The Fair is Not Dead

Maker Faire San Mateo 2008 (110), originally uploaded by Pip R. Lagenta.

Last summer I heard rumors that the venerable San Mateo County Fair might be cancelled forever, since San Mateo County is no longer the agricultural powerhouse it once was. The news made me very sad, especially since we went religiously every summer when we were growing up and when my sister and I were in 4-H, it was exciting to show crafts and food.

It Just May Have a Different Name Now

So 20 years later, I find myself in the same place (outside the "Fiesta Hall") in what used to be called the "Fair Grounds" but now has the sterile moniker "Event Center." While the warehouses full of prized chickens and dairy cows were gone, the rooms full of geeky model train aficionados and crazy crafters remained.

Maker Fair(e) 08

Adding the "e" to fair always makes me think of silly Renaissance Faire conceits. Fortunately, at this Faire, there was a blessed dearth of fat men in skimply leather halters.

The Dumpster Divers Anonymous Gang generously allowed Dutch, Art Teacher Lady and myself to participate in this year's Maker Faire.

I had a wonderful time nerd-watching (1 point for every Bill Gates look-alike, -1 pt for every smelly hippy, 5 pts for every biker child wearing a helmet, -5 pts for every angry Officer of the Peace), meeting up with old friends-- the B and G of Rosa Sinensis, the Pixie Toast Clan, top hats from the Zinefest and the Family Cyclecious.

The DDAs had two booths. One for Garbage Art and another for the Wooden Bikes. I ended up being a Helmet Nazi (all in the name of keeping the people's brains safely in their skulls). What is there not to love about riding a clown bike through the crowds gently reminding the helmetless criminals to "put one on"?

The Garbage Art was amazing. DDA had piles of vintage books, stamps, magazines, stickers, glue, paint-- all from dumpsters. She also provided cardboard for postcards and all sorts of interesting finds. We set up a table so people could sit down and create. It was so satisfying seeing artists really get into their craft. There was so much going on, that I couldn't sit still for more than 30 seconds at a time, so I wasn't much help there.

The Wooden Bikes came in a variety of bizarre configuration. My favorites were the Wedgebike* and the toddler-clown bike. They were ridiculously popular with maniacs of all ages. As a testament to the success of the venture, the Faire Police made not one, but two visits to remind us to make sure people's helmets were on. Evidentally, lots of Makers were complaining about being run over by small children in wooden contraptions.

Myriorama

myriorama, originally uploaded by camille94019.

One of the coolest things I have found so far on Swap-bot is directions on how to make myriorama cards.

That is all I can say right now. Its too sunny to write.

::

The sun has finally gone down and now I can sit in my darkened room and not feel like I am missing out on a perfect Flip Flop day. The above is my version of the "landscape" myriorama. The parameters for this were very narrow. The size, the template and even the colors were prescribed. I hadn't worked within such narrow confines since (gasp!) art school (although, since then, there have been plenty of perfectly lame illustration jobs I have turned down).

The Power is all Mine

The small size was delightful, too. I tend to work small, mostly because I have a small work area, but I am intrigued by the idea of tiny worlds. I had a moment of being god to a very flat, insignificant world. I get intimidated easily, and the calm waters and grassy knolls presented very safe vistas for controlled, miniature frolicking. One of the reasons I have slacked off on the Submarine comic is that the world was getting so complicated and there were so many characters (five, but that is a lot of permutations!). Of course, any excuse is lame (especially now that I am looking at it in stark courier).

The baby Wallet

outside


inside (credit card pockets on the right, and coin pocket on the left)

I made this wallet out of duck tape, and blue card stock (which you cannot see in this picture) and colored it with pink and blue-green permanent markers. I told my sister not to put it on here, but when it comes to her blog, I do not think she pays any attention to me AT ALL!

-the KB

Oh How I Love Craft Books

I recently treated myself to Cris Dupouy's Creating Your Own Jewelry. I found myself going to the bookstore just to visit it and its pretty museum reproductions a few times and I decided that was reason enough to purchase it.



Not only did it promise me that I could have the Princesse of Broglie's Pendant, but it said I could do it with simple tools that I could find in my drawer. Heading her siren call, I swung by the local art store and picked up 2.5 oz.s of Fimo clay (for a whopping buck-twenty-five!).

I just spent the last five hours fiddling with fimo, x-acto knives, clay tools, toaster ovens, gold paint, aluminum foil and wire.

