Craft & Design

From traditional crafts to modern crafts, we’re covering news and interesting projects to educate you and keep you inspired. Design trends and pop culture related projects are here to inspire.

Olympus BioScapes 2005 Gallery

Olympus BioScapes 2005 Gallery

RateyesWinners of the Olympus BioScape contest are in, first place – rat eyes “If the key to the inner self is visible by looking deeply into someone’s eyes, rats must be among nature’s most glorious creatures – for a stunning, brilliantly hued and richly patterned photograph showing the inside of an aging rat’s eye has been chosen as the first prize winner in the 2005 Olympus BioScapes International Digital Imaging Competition.” See the entire gallery here… Link.

DIY Photolamp – from a Mag-Lite

DIY Photolamp – from a Mag-Lite

MaglightAndreas writes “I don’t know how, but late at night I got the idea that I wanted to covert my new 3D cell Mag-Lite to a handy photo-lamp. Next morning I dug out some 250 GSM paper and some adhesive foil I’ve been saving for a worthy project and whipped up a quick ghetto-lamp…It’s not all that powerful, but it’s great for macro shots and softening hard shadows, and it’s very portable. Think of this as a beta version, I’ll likely improve the design a bit once christmas is over. The basic concept is sound, I think there’s potential for more if I sort out a proper parabolic reflector for it.” Thanks Jason! Link.

How Insulation is Made

How Insulation is Made

Insulation-1Pat writes in with these week’s video from the Manufacturer’s blog! “…here is this week’s video of fiberglass insulation being made. The opening screen says, “Sand to Glass to Fiber Glass.” You’ll see here the process from sand to glass, and recycled glass, through 2500-degree ovens and eventually into fiberglass insulation. This is a substance that will be keeping us warner this winter, thought you might want to see how it’s made. The plant you see here makes enough insulation each day to insulate 250 homes.” Link.

Burnstation – DIY audio sharing…

Burnstation – DIY audio sharing…

Gamepadbs“BURN STATION is a mobile copying station which – as it travels through suburban spaces – supports the free distribution music and audio. It is software as well as a local network. But above all BURN STATION is a social event which congregates people together to listen, select and copy net label and net radio audio files with a Copyleft Licence.” [via] Link to project and link to downloads to build your own.

PEZ MP3 almost all gone!

PEZ MP3 almost all gone!

Pezmp3HolPat writes in about his PEZ MP3 players, they’re almost gone! “There is still a chance to get a PEZ MP3 player in time for Christmas. I have several hundred of the little fellas in stock and ready to ship. After the recent appearance on Regis and Kelly they are selling quickly. So, if you haven’t bought one yet and you want to get in on this limited-run, first-edition, hop over to pezmp3.com. Once this batch sells out, I am not making any more of this version.” Link. See our review here.

Two-Dimensional Food…

Two-Dimensional Food…

11Two.184Coming soon, edible MAKE? Mmmm, roboty… “A picture may be worth a thousand words, but is it dinner? At Chicago’s trendy Moto restaurant, it is: a 20-course tasting menu can begin with “sushi” made of paper that has been printed with images of maki and wrapped around vinegared rice and conclude with a mint-flavored picture of a candy cane. Should you fail to finish a course, Homaro Cantu, Moto’s executive chef, will emerge from the kitchen with a refund: a phony dollar bill flavored to taste like a cheeseburger and fries.” [via] Link. (Also check out The Year in Ideas).

Open DMX USB Interface

Open DMX USB Interface

Box ViewHere’s an excellent “open” hardware project for controlling lighting/effects systems – you can build your own, buy an assembled kit or improve the design and modify source code – “This DMX USB interface is based on the FTDI 232BM chip, it’s a USB to serial converter. Using a simple application on a PC you can send and receive DMX512.” Thanks Ladyada! Link.