About Flashy Flowers & Blinky Bow Ties

Flashy Flowers and Blinky Bow Ties are fun, customizable craft projects that combine paper-craft with electronic circuits, so all boys and girls are invited to build an awesome electronics project. The projects are level 0 - no experience is necessary in crafts or electronics to be successful. Flashy Flowers make a light-up flower brooch pin, and Blinky Bow Ties make a light-up bow tie. The projects are easy to put together and kids end up with an expressive, wearable piece of technology - it's a quick win!

We have traveled around the USA making Flashy Flowers & Blinky Bow Ties projects with over 5000 kids. Now, we are developing and Kickstarting the release of new classroom / maker-space packs, designing new lesson plans and videos, and to offering new digital files for makers to use with their own creative materials. Our goal is to multiply the impact of this project by making it easy for leaders in maker education to share this project with their community.

Project Mission: Jump Starting Gender Equality in S.T.E.M.

The gender bias in technology jobs is a social problem. It has nothing to do with hard-coded talent in male vs female brains, it has to do with the suggestions and expectations in our culture. The reality is that parents are less likely to bring their daughters to an "electronics" workshop than a "craft" workshop. These biases are projected from parent to child often without the parent even realizing it. Parents simply suggest what they've seen other girls enjoying because they want their suggestions to be well received and their kids to love them!

By presenting a mash up of craft and technology projects that appeal to both genders, we saw both boys and girls equally engaged - whether they chose a Bow Tie or a Flower - and we let every child choose. Our makers feel that electronics are enjoyable for everyone, and parents are assured that the project is appropriate for their kid - regardless of their gender. This project ensures that every kid is offered the opportunity to discover their interest regardless of the social pressures around them. Together we can change the world one kid and one flashy little craft project at a time.

For more, watch my 5 minute Ignite Talk on bringing more girls into the maker movement:

Project History, Why it has been so successful, What's Next

*Working*

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Brief History:

Maker Faire 2015

All the other Maker Faires

Kickstarter Campaigns

The Toy Box

Classroom Workshops

World Maker Faire Isn't happening, now we have time to make something new.

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Girls choose blue flowers and bow ties more often for themselves. Parents choose pink flowers and bow ties for their girls or as a gift for a girl (many parents buy kits as birthday presents).

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I have traveled across the country and made these projects with over 5000 kids - now, I want to expand the impact by developing club, workshop, and classroom kits so that other leaders can do the project with their own groups of young makers.

We have done the project with 500 individuals, marketing towards a consumer market. I want to exponentially explode the project impact by making it easy for leaders of youth groups, maker-spaces and more to pick up the project and become a part of the army of educators spreading this project with even more kids.

One small step could balance the gender gap in STEAM

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About TechnoChic

TechnoChic makes DIY tech-craft kits that bring the awesome world of DIY electronics into arts & crafts. These stylish, fun and easy craft projects have been featured on ABC's "The Toy Box," have won the Craft Business Awards "Best Education Product 2018" and have won ribbons at Maker Faires across the country.

Logo and Brand Guide Here

Campaign Stats:

Dates: Campaign: Mid-October to Mid-November Rewards: Early spring 2020

Funding Goal: $2000

Promotions:

• Early Bird Rewards - Feature the campaign from Tuesday, September 24th - Friday, September 27th to take advantage of discounted early-bird rewards
• Workshop / Kit Donations - Backers will have the opportunity to support reward levels that provide workshops to community groups that otherwise can't afford expensive programming. Throughout the campaign, different schools, libraries, and youth groups will be featured to receive the benefit of the reward. Stay tuned for an official list of beneficiaries when the campaign launches.

Why do we need funding?

TechnoChic needs funding to release new classroom / maker-space packs, design new lesson plans and videos, and to offer new digital files for makers to use the designs with their own creative materials. This work will multiply the impact of this project by inviting schools, maker spaces, girl scout troops and crafty leaders everywhere to engage makers with this quick and memorable activity.

Audience

The primary audience of this campaign is the consumers of the new educational kits including:

• Teachers
• Librarians / Libraries
• MakerSpaces
• Schools / Community Education Centers
• Museums
• Girl /Boy Scout Troop Leaders
• Camps
• After-School Programs
• Home School Parents
• Parents who host epic Birthday Parties

This campaign will also Donors/ Benefactors of girls in STEAM movement:

• Anyone who would like to support encouragement of kids in S.T.E.A.M.
• Parents of older kids who want to support the next generation
• Community sponsors
• Kickstarter super backers
• Teachers
• Coaches

Example use cases for the kits:

• Girl Scout Troops
• Parent's Night at School / MakerSpaces
• School Dance / Prom Fundraising
• MakerSpace Community Gatherings
• Library Programming
• Science or Art Class
• Homeschool Activities
• Birthday Parties
• Block Parties
• Etc.

What's New?

