All things to do with the greater makerspace hacker space community as well as our local community
This free workshop was a super fun pride project held on June 15th at the Golden Gate Library.
We came together with families to create light-up decorations with LEDs at the Golden Gate Library!
With the clever use of mirrors and lighting inside a frame, participants were able to make their own art display. With infinite possibilities to choose from, folks created various patterns and colors that were wonderful to look at!
At the Golden Gate Library, we got together with folks to make programmable LED costume props.
We had a variety of laser-cut kits for folks to choose from, including cuff bracelets, tiaras, and more. Folks then sewed conductive thread, microcontrollers, and LEDs to create and customize their programmable costume prop. This project is geared toward makers 14 and up.
The Art Printing Photobooth aka The Edgy Printacular
At the Bay Area Maker Faire 2018, a team of Ace Monster Toys members created a photobooth where participants could take selfies which were then transformed into line art versions and printed, all initiated by pressing one ‘too-big-to-believe’ red button.
Back in March, AMT folks began prepping for Maker Faire 2018, and had an idea: what if you made a machine that could take a selfie and then generate a line art version of the said selfie, that could then be printed out for participants like you and me?! Thus, the Art Printing Photobooth was born! This project was based on the Edgy Cam project by Ray Alderman. AMT created a special slack channel just for Bay Area Maker Faire 2018 #maker-faire-2018. Then members set about figuring out how exactly to make this art-generating-automaton and Rachel (Crafty) campaigned for having a ‘too-big-to-believe’ push button. They would need many maker skills: CNC routing and file design, woodworking, electronics wiring, and someone to art it all up on the physical piece itself. Bob (Damp Rabbit) quickly volunteered to take on the design and CNC cutting, while Ray (whamodyne) started to chip away at the code that would be used to convert photos to line art.
Then the trouble began. By mid-April, our intrepid troubleshooters were running into all sorts of snags – so much so that the original code needed to be thrown out and rewritten from the ground up! To add additional difficulty (and awesomeness!) the team decided to use a Print on Demand(POD) service to allow participants to have their generated art uploaded and available to be printed on mugs, t-shirts, posters, etc. Soon after, Ray wrote up a new digispark code for the big-red-button to actuate the script and convert and print the line art (code given below) using Python3, opencv library, printer library from https://github.com/python-escpos/python-escpos.
Meanwhile, Crafty Rachel and Bernard were configuring the TV mount that would be the selfie-display of the photobooth and Damp Rabbit was busy CNCing and painting up a storm to create the beautiful finished product – The Edgy Printacular! The EP was a hit and won three blue ribbons at Maker Faire 2018. Another happy ending that speaks to what a few creative makers can do when they put their heads together in a place with all the right equipment, Ace Monster Toys <3
Over the years the AMT community has experienced growing pains. And it turns out many of these growing pains are not unique to AMT or even makerspaces. We are proud to have partnered with Emily Bowen MA, ABS to bring a 3 workshop series on soft skills. The focus is on soft skills for inclusion, sharing and challenging situations. These workshops are primarily geared towards leaders and instructors though community members in general, will learn great skills.
We have a limited number of sponsored tickets for each workshop. Contact officers@acemonstertoys.org to request a sponsored tickets if finances are an issue.
Sat, September 15, 2018 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT
Learn how to hear both a hard and soft “no” as well as how to set firm boundaries by saying no with tact and brevity.
Sat, September 29, 2018 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PDT
Leaders will learn:
Sat, October 13, 2018 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT
Learn practical skills:
Before you know it it will be time for the burn. AMT has a workshop line-up designed to help folks make smashing gear and finish up those last minute projects.
Monday the 23rd | 7-9pm | Headgear! Make amazing fashions for your noggin.
Tuesday the 24th | 7:30-9-8:30pm | Laser Cutting Faux Fur
Thursday the 26th | 7-9pm | EL Wire for Playa Gear
Saturday the 28th | 11am-2pm | Manskirts and Kimono making Workshop
Saturday the 28th | 12-3pm | Painted leather feathers
Sunday the 29th | 10am-2pm | Finish this Fashion: Project Completion Lab
Monday the 30th | 7-9pm | DIY Fairy Wings Workshop
Tuesday the 31 | 7-9pm | Textile Tuesday
And more!
The AMT board of directors is proud to present the goal for the new fiscal year.
AMT strives to be a place for the growth of all kinds of people. We, as the organization, want to be engaged in a continual process of understanding how we can make people feel welcome and safe.
Actionable items to support this goal
We want AMT to be around for the long haul as a positive force in people’s lives. This means both running the org in a way that is sustainable financially and operationally, but also creating a culture in which it is easy to get and stay involved with helping run the space.
Actionable items to support this goal
AMT is a space that fosters collaboration and support between members, as well as shared knowledge and responsibility for the space. The community is so much of what is amazing about AMT and is also what keeps it sustainable. We want AMT to be a good member of the maker community and East Bay community.
Actionable items to support this goal
We have three seats on the board open this election cycle. Five awesome folks have stepped up as candidates. Ballots have been sent to voting AMT members* and election results will be in on January 31st at 6pm.
Member since May 2017
Why you want to be on the board at AMT?
I want to help out.
What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?
Keeping AMT running is important to me.
Member since June 2016
Why you want to be on the board at AMT?
I’ve been serving on the board for 2 terms already and I feel like our current board is really getting better as a leadership team. We are better organized and more efficient than in the past. I’d like to continue being part of that team and help support our organization.
What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?
We are still understaffed in the officers department, and need to address this. I also want to continue the work to improve the efficiency of the officers / directors relationship, which will ultimately lead to a better leadership team as a whole.
Member since July 2017
Why you want to be on the board at AMT?
I’d like to help with the decision making process to advance the mission and goals of AMT as an organization and maker space.
What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?
If elected, I would like to find more opportunities to bring our maker community together with the greater community. I’d also like to help address member concerns. Finally, it would be great to highlight all of the hard work that the volunteer staff does to make AMT function.
Member since November 2017
Why you want to be on the board at AMT?
I’m new to Ace Monster Toys and would like to step up and help out in any way I can. I’m interested in big picture issues and helping to drive the vision of AMT while taking member opinions into account.
What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?
I have seen no flaws in the organization except that Rachel probably works too hard.
Member since June 2017
Why you want to be on the board at AMT?
As I am at AMT most days, I feel invested in the place and interested in helping keep it going. I appreciate the ways it has spurred me to be more creative and the community it fosters.
What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?
Highlights of the Dec 20th Meeting:
Highlights of the Dec 27th Meeting:
