Holiday Gifts

Challenge yourself to make some awesome laser-cutting gifts for family and friends this holiday season. Whether you’re building a DIY Tie Fighter for the Star Wars geek in your life or a treasure chest to surprise your imaginative niece, MakeTech has got you covered. They include both the laser cut wood project files on Thingiverse as well as a step-by-step instructional video on how to build each item. And the best part? You can either assemble the parts yourself or leave them as a puzzle for your loved one (depending on how much of a maker they are themselves).

DIY Lantern

If you’d like to make some gorgeous and unique home decor while also getting some professional laser-cutting tips, check out this DIY lantern project from Further Fabrication. The detailing on the piece is gorgeous and it’s a perfect accent piece for anything from your library to an outdoor patio. And the video itself walks you through the Maker’s design and build process from start to finish so, even if you follow along with his plan for this project, perhaps it’ll inspire you to make your next design an original one.

Leather Wallet

To create a gorgeous leather wallet you can either treat yourself to or give as a gift, challenge yourself with this Little King Goods design. The website, linked in the description, includes many downloadable PDF patterns and even different items such as a notebook sleeve, apple watch strap, tote bag, scribe journal, and iPad cover. And, as an added bonus, the step-by-step instructional video doubles as an ASMR video and is sure to leave you relaxed and inspired.

DIY Jewelry

Finally, challenge yourself to make some DIY jewelry with your laser cutter. That could include anything from a cool geometric necklace to some funky DIY earrings. MakeTech created a tutorial that walks you step by step through how to build your own mushroom, skull, or guitar earrings. Whether you follow their designs or create your own, creating wearable pieces like this is a great way to work your maker hobbies into conversation (even though you already do).

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Outdoor Chair

Picture this: you’re sitting on the back porch on a cool autumn afternoon, a book in hand, a mug with some English Breakfast tea sitting on the table beside you. The sounds of birds chirping fills the distance, the leaves rustling when a cool breeze blows by and makes you lose your page temporarily. The blanket on your legs is soft and warm and you hear the distant sound of a lone car driving by.

Porch furniture can be surprisingly expensive and the old chair you got from that garage sale you dragged your partner to just isn’t cutting it anymore. Instead of resigning yourself to a fall indoors, task yourself to build a porch chair. Maker Angela Marie on YouTube walks you step by step through her process of creating a gorgeous porch chair for only $30 in lumber.

Outdoor couch

Also coming from YouTube Maker Angela Marie, a matching DIY outdoor couch. Picture all the backyard parties you’ll be able to host with one of these, the smell of campfire and apple cider filling the outdoor space as your friends gab excitedly about their plans to go to the pumpkin patch next weekend. This build will only cost you $30 in lumber as well and has a very similar make to the outdoor chair so, if you make one of those, you’re already halfway there. If you plan to build both the chair and couch, simply make sure you find matching cushions and finishes for the wood and you’ll end up with a DIY matching porch furniture set, all for less than the price of one porch chair.

Computer Desk

For those of us whose work-from-home situations have unexpectedly become a permanent fixture in our lives, a nice home office desk is a must. Maker Craig from the YouTube channel Build it Better has created a build for an L-shaped farmhouse-style computer desk, all for under $100. The build is sturdy, stylish, and is made entirely of 2×4’s and 2×6’s so it’s relatively easy to accomplish. Additionally, given the L-shape, it’s very easy to tuck into the corner of any room in your house.

Bookshelf

Any book lovers out there know the struggle they face when their bookshelf is getting dangerously full. It halts our lives in a way it doesn’t for many other hobbies because if we don’t have the space, we can’t buy any new books and that’s just a travesty. Have we read all the books currently on our shelves? Nope. Do we promise that we will before we buy new books? Yup. Do we ever keep that promise? Not once.

For the book lovers with little self-control, this easy six-foot bookshelf build by Home Depot is a life-saver. With an incredibly easy-to-follow cut list, material list, and video demonstration, you can easily and affordably add a new bookshelf to your home and, subsequently, head to Barnes & Noble to start to fill it out.

