I love giving gifts. It is one of my love languages.
When my sister was pregnant with her first child, I knew I needed to find her the perfect present. She’s a planner so all the necessities for the baby were already researched, picked out, and ordered by the time she entered her third trimester. Of course, diapers and wipes were needed in endless supply but I knew I wanted something that could be a keepsake, something special and unique.
I decided a customized gift with the baby’s name on it would make it one of a kind. I remembered that she sings him the same song every night. Not a lullaby, but one that she has listened to since she was a teenager whenever she needed comfort. It’s a song that’s soothing and so profoundly personal to her, I knew I had to incorporate it. I turned to Etsy and started searching for the song lyrics. A few items came up but nothing that was quite what I was looking for. I decided it would be best to try to make something myself.
I turned to the Studio Makerspace at Greenwood Public Library. There is so much here that I could use to make a customized gift. I just had to determine what exactly I wanted to make. I perused the Studio Kits we have available to use in the Studio space. Some of the options I considered were the jewelry-making kit to make a necklace or bracelet with her family’s birthstone colors. There’s also a rubber-stamping kit and embossing kit I could use to make a beautiful miniature notebook for her to document all of the baby’s first milestones.
In addition to the Studio Kits, there is also specialized equipment that you can get certified to use through the Studio Journey challenge on our Beanstack app. To download the Beanstack app, you can visit our website or stop by any Help Desk at the library to get signed up. When you participate in the Studio Journey challenge, you earn badges for each of the equipment by watching a short video and taking a quick quiz. You can also earn badges for checking out the kits and participating in some of the many free programs we offer! For each badge earned on Beanstack, you also get a custom button pin from the Studio. After you collect five badges, you will also receive a free canvas tote bag.
After sifting through ideas on the Cricut and Pinterest sewing ideas (and realizing I cannot sew to save my life), I decided that I wanted to use the Glowforge to make something out of wood. My sister lives in the Pacific Northwest so I decided to make a shadowbox night light with a forest tree and mountain silhouette. I used frosted acrylic and engraved a verse from the song on it. The frame and sides of the box were cut out of walnut plywood with the baby’s name lasered out in the corner. I added some fairy lights and glue and the gift was ready. I used the Cricut to make a customized card and sent the gift on its way. I loved being able to use all the resources and materials available in The Studio to bring my ideas to life.
Even on my days off, I find myself thinking of all the amazing things I can create next with the resources in The Studio. Anyone who has an interest in making, whether it be creating music, drawing, building, or crafting, The Studio Makerspace has something for you. Visit our website and peruse the available kits, equipment, and updated recording studio.
Sharon Deitz is the Studio Associate at Greenwood Public Library. GPL staff members share in writing this twice-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
