Make Something: Miniature
It’s 10:30 pm, and I am just now getting to today’s make something challenge. The order is to miniaturize something that would normally be much bigger. My concept was to […]
Make Something: Kitchen Tools
“Work only with kitchen tools today.” I opened just one drawer and found eight whisks. Eight whisks! I know there is at least one more whisk in another drawer, where […]
Make Something: Traffic Sign
“Create a new traffic sign.” That’s the instruction for this day of making something. I conceived a yield-like sign to remind writers to slow down and take time for a critical part […]
Make Something: Book, Not Paper
What material would you use to make a book without paper? My first two thoughts were fabric and plastic bags. I had ideas for each, individually, but wanted to push them […]
Make Something: Black and White
white screen taunts until black letters pop into view fingers tap story
Make Something: Unintended Instructions
On this 170th day of making things, the prompt was to create “something unintended out of existing instructions.” I hold onto instructions. But not in any organized fashion. Imagine: All […]
Make Something: Shelter
The assignment for today was to create a personal shelter. I find safety and warmth under the roof of an open book. Good books, great stories, and brilliant poetry have […]
Make Something: Horror Story
Hooray! Today’s make something task is a writing assignment. An exercise in brevity, which suits me fine, but in a genre I do not practice. “Write a ten-word horror or […]
Make Something: Pencil
Make something with a pencil? Sure. I love pencils. They’re so forgiving.
Make Something: Armor
On this 166th day of making things, today’s prompt recommends that I “get medieval” by making a piece or suit of armor—for me, an animal, or anything that needs protection. […]
Make Something: Furniture
“Transform a piece of furniture into something other than what it’s meant for.” That’s the make something idea for today. If I’d had more ambition, maybe I would have created […]
Make Something: Wind
For day 164 of 365: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life, Noah Scalin’s suggestion is to “use the wind.” In this irreverent household, every family member I consulted […]
Make Something: From the Fridge
Today’s make something assignment was to work with items found in the refrigerator or freezer. I went to the fridge and stood there, gazing in at the leftovers and condiments, […]
Make Something: Trap
When I told my kids today’s make something challenge was to create a trap, their unanimous recommendation was to invent a way to catch the ideas that seem to float […]
Make Something: Calendar
Business writing students often ask me what it takes to become comfortable and confident as a communicator. My answer may disappoint. But it comes down to one practical action: practice. […]
Beth Nyland 