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Groove on over to the Groovy Lab in a Box website to check out It’s Electric, now available as a single box, and join the Engineering Design Challenge.

Here’s how the challenge works: You are a groovy electrical engineer who has been contracted by the latest groovy dance group. Using only the materials from your Groovy Lab in a Box, can you design and build a dance pad with specific criteria and constraints?

Investigate static electricity, origin and structure of the atom, paper circuits, switches, a groovy door alarm to keep any trespassers out of your room and explore various science and engineering practices aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Don’t forget: Every Groovy Lab in a Box comes with a retro-themed Lab Notebook where STEMists will take notes, draw pictures, redesign their engineering projects and apply their critical thinking skills. Plus, all groovy STEMists get access to the Beyond…in a Box web portal for additional learning and fun!

It’s Electric is designed for kids ages 8 and up.

Whoever said miracles do happen must’ve had this adorable young boy in mind!

Zion Harvey, an 8-year-old from Baltimore, became the world’s youngest double hand transplant recipient earlier this month. Even though he lost both his hands and feet to infection, nothing could keep this little champion down. With a lot of struggle, he learned to eat, write and play video games all on his own. (How’s that for perseverance? Wow.)

Despite having a serious disability that would make most of us bitter and depressed, Zion is one of the most optimistic people I’ve ever seen. Watching him being interviewed on The Today Show nearly brought me to tears! Not only is he warm and open, he’s also extremely articulate for his young years.

I predict he is going to have a major impact on the world, not just medically but personally. I was very inspired by his story and his attitude. Here I am, so much older, with 4 perfectly good limbs, and I am not even half as positive! Sometimes we forget just how lucky we are to be functional, taking basic activities for granted. Instead of looking on the bright side, I’m guilty of focusing on everything negative in my life, when my problems aren’t even that bad…

Zion’s story has reminded me that I need to focus on the good and forget about the bad. I’m going to say a special prayer for him today and I hope my readers will, too. The world needs more angels like him!

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Now that you’re more familiar with Cricut Explore One™, Cricut Explore Air™ and Cricut Design Space™, it’s time to chat about some of the really neat things you can create when you put it all together.

As you’re getting familiar with your Cricut machine, it’s a great idea to take advantage of the free Make it Now™ projects and images that you get with Cricut Design Space™.

For example, check out this adorable 3D Hot Air Balloons Mobile. It’s a fun, easy starter project and makes for the perfect baby shower or toddler’s birthday gift (and can you believe it’s made with felt?). And what’s a gift without a card? Cricut has an incredible selection of card examples made with Cricut Explore machines. There’s even a whole selection dedicated to everything baby, which is where I came across this cute baby shower card.

Birthday
What better way to tell someone how special they are than with a hand/Cricut-made card and gift? This super fun shaker card is perfect for a 21+ birthday. And even if you purchase a gift, you can always use your Cricut Explore machine to personalize it. For example, if you bought a friend a purse or a wallet, you could use your machine to monogram it with their initials. Or if you bought them a plain shirt or sweater, you could customize it with a fun image or statement.

I love this sparkly pineapple t-shirt. All you need is a blank shirt, a roll of Cricut Iron-on, and images from the Cricut® Summer Love image set.

Pool Party
Soak up the summer fun with a pool party! You can use your Cricut Explore to create everything from invitations to decorations. Here are some really creative ideas for how to add some special splash to a pool party.

Engagement/Wedding
Make your own beautiful table decorations, banners, party favor boxes, cards, and more for the happy couple in just a few minutes! You’ll find some really impressive ideas in Cricut’s Design Space, such as this lovely Mr. & Mrs. card.

There are an unbelievable number of project examples in the Design Space, which are categorized by type (e.g. baby, holidays, home décor, school, food, etc.) and by level (easy, moderate, and advanced). You can also find a ton of great ideas for projects on Cricut’s Blog and Pinterest page.

The summer season is a perfect time to get your very own Cricut machine and familiarize yourself with Design Space and all the incredible projects you can create. Try out a few projects each month and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is. By the time the holiday season rolls around, you’ll be a Cricut pro and will wow your friends and family with your stunning crafting skills!

Happy crafting! 

Since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, more than 2 million American children have had a deployed parent. Many of them have seen multiple deployments:  3, 4, or even 5 family separations. It’s hard for those who haven’t experienced it directly to imagine the toll it takes on family life. The loneliness, tears, and heartache can be overwhelming!

Duracell recently had the honor to meet one of these military families in California. The young daughter showed them how she was able to have the comfort of her father’s voice during his deployment through a battery-powered recordable teddy bear. They were so moved by this family, that they made a film inspired by their story.

Watching this video brought tears to my eyes because I can really relate! Letters and emails helped me during the separation and calls do too, although calls tend to be really infrequent—especially in remote areas. What I always missed the most was hearing his voice and being able to push a button and hearing some comforting words would be incredible! I really love the idea of these teddy bears for kids and moms.

Because many military families feel isolated, it’s so important to reach out. With base closures and budget cuts, resources are needed more than ever. Remember: You don’t have to be in the military to care about someone who is!

Sometimes the simplest thing can make a world of difference. When I was feeling totally alone, at my lowest point, and completely sick of Air Force life, some girl friends offered to bring over dinner and makeup. We spent the night trying out new looks, eating pizza, and laughing hysterically. It was such a change! I had company, people to be with and talk to. Even though they knew nothing about military life, they cared and let me express everything I’d been keeping inside. The following week, they offered to baby sit so I could go to the mall by myself. None of these things cost a lot, but for me, it felt like the best gifts ever!

For those who live far away and can’t help in person, donations can be a great way to show support. In honor of all of the families who stand beside our troops, Duracell wants to power more comforting moments for loved ones through a donation of $100,000 to USO’s Comfort Crew for Military Kids. Continue the conversation by sharing the film and find out how you can donate to the cause through the USO at http://www.uso.org/donate.