URBANA – The CU Community Fab Lab will host its 4th annual Holiday Maker Market from 2-6 p.m. on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
The Fab Lab is now accepting applications from craftmakers and artists for booths at this year’s market. Whether you are a veteran artist or just starting out, the Holiday Maker Market is an opportunity for local craft makers to sell one-of-a-kind gifts, customizable ornaments, and other handmade goods.
The market prides itself on offering a wide variety of art styles, crafting mediums, and unique gifts at different price points, making a visit to the holiday event fun and festive for all. The products offered must be crafted, made, or designed by the artisans, who will be selected through the application process.
Applications for vendor booths are due by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 11. All applications will be reviewed, and vendors will be selected by Nov. 1. You can apply online here.
Proceeds from booth fees and Fab Lab sales benefit the Summer Camp Scholarship Fund. All proceeds generated from Fab Lab goods directly support local youth and families by removing financial barriers to attend the lab’s summer camp programs. Last year, the Fab Lab provided $2,200 in scholarship funds to kids in the community.
For more information, contact the Community Fab Lab at communityfablab@gmail.com or call (217) 265-5342.
Family Features - On a day that signifies the importance of love and companionship, many people find it rewarding to show their loved ones just how much they mean. If you're in the gift-giving spirit this Valentine's Day, you may find a bit of inspiration with these ideas.
Just remember, whether you're celebrating the relationship with your significant other or showing appreciation for a friend, the best gifts come from the heart.
* Food - If your partner is a foodie, a Valentine's Day date is an obvious choice. Make a reservation at his or her favorite restaurant or opt for takeout and enjoy quiet time together in the comfort of home. Satisfy that special someone's sweet tooth with a classic box of chocolates or create a personalized candy basket full of guilty pleasures.
* Jewelry - Whether you've been together a year, a decade or more, it's a perfect opportunity to splurge for a gift he or she will cherish for a lifetime. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, anklets, watches and more all make for perfect gifts that can often be customized with engravings like names or important dates.
* Experiences - Oftentimes, the gift of moments together means more than a trinket. Consider the things you enjoy doing side by side and schedule a day or weekend to do nothing but your favorite activities. Book a tour at a local museum, find tickets to the next big game, sit frontstage for a favorite band or road trip to a nearby attraction for new sights and sounds.
* Subscriptions - Gifts don't always need to be sentimental. Sometimes, they can be downright practical. Creating an account for a new streaming service or music platform, signing up for monthly food or wine gift boxes and buying ticket packages for a favorite local team are all gifts that keep on giving.
* Handwritten Notes and Flowers - Take time to write what you appreciate most about your special someone - personality traits, favorite memories, thoughtful gestures and why they're important to you - and pair your note with favorite flowers. Gifts may spark a smile, but sharing a moment of connection offers a reminder of what you're celebrating in the first place.
Find more Valentine's Day gift ideas by visiting eLivingtoday.com.
StatePoint Media - The holiday season is the perfect time of year to upgrade the kitchens of home chefs with the latest tech and tools. Here are three cool holiday gift ideas that will elevate the way your loved ones cook, host and clean up.
Smarter Composting
According to a recent report, the United States discards more food than any other country in the world, equating to 325 pounds of waste per person annually, with nearly half this waste generated in home kitchens. Whether you’re shopping for someone living in a region with mandatory composting or simply someone striving to be more sustainable at home, you can now gift them an effective solution to this issue.
While many people are aware of the environmental benefits of composting, such as reducing food waste, diverting trash from landfills and enriching garden soil, composting has also garnered a reputation for being time-consuming, messy and emitting unpleasant odors. Fortunately, new technology is addressing these challenges, making composting a convenient, clean and odor-free process for any household kitchen.
The THINKWARE BLUEVENT MUMU is the world’s first AI-powered smart food composter to use a new cutting-edge Metal Organic Framework (MOF) to block and inhibit the propagation of fungi to ensure clean and harmless use. Smart technology automatically measures food waste by weight then automates the disposal process accordingly. Additionally, AI storage automatically monitors food temperature and humidity to prevent spoilage. In summary, it eliminates the need for guesswork, leading to more successful composting. With a powerful, triple-activated carbon eco filter, this 4-liter capacity composter is odorless and whisper-quiet at just 20 decibels. It is now available at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, eBay.com, Newegg.com and Thinkwarestore.com.
Sparkling Water on Demand
One million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, according to Giving Compass. Unfortunately, the majority of them never get recycled. Help your loved one reduce their own contribution to this growing problem and bestow upon them an endless supply of carbonated beverages with a sparkling water maker. With a slim countertop profile, they’ll be able to transform tap water into seltzer in just few easy steps. This gift is great for mixologists who love to make and batch fizzy mocktails and cocktails for parties, as well as anyone with a thirst for reducing plastic waste.
