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Mellow Valentines LOVE-IN • February 14th, 2018

This Wednesday, February 14th, 2018 from 9pm to midnight (or later) it’s CRAFTNIGHT! 
****Project: Crafts of Love 

*******$4 PABST/TECATE • $5 Drink Special for Lovers and Dreamers!  
*********$3 suggested donation, thank you for supporting the arts!  
********* Lucky winners of my obscure trivia questions will win:
Tickets to YACHT ROCK REVUE at the El Rey Feb 17th!!! (Make no mistake, this is the FINEST tribute to soft rock in the city: It’s comedic, talented musicians, but it’s also an actual tribute situation that will make for a really wonderful evening.)

Crafts are gonna be Valentine-oriented, because I have cute choo-choos, spinny wheels, and love caterpillars and that’s not all! It’s been 73 years since Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday have collided, which seems as good a reason as any to celebrate both. Let’s do it all, hayyyyy. Here’s whassup!

Every month is Black History Month OKAY? OKAY! But we’ll be playing kickass 90s soul on the Akbar HI-FI because it sounds really damn good, and because it’s crucial to educate, empower and sustain the achievements by African Americans and the central role of blacks in U.S. history. And I wanna dance with you to “Buffalo Stance” by Neneh Cherry.

Is Valentines Day: Invented by card companies, dumb if you’re single, dumb if you’re coupled, dumb anyways, too expensive, tacky, tawdry, materialistic, signified by stupid chalky heart-shaped candy, cursed with a dippy red and pink color palette, full of unreal expectations? YES!!! YES ALL OF IT!!! WHO CARES!!! 

It’s so cool to poo on Valentine’s Day, I implore you to just DO A LOVE THING because who wins if you do it? We need more love, just you know… make some. Do something good without getting caught, some kind of secret agent kindness no one can know. Forgive someone who pissed you off. Spend $10 on coffee for you and and a friend. Get your ass out and volunteer. Give your time. Give compliments. Listen to a long-winded family member. Notice someone who doesn’t think they’re noticable. Lift something heavy for somebody. Open doors. Call someone far away. CLIMB OUT OF YOUR BELLY BUTTON AND OPEN YOUR HEART. 

It’s Also Ash Wednesday, which is a catholic thang, but one can still celebrate it in a nonsecular way. Many use it as a New Year’s Resolution reboot. It’s said that Jesus spent 40 days in the desert thinking about stuff, so between now and Easter, you’ve got YOUR personal opportunity to go into DEEP THOUGHT about your life JUST like Jesus, wow! Give something up: fatty snacks, criticism, sour patch kids, swearing, snapchat, smoking, religion, the news, etc.

And like WHY do that? Why suffer? Why have a difficulty when shit’s already difficult? The conscious decision by YOU to deprive YOURSELF of something that may or may not be good for you is a way of forcing yourself to contemplate WHY you like that thing/action, WHY you do it, WHAT it does for you and how that effects the world, even in the most piddly way. What kind of space are you taking up on this earth? This holiday is specifically designed to make you get past any bullshit and self-denial you’ve been harboring. Flip the record and look at the B track. Who are you and what are your priorities, anyway? Find out!

If 40 days is too much for you, there’s always Passover coming up in March, which is 8 days not 40, but no less contemplative and jarring in its own freaky way. If you’d rather shake hands with the devil, come see me at Bingo on February 18th (details below) and win glorious sinful prizes! Be bad! Gamble and support the arts!

See you at the Craft Table,

JP Craft Captain


WINTER SESSION 

FEB 18th – Bet Yer Bottom BINGO!!! Gambling, Winning, Singing, Drinking, Dabbing, Dotting, Laughing! Details HERE!

FEB 21st, FEB 28th – YES THERE WILL  BE CRAFTS YAHHHHHH!!!! We’re relentless and forever, we’re CraftNight. 

 

Posted by on February 13, 2018 in Collage Craft, Scrapping/Coloring Craft

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Valentines for Politicians • February 8th, 2017

This Wednesday, February 8th, 2017 from 9pm until midnight (or later) it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!
Project: Valentines for Politicians! 
$3 Donation Please 
$4 Drink specials! Akbar: The Spirit of Silverlake Style!  

Usually we have the “CraftNight Love-In” and believe me, there will be LOTS Of love, but it’s a little different this year. Come in and make a valentine for someone you love… but also, if you want to, I’ve made a series of valentines for our elected officials. Because while some of them are doing their best to give Lady Liberty black eye after black eye in the name of greed and avarice, some of our politicians are doing their best to keep Ms. Freedom in the ring.

I’ll have addresses/info and valentine sample scripts for:

1.) Elected officials who have made a public and principled stand against the current administration’s dangerous and hateful policies – let’s tell ’em thank you.

