{"id":831,"date":"2011-02-12T19:33:00","date_gmt":"2011-02-12T19:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/?p=831"},"modified":"2025-08-04T20:04:42","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T20:04:42","slug":"making-a-maker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/2011\/02\/12\/making-a-maker\/","title":{"rendered":"Making a Maker"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Making my child into a maker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maddie wanted to do something special for her class for Valentine&#8217;s day. I suggested making candies. Just pouring chocolate into molds was a little mundane for me. After all, with a moniker like &#8220;Maker and Fixer of Things,&#8221; I had to go the extra mile. I knew we&#8217;d be make something cool, but what I didn&#8217;t expect was to make a maker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We started with a lump of scrap polymer clay and a foam heart as a guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"833\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2811-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-833\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2811-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2811-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2811-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2811-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2811.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"832\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2812-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-832\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2812-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2812-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2812-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2812-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2812.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Then I helped a little to add an embellishment she made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"835\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2815-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-835\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2815-1024x768.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2815-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2815-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2815-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2815.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"834\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2816-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-834\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2816-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2816-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2816-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2816-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2816.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The finished form, after baking. I had to add a little clay to the bottom to flare it out so that when we made molds the finished candies would be easy to unmold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next the original art went onto the vacu-former and we pulled four molds by heating plastic from gallon water jugs until they were nearly transparent and then placing them over the vacu-former and Maddie turned on the vacuum. It takes less than a second to suck the air out, cool and harden the mold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"836\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2817-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-836\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2817-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2817-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2817-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2817-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2817.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"837\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2821-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-837\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2821-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2821-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2821-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2821-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2821.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I melted some white (pink and red) chocolate Witman&#8217;s candy melts and let Maddie fill the molds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"839\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2852-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-839\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2852-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2852-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2852-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2852-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2852.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"840\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2854-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-840\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2854-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2854-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2854-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2854-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2854.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first batch and the rest! Now we just need to wrap them in foil and a red heart still in the mold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"841\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2859-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-841\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2859-768x1024.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2859-225x300.jpg 225w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2859-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2859-1024x1365.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2859.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"842\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2858-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-842\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2858-1024x768.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2858-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2858-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2858-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2858.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>She was so excited to make something from scratch that she can share with her friends. I was very happy to see the excitement and energy in her eyes. So of course, Mason had to get in on the action too. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2857-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-843\" srcset=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2857-1024x768.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2857-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2857-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2857-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2857.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Making my child into a maker. Maddie wanted to do<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,57,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kids","category-kitchen","category-maker"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856.jpg",1200,1600,false],"thumbnail":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-225x300.jpg",225,300,true],"medium_large":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-768x1024.jpg",640,853,true],"large":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-768x1024.jpg",640,853,true],"1536x1536":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-1152x1536.jpg",1152,1536,true],"2048x2048":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856.jpg",1200,1600,false],"chromenews-featured":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-1024x1365.jpg",1024,1365,true],"chromenews-large":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-825x575.jpg",825,575,true],"chromenews-medium":["http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_2856-590x410.jpg",590,410,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"chuckularone","author_link":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/author\/chuckularone\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/category\/kids\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Kids<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/category\/kitchen\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Kitchen<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/category\/maker\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Maker<\/a>","tag_info":"Maker","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/831"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=831"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/831\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":844,"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/831\/revisions\/844"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.theshanty.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}