Precision Cooking
Today’s kitchen scales don’t just simply weigh ingredients for precision cooking and baking, they also connect to smartphone apps for real-time nutritional analysis, recipe inspiration and instruction, and more. The best models ping the user’s device when they’ve added the correct amount of a given ingredient, easily toggle between different units of measurement, and allow users to save and share recipes via the app. This makes for a great gift for beginner cooks who want to get a feel for measurements, expert bakers looking for better results, those focused on portion control in the New Year, and anyone looking to optimize food prep.
By putting game-changing smart kitchen appliances at the top of your holiday shopping list, you can brighten the season for home chefs.
Local confectioner taking orders for Valentine's Day
It is not too early to start thinking about Valentine's Day. Danielle Howard, a
confectioner and stay-at-home mom from nearby Oakwood, is taking orders for her
increasingly popular hot chocolate bombs.
"Hot chocolate bombs are amazing," she said. "They are a thin layer of chocolate
filled with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows. You put the hot chocolate bomb
into a mug and pour hot water, or milk over the bomb and watch the magic
happen!"
In addition to making themed hot chocolate bombs for the most romantic day of
the year, she is also creating breakable chocolate smash hearts and chocolate
covered strawberries.
"We already have orders for Valentine's day in our books!"
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District reports just one new COVID-19 case
for our area. There are now 62 active cases spanning the six villages.
According to the latest figures from the CUPHD today, Ogden has 3 active cases,
Philo 15, Royal 3, Sidney 3, St. Joseph 17 and Tolono 20.
Champaign County has reported fewer than 700 cases for 13 consecutive days.
Runners finish their first race of the year, Plotner comes in 5th
Five area runners, all from St. Joseph, have tucked their first race of 2021
into their belts on January 2 at the 37th annual Siberian Express trail race.
The group made up 125 that finished this year's installment.
To make the race safe to run during pandemic this year, runners competed against
each in one of six waves and the field was limited to only 150 individuals.
Competitors in each wave had a two-hour time limit to run the course through
Kickapoo Park.
The local contingent of runners was led by
veteran harrier Corey Plotner
who finished the 7.45 mile course in fifth place overall in 58 minutes and six
seconds. The top area female runner,
Amy Bailey, ran the same trail in 1 hour, 23 minutes and .51 seconds. She was the 19th
woman competitor to cross the finish line and was 60th overall.
Other finishers from our area included
John North
(24 overall, 1:10:25),
Scott Hendren
(68, 1:25:25) and
Linda Berry
(110, 1:51:05) who gave a high-five to a finish line worker as she crossed the
finish line at 39th in women's division.
Ribs and brisket in Tolono
Photo provided
How do mouthwatering ribs sound for dinner this weekend? Traxside at 4 East
Holden in Tolono is now taking orders for carryout of their smoked Brisket,
pulled pork and pork spare ribs pickup on Friday.
Steak and baby back ribs are available Saturday nights, and regular menu items
are available Fridays as well as throughout the week.
"I recommend you pre-order beginning at 10 am on Friday mornings because we sell
out fast," guest pitmaster Sean Talbott, who fell in love with cooking at the age
of 5, told The Sentinel. "I smoke locally raised meat ... with locally harvested
hickory and cherry wood, and allow the meat to smoke for 12 to 15 hours until
fully cooked to the perfect temp. I strive to produce the best tasting and
tender smoked meat around."
Call (217) 485-1016 to place orders for Friday evening.
A call to all local artists
Last spring, The Sentinel had the pleasure of publishing spotlight on several
seniors in the Class of 2020 from St. Joseph-Ogden high school. It was then we
discovered the amazing artistic talent of senior
Carson Mills,
one of three in a set of triplets, while writing dozens of stories in April and May. I was struck by
her attention to detail and realism.
Back in January of 2004, while taking pictures for The Leader back when it was owned
by St. Joseph resident and founder Scott Hunter, this publisher, then a
photographer, made a handful of images of author, artist and retired farmer Alvin Decker of
Philo.
We know there are more artists in our area. We just haven't met you yet but would enjoy seeing fruits of your creativity. If you paint, draw, sculpt or do metal work, The Sentinel would love to feature your work and share your artistic talent. Do you spend hours at the potter's wheel, dabble in mixed-media, do glass-work or design jewelry pieces? We'd like to hear from you.
Have you been more creative or had more time to focus on your art? One upcoming story idea we are working on ruual art and the pandemic. We are looking artists who have created unique art pieces over the past nine months that reflects life and living during the COVID outbreak.
If you are interested in having your work featured in a story, please send a brief bio in an email with a link to your website or a online gallery featuring your work to editor@oursentinel.com. We very much look forward to sharing your passion and vision with our readers.
Send your business, social or community organization's press release or event
information to The Sentinel at
editor@oursentinel.com.
Start your holiday shopping early with gift items from County Chics. The store will host a garage sale October 15 through noon on October 17 this month at 203 East Duitsman Drive in Royal.
The doors open at 5pm on Thursday with all items are new, never used merchandise as well as remaining selected fall inventory discounted at 40-75% off in-store prices. No early sales will be allowed but there are several convenient methods to pay in addition to cash and checks.
