-yourself, take-it-apart, make-something-new. It’s for grownups, it’s for kids. It’s for tech nerds, it’s for knitters. There will be robots, lights installations, quilting, painting, sculpture-making, and BACON. Workshops, speakers, hands-on explorations, food, music.

Want a wee taste? The Mondo Spider will be there! I grabbed this wee video of it the other night:

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* I’ll be participating as a maker, doing Mighty Ugly workshops each day of the event. The excitement is near killing me.

DiYVR is a weekly spotlight on all things handmade, done-by-oneself, crafted and hacked around Vancouver, featuring profiles of makers, event announcements, exhibits and general DIY fun. Know someone or something we should cover? Email me!

A few weeks ago I stumbled onto a post about a tool-sharing project in the works. There’s been lots of talk about the so-called sharing economy, and I was excited to hear about a formal project starting up here in Vancouver. Last week I caught up with Caitlin Dorward, the Communications Coordinator of the Vancouver Tool Library.

[Read the interview after the jump.]

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

DiYVR is a weekly spotlight on all things handmade, done-by-oneself, crafted and hacked around Vancouver, featuring profiles of makers, event announcements, exhibits and general DIY fun. Know someone or something we should cover? Email me!

A few weeks ago I stumbled onto a post about a tool-sharing project in the works. There’s been lots of talk about the so-called sharing economy, and I was excited to hear about a formal project starting up here in Vancouver – especially one that could be very empowering to DIYers short on space or cash.

Last week I caught up with Caitlin Dorward, the Communications Coordinator of the Vancouver Tool Library, which will open its doors at 3448 Commercial Street in June.

What’s the gist of the Vancouver Tool Library? Is it like a co-op? Or like the public library? How’s it going to enrich people’s lives?
Well, it’s a little bit of both! As the name suggests, the VTL will be a community resource that functions on essentially the same model as a public book library. By becoming a VTL member, people gain access to the library’s inventory of power and hand tools so that they can maintain their homes, tend their yards and gardens, fix their bikes, build furniture, and start projects with their neighbours. We’re also going to be offering monthly workshops so that members can learn tool-related skills in an inclusive and affordable setting. The tool library enriches peoples lives by allowing us to “do more with less.” Less waste, less personal economic investment, and more community engagement around improving and greening the places where we live and work.

The co-op element comes in when you look at our business model. Because of our strong belief in local community ownership, we’ve decided to build this library on a cooperative business model, which we think is the best way to tie the VTL’s initiatives to the needs of the community. What the co-op structure means in practical terms is that the organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are democratically elected by our members, and that members have a say in the way we operate and the programs we offer.

Say I have a lathe I rarely use*. Can I contribute it to the tool library? If I do, but I have to move out of town, do I get it back? (*I totally don’t have a lathe. I do, however, have a ton of unmatched knitting needles. I don’t imagine those are the kinds of tools you want?)
Absolutely! The VTL is currently collecting tool donations to help build our inventory, and we will continue to do so after we have opened our doors. Every donation makes a big impact as it reduces the amount of tools we have to buy (and our budget for tools!). Anyone wanting to make a donation can contact us by email to arrange an individual pickup or drop-off time, or fill out our donation form here.

Because of the difficulty involved with matching a donor to all the tools they’ve donated, the wear and tear that donated tools will take once they become part of the library inventory, and the fact that tools may be loaned out to a member (or even overdue/lost) when a donor needs them back, all donations are considered permanent.

There’s a lot of talk about the “sharing economy”. What’s that all about? Is the VTL a part of it?
The sharing economy is about sharing resources to gain the utility of something without having to own it outright. The motivations to do so include saving money, reducing waste, and developing meaningful relationships (aka: making friends!). People in Vancouver and beyond are rediscovering the benefits of sharing – we’re seeing successful car-share programs, community gardens, and co-working spaces, and online creative commons pop up all the time. The VTL is absolutely a part of this movement. We offer an alternative to a personal tool shed: a long-lasting collectively owned resource, utilized and shaped by the community, which allows people to use tools without having to own them outright.

If you found yourself crash-landed on a deserted island with nothing but a tool belt in your possession, what tools would you want in that belt?
An axe (to chop down firewood), a chisel (to crack coconuts and fend off predators) and a trowel (to dig for clams and wild tubers).