Bed Frame

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current bed frame or perhaps looking to add one to your guest room, SEB TECH DIY has you covered! His easy 5-minute video tutorial gives you a nice visual of the make, while his handy Instructable (linked in the description) breaks down each stage of the build more thoroughly so you can be sure to get the dimensions and steps down perfectly. He was able to purchase all of the materials needed from his local hardware store and it’s perfect for a king-size mattress. SEB TECH DIY lists many other build instructions on his Instructable as well, including a modern planter, truck rack, snack tray, and wine rack.

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Tools

One type of 3D printing project you could challenge yourself with is to make some tools for yourself that will make home life a bit more convenient. For example, for the gamers out there who prefer a cord mouse for the battery life and lack of lag, you can build yourself a mouse bungee. The design, submitted to Thingiverse by Peter Merhaut, attaches to the cord so it rotates as you move your mouse. This helps to limit your cord from getting tangled or caught in other desk items, giving a cord mouse a cordless feel. As with every make on Thingiverse, the files for each part are available for direct download and you can edit and tweak them as you see fit. You can even take a look at some of the other maker’s mods and see if they’ve made any improvements on the original design.

You can also print tools that will help you with certain projects. For example, you can print a woodworking marking gauge tool, which will aid you in future woodworking projects. As a 3D printing aficionado, you can even build yourself a workbench dremel bit storage, which is designed to expertly hold all of the different pieces you need for your 3D printing work. It gives each of your sanding drums, cutoff discs, and flap wheels a specific space, making them much easier to find when you’re in the middle of a build.

Games

For any gamers out there, challenge yourself to make some gaming accessories. For example, if you’re a role-playing gamer, you can design yourself some fantasy character models with your 3D printer. This particular set of characters, created by Andrew Stockon, was designed using DesktopHero and includes all sorts of characters from elves to tieflings to paladins.

As a role-playing gamer, you can also create 3D printed landscapes and sets. For example, the Wicked Makers crew walks you through how to build and paint your own dungeon tile using 3D printing. After the piece is 3D printed, the painting process simply involves spray painting with a gray paint, painting a few tiles on each piece with a brown paint, and using some gray paint to blotch all over. After finally dry brushing with some white paint, you’ve got a finished tile to add to your dungeon.

If you’re a video game player, you can make a super mario style storage block for your game cartridges or, if you really wanted to challenge yourself, even build your own retro gaming system using 3D printing.

Decor

You can also challenge yourself to make some enviable new decorations for your home. This could include something super creative and one-of-a-kind like this wall flower mount. The design includes a plant holder which is also a wall mount with a small cloud above it and, if you pour water in the cloud, it will give the appearance that your plant is being watered by rain. Through this design, one can also see the collaborative work between makers where the designs have improved over time based on the tips and tweaks other makers have made on the project over the years the design has been available.

You can also create some very geometric minimalist pieces such as a geometric flower pot or fox wall sculpture. Or, if your decorating style is more funky and fun, you could 3D print this mushroom lamp which was designed by Nik Markellov. Whether you’re designing from scratch or utilizing a design with your own twist, 3D printing your decor can make your home feel just a bit more hygge.

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The maker world can be a stereotypically male-dominated space, so it can be very exciting when you find an opportunity to support a female maker’s business. Here are some innovative and ambitious women makers who have used Etsy to create their own businesses:

1) Greta de Parry

Greta is a furniture maker based out of Chicago who sells her creations through Etsy. After studying Fine Arts in college, she apprenticed with a master woodworker to hone her craft. She’s been working through Etsy for seven years and her best-selling design is the Coleman stool. The minimalist design is made to seat someone comfortably, allowing them the ability to put their feet up on an added bar beneath. Greta was also the winner of the Best Furniture Award from Dwell Magazine at America’s Largest Design Show.

A self-proclaimed specialist in what she called ‘heirloom pieces’, Greta discusses her passion for furniture with Etsy stating, “We interact with furniture everyday. It’s the background of our lives. So, I want it to bring people joy and I want people to look at a piece of mine and love it and know that there’s a story behind it.”

