September 26, 2007 -- By Becky Moore

If you’ve ever walked the isles of a mega craft store, you’ll know the strange excitement that comes from the rows of rickrack and bins of buttons and beads. When it’s hard to limit what goes in your basket (and on the craft list), why not turn your attention to the places in town that set it all up (and clean up!) for you? From art studios — many of them new — to museums and colleges, this list should get the family off the couch and away from the TV, and maybe even inspire an extreme glue gun competition at home.

Collage
What: One part art house, one part retail, Collage is a massive collection of all things crafty, the pretty papers and acrylic paints an inspiration for adult and kiddie craft hour, alike. The relative newcomer just celebrated three years with a big party and announcement of another three (at least) to come.
Sign-up: Kids classes ($7 per child) include drawing workshops, Saturday morning art classes and an after-school program for girls ages 8 and up. Adult classes ($30 - $90) include beeswax collage, embroidery, woodblock printing and seasonal crafts.
Bonus: On class day, students save 15% on all purchases made.         

Paperdoll
What: A quaint new shop stocked with art tools, templates, brads and eyelets, Paperdoll is also filled with unexpected treasures, like an adorable rubber stamp collection that could inspire an ink hobby out of anyone.
Sign-up: The eight-month-old gem offers a plethora of unique classes like decorating mirrors with collage and making greeting cards (and matching envelopes) out of wrapping paper.
Bonus: Print out and complete the online word search, featuring PAPERdoll Company products, to receive 10% off your purchase.

The 100th Monkey Studio
What: A spanking new studio tucked into the deep Southeast nook of Sellwood, the 100th Monkey Studio is an artist’s dream, set up like Santa’s workshop, with access to bright and shiny materials that are yours to use.
Sign-up: On schedule are sporadic children’s classes, weekly after-school open studios ($10 - $15) for youngsters aged five to 18 and art therapy support groups for children with Type I Diabetes. Soon-to-be moms can celebrate their soon-to-be-babies by making a belly cast (in their own private space) to paint and decorate in the studio ($120).
Bonus: Someone else’s leftover buttons, ribbons, fabric, yarn, etc. may be your craft treasure at the Craft Materials Swap on October 7, 12:00 - 4:00pm.

Mimosa Studios
What: A paint-your-own-pots ceramic studio located in the Alberta Arts District, they invite all ages into the painting field with the motto: “If you can hold a brush, you can paint.” Studio owner Austin Raglione named the studio after the majestic mimosa tree that shaded her childhood craft space from the hot Texas sun.
Sign-up: Choose from a large selection of ceramic plates, mugs, bowls and more (more than 200 choices, ranging $5 - $50) and paint away, using the in-studio idea books or your own sparkling creativity. Bring Junior in to make a gift for grammie, perhaps a hand or foot imprint on a ceramic tile, and then let him decorate it in bright colors, dots and stars. Days later, pick up the piece, which they glaze and fire in studio on their time, not yours.
Bonus: Bring in the whole troop for a super crafty birthday party bash.

Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC)
What: A place where youngsters can release creativity in the spirit of independent press, the IPRC attracts kids who are interested in comics, zines and publishing with an immense zine library, several computers, printing capabilities and plenty of inspiration.
Sign-up: Take the kids to the Zine Canteen on Sundays at the IPRC, a free event with snacks and refreshments, where kids can work on comics and art projects using an endless supply of paper, rubber stamps, screen printing and more. 
Bonus: On Oct. 9, check out the Make Your Own Comic Strip class, where anyone over the age of 10 can put their drawing talent and sense of humor to the test.

Portland Children’s Museum
What: A place that celebrates imagination, the Portland Children’s Museum has more than exhibits and theatre. Weave through the Baby’s Garden and KidCity Market to The Garage, a recycling art studio, and the Clay Studio to paint, sculpt and design.
Sign-up: The Clay Studio welcomes sculptors of all ages, even 2 to 4-year-olds at Clay & Play ($2.50 per child), every day except Monday, while the Garage is stocked with organized bins of recycled materials, a hot glue gun and a drill (supervised, of course) on weekends 1:00 - 4:00pm.
Bonus: Paint pre-made ceramic pieces or your own masterpiece weekends 2:00 - 4:00pm, which will be fired and ready for pickup the next week  

Oregon College of Art & Craft (OCAC)
What: Through OCAC, Art Adventures has weekend children’s classes, teen classes and family workshops designed to bring families together through art.
Sign-up: Kids aged 6 - 10 learn ceramics, drawing and painting, while younger ones get familiar with the different mediums in Art Start and Art Soup. Older kids (8 - 12) learn about book making, including creative writing, print making and binding, and summer teen workshops introduce students to jewelry, photography, fashion design, ceramics, painting and more. Upcoming family workshops (all ages, $15) include Halloween Mask-Arade (Oct 21, 1:30 - 3:30pm), where parents and kids can create unique masks, Ornament! (Nov 18, 1:30 - 3:30pm), a chance to create family memories with handmade holiday ornaments, and Wrapping Frenzy (Dec 9, 1:30 - 3:30pm),  using printmaking techniques to create personal wrapping paper.
Bonus: In the spirit of Halloween, take a trip to the OCAC on Oct. 21 for a bit of family fun time with the Halloween Mask-Arada, where kids and parents work side-by-side to decorate scary masks in faux fur, feathers and fangs, among other materials.
           
Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA)
What: Continuing (or blossoming) Education youth programs at the college include options for those aged 4 to 18 years.
Sign-up: Saturday art classes, like Drawing & Sculpture and Costume Figure Painting, are offered for those aged 4 - 18 during the Spring and Fall. Summer workshops are held in one to two-week long sessions, and include crafts like mask making, clay and glass sculpture and welding for those 14 - 18 years old.
Bonus: Each semester, scholarships are awarded to students in the youth programs based on artistic talent, economic need and/or promise.

A wide variety of arts & crafts classes are also available through Portland Parks & Recreation.

 

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DIY Supplies

After stocking up on paint, paper, glitter and glue, find a room in the house to construct your own little workshop, a place where finished crafts are hung on the wall and creativity doesn’t get snubbed. The “Fiber Arts District,” a collective of six craft stores on and around SW 11th Ave, is a great one-stop shopping destination — visit Fabric in the City, Button Emporium & Ribbonry, Josephine’s Dry Goods, Knit Purl, Let It Bead and The Playful Needle.

The best craft stations are filled with inspiration, so dress up the space by making paper lanterns and mosaic tiles, and keep project ideas rolling with this list of crafty websites for kids:

Kiddley: How-tos, activities, arts and crafts, like making tutus and quick collage, plus games, food, books, music and outdoors quick tips for parents.

Idea Box: An early childhood resource, with things to make and do, written out in recipe form.

D.I.Y. Kids: Design projects for kids such as book binding and making sushi decorated cloth napkins for a sashimi party; now also a book available for sale on the site.

Kids Craft Weekly: Each week features a different theme — this week has been babies, with projects like a newborn mobile, a fun shaker and a baby book, and next week features trains.

Cool Kids’ Crafts: Crafts, word games and recipes, they have “everything except scissors,” including a cool kids craft club and craft kits ($24) that will give you a two-month supply of necessary materials for the projects on schedule for that period.

Gastrokid: Bring the little gastro-gnomes to the table to learn craft through cooking. Besides recipes, the website includes fun food poetry and info to help them understand additives or appreciate parsley (good luck with that one).