DIY: Mother's Day

Well, I started out with the idea of showing some fun projects for making Mother's Day gifts.  After pages of cheesy fur-like necklaces and tin cans punched with holes and planted with who-knows-what, I began to ask what moms really want for Mother's Day.  Here's what I found.

At Huffington Post (2013) there's this graph, first published at Rants from Mommyland.

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As you know, Mother's Day is a favorite of retailers everywhere.  They would love for you to spend big bucks.  A good example of this is Forbes.  BuzzFeed suggests wine (an idea I like a lot) and alone-time.

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Many of the articles about what Mom really wants for Mother's Day emphasize time off and time alone. Older moms and grandmas, on the other hand, may have all the alone time they wished for in years past.

Looks like it's up to you on this one. 

-- Marge

DIY to celebrate life

I thought about a tongue-in-check do-it-yourself post for Mother's Day, but it kept going dark on me.  The Huffington Post article, "Mother's Day vs. Stepmother's Day: Who Owns It?," explains some of the darkness.  Realities of mothers who, in one way or another, for one reason or another, chose not to be motherly add to the mix.  So, moving on...

Life is indeed a you-it-yourself project.  And sometimes we need to be reminded of how joyful life can be.  Here are a few ideas for reminding ourselves.

Hang something in or near a window where the light can catch it.  It could be a crystal, or a stained glass panel, a glass fishing float, or beads on a string.  Something to catch your eye when you walk by.  Etsy's blown_glass category has literally thousands of ideas.  Be sure that what you choose has an eyelet for hanging.

Make a mobile and hang it where the air currents in the room will make it shift and catch your eye.  For inspiration, try "50 Fabulous Mobiles To Make, Buy Or Hang In The Sky" at the site Apartment Therapy.  For instructions, try "How to Create a Calder'esque Mobile" by morgenlandfahrer at the instructables site.  Here's an Alexander Calder mobile:

Hang a wind-chime inside your house or apartment.  The lighter the material you use, the more easily it will be moved by air currents.  I've used brass rings in a variety of sizes and something to catch the air like paper.  A good collection of ideas for making them is at Squidoo.  If you really want to delve into the mechanics of windchime sounds, try Chuck's Chimes.

Another way to celebrate life is to put a mirror where you catch a glimpse of yourself from time to time.  If you're always frowning, it's time to lighten up and do something fun.

The Droste Effect shown in an image by Tiago Sozo Marcon, Flickr

--Marge

DIY with magnetic putty, aerogels, and innovative science materials

If you'd like to play with some of the intriguing materials featured in recent videos, such as this one posted by Scott Lawson,

here are some sources.  You might even find a Mother's Day gift or two that Mother would like if she's a geek -- or likes tea.

Aaron's Crazy Putty World has many types of putty, magnetic included, and features tips for handling putties, the science behind them and simple to-do's.  At Perpetual Kid (love the name and idea), where the byline is "entertain your inner child," there's some of Aaron's putty, called "Strange Attractor Magnetic Thinking Putty."  The version offered is deep black with subtle green sparkles.  There are also some delightful Mother's Day gifts, including the [Rubber Ducky] Floating Tea Infuser:

All kinds of information can be found about aerogels at Aerogel.org.  If  you want to buy aerogels, try BuyAerogel.

While Educational Innovations is a site featuring "Teachers serving teachers," you don't have to be a teacher to buy there.  Take a look at the wide variety of science-related toys.  And don't forget Mom; gifts are featured on the Gifts for Geeks page.

In closing, here's a video about liquid metal under the influence of magnet(s), offered as an art project and uploaded by NosferatuArucards kanal:

If I were to specialize in anything, it would be materials science, a continually amazing trip into the world around us.

-- Marge