This Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 from 9pm until midnight at Akbar it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!
Project: Dog Biscuits and Dog Biscuit Treat Bags
$2 Processing fee, please!
$4 Cosmopolitans! Here’s to good times, tonight is kinda special… 

Bet you didn’t know it, but today’s a national holiday, and no, I’m not talking about giving up french fries for 40 days.

It just so happens to be “International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day” and we shall observe this holiday with gusto. It’s a well known fact that no one appreciates a dog biscuit quite as much as a dog, but if you don’t have a dog, or any dog friends, it’s okay. The biscuits we’re making are a simple vegetarian recipe, so if you prefer that we call them “people biscuits” for human consumption, no one’s going to freak out, especially me. I’m mostly just excited that we’re baking at CraftNight tonight!

I’ll bring the toaster oven and the biscuit mix, and little bags that we can color and decorate so that we can make and bake the biscuits, then wrap them up all cute-like for dogs and dog lovers of Los Angeles! Make dog biscuits in the shape of bones, hats, letters, stars, hearts, it’s a sculpting fest, woooooo!

See you at the Craft Table,

JP Craft Captain

Akbar’s Site

CraftNight’s Site

This Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 from 9pm until midnight at Akbar it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!
Project: Skateboarding Valentine Pig (or Groundhog)
$2 Processing fee, please!
$4 Cosmopolitans! Be in the know with a pink cosmo!

Presenting: The Skateboarding Valentine Pig, that’s right it’s no joke, it’s not a dream this is REAL.
And it doesn’t have to be a skateboarding pig, maybe it can ski or do some other sporty activity. And maybe you can make it NOT be a pig, maybe it can be a really pink bear. But even if it was just to be itself, I would rate this as a highly satisfying craft. The pig comes with sunglasses. The skateboard comes with moving wheels. Moving wheels! Zowie!
February 1st isn’t close to Valentine’s Day, but it is really close to Groundhog Day, which is my birthday.
And it’s not just a regular birthday, it’s my 40th.
That’s a hell of an anniversary!
Turning 40 means that I like hugs, kisses, costumes, cupcakes and presents. If you feel like stopping by the bar with none or all of those things this Wednesday, I’m totally into it. I’m not going to be shy about it, since it seems silly to pretend that I don’t like hugs, kisses, costumes, cupcakes and presents when I totally DO. This is a shameless announcement encouraging all of the above because this is, in effect, the last day of my “Jack Benny Year.” And if you don’t know what “Jack Benny Year” means, it means you’ve most likely not yet made it to 39 yet. Go look it up on the internet and sleuth it out! Sleuth Sleuth!
I also like seeds, tiny paintings, plants, camping, cooking, music, reading, writing, drawing, movies, experiences, and spending time with good friends. Shameless.

See you at the Craft Table!
JP Craft Captain

www.akbarsilverlake.com

www.crafthead.com

This Wednesday,  January 18th, 2012 from 9pm until midnight at Akbar it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!
Project: Dragon Noise Makers (Karate Kid Style)
$2 Processing fee, please!
$4 Cosmopolitans! The Akbar Cosmo: Your key to a better tomorrow
Don’t panic, if your new year’s resolutions are already shot, the good news is that January 1st is only one little interpretation of THE NEW YEAR. Luckily, another new year’s celebration is right around the corner, and it’s a whopper! China celebrates the new year for TWO WEEKS! It’s a comprehensive series of days, each with it’s own special meanings and tasks. I can’t even begin to pack it all into this post without becoming Wikipedia, but here are some of the things it entails: Cleaning, Forgiving, Visiting, eating, Writing your name on a mandarin and throwing it in the river, guiding spirits home, making lanterns, firecrackers, dragons, have your fortune told, giving people money in little red envelopes.
So you know, do the new year again, it’s the year of the DRAGON, it’s kind of a big deal. Out with the old and in with the new, expel the negative chi from your life and breathe in energy, vitality and unbridled enthusiasm! To make sure that everyone knows you are enthusiastic, we’re making dragon-themed noisemakers, the kind everyone used to cheer for Ralph Macchio in Karate Kid: Part II. Here’s what I’m talking about, keep in mind, the noisemaker situation doesn’t really present itself until after the dramatic build-up until about 3:40 or so:

This could be YOU (metaphorically speaking, of course). We’re making these… the cheap imitation cardboard version, not the fancy kind made out of wood and animal skin that Mr. Miyagi is using. And no, Mr. Miyagi isn’t Chinese, he’s Japanese, but let’s not turn into Wikipedia again so I can end this post. I’ll bring paints so you can really do it up.
See you at the Craft Table,
JP Craft Captain

Akbar’s Site

CraftNight’s Site

This Wednesday, January 19th, 2011 from 9pm – 12(ish) at Akbar, it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!

Project: Tin Can Crafts • $2 processing fee, please

Drink Special: $4 Cosmopolitans

I bet you didn’t know that January 19th is Tin Can Day. Seriously, this was the actual day of the birth of the tin can, and the actual date that the tin can was patented in 1810! The first tin cans were so thick, you had to hammer at them like crazy. Like many “technologically advanced” inventions, it was a pain in the arse, but developments were still in the works.

In 1835, someone decided to put BEER in cans, and then pop-top cans appeared in 1959 making it a total party. Since then the cans have gotten thinner, we have fancy tools to open them, and the things inside of cans these days will blow your mind right out the window with all the leaves. If you don’t believe me, check out this blog of the weirdest stuff in cans, it’s got pictures! The trusty tin can is still entirely recyclable, corrosion resistant, and durable, and I think, very worthy of honor and merit.

So we’re going to do CAN crafts, we’ll have tin cans, and felt, foam, and glue, and some ideas, and we’re going to have a good ol’fashioned can-crafting party. You can make a string telephone, a pencil holder, a bank, a treat jar, salt and pepper shakers, vase, toothbrush holder, tea bag holder, etc.

And NO I’m not bringing tin snips or nails for you to punch holes in the cans. DRINKING and SHARP OBJECTS DO NOT MIX! But if you want to bring your own tin snips at your own risk, go ahead! If a fellow crafter wants to borrow your tools… smell their breath and ask them how many fingers you’re holding up, then use your best judgement.

Neither Akbar nor CraftNight is responsible if you slice through your finger, poke out your eye or remove someone’s spleen, you hear me? I can’t believe I actually had to type that, but California (The Golden State) is full of surprises… and court rooms.

I am gathering as many tin cans that I can find before CraftNight, if you have any that you don’t need, would you mind contacting me? I’ll take them off your hands! Here, you can use this handy contact form…

See you at the Craft Table,

JP Craft Captain

CraftNight’s Site

Akbar’s Site

TONIGHT! This very Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at Akbar from 9pm until 12 it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!

Project: Compass Necklaces ($2 processing fee, please)

Special Guest: DJ DIRT HOLE! (That’s right, the dirtiest, the holiest, spinning sounds that will launch you into your booty-shakin’ dreams come true!)

Face it: CraftNight happens in a bar. It is absolutely going to be raucous night here with DJ DirtHole spinning tunes, probably you will have a few drinks. And sometimes when drinks are had, people lose their way. For the hot summer nights of the past, and the hot summer nights to come, I bring you the COMPASS NECKLACE. Sport one of these beauties along with your outfit coordinates, and you will never lose your way. You’ll be able to make it back to the bar, should you drift off in a directionless haze after one too many of our delicious $4 cosmos (Akbar’s Wednesday drink special).

Not only is it helpful in the bar, but it’s camping season, right? This safety-minded precision instrument can be decorated any way you wish, you can wear it while navigating the freeways, figuring out where you are in Burbank, figuring out which direction to pitch the camping tent, or simply dawn it as a sassy talisman that says “I know where I’m going.”

See you at the Craft Table,

JP Craft Captain

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