• Eco-Friendly Product Improvements
• New Club, Classroom, and Event packs
• Digital File Downloads
• Lesson Plans
• New Instructional Videos, Including tips on facilitating the workshop
• Workshops

New Kits for Clubs, Classrooms and Events:

Club Pack - Makes 10 Flowers or Bow Ties

• Includes printed instructions
• New Instructional How-To Videos

Classroom Pack - Makes 30 Flowers or Bow Ties

• Includes printed instructions
• New Instructional How-To Videos
• Lesson Plans that are graded and leveled for use in classrooms
• Tips on leading the activity in a classroom/workshop setting

Event Pack - Makes 100 Flowers or Bow Ties

• Includes .PDF poster-sized instructions to print
• New Instructional How-To Videos
• Tips on leading the activity at a community event or Maker Faire
• Tips on leading the activity as a fundraiser

Eco-Friendly Product Improvements

As a product designer, I'm always looking for opportunities to use materials that are sustainable. It is a difficult balance act to obtain affordable materials that are also eco-friendly, so I try my best. Here are some updates I'm making to the product since the last run that will make them more sustainable for the environment:

Updated design and materials

1. Flashy Flowers will be printed on EnviroFoil holographic paper, a recyclable alternative to metallic papers (link).
2. Switching to compostable clear PLA bags to package the products(link).
3. For shipping, we are packing the kits in smaller packaging and switching to Kraft Paper Mailers made of 100% Recycled Paperboard that are also are 100% recyclable.
4. We will be adding a video/website with information about reusing or recycling the materials in this project.
   1. Paper & Battery - Recycling (Local battery recycling info at: https://search.earth911.com/?what=Button+Cell+Batteries&where)
   2. Pin & LED - Reusing

***I am especially excited to find the EnviroFoil paper, because not only is is recyclable, but the paper makes the product look even better than the previous version! It's truly an exciting time in product design when you find a solution that is a win-win!

Example headlines:

• Girls will fall in love with electronics through this unicorn craft kit
• New unicorn craft kit aims to get more girls building STEM skills
• This craft kit is the perfect (educational) gift for the unicorn lover in your life

One of the goals of the Ultimate Unicorn Craft Kit is to introduce more girls to STEM and STEAM skills.

... On introducing girls to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math)

"One of the problems that girls face when identifying their interests is that today's adults (with the best intentions of giving kids experiences they will like) don't offer electronics, engineering and science projects to girls as often as boys. It's a subtle yet powerful message to girls that "I shouldn't like those things," even if they are initially interested in them. The Ultimate Unicorn Craft Kit not only presents girls with a strong, real life reason to build tech projects, but it unapologetically shows girls that there is a super relevant use for these skills. " - Natasha

Girls respond best to lessons that are project based and that have a specific outcome, which was a key focus when designing this kit, along with the very trendy topic of Unicorns. Besides being engaging, the kit needs to be relevant, and Unicorns are huge - especially for young crafters. From Natasha - “I’ve noticed a lot of girls have this visceral reaction to unicorns; they love them, they adore the bright colors and shimmer and magic. This Ultimate Unicorn Craft Kit taps into that love as a path into DIY electronics. Then, when kids have had a positive experience with electronics at home, they will be more likely to pursue STEM subjects in school.”

Example headlines:

• 4 unicorn projects to get anyone excited about electronics
• Girls will fall in love with electronics through this unicorn craft kit
• 4 unicorn projects to get you and your students excited about electronics (for educators / homeschoolers)

Adding off-the-shelf electronics like LED candles to your crafts is gaining popularity, but learning how electronics work will let you create with unlimited possibilities. Here's 4 projects that will get you started with building circuits, and they just happen to combine to create the Ultimate Unicorn Costume!

... On adding circuits to your crafts

The Ultimate Unicorn Craft Kit is a set of four light-up projects: The Unique Unicorn Headband, Marvelous Magic Wand, Twinkling Tutu, and Sparkling Satchel. What makes this different than buying an off-the-shelf unicorn costume? Each project lets you build or incorporate a real electronic circuit in a new way. Plus, crafters are encouraged to "hack" their projects to design new style expressions and also to discover more ways to craft with electronics. For example, right out of the box the wand can be built in several ways to provide different levels of learning, offering the opportunity to challenge yourself. Girls will express both creative and intellectual confidence by showing off their unique sense of style and new technical capabilities. It's true to the essence of unicorns - smart, beautiful, and unique!

Example Headlines:

• Wearable tech made simple: Check out this light-up unicorn costume you can make!
• Be a magical unicorn this Halloween with a DIY light-up costume kit

*** Tell the story of the girl who did her own fundraiser.

Making your own halloween costume is a fun activity, but why not make it epic? This craft kit will make it easy to create the Ultimate Unicorn Costume with hand picked, high-quality materials ready to be customized into a unique unicorn costume that's totally you!

... On making a costume that will keep the neighborhood talking long after Halloween

Don't wake up on October 31st with nothing to wear. With the Ultimate Unicorn Craft Kit, you'll have all the pieces you need to make a trendy unicorn costume that will turn heads - because it lights up! The kit comes with everything you need to assemble the DIY electronics and costume pieces from scratch, so you can have the experience of making your own costume without the planning of making patterns and buying materials. You'll even have a sparkling trick-or-treat bag ready to go! TechnoChic also offers party kits so you can build the light-up unicorn headbands with all your friends to create a very cool unicorn army to take over Halloween in style!

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Please reach out to natasha@technochic.net with interview questions or to set up a time to chat. :)