2) Sian Zeng

Grand prize winner of the Etsy Design Award in 2019, Sian Zeng utilizes both artwork and design prowess to create her whimsical magnetic wallpaper. She began her work on her wallpaper designs in 2009 and has gone through the prototyping process in order to create her current design. Her original designs used magnetic paint, until she discovered a magnetic receptive liner which worked much more effectively. The designs come with little magnetic characters that match the wallpaper, allowing users to create messages and patterns all their own and make the wallpaper experience much more interactive.

3) Heidi Girad

This maker, based out of New York, has created her own line of hand-made jewelry called Liesel Love. She began working with jewelry at a young age as her aunt had a jewelry repair shop. In an interview with Etsy, she describes her experience working with jewelry at a young age and how that progressed into owning her own business, “One of my earliest memories was designing a necklace with her for my Mother. I started off with just beading, then I started getting into stained glass, and when I got into stained glass I got really into metalworking which expanded into making jewelry.”

Heidi’s jewelry is designed for everyday wear, with minimalist pieces made with high-quality durable metals and gemstones that are ethically sourced.

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Design a custom t-shirt

If you have access to the appropriate printer and design basics down, design your partner a custom one-of-a-kind t-shirt. You could go the classic romantic route of printing a shirt with a romantic phrase like ‘be my valentine’ or ‘I love you’. You could print a photo of the two of you with their favorite romantic or inspirational quote underneath. Or you could design a shirt customized to one of your partner’s unique niche interests, who wouldn’t want a custom shirt with an illustration of their D&D character featured or a quote from their favorite book?

Woodworking

If you’re more of the woodworking type of maker, use this skill to build your partner a custom piece. Try to notice what type of piece may come in handy for your partner. For example, if your partner is someone whose makeup and bath products are constantly disorganized, build them a small storage box for their makeup or even a vanity if your home has the extra room. If your partner is running out of space for their book collection, perhaps construct a DIY bookshelf using old wooden crates that you’ve been saving for the right project. If they could use a catch-all stand for their phone, wallet, keys- built them a stylish and sleek one. Just make sure you’re making something fun and not accidentally being passive-aggressive (IE if your partner leaves their shoes everywhere so you build them a shoe cubby).

Flowers

One of the classic valentine’s staples, but why not put a maker twist on it? Instead of going to the shop and purchasing a bouquet that will make a mess in your home and be dead in a week, make your partner some DIY paper flowers. You can do this either using a variety of paper colors to mimic the texture of a real bouquet or you can make it more personal and use the pages of one of their favorite books. Either way, these flowers can become a permanent fixture in the home and will show your partner that you’ll go the extra mile for them. Pro-tip: If you’re going to make one using pages of a book they love, get your own copy of the book for that purpose. Your partner will not forgive you quickly if you rip apart a cherished book from their collection, even if it is for a gift for them.

Mini Polaroid Book

Perhaps your partner finds personalized gifts more meaningful. Rather than go the stereotypical scrapbooking route, make a tiny photo book for them using polaroids of the two of you. Once you have the photos you’d like to display selected, take two thin pieces of wood and cut them to be 3 inches by 4 ¼ inches. Next, cut out three 4-inch by 12-inch strips of cardstock. Take them each one by one and score every 2 ¾ inches. Then fold the paper along the scoring, reversing the direction every fold. Glue the pieces together and then glue them to the front and back wooden covers you created, the piece should resemble an accordion. Take a small strip of leather and cut out a half-inch strip, take a screw post and put it through the leather piece at one of the ends. Then wrap the leather piece around your little book and punch a hole so the leather piece can be a little wrap-around closure for the booklet. You can customize it further by painting the wood and then gluing all of your photos into the book and now your partner has a unique and portable polaroid book.

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1) Ring Holder

For the friend who loves to accent their look with a few carefully placed rings, a ring holder is a great and easy to make a gift. Start by cutting a small piece of wood at an angle. Then take the small piece of wood and cut various slits into the wood. For example, cut a small slit into the top and then into the top left corner. Make sure the hole only goes a few centimeters into the wood and not far enough to cut completely through. Take the piece and sand the edges and cover it with polyurethane and let it dry. And you’ve very easily created a rustic artsy ring holder. They’re so easy you could make one for everyone on your list.