2.) Politicians who can be wishy washy and need some reminders from us of what’s at stake – they need to wake up and fight for us.

3.) Those in power who have been proven to be overtly racist, homophobic, misogynist, rapacious, eugenicist, contemptible people – they must be called out, they must be taken to task.

ALL of these valentines are cute as the dickens… they just have um… different words attached to them, as seen here in this example I’ve posted. Some of the valentines are mean, but… you know, making sweeping general unconstitutional bans that strand desperate people at airports for over 20 hours without food, and then maybe later down the line cause them to lose their lives… well, that’s not just mean, that’s absence of human decency.

So, in between writing checks, making all the phone calls, getting into local politics, and stockpiling green beans in the basement and preparing crops for your apocalypse garden… come in and make a valentine. It’s your first amendment right to say what you want to say, exercise that free speech muscle!

Because this is Craftivism. We’re fighting for America with glue sticks, paper scraps, and sparkles, come in and make your voice heard, I’ve got stamps.

See you at the Craft Table,

JP Craft Captain


Upcoming CraftNights:

Feb 15th – Snowflake Necklace – Are people calling you a sensitive snowflake? Let’s wear our winter jewelry, be snowflakes, and make an AVALANCHE to crush the alt-right menace!  

Feb 22nd – Winter Wishes Keepsake Box – Who loves the sun? Not us, it’s still winter! Keep small treasures in this gorgeous lil’ box!

March 1st – Snow Person Action Figure – Sliding down the mountainside on a S’more, no less!

CRAFTIVISM APRIL: Protest Poster Painting Party #2 where we prepare for the TAX DAY DEMONSTRATION.


MORE Things: 

FEBRUARY 8th: CRUISE at The Eagle – Just down the street from Akbar and CraftNight is another watering hole you’ll want to visit! There’ll be lip-syncing contest hosted by Tony Soto • Spankings and play from Backroom Mistresses, Bootblackers, DJ tunes, maybe take a friend a homemade political craftivism valentine made at CraftNight!  >>>Facebook Link

FEBRUARY 10th: QUEER PROM at the Sweat Spot! – We could all use a little more LOVE right about now given the current political climate and walking into an unknown future. Join us at Queer Prom to raise spirits, glasses & money for a local charity we will choose as a community. $15 Tickets
Tickets available at: http://queerpromla.brownpapertickets.com/

FEBRUARY 23rd: sSISTERSs: An Experimental Musical – A new punk musical about three sisters who may or may not be witches. Trapped in the drawing room of an old Victorian house, they take on famous triads in a psychedelic, stream-of-consciousness trip through time that explores shifting ideas of sisterhood. Who gets to be seen as a sister, and why? With a live band, haunting three-part harmonies, and throwbacks to the secret rituals of girlhood, sSISTERSs explores memory, family, mortality, queer feminist identity, and the struggles of being a woman artist.
Written and Directed by Gina YoungFacebook Link! 

 

Posted by on February 7, 2017 in Scrapping/Coloring Craft

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Annual CraftNight LOVE-IN • Feb 10th, 2016

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This Wednesday, Feb 10th, 2016 from 9pm until midnight (or later) at Akbar, it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!
Project: CRAFTNIGHT LOVE-IN VALENTINE-O-RAMA!!!! 
$3 Processing fee, please
$4 Drink Specials at Akbar: Life without passion is unforgivable. 

****PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE SHOWING ON THE AKBAR MEGATRON!!!****
• Valentine Scrap-Craft-O-Rama Craft Smorgasbord!
• RAFFLE (prize baskets o fun!)
• “Phantom of the Paradise” film on the Akbar Jumbotron!
• GUARANTEED Valentine from your Craft Captain!
• LIMITED EDITION magnet BADGE (while supplies last!)
• SNACKS! (Sweet and Savory) 

With all of the choices in the world, all of the people to meet, all of the emails to read and ignore, all of the things to do in the big city, the choice is usually to make no choice and take potshots at everything because daring to make something of your own will merely meet with scrutiny and everyone’s callous, spoiled, stagnated, bloviating naval-gazing critiques. Well no more of that, it’s time to kick fear in the teeth this week with LOVE!

I’m reaching out of this monitor, grabbing you by the MIND and asking you some some goddamn questions:

• WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS DRIVING YOU IN THE MOMENT?

• ON THE SMALLEST POSSIBLE LEVEL, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?

• DO YOU BELIEVE IN ENERGETIC RECIPROCITY?

• HOW DO YOU LOVE?

We’re building a world where you can ask these questions with glue, glitter, pens, paper, and valentines.

Visit us to receive your valentine bag, write your name on it, and put it on the ledge. Note the other bags on the ledge, and make valentines for those people you don’t know. Take a risk, have something to talk about in the locker room, make a thing, be a choice, love your humans, we’re all we’ve got.

