Peter will have his 8-inch reflector in the parking lot to show you the moon and, if conditions are right, Saturn. If it's clear enough for you to see the moon with your naked eye, it will be good enough for the telescope. If the sky is clear enough to see stars before we have to pack up, we'll get a look at Saturn.

We have all the parts needed to create a simple cedar birdhouse. Although only about 85 of the hundreds of North American bird species nest in cavities, there is so much competition for natural holes that man-made nest boxes are appreciated by many of them and are an important conservation tool.

Both sessions are the same.

Tron - the fun games, the amazing graphics, and the intense colors. Step on in and I'll show you how to take your boring everyday laptop bag and make it look like something from the movies. You'll learn how to solder and decorate your bag with EL wire. Please bring your own bag; materials fee includes wire kit & loan of tools.

Learn about polymer chemistry while making your very own hand sanitizer. You can personalize with scent before adding the magic ingredient that makes it gel. Open to all - under 12 welcome with an adult.

A short presentation, followed by Q&A, on the lifecycle of an iOS (iPhone/iPod/iPad) application. The focus will be on interactions with Apple and all the things a developer needs to do outside of the actual creation of a program. This is a loosely structured session. If you want it to be interactive please bring questions!

"No user-servicable parts inside" isn't a warning, it's a challenge! We provide the electronics and the tools, you get to void the warranties.

A planisphere is a simple device for creating a star chart for any time or date. It will help you identify the brightest constellations and predict when they will be visible. You can assemble cardstock, plastic transparency, and a brass fastener into a simple relative of the astrolabe.

Honeybees happily buzz about cities and suburbs, pollinating our flowers, fruits, & vegetables. Learn about beekeeping in your backyard. This presentation won't teach you everything you need to know to become a beekeeper, but it's an introduction. We'll cover common types of hives equipment, and the basics of the beekeeping year.

Every year we have a new advanced blinkie to build, and this year no different. We have the Alligator Blinkie, specially commissioned to commemorate our Guest of Honor, SJ Tucker!
Yes, we will also have an open blinkie session within the workshop room with the opportunity to build other blinkies, and with the option to customize them with various special LEDs.

See descriptions of what you might choose to build on the blinkie page.

Amigurumi is the art of crocheting small animals or toys. In this hands-on session, we will learn some basic crochet stitches and work on a cute little critter (several different patterns will be available). Some materials will be provided, but if you have a favorite pattern, crochet hook and/or yarn, bring it along. Kids are welcome, but may get frustrated.

Come for demonstrations, basic tutoring and hands on trying of spinning wheels and drop spindles. People are encouraged to bring their own wheels or spindles and get tutoring or try the ones we provide. Bring your own fiber, or try some of what we bring to play with.

Come see the difference between knit and purl, and find out that you can make it look easy, too! We'll provide the tools, all you need is two hands and a smile.

Too many people say they're intimidated by double-pointed needles or by charted lace patterns. If you already know how to cast on, knit, purl, and decrease, we will help you get started on these techniques and demonstrate that they're Just Not That Big a Deal. Bring one set of DPNs, one set of straight (or circular) needles, and at least one skein of suitable yarn; loaner equipment will be available for up to ten participants. (Please specify if expecting to borrow equipment when registering)

Ever wished you could knit textures and lace without having to constantly stare at your pattern printout to remember where you were? Learn to let your knitting itself tell you where you are and what to do next. All skill levels welcome.

Purchase materials from instructor or bring your own WIP or yarn/needles/hook (Note: no registration required if bringing own supplies.)

Welcome to the Zoo! Okay, there won't be any poo flinging monkeys, but there will be fellow crafters hanging out and getting their craft on. Feel free to bring any textile or fiber craft with you to work on.

Middle Eastern folk dance is at the heart of modern bellydance. The colorful movements of the tribal peoples are where it all began! In this workshop our focus will be on the dances from what area is now largely called the Arab Emirates, with a heavy African influence, called Khaleeji. This unique and fun dance has a few basic movements which can learned by all! Young, old, men, women, anyone!

We will begin with a few basic movements, and by the end will have a wonderful group dance with a contemporary Khaleeji song.

All you need to bring is a song in your heart! For those wanting to have a more authentic experience, you may want to bring a long scarf. Come one and all and expect a wonderful heartwarming community experience with Khaleeji dance!.

Curtis Glatter is a long time musician and maker, and has found a way to combine percussion and computers in a unique mixture of creativity. Using samples not only prepared for the performance, but gleaned from other musicians on the spot, Curtis demonstrates how to combine computers with standard acoustic instruments. Come create and make with him as you learn to play the computer as an instrument.

Successful conventions don't rely only on hotel services for audio, especially when it comes to setting up for concerts, masquerades, and other special events. Dave Ifversen, Bill Roper, and gundo, tech services gurus for much of Chicago-area fandom, and show you how to do it.

No Wrong Notes: Music Improvisation for Everybody (even non-musicians!) This playshop introduces simple, game-like improvisation techniques to have you creating high-quality music immediately, even if you don't think you're a musician. Why should you learn to improvise? It's a great way to kick-start musical and other creativity, it helps get rid of performance anxiety, it helps you learn to play with other people, it encourages you to get outside your box, it's a great way to get the music inside of you out, it teaches you to listen like nothing else, and mostly it's a whole lot of fun. Come bring instruments if you have them (lots of hand percussion and Boomwhackers will be available), your bodies and voices, and your sense of playfulness; leave with techniques to immediately increase your creativity. All instruments, all experience levels, and all styles of music are welcome, even if you've never played music in your life, and you can't play any wrong notes! Visual artists, writers, dancers, and all creative folks will enjoy the cross-training! Sally is a certified Music for People guided music improvisation facilitator.

