We are still in the process of confirming workshops and tablers. Here’s what we have so far!
Interested in sharing your skills and knowledge with others? Fill out a workshop application here.
Essential Oils 101 (2-3 PM Tabling Room)
Join Jayda and Sherrelle in the tabling area to learn all about essential oils. They will demo how to use essential oils properly and allow you to test one for yourself. Discover the different herbs that are used to make essential oils and the benefits of each. Take home information sheets will be provided!
Jayda and Sherrelle, the creators of “Candle Magic”, have been working with essential oils and fragrance oils since 2014. Jayda found her passion for working with herbs and essential oils after using aromatherapy to overcome depression and anxiety. Sherrelle, with a degree in chemistry, decided to use her knowledge to assist with creating the best products possible. They now create premium handmade candles and oil blends in their home studio. Each product collection is self tested and made with love.
Acrylic Portrait Painting (12-2 PM Sunday Room)
Bring your favorite selfie or picture of someone else and learn how to turn it into an acrylic painting! Katia will teach basic face drawing proportions and color and paint mixing techniques. Canvases, easels and paint will be supplied on a first come, first served basis. Attendees are more than welcome to bring their own supplies! This workshop will be limited to 20 participants.
Katia Baskina is a local expressionist painter and MICA graduate. She has been painting for 19 years and has been showing her art at local galleries, bars, and restaurants for the past 10 years. Through her painting business, Kat Art, LLC she creates custom art pieces some of which are showcased at the Baltimore Museum of Industry and Changed My Mind Vintage in Hampden. She is also the founder of Paint with Kat that offers custom painting parties throughout Maryland!
This is Dovetta Taylor’s second year teaching at DIY Fest! Last year she won 2nd place at the Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese Smackdown and she won 3rd place this year – she really knows her stuff! She is a volunteer coach for the Vegan Living Program and has worked in various sectors of the food service industry and in the culinary arts. Dovetta frequently teaches vegan cooking at various events throughout Baltimore.
Jewelry Making (All day long ya’ll! Tabling Room)
This workshop will take place for the duration of the Fest at the Jewelry Making Station in the tabling room. Pick your favorite pendant, beads and then sit down with Jessica Oby to make your own necklace or bracelet. Some fees may apply depending on what you choose to create!
Jessica Oby is a DIY Fest regular. She has taught jewelry making for the entire ELEVEN YEARS that DIY Fest has existed. Jessica shares her time and knowledge with DIY Fest attendees so they can create their very own jewelry masterpieces.
Cigar Box Guitars (4-6 PM Sunday Room)
Create your own cigar box guitar! Dar Stellabotta will step you through building your own cigar box guitar. This two hour workshop will be limited to 10 participants due to supply/space constraints. Big thanks to Dar & CB Gitty Crafter Supply for providing the materials. We are still in the process of looking for tools for this workshop so once we have everything in place we will post the link for the 10 slots!
Dar Stellabotta is a local musician from Southern Maryland who builds (and plays) cigar box guitars. Her first Cigar Box Guitar album was released on September 5, 2017. Check her out here. There is also a video she posted online for those that would like to try to build their own guitars that can be found here.
Raising Silkworms & Reeling Silk (1-2 PM Kitchen)
When you think of silk you may (or may not…?) think of the buggies that help to make this luxurious fabric. Silkworms have produced the silk fiber used to cloth royalty for centuries. Most insects are often regarded as lowly and disgusting, but not this worm! Learn all about how to raise silkworms (aka sericulture) and use the silk from their cocoons to produce silk yarn.
Dan DeVries taught a fire by friction and cordage workshop at the 4th & 10th Annual DIY Fests and we are thrilled to have him back for another year. Dan and his partner Amy have a really awesome website about urban homesteading that is filled with great DIY projects and info. Check it out here.
DIY Love Letters and Thank You Notes – How to Express Yourself with Words (2:15 – 3:45 PM Sunday Room)
Have you ever struggled with writing someone a thank you note? Thank you notes aren’t always about trying to get a crush to love you! Having the skills to articulate a simple thank you, and a sincere expression of appreciation when someone helps make your life a little easier can make all the difference in your next “thank you” card.
Make your own card and dice games, and take them home with you! This intensely hands-on workshop will lead you through many of the guiding principles behind what makes a fun tabletop game that you can take home with you to play with your family, friends, enemies, and frenemies. Most supplies provided: you bring your creativity and sense of play. This is an all ages workshop, however, children under the age of 12 should have a supervising, responsible adult with them at all times in order to participate, thank you!
Stephen Thomas is an aspiring tabletop game designer. He runs the website http://www.let-off.com, is a former 2640 collective member and has taught tabletop gaming at two previous DIY Fests. We are thrilled to have him back!