Also, in case your heart is broken or you’re just feeling misanthropic, ignore everyone and find a dark corner, come and drink your feelings while watching Phantom of the Paradise! This film is director, Brian de Palma’s ONLY musical, and it stars the legendary Paul Williams in all of his flowy blonde-haired glory! Witness this cautionary tale of stolen and perverted artistry, lost love, and Faustian bargains!

See you at the Craft Table!

JP Craft Captain

COMING UP:    

ANNUAL CRAFTNIGHT LOVE-IN!!!!
Ohhhhh the LOVE-IN!!! • Featuring the RAFFLE SURPRISE BASKETS • “Phantom of the Paradise” on the Akbar Jumbotron • Snacks • Limited edition magnet badge • Guaranteed Valentine from your Craft Captain • Music • Romance • Bromance • Sisters • Sinners • Love and all of its complicated meanings and feelings

craftnight_lovein_2016

February 17th – Chinese New Year Neon Monkey Door Hangers
February 24th – Princess Ice Castles
March 4th – Adorable Finger Puppets

TUESDAY February 23rd BINGO: Tuesday 8pm to 10pm it’s Bet Yer Bottom Bingo the night of fast and loose chances in your favorite bar with knock-out prizes and big bottles of booze! Boys, Girls, Balls, and that winning feeling!

 

Posted by on February 8, 2016 in Collage Craft, Freeform Craft, Multi-Variety Craft

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CraftNight LOVE-IN!!! • February 11th, 2015

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This Wednesday, February 11th, 2015 from 9pm until midnight (or later) at Akbar, it’s The CRAFTNIGHT LOVE-IN!!!
Project: Valentine-O-Rama!!! 
$3 Processing fee, please
$4 Drink specials, for the love o’ cocktails! 

If you like Valentine’s Day, see you this Wednesday.
And if you hate Valentine’s Day, see you this Wednesday.

I’m serious.

You can blame retail, or the system, or cupid, or your ex, but blaming external factors is just another way to naval gaze one’s mind into wasting precious time and resources. If you’re going to be bitter, at least have the sense to be bitter in good company, with fabulous people, and a beverage in your hand.
In the words of Mama Cass “Make your own kind of music. Sing your own special song. Make your own kind of music, even if nobody else sings along.”
The world needs more love all the time and while romantic love is just fine, we also need stuff like friends giving each other cookies, dogs getting extra walks, Grandpas receiving flowers, we need stuff like compliments, hugs, encouragement and support.
Could you use stuff like that? Well we have some just for YOU!
Prepared for you this Wednesday:

• LOVE RAFFLE (Mad mad prize baskets)!
• “The Apple” film on the AKBAR JUMBOTRON!
• GUARANTEED Valentine from Craft Captain!
• SNACKS (sweet AND savory!)!
• Limited Edition magnet BADGE(while supplies last!)
• Delicious Cocktails!
• Fancy Music!
• Cute Friends!
• Hot Strangers!

Make horrible OR wonderful Valentines from the CraftNight vault’s special scrap collection! Paper, markers, glue and glitter GALORE!
I’m working my butt off making special scrap packets for each and every crafter. The ephemera I’ve gathered covers an inventive plethora of emotive card-making choices for today’s lovers, meta-modernists, pervs, and sardonic skeptics.
Your neighborhood needs love, your city needs love, your local gay bar needs LOVE!
If your heart is healing and you want to wallow, we shall wallow with you.
If you’re all about making something wonderful for a special someone, we can help with that.
If you just want to win awesome prizes and watch “The Apple” while having snacks, it’s ON. And on that note, if you’ve never seen “The Apple” I’m aghast. Everyone must see it. EVERYONE.
Here’s the FB invite, RSVP and tell me you’ll be there.

See you at the Craft Table,
JP Craft Captain

www.crafthead.com
www.akbarsilverlake.com

 

Posted by on February 9, 2015 in Scrapping/Coloring Craft

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Valentine Party LOVE-IN • February 12th, 2014

cnight_valparty

 

This Wednesday, February 12th, 2014 from 9pm to 1:30am at Akbar, it’s CRAFTNIGHT!!!
Project: Valentine Party LOVE IN!!! 
$2 Donation, por favor
$4 DRINK SPECIAL!!! >>> Show some sass, put a Lyla in your glass! 

TATER TOTS • CRAFTNIGHT ROBOT • TREATS • AKBAR JUMBOTRON • LOVE! 

CraftNight believes in embracing both the delight and dread that comes with Valentines Day, so if you want to give and receive cards that are racy, crazy, lovely, smarmy, tacky, fancy, etc. you will find EVERYTHING YOU NEED to make what you want, exploring every sentiment you have. This is a DELUXE CraftNight, consider unlocking this achievement, it’s not to be missed.

