A new non-profit organization that was established earlier this year in downtown Ames, below Downtown Deli on the southwest side of Main Street, is working to make our community a little more handmade. Called the Ames MakerSpace, the organization is an instance of a “hackerspace.” A hackerspace is a place for people to work on [...]

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A conversation with Mitchell Squire, creator of Spoonful – a temporary space installation on the east end of Main Street. Last month Jerrod Jordahl and I made our way to one of the most interesting and small spaces we had encountered on Main Street. Mitchell Squire, a professor of architecture, had invited us to see [...]

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Independent and underground music is driven by passionate individuals who engage in DIY projects. DIY record labels have an important role in the national indie music scene because they provide an important service at a low rate to cash-strapped bands that need help bringing their music to regional and national audiences. Countless bands release records [...]

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One of the hallmarks of this musical age is the ubiquity of home recordings. Accessible and cheap or free recording devices and software with unlimited tracks make it possible for almost everyone to create their own recordings without having to purchase studio time or expensive software, and have given rise to many lo-fi productions. Below [...]

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A fresh new perspective on the arts will soon be offered in downtown Des Moines. Though it won’t open its doors until the beginning of next year, the Market Street Media Foundry has already gathered the support of the Central Iowa art community. By giving a space and a smack in the face to working [...]

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Knitting is many things to many people: self expression, a way to keep busy, a way to “do it yourself.” One constant throughout history is that knitting has always been about warmth and love. Handmade items take time and dedication – to receive a handmade gift is to know you are cared for by the [...]

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