"This is NOT your typical garage sale with used items, so please don't expect those prices," the event announcement explains.
Sale dates and times are as follows: Thursday, October 15th 5-8pm; Friday, October 16th from 9am-6pm; and on Saturday, October 17 for three hours starting at 9am until noon.
If you are still looking for a gift for that hard-to-buy-for-person on your Christmas list, Bohemia in downtown Urbana may have just what you need.
Packed full of unique jewelry, candles, stylish clothing, vintage and custom-made furniture as well as other unique handcrafted items, there's plenty to choose from for the special someone with a unique sense of style or flair for the eclectic.
Partial to vintage decor? Repurposed or refurbished, there is an abundant selection of vintage furniture waiting for a new home. From funky to functional, Bohemia also has candles as well as handmade soaps and lotions for stocking stuffers.
The Sentinel asked owner Milea Hayes for a couple of gift ideas for this Christmas from her store. She came up with the seven fabulous items featured below.
1.
Jewelry
You can't go wrong with a beautiful ring or bracelet. Wear a new necklace or pennant to your New Year's Eve party or better yet, something completely new. Bohemia currently represents 11 artists whose work is priced from $32 and up.
2.
Soap, lotion and candles and more ...
Enjoy local made soaps and lotions. Try a new lip balms. These along with candles and note pads all make great stocking stuffers. Prices range between $3 and $14
3.
Reconditioned seafoam dresser
$425
Oil paintings
Starting at $125
Vintage end table lamps
$215
4. & 5.
Clothing
Left: There's plenty of distinctive hand-painted tees and onesies by artist Mollie Youngblood. Prices range from $21 to $28.Right: Boutique clothing, long scarves, warm hats and gloves are always a unique find at Bohemia. Create a style of your own or complete an ensemble you already have. Quality clothing priced from $42 to $225.
6.
Holiday Sweaters
Warm and cheerful holiday sweaters priced between $68 and $92.
7.
Home Furnishings
Enjoy this reupholstered with an army blanket and added leather trim. A classy addition to your office or den, this cane chair was revitalized by interior designer Angie Taylor. Chair and adorning pillow $285.
Bohemia, located at 135 West Main in Urbana, is open Monday through Friday from 10am - 6pm, Saturday from 10am - 5pm, and on Sundays open from 11am - 3pm. Call ahead for extended holiday hours.
Nearly half of older Americans can’t even afford basic needs
I worked hard my whole career and retired feeling secure. Then I lost every last dime in a scam. I was left with $1,300 a month in Social Security benefits to live on in an area where monthly expenses run about $3,700.
I’m a smart woman, but scams against older Americans are increasing in number and sophistication. Whether through scams, strained savings, or costs of living going up, half of older Americans — that’s 27 million households — can’t afford their basic needs.
I find myself in dire need of sincere counsel, as I am increasingly convinced that my romantic life has taken on the unfortunate semblance of a rom-com wherein I alone remain bereft of the script. I'm 31, will defend my thesis this May, and have a great job lined-up.
My boyfriend, aged 32, embodies the quintessential extrovert—gregarious, enamored with nightlife, and perpetually surrounded by a coterie of approximately twenty friends who reside in close proximity and convene incessantly. Initially, I admired his vivacity and character.
Budget-Friendly renovation ideas to modernize your home
Renovating your home can be affordable with the right approach. Simple changes, like repainting walls or updating fixtures, can create a fresh, modern look without a high price tag. Whether you’re improving outdated spaces or enhancing functionality, these budget-friendly renovation ideas to modernize your home will help you achieve a stylish, updated space while staying within your budget.
Protecting your valuable works of art when you move, here is how
Transporting artwork can feel daunting, especially when it holds significant emotional and financial value. You want to ensure that your cherished pieces arrive at their destination in Illinois without a scratch. This guide will explore expert ways to transport valuable artwork safely. With the right approach, you can protect your investments and preserve the beauty of your art. Let’s dive into practical tips that make the process easier and more secure.
Protecting cherished pets from highly pathogenic avian influenza: A guide for pet owners
As the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) looms over both avian and domestic populations, pet owners face an urgent challenge: protecting their beloved companions from a virus that can turn a playful afternoon into a perilous health crisis. HPAI, primarily affecting birds, poses significant risks to pets, particularly those that may ...
What da funk? A stinky body can be a sign of a health issue
Death, taxes and body odor.
They’re things we can all expect in life, no matter how clean you are. But health care providers want you to know when body odor is a sign of a more serious health problem.
B.O. basics
Luis Garcia, MD, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, says sweat and bacteria are the main culprits behind body odor. Warmth and moisture in parts of the body (like your armpits and feet), plus going through puberty and general poor hygiene, can make the smell worse.
My boyfriend, aged 32, embodies the quintessential extrovert—gregarious, enamored with nightlife, and perpetually surrounded by a coterie of approximately twenty friends who reside in close proximity and convene incessantly. Initially, I admired his vivacity and character.