See you at the Craft Table,

JP

It’s now time for my yearly diatribe about Valentine’s Day, as I am a lifelong Romance Activist. Feel free to read or skip, there’s also a list of stuff happening in LA at the bottom.

Every year I get to hear about how much people hate valentine’s day and every year, I roll my eyes and fall on the floor BORED TO DEATH. Oh the excuses!
“I hate Valentines Day Because”

  • Never had a valentine
  • Just a Corporate scheme
  • New relationship, don’t want valentines day to “mean” something
  • Price of Roses  = Highway robbery
  • Too much pink
  • Valentines Day is every day, traditions are dumb

blah blah BLAHHHHHHH!!!! 

If you’re going to hate Valentine’s Day, consider avoidance of hating it in the cliché way (drinking with single friends by self, doing nothing at all, eating ALL the chocolate and crying by yourself, proudly criticizing all the tackiness and shoddy merchandise on the shelves) If you’re gonna hate, hate WELL, and hate inventively.

  1. In protest of Valentines Day, take a vow of silence, and do not talk to or interact with your partner (or anyone else!) for 24 hours.
  2. Get wasted, call every ex you’ve ever had and make fart sounds into their answering machines, OR live, should they pick up.
  3. Purchase heart-shaped piñata, fill with packets of JELL-O pudding, invite friends to smash.
  4. Drive to LA’s most romantic make-out vistas (Griffith Park Observatory, Mulholland Drive, Beachwood Canyon Overlook, etc.) blast Peter Cetera really loudly, and throw those chalky valentine candies at people trying to kiss.
  5. Wear only a thong and give unwanted hugs at an advanced film premiere of “Winter’s Tale” 

“Valentines Day should be every day” who are we kidding, it’s not, it’s just not. It’s not sustainable, because laundry, life chores, etc. and you kind of have to get back to everyday maintenance, valentine or no valentine. But there is always room for practicing bits of generosity when you can find the time, so if you’re not totally anti-Valentine’s Day, this holiday is still useful for taking the time to plant new and surprising varietals of kindness:

  1. SELF – I know I know, Calgon take me away but c’mon! Treat yourself to a 3 Terrabyte hard drive, buy the fancy bougie artisan salt you’ll never let yourself have, start that weird project you’ve got in your back pocket, buy the shoes, visit the salon, try some “tough love” and do the difficult things you don’t like doing but are essentially good for you (taxes, health insurance, budgeting, other paperwork).
  2. FRIENDS/FAM – Call the old friend who is gonna love hearing your voice, send Grandma a hand-written letter, recognize the sacrifice and love it took your caretaker or parent to give when you were a junior-high brat, babysit for some parents who could use a night out, mop the floor even if it’s not your turn, remind your mentor/role model how they inspire you, surprise your neighbor with a rhyming card and a package of energy-saving lightbulbs.
  3. FOR KIDS – OMG The Lego Movie even if you hate stuff like that take your friends kids who are hyperventilating every time they see the poster, show your nieces and nephews how to properly roll down a grassy hill, instill lasagna making skills in every 8 year old you meet, make ’em a valentine’s day scavenger hunt.
  4. PETS – Take dog to water feature or off-leash park/trail, give cat most obnoxiously-priced cat from pet store, give turtle organic greens and let ’em walk around on fresh grass, put opening-closing treasure chest that blurts bubbles into fish tank, take parrot on exciting excursion, whatever makes ’em happy!
  5. ABSTRACT – Visit someone’s marker at the cemetery (or however you wanna remember them), Donate time or money to a charity who gives love and help to those in need, make or deliver some meals, do some meditation on love and send some outward with your mind. Send love to the invisible, the forgotten, the lonely, the darkest and most desperate, sad and angry parts of yourself,  the stuff we try to keep ourselves from seeing.

Consider letting February 14th be your “excuse” to make love an impetus for change. 

Okay, thanks for reading, now onward to the goings ons!

CITY LOVE! 

It’s Los Angeles Zine Week! All over the place you can find events, readings, workshops and exhibitors galore!

FEB 12th: Pantsuit Power Hour – Head to the Must after CraftNight to hand out your business-style valentines, maybe you’ll get a Valentine Business promotion or bonus!

FEB 13th: Los Angeles Artwalk! Free, fun, and celebrating art every month!

FEB 15th: Planet Queer’s LOVE ROCKET From Ian MacKinnon and Travis Wood is a fabulous night of performance, art, music, community and MORE (at Akbar!)

My favorite chocolate shop in LA is Teuscher in BH, every bit worth taking my Echo Park butt across LaBrea, how about you? Of course, the Chocolate Indulgence Tour might be an interesting way to find more cocoa in your cocopuffs.

Be a Virtual Valentine Volunteer right now from where you’re sitting (Volunteer Match!)

One last thing (emphasis 2:34):

 

Posted by on February 11, 2014 in Uncategorized

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