Serious teachers of the theatre arts use exercises to help actors hone their skills at concentration, ensemble work and character development. That's not happening here. This is a workshop on funny stuff. Come play the games that get laughs at The Second City and make for a pretty silly afternoon at MuseCon with Moebius Theatre.

In addition to singalongs and music circles, there is the direct musical conversation known as a jam session. It may seem like a free-for-all or just a place for players to show off fancy licks, but it's actually governed by some traditional points of etiquette that try to give everyone present a chance to play both supportive and expressive roles. Come join the presenters (and their mutant doubleneck guitars) for an exploration of jamming, singalong, jamalong, filk-jam, ostenato, improv, alternate tunings, and other delightful mysteries.

Life's a lot easier these days for those of us who don't necessarily have the time, energy, or funds to find an upscale recording studio and a gentle engineer/producer to help us get our music ready to be released into the world. Want to learn about affordable gear and digital recording programs that you can use in your coat-closet-I-mean-home-recording-studio? Want to learn tricks for getting yourself in the zone to record no matter where you are, even if it's your brother's basement? Want to find out where to start, what to do, and where to go from there? S. J. Tucker and other guerrilla music-makers and producers who do just fine conjuring credible albums on their own and on the fringe share what they know.

Music is present in literally everything- from the tiniest atom to the busiest planet, and it has the power to change lives; to heal or to conjure; to stoke the fire of revolution; to ease the passing of those in pain. But how do we find it within ourselves, especially if we've never tried to find it before? What is it, for instance, that makes a lullaby work? Through warm-ups, singing, and basic energy work, join S. J. for an improvisational experiment in what makes music tick- and what makes it work for each of us.

Bring a uke if you've got one; borrow one if you don't. Beginners and total newbies welcome. Also seasoned players, torch singers, recovering guitarists, Hawaiians, and hipsters wearing small hats. Let's show our love for the instrument Krusty the Clown calls "the thinking man's violin."

Ever had a masochistic urge to know how an accordion works? Or the desire to understand it all the better to be able to sabotage it more easily? Gary "MoFilker" Hanak will try to explain the basic inner workings of this much maligned instrument.

Wire. Beads. Crimps. Pliers. Headpins. Earring Backs. We'll show you how to take these materials and make a basic bracelet and earrings. A shared pool of basic materials and loaner tools is provided free of charge.

What are Megapixels? Do I want lots of them? What does ISO mean? Focal Length? HELP! I'm so confused! Don't panic, in this panel we'll discuss basic digital photography equipment and the vocabulary you need to make sense of it all.

So you got your paws on Photoshop, but beyond having a bash at playing with the filter gallery, you don't have a clue how to do anything with it. Let's fix that! This panel will concentrate on opening up some of the secrets of Photoshop and solving the problems that novice users commonly encounter. Emphasis will be placed on adjusting and tweaking layers, brushes, tools, and colors, and getting real results in such projects as digital painting and photo alteration.

MuseCon's Publications Editor pontificates on her preferred page-preparation program: Adobe InDesign. This class gives an overview of InDesign basics - basic document setup, page formatting, and clever text trips. Please note, this is not a hands-on class.

Papercraft 1 is NOT a prerequisite for this session. We will be working on more complicated objects, and most kids will get frustrated by the degree of precision needed. We will discuss some of the things to watch out for, and a handout will be provided so you can continue after the session. You will begin to cut and assemble, but will probably need to finish on your own.

Deb will demonstrate the creation of a stained glass sun catcher, from start to finish. While this is not a hands-on demo, there will be opportunities for individuals from the audience to try their hands at cutting, foiling, and soldering.

The page is blank and the clock is ticking. Can you and your cohorts take an opening line and churn out a script in just 75 minutes? And make it funny? Sure you can (or die trying). Let Moebius Theatre guide you through the process of building a scene, creating characters, establishing a relationship, writing dialog, and making revisions while your hair's on fire.

Come to this round robin workshop to share your fun and creative ways to reuse stuff we normally toss in the trash or recycling bin. Projects so far include soda bottle terrariums, newspaper wrap cat toys and plastic bag string.

Our panelists share their favorite stories of buying craft materials at non-crafty stores, and the hilarity that can ensue from staff confusion. Bring your own tales of scrounging, hacks, and brilliant improvisation!

Learn how to fold a big-mouthed paper Snapdragon/SMOF puppet.

Learn the principles of tying simple knots in precious wire while making a pair of eye-catching earrings. (Note: nominal donation to cover materials will be accepted)

Come join us in celebration! Nearly one year to the day of beginning their journey together at MuseCon 0, Eric Coleman and Lizzie Crowe invite you to join the fun as they join their lives together. Come as you are or all dolled up, we hope to see you there!

NOTE: the actual ceremony starts at 5pm

Welcome to MuseCon! Come watch Ron, our Chair, babble and make a fool of himself while our staff and Guests of Honor heckle and do other Amusing Things!

Join our Guest of Honor as she weaves Celtic gypsy fantasy blues and magic in a concert that could contain anything from alligators to ninjas to....? It's sure to be a fantastic show - and remember, there's always room for cello!