2) Wood/Stone Necklace

If you have someone in your life always looking to add new and handmade jewelry pieces to their collection, making them a necklace is the perfect gift. Start by cutting a very thin piece of wood. Once cut, drill two holes into two of the corners of the square wooden piece. Coat the piece in polyurethane and let it dry. Then take a stone of your choice and cut off a triangular piece. It may be helpful to pick a stone with some colors to add a pop of color to the piece. Sand down the edges of the stone piece using a sanding wheel. Superglue the stone piece to one of the bottom corners of the wooden piece that doesn’t have a hole. Then run a chain through the top two holes and you’ve got a stylish rustic necklace to give to a friend.

3) Wooden Floating Frame

Get your friend or family member a poster with a fun print, maybe some cool art from their favorite movie, or just something motivational. Then, make it more personal by building the frame yourself. Start with a 1×3 inch pine board at 8 feet. Set your saw to a 45-degree angle and cut and add two inches to the measurement of your print. So, for example, if your print is 16×24, then cut your wood pieces to be 18 and 26 inches. Line up the pieces and use wood glue to connect each of the pieces, holding them together for a few seconds to make sure they stick. If you want to add an extra layer of security, use a nail gun to connect the pieces while they dry. Cut four 8 inch pieces of wood, also at 45-degree angles.

In addition, cut four wood rings or use something small to elevate the wood pieces. Use wood glue to glue the four wooden pieces into the corners of the frame, positioning the wood rings beneath to allow them to be slightly raised into the frame. Let the pieces dry and then paint over the wood with the wood stain of your choice. Use dual-sided hanging tape on the four 8 inch pieces and then place your print into the frame. You can even engrave the frame to give it a more personal touch.

4) Balanced Wine Bottle Display

Two 45 degree cuts that are 8 inches apart and then one and one quarter inch hole that is drilled 5 and ⅞ from the bottom. After everything has been cut, sand the whole and the outer edges of the wood. Then simply finish the wood however you’d like, you can do anything from charring the wood to simply adding a stain. Then test out the gift to make sure it works. Place the piece so that the side with the hole is facing up and so that the bottom piece is flat on a counter. Then place the top of a wine bottle into the hole and watch as it seemingly defies gravity.

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1) Add some new furniture pieces

Start a summer DIY project to give your house the new furniture pieces you’ve been searching for. Instead of heading over to Ikea, build yourself that cozy ottoman you’ve been wanting… using an old tire? You can create a new bookshelf purely with wooden crates and using mending plates and nails to connect the crates and wheels at the bottom. Use a ladder and pieces of wood to create a new shelving unit that could serve as a bookshelf or even a display for your succulents if you’re more of a green thumb. Set a goal for yourself this summer to fill your home and outdoor space with all new furniture handmade by you!

2) Remodel Your Bathroom

If you’re a maker looking to undertake a big summer project, consider a bathroom makeover. Makers such as Modern Builds have been able to accomplish a full bathroom renovation with a budget of roughly $500. The construction includes stripping away some of the tiling and countertop, spackling the drywall, adding a wooden panel wall, new countertop, new glass sinks, new shelving, a new showerhead, and shower rod. This project does involve disconnecting the water supply for your sinks and removing your showerhead briefly so make sure your house has a backup bathroom you can use in the meantime!

3) Kitchen Makeover

Another huge summer project you can undertake as a Maker is remodeling your kitchen. Give it a sleek modern look like makers’ Lee & Bri DIY. To give their countertops a modern granite look they started by covering the countertops with a black primer. Then you use three colors of paint and dab them on with sponges to give them a textured look. Next, they took their gloss and applied it over the paint coating. They also created beadboards, attached them around specific areas of the kitchen using glue and a nail gun, and walk their viewers step by step through painting their cabinets and walls.