You’re not quite open yet – how can people keep up with your plans, and how can DIYers join up?
We post regularly to our blog, Facebook page, and email list to keep people up to date of our progress towards opening date, volunteer positions, upcoming tool donation drives, and community events.

People who want to join up can stop by our space during one of the membership drive times, which will be held weekly until our grand opening. Specific times will be posted to the blog and Facebook page.

DiYVR is a weekly spotlight on all things handmade, done-by-oneself, crafted and hacked around Vancouver, featuring profiles of makers, event announcements, exhibits and general DIY fun. Know someone or something we should cover? Email me!

I had the wicked fun opportunity to serve on the jury for this Sunday’s Got Craft? craft fair, so I got to see what all is going to be going on over there. Trust me when I tell you there’s going to be an outstanding array of locally handmade goods. I’ve been saving my twonies since I submitted my jurying.

If you want a bit of a hint of what you’ll find, beyond scoping out the Got Craft? website, the sellers are having a tweetup tonight, and you can follow along on Twitter. I’m not yet sure what the hashtag is, but I’ll be there tweeting, so follow me to follow along.

Also, I’m going to be at Got Craft! I’ll be at the Mini Maker Faire Vancouver table most of the day, with loads of info about that event, discounted tickets to sell, and a smile just for you. Our table will be pretty much right at the entrance to Got Craft?, at the top of the stairs, so please stop by and say hello and shout out Vancouver Is Awesome!

Got Craft?
Sunday, May 8th, 10am-5pm
Royal Canadian Legion
2205 Commercial Drive (@ E. 6th Ave.)
Admission $3 (kids under 10 free)

DiYVR is a spotlight on all things handmade, done-by-oneself, crafted and hacked around Vancouver, featuring profiles of makers, event announcements, exhibits and general DIY fun. Know someone or something we should cover? Email me!

I’m not the most avid hockey fan, but even I’m tied in knots about tonight’s game. So I thought I’d distract myself and you with a wee activity. Prepare some of these candy skewers for game time and you’ll both vent some of your anxiety leading up to the game and have an impressive snack ready to ease your nerves during the game instead of resorting to that old standby of pulling out your hair.

1. Gather your materials. These include: candy, skewers, and a cup or jar (ignore the baggy of drink umbrellas and swords in my photo – I had ambitious plans for those that didn’t really work out). The candy should be soft enough that the pointy end of the skewer can pass through it without too much muscle behind it. (Candy with holes in it = bonus.) The skewers should have at least one pointy end.

   
   

2. Fill the cup or jar with a few inches of a spongy kind of candy (like marshmallows) or candy that’s small enough to behave like pebbles (I used a whole package of tiny gumdrops). This both weighs down the vessel and provides a base to stick the skewers into.

   
   

3. Skewer the candy. Leave a few inches at the bottom of each skewer free from candy – this is the end you’ll stick into the candy in the cup or jar.
4. Arrange the skewers in the cup or jar. Poorly tied bow optional.

   
   

5. Bring on the sugar rush, and a Canucks victory!

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Cross-posted on my blog.

DiYVR is a weekly spotlight on all things handmade, done-by-oneself, crafted and hacked around Vancouver, featuring profiles of makers, event announcements, exhibits and general DIY fun. Know someone or something we should cover? Email me! And for citywide fun, when you see something done-by-oneself instead of being done-by-someone-else, snap a pic and either email me or tweet it using the #DiYVRspy tag!

It’s been months since the holidays gripped us collectively by our wallets, and so by now our wallets have (hopefully) recovered, and along with them our zeal for surrounding ourselves with beautiful handmade things and giving unique presents to friends and perfect strangers.

So warm up your twonies – Make It! is this weekend at the Croatian Cultural Centre. Featuring 90 vendors from around the province and beyond, with tunes by DJ Brodevious and with a silent auction to benefit the Union Gospel Mission, it’s sure to be a super fun time.

Make It!
Croatian Cultural Centre – 3250 Commercial Drive
Friday, 15th April 4pm-9pm
Saturday, 16th April 11am-6pm
Sunday, 17th April 11am-5pm
$5 at the door (kids 12 and under free)