My husband is a maker - he makes things, All The Time. If he's not in his shop crafting something beautiful out of wood, he's carving vegetables and fruits into characters for the kids or inventing elaborate sprinkler systems for the gardens.

Eco Sprinkler System: hooked up to three rain barrels, which connect to all four of our vegetable gardens

But my husband only revealed his crafty brilliance to me when we moved into our first home.

Prior to that, we had been living in small apartments, with zero space for hobbies. We were stepping on each other's toes just to get to the bathroom. So although my hubby WANTED to build and make things, he had no space for the tools necessary to do so.

Waldorf Curvy Boards, which have become a popular Christmas gift!

On a tour of the home we ended up buying, the deal was sealed when my husband discovered a giant workshop in the basement. Since moving in, the number of tools in his shop has doubled, and the lack of storage space in my home has been halved. Once in a while I threaten to turn the workshop into a yoga studio, but I never make good on my threat. There's no way I could take away my husband's space for creative expression!

An island for the kitchen, big enough to house all of my gadgets!

And it seems my oldest is following in Daddy's footsteps. She loves joining hubby in his shop, and will happily pound nails into wood. She is really interested in figuring out how things work, and my husband is just as interested in teaching her!

Do you have makers in your family? If you do, you will want to check the Maker Faire, coming to Ottawa in November.

Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning. It's a Science Fair for the whole community! Or what I like to call "Show and Tell for Adults" :) Because hands up if you miss making something that you can show off to your peers!

Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. They are of all ages and backgrounds. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community. My husband will definitely be attending with my daughter in tow!

When & Where: October 15th and 16th at Aberdeen Pavilion in Ottawa.

Learn more here
Connect on Twitter here
Follow them on Facebook here

What do you love to make?

Disclosure: in exchange for this blog post, my family will receive a pass to attend the Maker Faire. All opinions are my own :)