4) Make some gifts for your friends

If you’re a woodworking Maker, put your skills to the test by setting a goal to make all of your friend’s gifts this summer. Whether you have friends who have a birthday coming up or just want to get them something for the fun of it, there’s nothing quite like a gift made with your own two hands. Perhaps your boyfriend needs a new ‘catch-all’ bin so that they stop losing their phone and keys around their apartment. Maybe your friend, who is now working from home, needs a stylish place to store all their writing utensils. Maker DIY Montreal gives viewers a step by step walkthrough on how to make wooden gifts for any of your friends or family.

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Squeaky Door

One of the most annoying things you can experience in your day to day home life is an incessantly squeaky door. You’re already being tested by having to stay home all day, the last thing you want is for a repetitive ‘squeaaaaaaaak’ to drive the last bit of sanity you’re clinging to right out the window. The best repair for a squeaky door is some WD-40, but if you don’t have any on hand and want to save yourself a trip to the store- cooking spray is a great substitute. Simply spray the cooking spray onto the door hinge and you’ve bought yourself a few days squeak-free!

Toilet Leak

Worried you may have a leaky toilet? Not only can hiring a plumber to scope out the situation get pricey, but having a stranger in your home doesn’t sound so great right now. Luckily, there’s an easy way to tell if you have a leak without having to bring anyone into your home unnecessarily. Simply take a packet of Koolaid (yes, the kid’s drink) and dump it into the upper compartment in your toilet. You’ll notice right away that the water in the upper compartment should begin to change colors. Now, all you have to do is sit back and wait for a few hours. If in a few hours the toilet water has also changed colors then you have a leak and you’ll need to call a plumber. If not, however, then it was just a false alarm!

Squeaky Floorboard

Similarly to the squeaky door, having a squeaky floorboard can really test you when you’re stuck in the house and have to hear it multiple times every single day. There’s a DIY fix that could save you money and sanity without you having to run to the hardware store. Floorboard squeaking is typically the result of two floorboards rubbing together when they’ve been stepped on. To help this, take some baby powder and pour it in between the floorboards in the area. Use a small makeup brush to press deeper into the cracks and this should cure your house of these unpleasant groans.

Nail Holes

If you’re rearranging pictures or posters in the house (and who isn’t when you’re this bored, right?) that can leave your wall with nail holes scattered about. An easy fix for those involves simply taking a crayon or a bar of soap. Let’s say your wall is white, take a white crayon or bar of soap and rub it over the whole with moderate pressure. This should fill in the hole and allow it to blend in with the rest of your wall.

Tile Crack/Damage

Tile damage can take any bathroom from spa oasis to instant stressor. Luckily, however, there’s an easy DIY fix that you can use with just items from around the house. Start by taking broken eggshells and piling them into the tile hole. Next, pour glue all throughout the hole and wipe it with sandpaper once it dries. Then add another layer of glue and a layer of nail polish on top of that. Finally, finish the trick by wiping it down with acetone and it should blend into your tile fixings almost seamlessly.

Dented Wooden Floor

Dented wooden floorboards can be another home repair that can pile up (especially if you have pets or kids). One easy DIY trick to significantly reduce or eliminate those pesky scratches is to use your iron. Simply lay a thin towel or paper towel on top of the floor area that has taken a beating. Then run your iron over the area a few times and watch as the scratches smooth themselves out.

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History

The earliest known kit car was designed in 1896. Thomas Hyler-White developed a vehicle that could be assembled at home and published the blueprints in The English Mechanic magazine. Sixteen years later, the “Lad’s Car” could be bought either preassembled or in kit form in the United States. While this means the concept was around since the dawn of the automobile, it wasn’t until the 1950s that it began gaining popularity.

As a refresher, the 1950s was an era of wealth and relaxation for much of the world. Coming off the heels of World War II, Americans had excess money and free time. This same period saw advancements in technology and plastics, particularly the introduction of fiberglass. These factors combined made kit cars an appealing hobby to consumers- a symbol of wealth while also being something to do on the weekends. (It’s worth noting that in the UK, partially-assembled cars were sometimes labeled as kit cars to avoid purchase tax.)

