December 8th, 2010

We will be offering Free Workshops in Holiday Kitsch! Join us and over 150 local artisans for a wonderful weekend!

November 24th, 2010

Lil’ Craft Camp
Level: Beginners ages 4-7
Monday, December 20th – Thursday, December 23rd, 11am-2pm
Four session class, materials included.
$245 for the week

Monday: Hand-crafted Nature Wands, Pressed Flower Necklaces, & Finger-knitting
Using slender sticks of sycamore and willow we will create our own bubble-making wands from copper wire wrapped with beautiful yarns. (Includes making your own bubble solution and decorating it’s container)
We will also read the beautifully illustrated children’s story “The Willow Maiden” and then create necklaces from willow wood, pressed flowers, ferns, and hemp string. Children will take home their wands and necklaces in beautiful handmade linen bags which they will finger knit straps for.

Tuesday: Candle-making and Children’s Tibetan Prayer Flags
Using sheets of beeswax in natural shades made from plant-based colorants, children will create a set of their own candles embellished with beautiful designs. (*No flame, heat, or melting is involved.)
Then using merino wool felt wool, children will design, sew, and embellish their own “prayer flags”. This activity is loosely based on elements found in traditional Tibetan prayer flags, touching upon the idea that the “Wind Horse” will carry the images and messages on the flags (centered around peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom) into the surrounding space and to all beings. Thich Nat Hanh’s beautiful children’s book “Hermit and the Well” will accompany this activity.

Wednesday: Soap & Mold Making
Children will experience the excitement, joy, and satisfaction of making their own soaps! First we will create our own molds by pressing an array of materials into a flexible re-usable putty. Then using a melt and pour goat’s milk base, we will create all-natural delicious smelling soaps using organic herbs and spices, cosmetic grade french clays, and plant-based colorants. Each child will create one mold and 2-3 bars of soap, as well as wrapping and labeling their soaps. (*As the soap base is a melt and pour one, no lye or other harsh chemicals are being used or handled and there will be adult assistance in pouring the melted soap base into molds.)

Thursday: Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Using Vietnamese rice paper, and an array of colorful vegetables and herbs, we will make our own Vietnamese spring rolls, complete with dipping sauce. Children will enjoy the sculptural feel of the rice paper as it soaks in warm water, smelling the aromatic herbs, tearing and cutting the brightly-colored veggies, and tasting the fruits of their labor! They will also decorate a set of reusable chopsticks, and a carrying container for their finished spring rolls. (*No cooking is involved and the ingredients are all vegetarian. There is an option for sweet and sour sauce in case of peanut allergies. The children will use butter knives to cut the veggies.)

Meet the Instructor: Nicole Ichtertz
Nicole was trained as an artist and has been teaching art to children for the past 3 years. She lives in Redondo Beach, and is a volunteer handwork assistant at two local Waldorf schools. She currently teaches knitting, weaving, and embroidery to children ages 4-11. Through a friend, she discovered the art of soap making and has taught workshops to children and adults to create uniquely beautiful molds and soaps using objects from nature.

November 12th, 2010

ANNIVERSARY SALE: Saturday and Sunday, December 4th and 5th
MINI CRAFT FAIR: Saturday December 4th, 6-9pm

We are turning 2 at the end of this month! To celebrate, we will be having an anniversary sale December 4th-5th and a mini holiday craft fair the evening of December 4th! Local artists and U.C.C instructors such as; Christine Haynes, Cheryl Cambras, Lilikoi Letterpress, Champoy and more will be selling their handmade goods, plus we’ll be doing free screen printing if you bring your own t-shirt!

For our Anniversary Sale, all merchandise in the store will be marked down 25%, with some discounts as much as 50%. We have a variety of new solid fabrics, tons of new books and hand dyed yarn, perfect for scarves and fingerless mittens.

November 9th, 2010

Hosted by the Santa Monica leader Lori Pettiti. Here’s a note from Lori about this month’s meeting

“We will have our last meeting of 2010 next Thursday, November 11 at The Urban Craft Center from 6:30 – 8pm. Donna Barger will be our host and we will be creating teacup pincushions. It’s an adorable project. If you have a favorite teacup (or want to go the Salvation Army and find a groovy one) please bring it. Donna will have a supply as well. The project uses small fabric scraps, needle and thread so raid your stash for your favorite pieces and bring a needle with thread. Donna will have stuffing.
This is the last meeting of the year. I hope you are creating all kinds of Holiday gifts for family, friends and yourselves. It’s been a gift to have you all share these meetings and I look forward to the New Year. Sarah will be restyling tshirts for us in January! Come forward with your ideas. I will be at the ASG annual meeting this Saturday so if you plan on being there too, say hello.”

October 21st, 2010

Handmade Nation chronicles the new wave of art, craft and design that is capturing the attention of the nation. It is the feature film debut of director, author, artist and curator Faythe Levine. Levine traveled to 15 cities and covered more than 19,000 miles to interview artists, crafters, makers, curators and community members. We’ll be screening it free in our studio – you dont want to miss it!

October 21st, 2010

Twinkie Chan will be hosting our Club Etsy night on November 10th from 6-8pm, sharing with everyone how she went from an avid crocheter of adorable fashion foods, to a published book and an apparel line of crocheted accessories called “Yummy You!” We’ll also be celebrating the release of her new book “Twinkie Chan’s Crochet Goodies For Fashion Foodies”. Twinkie often frequents Renegade San Francisco, where she resides, and I’ve heard she is just as fun and sweet as her projects look. Come out with your questions, meet other crafters, and get inspired!

As always, these club nights are FREE and open to everyone. :-)