Erica Federhen runs ipsy bipsy studio which is an independent risograph print studio in Rockville that offers special deals on producing 1-sheet ‘ready-to-print’ zines formatted using templates. They also create custom cards, flyers, posters, invitations and more!
Henna 101 (4:45 – 6 PM South Side Tent)
Aayesha Aijaz is a multidisciplinary artist from Baltimore. She has been creating henna art since 1996 and started teaching and holding workshop spaces for henna since 2006. With over 20 years of experience, she has a natural flow of explaining the history of henna, the differences between cultures that utilize it, and the many benefits of henna for the body and skin while creating art on people. She is available for bookings birthday parties, bridal showers, baby bumps, crowns, weddings, markets, workshops, and other parties and events. She can be found Instagram at @mehendi_wali or reached through email at thehennalife@gmail.com
DIY Professional Political Advocacy (12 – 1 PM South Side Tent)
You’ve posted all the things on Facebook, signed all the petitions, and gone to all the workshops, but you still have more to say! Maybe you have a unique approach or you have the skill set to work independently for a cause you believe in. Learn how to start and build your own professional political advocacy. Learn how to properly state your goals and determine if starting an effort of your own is right for you. You’ll also learn the difference between non-profit group, a political action committee, a political campaign, or other organizations and to determine what’s right for you. Other topics include: making paperwork easy, organizational basics, banking and financial basics, outreach and collaboration with existing efforts and more!
Taught by Javier Gonzalez who teaches Meditation eXpression through art, music, poetry and crafts. Javier teaches corporate employees how to manage work related stress and enhance productivity using meditation, fitness, yoga and beading.
Changing Your Name/Gender with the State (2-3:30 PM South Side)
Chrys Desir will show you how to change your name and/or legal gender marker in Maryland. The process for changing your name or gender is pretty easy and doesn’t require a lawyer!
Chrys is a Justice Catalyst Fellow working at Free State Justice. Free Sate is a non-profit law firm working on behalf of the LGBTQ community in MD.
This is an educational workshop and is not intended to be legal advice or counsel.
Herbal Remedies for Winter Wellness (1:30 – 3:30 PM Kitchen)
With the upcoming shift in seasons, many of us are thinking about how we can optimize our wellness through the winter. In this class, we will learn ways that we can nourish and support our bodies with herbs to prevent imbalances during cold and flu season. This workshop will also cover strategies for addressing common ailments related to cold weather. Through demos and tastings, participants will learn some basic methods and recipes for preparing herbal remedies. Everyone will leave knowing some important herbs to have in their homes and ways to use them. This is open to folks of all levels of experience with herbal medicine although the focus will be more foundational.
Taught by Aylén Maquehue, a local community herbalist who lives a somewhat nomadic life, traveling between Baltimore and the mountains near Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Aylén completed a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Herbal Studies at the Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) in 2016, where she is currently working towards a Master’s degree in Therapeutic Herbalism. She has also studied at Centro Ashé, a center for community herbal education in Southern Maryland and recently taught classes in their Tropical Herbal Apprenticeship program in Cost Rica. Along with her formal training at MUIH, traditional medicine and community herbalism are important facets of her practice as a healer. Under the moniker Anümka Che, she makes herbal products (teas, extracts, topical preparations, smoking blends, etc.) for daily wellness support and ritualistic healing. Anümka means “plant” and Che means “people”. These words come from the language of her Mapuche heritage. The Mapuche are the indigenous people from the area of land known today as Southern Chile, where herbal medicine is a core component of traditional practices.
Daily Affirmations, Rock Painting & Doula Discussion (12-2 PM Sunday Room)
Join “Ren the doula” for rock painting! We will use colors, affirmations and/or positive imagery. Find out what a doula does for women before during and after birth. We will also talk about the importance of support during postpartum and how we can hold space for families during their transition into parenthood.
Lauren is a doula and artist serving the Baltimore area. She is passionate about birth and breastfeeding. Her recent coloring book “Breastfeeding with affirmations” is geared to help mother’s feel confident in their choice to breastfeed. She is a painter and crafter that hopes to host art events geared around birth. She supports family during their birth experience and uses photography to help families incorporate art into their birth experience. Check her out at renthedoula.com
Approved Tablers (so far):
Nancy Anleu and Dennis Johnson
Kat Art – also teaching the acrylic painting workshop!
Candle Magic – also teaching the essential oils workshop!
Noise Kick FX
Jacqueline Taylor Keating
Hausos
The Little Book that Could – also teaching the journaling workshop!
13th Annual Baltimore D.I.Y. Fest 2020 - Virtual Edition 