The DIY Seduction

There is something profoundly compelling about a good craft book. Maybe its the illustrations that bring your own masterpieces close to the realm of possibility, or maybe its the raw technical knowledge that one can imbibe in a mere glance.



I don't remember how old I was when I fell under the spell of Indian Crafts and Lore. I must have been pre-pubescent. It was written for boys, but I didn't care. It had detailed instructions on how to make a buffalo head costume (with an easily obtainable bear rug!), quill-work, embroidery, beading, drums, tepees and even authentic dances. It was a veritable encyclopedia, covering every facet of my fantasy Indian life. I could have moved into the woods with a knife and my book and everything would have been cake. I didn't know who W Ben Hunt was, but I imagined meeting him someday, I'd show him my war bonnet* and dance him a dance. I probably made half of the stuff in it, including a beading loom made from a 2x4 and a lot of nails. The things I couldn't make, I settled for creating paper models. My 18" tall tepee made out of posterboard kicked ass. I also made a convincing wigwam out of grass, but I had to throw it away when it started to rot.

Because, Really, Who Wants to Grow Up and Be a Passive Consumer?

(of craft books?)

Not I. When I was Very Young, I wanted to be an Indian when I grew up. Now I know that, besides being profoundly politically incorrect (even the term itself is horribly passe), its pretty much impossible to do in this country. The IRS will find you, whether or not you paint your face.

This Evening's Craft Tally

I did make the Princesse of Broglie's pendant. It is awaiting another coat of gold paint on my drafting table. I made another pendant inspired by a 6th century reliquary box. I melted it in the toaster on accident. The kitchen smells funny. I am confident it will air out. Fimo melts at 350 degrees, in case any one is taking notes.

*The war bonnet that I made from a chamois and turkey feathers is in the collection of my Uncle Erick, who may or may not still have it. I certainly wouldn't blame him, uh, if he had to round file it at some point during the last 20 years.

Red Rubber Novelty

The Skin of the Torus

For years, around this time of year, I have sat down to my sewing machine, after dredging creek bottoms, begging, stealing and pilfering used inner tubes, to make stuff. I usually try to make things that are useful enough to be sellable, and so I can justify days of sitting, in near bliss, at the machine. The billfolds and purses that I make are generally popular with the buyers, except for the color. People have often asked me if I make something in another color. I have to say no because they only make inner tubes in black, just like the old Model Ts.

The tyranny of black rubber is over. I chanced upon some red rubber scraps from a rubber stamp company last summer. While the black rubber is still superior in drape and texture, the red rubber is as red as a redhead. I 'll be incorporating the red into this year's line.

Want Some Rubber?

While I usually don't pimp this blog for commercial purposes (except for my own), please feel free to email me for the price list and availability. This is a limited thing, and won't be around long (really, I do this about a week out of the year, the cliche is true).

Sock Monkey That!

I made my first sock monkey today. Actually, I should call it a "sweater monkey" since I made it from an old sweater. I loved this sweater until I saw a picture of myself in it and I looked like a big pink pillow, so it went into the goodwill bag, until I decided I needed to make some monkeys.

Sock Monkey Aesthetics

This sock monkey is painfully ugly. I realized this pretty early on, as I was sewing the legs. The legs are very long compared to the body. Surely no golden mean of ratios of leg versus body length has been met. I decided to press on, thinking that perhaps the beauty of the monkey would consist of her softness, of her sweet spirit and kind demeanor. I stuffed her with the ugliest silk scarves. They wouldn't be good for anything else and they don't show, so they don't count. I sewed on her ears, on the side of her head, since she is a primate, like us, and our ears, for better or worse, don't stick up like a cat's, but lay on the side of our heads. I couldn't find two matching buttons, so she has failed at symmetry (but they are vintage mother-of-pearl).

Her head is lumpy. It is a phrenologist's dream. Her stitching shows (I was lazy and used white thread. I did it on purpose! Its artsy stitching!). I sewed matching socks for her (a self-referencing accessory) that look like condoms on her legs.

The Verdict
I brought her out for the M to see. She immediately declared her a "beautiful sock monkey!" I was relieved to see a 150 years of aesthetics go down the drain. I hinted that this might be her Christmas present, and the M's face brightened. I am not sure why the M thought she was pretty-- perhaps her homeliness was somehow appealing in this context. Maybe cuddly things don't have to be classically beautiful.

John B suggested that I have a naming contest. If you have a suggestion, feel free to leave a kibbitz. The winner gets a free prize, so make sure you leave your info.