Makerspace: Bellevue Library Offers So Much

My focus on delight has included highlighting things that are beautiful and interesting. In this case, it is a location where the beautiful and interesting can be created.

In the last 10 years, the equipment available to make things has exploded. There are 3D printers that make something by printing with plastic, Laser cutters that can engrave wood & acrylic, Cricut-style machines that cut adhesive vinyl, leather, balsa wood, Sewing machines that can embroider intricate designs. My mind has been swirling with the possibilities. The trick is knowing what you want machine would suit you best, exploring how to use it and considering if you'd like to own one.

When I read that the Bellevue, Washington library had a Makerspace available to adults and kids I was very interested to see how it worked. For my purposes, I wanted to see a Cricut and how it worked and ask about what was required to use a laser cutter. I made a reservation for the Open Lab and spent 2 hours investigating the process.       

The staff librarian was very helpful and provided me with a laptop and headphones to log into the Cricut Online Training website so I could create an account and watch a few tutorials as I compared the video to the machine in front of me. They provide scrap vinyl and encourage attendees to plan their projects ahead of time to maximize their lab time. 

I really just wanted to be an observer and I was really interested to see a young mother and her 2 children arrive and she start using the equipment at the next table immediately. At the same time, a middle age man was designing on Adobe Creative Cloud software in one glass room, while another patron was using the laser cutter with supervision in another glass room. It was so great to see these expensive and complicated tools available to the public for free.

Anyone with drive and a library card could teach themselves how these machines work and get some hands on experience. 

I concluded that I did not have a future in cutting vinyl or wood. There are simply not enough projects that I want to make that would warrant my mastering a new machine. Yet I got a great explanation and could see it all up close, which I appreciated. I learned that I should become comfortable with Adobe Illustrator (and perhaps design what I want to print ahead of time) if I decide to pursue laser cutting. This is what I needed to know! 

Always be on the lookout for special opportunities to explore new technology or crafts. I may not be a regular patron at this library Makerspace, but I can tell people all about how it might work for them. 

#makerspace #beautifulandinteresting #finddelight #bellevuewa #technology
 

Love and Buttercream: What Could Be Better?

I couldn't believe my eyes when I read my local library's webpage.  We were invited to sign up for a free cupcake class on a Tuesday evening in March. The staff from local bakery, Love and Buttercream "will showcase buttercream styles including ombre designs, flower topped cupcakes, and buttercream flowers, and demonstrate simple fondant decorations and the ideal tools for creating your cupcakes. Attendees will have the opportunity to test out each technique and ask questions, and will leave with four frosted cupcakes, full bellies, and some wonderful knowledge about cupcake creation." 

I clicked the link and registered immediately, but my confirmation said "Waiting List." I crossed my fingers and my luck came through. I received a call from the library the day before notifying me that there had been a cancellation and I was in.

It was a very fun evening. Twenty men and women came together to learn a little something about cake decorating. The buttercream was delicious - made from all natural ingredients and real salted butter. Each participant had 4 cupcakes (red velvet, white, ginger and eggless chocolate) to frost and we were given parchment paper sheets to practice our technique.  There were 6 bags of buttercream - each color had a different tip. I am guessing which tip we used below for the purpose of illustration.

We tried to make a circle of comma-shaped puffs with tip 353, filled in with more commas, to eventually look like a mum (yellow icing in distance).  

We used the closed star tip to coax a flower out of a continuous spiral of frosting (purple icing). The bag containing green icing was snipped into a "V" at the end and it made the perfect wavy leaf. If the icing was put into the bag with streaks of darker green, the frosting leaves would look even more realistic. Next time!

I finally figured out the petal tip and the twist of the wrist that makes an individual petal when you write a closed top "U" with the icing (pink icing).

I resorted to polka dots with the small circle tip (blue icing) to soothe my inner Cath Kidston. The easiest to create and it fits in beautifully.

The purple and yellow one? I made basket weave cupcakes a few years ago and they were darling. When we had time in class to experiment, I decided to try it again. If only I was a Lakers fan.

The two bakers from Love & Buttercream that led the class were just darling. Very helpful. Happy to be there and proud of the company they worked for. These girls had icing prowess and they were eager to help share their knowledge. 

The entire evening was a success. The bakery gained exposure in the community; the staff had a chance to try their hand at teaching and the participants were just plain happy to be there. You could hear it in the ripples of laughter and lighthearted banter as they tried to manipulate sugar and butter into art. 

Thank you, Love & Buttercream, I loved it. And I will stop by your bakery too, I promise.