The coffee's fresh.

Go ahead and pour yourself a cup.

The printers are quietly doing their own thing, and for the moment the shop has settled into that nice rhythm where I can stop moving long enough to think.

I'm glad you stopped by.

You know, when I first started thinking about writing, I thought it would be about projects.

The newest thing I designed.

A trick I figured out with the laser.

Maybe a better way to set up a print.

There will be some of that.

I enjoy learning, and when I stumble across something that saves me an hour of frustration, I'll probably pass it along

.

But somewhere along the way I realized that isn't why I wanted to start A Maker's Life.

The projects are interesting.

The people are unforgettable.

I've spent enough time at craft shows now to know that almost every maker has a story.

Sometimes it's about why they started making.

Sometimes it's about a parent or grandparent who taught them a skill years ago.

Sometimes it's about finding something creative after retirement.

Sometimes it's just two people standing behind neighboring booths talking while waiting for customers.

Those conversations stay with me a lot longer than how many ornaments I sold that day.

The funny thing is, that's how I think too.

I rarely sit down with a finished idea.

Usually it starts with a random thought.

Or something a customer says.

Or a project that doesn't go quite the way I expected.

Then I start talking.

Sometimes to myself.

Sometimes to Vickie.

Sometimes to my learned friend.

Somewhere in the middle of that conversation, the real story usually shows up.

Sometimes a squirrel runs through my thoughts and I end up somewhere I never expected.

Oddly enough, that's usually where the interesting part is hiding.

I don't pretend to be an expert.

Seven months ago I had never touched a laser.

Six months ago I had never even seen a 3D printer in person.

I'm still learning.

I'm still making mistakes.

I'm still asking questions that probably have obvious answers to people who've been doing this for years.

And I'm okay with that.

I've discovered that saying, "I don't know," is usually the beginning of learning something worth knowing.

So what is this place?

I hope it's a place where we can talk about making things.

Not just the things that end up on the table.

The things that happen before they ever exist.

The ideas.

The mistakes.

The conversations.

The customers.

The little victories that probably wouldn't mean much to anyone else... but somehow make your whole week.

Maybe once in a while you'll pick up a useful tip.

Maybe you'll laugh at one of my mistakes.

Maybe you'll recognize a little of yourself in one of these stories.

That's enough for me.

The shop is always changing.

There will be new projects.

New tools.

New lessons.

Most importantly, I hope there will be new conversations.

So whenever you find yourself wondering what's new around here...

The coffee's on.

Come on in.

Let's see where today's conversation takes us.