January has a way of making you look around and take stock. The holidays are over, the noise dies down, and suddenly you notice all the things that have been sitting quietly in the background while trying to make new commitments for the new year. Not just the clutter of new gifts on a table or a shelf, but ideas you started and never quite finished. Projects you told yourself … [Read more...]
It’s Not Snowing, It’s Sawdust
Every December, the thing I look forward to most is bringing home a live Christmas tree. There’s just something about the smell of pine and the quiet moment when you open that first box of ornaments. I always end up sitting on the floor, unwrapping them slowly, because each one has its own story. Some are souvenirs from places I’ve traveled. A few have been passed down through … [Read more...]
Junk Jam Turns ‘Trash’ Into Treasured Creations at HiveLabs
Last weekend, HiveLabs hosted something truly special. Our first-ever Junk Jam, a 72-hour “recycling hardware focused hackathon” that ran nonstop from Friday, Nov. 14, through Sunday, Nov. 16. The idea was simple: take donated junk, give people the tools and space to experiment, and see what creativity blooms when nothing is too broken, too weird or too far gone to build … [Read more...]
Breathing New Life Into ‘Useless’ Computers at HiveLabs
At HiveLabs, we believe that innovation does not always begin with something brand new. Sometimes, it starts with something forgotten. Recently, I took on a project that perfectly captures that idea. I was given an old eMachines PC tower and a bulky CRT monitor that were going to be thrown away and decided to bring them back to life. What I ended up creating was what … [Read more...]
Why a Makerspace?
I get asked a lot why I’m starting a makerspace, and I guess the easiest way to explain it is to tell you about myself. Florida has always been home to me, I feel that in my bones. The nature, wildlife, and the unique community here have shaped who I am. When I was at UCF earning my degree in conservation biology, I spent as much time outside in the green spaces as I could, … [Read more...]