CRAFTNIGHT!

This Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 from 9pm to midnight at Akbar, it’s CRAFTNIGHT!
Project: Summer Ladybug Picture Frame
$2 Processing Fee, Please

It’s been so gosh dang hot, I realized that I’ve been scheduling a lot of colorful foam-themed crafts. I dunno, they’re so polite, so easy, colored foam pieces don’t seem to ask too much of anyone, really. If you’ve been enjoying June foam fun, come and make a charming picture frame, featuring one of the most endearing bugs of all time: the noble ladybug.

Commonly no larger than a pencil eraser, ladybugs are lucky the world over, that is, practically ALL cultures embrace our little spherical friends as harbingers of good fortune. You know, in Switzerland, it isn’t storks who bring babies, it’s ladybugs! And according to Norse legend, the ladybug came to earth riding on a bolt of lightning. In the 1800s if you had a toothache, they’d mash up some ladybugs into a paste and smish it into your cavity and naturally it would be cured right away. And they say in Norway that if two shy people spot a ladybug at the same time, there will be romance between them.
Truthfully, have you ever met a mean ladybug? There are over 450 types of ladybugs, and every one of them is a friendly one.

So come in and try your luck, make a frame with sweet little spotted friends on it. This will be our last foam-centered craft for awhile, before CraftNight gets truly too hot to handle with new summer projects.

See you at the Craft Table!
JP Craft Captain
www.crafthead.com
www.akbarsilverlake.com

This Wednesday, June 18th, 2008 from 9pm ’til midnight at Akbar, it’s CRAFTNIGHT!
Project: Raccoon Nature Experience
$2 Processing Fee Please

The raccoon (Procyon lotor), also known as the Northern Raccoon, Common Raccoon
or Washing Bear is a widespread, medium-sized, omnivorous mammal native to North America. Raccoons usually craft together in small, loose groups. Their original habitats are mixed or deciduous forests, but due to their adaptability, they are often found in urban areas, like bars, where they like to canoe, fish or toast marshmallows.
Raccoons will not harm bar staff or patrons. However, they will attack and fight if cornered. If the raccoon you choose to craft with appears to be aggressive and showing abnormal behavior, such as becoming completely unnerved at the sound of jingling pocket change, or trying to wash corn in your cosmopolitan, offer it some craft supplies. Raccoons are skilled foragers, so free craft supplies will go over well, they are intelligent and adaptable. Whether your raccoon is in a boat, hunting fish or sitting by the campfire, we’ll have supplies on hand to enable your raccoon to do even more enjoyable activities like curling, reading, watching 1970s British sitcoms about outer space, sculpting a tinfoil beanie, playing hockey, etc. And you will be able to adorn your fridge, file cabinet, metal bulletin board with your new raccoon by sticking a magnet to the back of your creation!

See you at the Craft Table,
JP Craft Captain
Crafthead.com
Akbarsilverlake.com

This Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 from 9pm- midnight at Akbar, it’s CRAFTNIGHT!
Project: 3-D Dad’s Day Cards
$2 processing fee, please

CraftNight Presents: BONANZA, The Lost Episode
Sons: Hey Dad! This is for you!
Pa Cartwright: Sons, I’m touched, wherever did this come from?

Hoss: Well Pa, we wanted to have introspection and gaze into the truth, so we took ourselves to Akbar, the best cowboy bar in Silverlake.
Little Joe: We met a lot of really friendly urban cowboys, and they turned us on to CraftNight.
Adam Cartwright: The Craft Captain had supplies for making Father’s Day Cards!
Hoss: Pa, we were having a good time drinking cosmopolitans, telling jokes and glossing it all over, when suddenly, all three of us got sentimental over how you’ve taught us everything you know, from raising three boys being a three-time widower, to wearing the same clothing in almost every episode to cut the costs of re-filming action shots.
Little Joe: I always like it when you wear the occasional green scarf though.

Pa Cartwright: Well boys, you are all three my dream come true, I’m very proud of you, and I love my really cool 3-D Father’s Day card, I’m getting choked up— BUT WAIT! What about folks who are without dads, or have some kind of situation that falls out of the traditional norms dictated by this national holiday?

