Tag: Glen Ellyn
42 posts
- Leaf with hole predicts future art projectThis magic leaf knows what I'm planning.
- Hot tea, origami, and a bicycle rideI went to McDonald’s for Monopoly. I ended up sitting outside, chair-dancing to INXS, folding a McDouble wrapper into an origami crane, watching the wind make the crane look alive, and biking home with a cup of hot tea in…
- Pick up a leaf and put it into a book with…When pressing leaves in a book, write a caption about the leaf on an envelope. Then put the leaf inside the envelope into the book. You'll press a story with the leaf.
- We carry more than we knowLast Wednesday I celebrated 25 years of spudart.org. Today, on the actual anniversary, I totally forgot. I was busy leaving a treasure chest behind the abandoned shopping carts at Jewel.
- The day I turned 50 and climbed my roof twenty timesIt was a fun and memorable day (back on November 20th). I have some fun little stories involving Root Beer Energy drink, busting the belt on my pants, making a graphic that maps out how many days I have left…
- The real reason there’s an Ewok at the tableOne of the hidden perks of having kids: you can put an Ewok on the table at a restaurant and nobody questions it. The catch is that sometimes the Ewok belongs to the adult.
- I accidentally used wasp larvae nests to decorate a tiny snowmanFound some cool "wooden balls" on a fallen oak branch for my snowman’s eyes. Turns out they’re wasp galls.
- Making things outside while you waitWaiting doesn’t have to be empty time. Sometimes it’s time to make something.
- 90° to -24° in five secondsThe sun is so amazing. It was -24° Real Feel outside, but our enclosed front porch was basically a solar oven. Also, I realized I can take a panoramic selfie. The panoramic selfie is not done in selfie mode. Rather, it’s…
- Building tiny snowmen is fun, even with just a bit of snowWhen snow is on the ground, carry carrots in your pocket. Tiny snowmen have a way of appearing when you’re ready.
- Snowstep heartsTwo overlapping bootprints in the snow make a perfect heart. Shoe hearts? Heartsteps? Snowstep hearts?...
- Someone tried stealing Megatron’s Taco Bell orderI biked around Glen Ellyn on a 26° lunch break and somehow ended up with a whole string of tiny adventures—arctic winds, alleys, cuteness, Taco Bell drama, and even a private snow fort for my bike.
- Using a glove as a tripodTried balancing my phone on a snowy branch. Failed. Put my winter glove on the branch instead. Succeeded. Accidentally invented the glove-pod.
- Using a keychain camera to record the morning sunFinally got my hands on a Kodak Charmera (nearly impossible to find). Took it to the woods this morning and shot straight into the sun. The lo-fi quality makes it feel like 2003 cameraphone nostalgia.
- When fireworks become exploding planetsCrop a fireworks grand finale photo tight to the center and it looks exactly like a planet exploding.
- Peregrine in Google Photos"Peregrine" is dictionary.com's word of the day. Only two photos show up when I search my Google Photos for peregrine.
- When a one-inch King Kong becomes a behemothThis might be the world's smallest King Kong, but he still managed to make his mark on Chicago's skyline.
- Happy [Your Town] Day!I'm really geeked out that I have five emails scheduled to go out on upcoming anniversaries for each person's town.
- Average last one-inch of snow in ChicagoOn this day, is the average date when Chicago has its last one inch+ of snow. Appropriate that we got a bunch of snow this morning.
- Urban vs. suburban in the creative lifeHow does a change in environment shape the way we think and create? Can a suburban setting inspire creativity in the same way as an urban one?
- Pausing for two minutes to observe somethingYour phone can help you find mindfulness. Film two minutes of life unfolding and reconnect with the world around you.
- What are you thankful for?Neighborhood site Patch is asking readers to answer the question, “What are you thankful for?“ Here’s my response: I’m thankful for the small, unexpected moments that make life fascinating—the giant Illinois pumpkin grown in the town next to me, or…
- A suburban garden grew Illinois’ heaviest pumpkin at 2,021 poundsThis giant pumpkin in Wheaton, IL is almost as tall as me. Grown in a regular backyard, not a farm.
- What towns have been most excited about Lollapalooza over the past ten years?Lollapalooza just announced their 2024 lineup. What towns searched for Lollapalooza the most?
- Laser cutter at Glen Ellyn Public Library?My local library might have a laser cutter!
- Why you should always carry carrots in your pocket during winterA good habit on snowy days might also result in a healthy snack for later.
- If you sprayed your windshield wiper fluid non-stop, how long would it last?ChatGPT does not have the answer, but the new Bing AI does give a guess with actual research.
- Creating joyful urban snowmen: making the most of found materialsForget rolling snowballs, transform found materials into a unique and joyful urban snowman by utilizing existing snow chunks and materials from the city's trees and curb. Bring a touch of whimsy to the cityscape by placing your creation on a…
- How to celebrate the five Illinois Poet LaureatesDid you know that each U.S. State has its own Poet Laureate?
- My new gallery—a large flat stone in the Park DistrictThinking about what artwork I can leave on this rock
- Can you mail a paper airplane with a regular stamp?Throwing a paper airplane into the mailbox slot is a lot of fun!