Kit Cars Today

In the modern day, most kit cars are recreations of classic cars. Replicas of the AC Cobra and Lotus 7 are among the more popular models, but any classic automobile can feasibly be rebuilt using a kit. Unlike the originals, however, the copies are made of fiberglass instead of sheet metal. While not exact, it’s still enough that most enthusiasts are willing to put the time into building them. And the build time can range anywhere from a 100 to 1,500 hours, with some modern kits taking upwards of 5,000 hours because of complexity.

The most surprising thing about kit cars is that they’re street legal. Few would think that something built by one person would pass the required safety tests to be used as a traditional vehicle. There are also safety concerns, mainly due to lack of quality control. How do they know the car was assembled with the same care and precision as those from a factory? While a valid worry, most countries where kit cars are popular have laws in place to maintain order. For example, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) allows each state in the US to set up their own ways to register these automobiles for inspection and license plates.

For those interested in building kit cars, be prepared to shell out both time and money. Prices can be in the tens of thousands for the kits alone. Other resources, like tools and materials, add to the rising cost. This is on top of the dedication of time and energy discussed previously. However, there are plenty of dedicated retailers both online and brick-and-mortar stores, which makes tracking down the perfect kit easier. And it’s comforting to know your efforts won’t waste away in a garage when you’re done, provided you apply for registration.

Building kit cars isn’t a hobby for everybody. The average person with moderate free time would probably be better off just working with a scale model car. But those willing to push themselves to build a full-size, working vehicle should be commended. It takes a lot of skill to create something as complex as an automobile, even with a guide.

Just remember to buckle your seatbelt.

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As the name implies, urban agriculture is the practice of growing and selling food in and around urban areas. An offset of the maker movement, it involves everything from beekeeping to agroforestry. The focus is on food, but anything that promotes green living and a better environment can fall under the “urban agriculture” blanket.

You’ve probably seen or at least heard of a few examples of urban agriculture. Maybe a local park has a community vegetable garden, or an apartment complex has small plots on the roof. Keeping planters on a balcony or windowsill also qualifies as urban agriculture, particularly if they’re growing herbs or vegetables. They don’t even have to be outside- hydroponics can be grown in a limited space, indoors or out, and still count provided it’s in an urban environment.

While many consider urban agriculture to be a modern fad, it’s well-rooted in history. In ancient Persia, semi-desert towns would use aqueducts to route water down from the mountains to support food growth. They even recycled by using waste as fertilizer. Machu Picchu also reused much of its water during the growing process, and vegetable beds were designed to absorb sunlight. The most famous example of historical urban agriculture might be allotment gardens, which popped up throughout Europe during times of famine, particularly the two World Wars.

The motivations behind urban agriculture vary as much as the methods it can manifest as. Some are motivated by a lack of food security. Growing your own food might be risky and difficult at first, but ultimately costs less than going to the store, which is a boon for lower-income families. On the other hand, they could be a result of a sustainable living program, a community project, or even just a few foodies wanting to try something new. Either way, the result is the same- fresh food for those who may not have it otherwise.

While urban agriculture has many benefits and is steadily growing in popularity worldwide, there are a fair number of trade-offs. Space is (naturally) limited in cities, making any real estate a premium. Using untreated wastewater to nurture the plants, as some do, could lead to the spread of waterborne illnesses. The larger the human population, the more insects there are, which are frequent enemies of plants. There are also municipal policies to deal with, like urban tree canopy initiatives. The shade caused by the tree cover prevents the gardens from getting the sunlight it needs to grow.

Still, as more cities and independent populations embrace urban agriculture, quality of life will improve for many. Not just those involved and enjoying the resulting produce- anybody in range will enjoy boons like decreased noise pollution, reduction of ozone, and even soil decontamination. Those directly contributing and feasting on the fruits of their labor may also be getting more nutrients and higher-quality versions of their retail counterparts. It’s good for the economy and for building a sense of community.

If the idea of joining an urban agriculture team or project overwhelms you, don’t worry. You can start small and work on your own or jump right into the deep end. Much like the maker movement, newcomers are welcomed with open arms. It’s all about making your life- and others- better.

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