Adam Cartwright: Well Dad, the Craft Captain thought of that, there were ALL KINDS of people making cards for whomever they wanted! You don’t have to be the premier western family on american television, or a cowboy, or wear ties, or anything like that if you want a card. Matter of fact, there was this really big and handsome feller in there, crafting away, making a card that said “Daddy” on it. He said it was for the head of his motorcycle troupe. Little Joe: Matter of fact, I’m going riding with them next week.
Hoss: Yeah, there were some ladies with frilly petticoats on, from Petticoat Junction? They were making cards for their brother who is a new dad, and their sister who is in a lesbian relationship who fills a lot of Dad-like roles will also get a dad card.
Little Joe: And this other group of townfolk were using the card template to make something for their boss who is apparently kind of Dad-like. The card template comes with a tie, and a pin that says “#1 Dad.” You can even make little cuffs with sparkly cuff links to go with all of it.
Hoss: I did!

Pa Carwright: So mostly, it’s kind of the dad idea thing, but not necessarily dads?
Sons: That’s right pa, but we do love you so, we are happy to be your spawn. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Cue theme music.

See you at the Craft Table TONIGHT!
JP Craft Captain
Crafthead.com
AkbarSilverlake.com

This Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 from 9pm – midnight it’s CRAFTNIGHT!
Project: Embossed Foil Camp Sign Craft Kit
$2 processing fee, please

We’re moving into summer time, you can see summer stars if you squint hard enough and ask the clouds to move over a bit. I figured that about this time, while making your summer camping plans, that you would want to make a cool metallic-embossed thing-a-ma-jigger to hang in your tent. This little kit has very concise and clear rules, perfect for breaking, just right for adding your very own individualistic touches to some seasonal and fashionable rustic ambiance. Heck, maybe you can display it in your summer home, or hang it in the airstream trailer before you head out cross country. I’m tellin’ ya, it’s a conversation starter!

And another thing: After CraftNight, I’ll get on the 1:25am train to up north, in order to ride the AIDS/LifeCycle Ride! Come on in and wish me luck, I’ll need it!

Thanks to everyone for your pledges, I’m workin’ on my thank you notes, lookout! And if you want to send a message of support while I’m pedaling down California, CLICK HERE and type something! I’ll check it at the end of every day, you have no idea how the power of sweet little notes helps a rider get up a hill, I’ll be riding and reading from June 1st-7th. I’m rider 6835.

Next week, Craft Lieutenant Lori Meeker will be guiding you through making tissue paper votive candle holders, a very colorful and engrossing activity. And the following week, I’ll be back at the helm, with really corny 3-D father’s day cards.

See you at the craft table!
JP Craft Captain
CraftHead.com

AkbarSilverlake.com

This Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 from 9pm ’til midnight, it’s CRAFTNIGHT!

Project: RULERS

$2 Processing fee, please

PS- Web pledges for AIDS/LifeCycle Ride aren’t due until May 28th! Send me a pledge for AIDS/LifeCycle and you can own a JP Original Drawing! Wooooo! 545 Miles in June! Wooooo!

Sometimes, whether you own a Fortune 500 company, a sovereign country, or a republic of genetically enhanced bloodthirsty alien life form fugitives from the 20th century, it’s time to reflect on leadership and how to bap the conference table with your fist like you mean it. This week we’re acknowledging not just people who were known as rulers, but real and fictional people who just kind of “took the bulls by the horns” so to speak. They didn’t read “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” or futz around with the Tony Robbins Success Kit… they just did things: POW!

For better or for worse, these personalities were unforgettable, and so will you be this week when you apply yourself not very seriously to the task of making your very own RULER. After you paint up this little beauty, you can puff out your chest, pontificate proudly with prowess and smack knuckles left and right to keep your subjects in check. You can also have fitful bouts of rage, insecurity and gluttony, send all the servants out for blackberries, then change your mind, throw the blackberries all over the place, and say you wanted cheese and call everyone infidels and heretics. It’s also helpful to put a few heads on stakes outside, in case anyone dares to complain about your behavior.

And just to be clear, there aren’t really any rules to making a ruler. As usual, we’re the same little klatch of crafting merrymaking that’s found here 52 times a year and then some. So come in and empower yourself with the ability to measure excellence for your organization, make a CRAFTNIGHT RULER!

See you at the Craft Table!

JP Craft Captain

www.crafthead.com

www.akbarsilverlake.com