Mind of a Maker
A daily blog inspired by Matthew Dicks
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”
To become better at something, you have to practice. What better way to become a better writer and storyteller than to practice by making a habit of writing daily?
In this daily blog, we’ll discuss Maker-related topics as well as what inspires projects, including YouTube videos, Movies, TV Shows, Disney, Star Wars, LEGO, Books, and more. Everything is on the table, and nothing is off-limits.
Disclaimer: The thumbnail images featured on this blog are often AI-generated. See Disclosure page for more information.
3 Key Takeaways For Makers From "Every Tool's A Hammer" By Adam Savage
1. Embrace your weird passions.
2. Your workshop is a reflection of you.
3. Sweep up at the end of every day.
1 & 2 are what inspired me to start creating a Star Wars workshop and home office.
3 is my goal for 2026.
5 Categories From Your Favorite Movie To Build Into Your First Themed Project
Theming my projects instead of simply solving problems was the biggest Maker "unlock" I've experienced so far. Plus, it works whether you love Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Disney, Marvel, or Bridgeton.
4 Reasons Why Movies & Shows Should Inspire Your Builds (Even If You're Not Creative)
Anytime you try out some creative endeavor, you get in your head and choke. You don't believe that you're able to get the ideas out of your head and into a project. If you're making projects to sell on Etsy or Shopify, the stakes seem even higher and you're letting the pressure get to you.
5 Practical Uses For 3D Printing (So You Can Justify Buying One)
You really want to buy a 3D printer, but how can you justify the purchase to your significant other?
Once you get through the initial, obligatory prints like a Benchy and cute desktop figures, you'll need to print some useful things. Fortunately, you don't have to start from scratch because sites like Thingiverse and MakerWorld have tons of fun and useful prints available for free. The 3D printer community has found tons of ways to upgrade and streamline your life and workplace once you have a printer.
3 Maker Topics I’m Obsessed With For 2026 Builds
It’s that time to start thinking about what projects I want to tackle next year (and which are in my goals from a previous article).
This year, I haven’t built as much in my garage workshop because I’ve been focusing on building out the business. In 2026, I’m still focused on building the business, but it will also involve making more projects. For example, I’m going to be filming in my home office more, so I want that background to look better than the cluttered wall it currently is.
3 Reasons Makers Shouldn’t Stop At Solving A Problem
Most people start Making to solve at least one problem.
Saving money is usually a reason people get started, but that usually goes out the window after the initial DIY projects around the house and you start building from scratch. No, we make to solve something tangible with a solution of our own. If we have a bed and a lamp, but no nightstand, it could be starting with that.
5 Reasons Why I'm Thankful To Be A Maker
Like everyone else, earlier today, I was caught in a round-table where everyone said what they were thankful for.
Now, not to sound like a cynic, but I've never been a fan of that particular Thanksgiving tradition. Don't get me wrong, I firmly believe that we have so much that we should be thankful for and we should be thankful. I mean the generic answers most people give like family, friends, and spending time together.
But it did get through my cynical side and it made me think about why I'm thankful to be a Maker.
2 Ways Making Things Has Made Me A Better Parent
While I spent some time finishing up the last couple of items, I started to think about how much different a Maker parent is than a "regular" parent. Most kids ask to buy things at Target and, while yes ours still do that, they are starting to ask if we can Make something for them instead. To them, it's magical creating something from their heads in real life out of "nothing".
3 Reasons Halloween Is A Maker’s Perfect Holiday
It's half-through September, which means it's time for the Maker's Perfect Holiday: Halloween!
Fortunately, our family loves Halloween and we always find at least a couple of different ways to Make new decor. We have a long-term goal to completely transform our house into The Haunted Mansion every year. Even items for school teachers or trunk-or-treats are fun to make small things for.
I firmly believe that Halloween is pretty much made for Makers.
3 Simple Ways To Transform Your Builds From Boring To Exciting
If you’re like me, you started Making things in part because you weren’t happy with cookie cutter things available in stores.