As someone who is admittedly not crafty, I envy those who make it seem so effortless, like Megan, owner of The Art and Craft Room in Chesapeake. Her brand new DIY studio is a crafter's dream. From the outside, you can see colorful handmade fountains bubbling, and once you enter, it feels like walking into a crafting magazine. With seemingly endless crafting possibilities, you can enjoy everything from painting to jewelry-making to sewing. Although it may mostly appeal to women, The Art and Craft Room is also a great place to make family memories with children as young as seven years old. My oldest three kids and I were invited to try out a crafting class called Family Ties, in which families can create matching (or not-so-matching) bracelets together, guided step by step through the whole process. Here is what we loved about it.
Crafting Made Easy
The owner and staff are amazing to work with, patient with kids, and able to make arts and crafts accessible to even the crafting-impaired (me!) The bracelets we made were based on a square knot, which I would never know how to do to save my life, but the kids and I were able to successfully follow the steps, with the helpful guidance of our teachers. I had once tried to teach myself how to knit and failed miserably, so I count this bracelet as a big win. Oh and the kids did great too!
Creativity Around Every Corner
The Art and Craft Room is such a cute space, inspiring, and colorful, and it stays true to the theme of "where creativity blooms." There is a handmade but lifelike tree on the wall in the back room, where parties and events take place. Each leaf is decorated by The Art and Craft Room visitors, so that you can "leave" something behind in the studio after you're done making memories. This is a fun way for both kids and adults to express themselves and watch the tree grow from one visit to the next.
Something For Everyone
I must admit, it took some persuasion to get my 10 and 12 year old sons to come along with me to a bracelet crafting class, but once we got there, they had a blast. They looked around the studio after finishing their bracelets and said they want to come back for a kids' sculpting or painting class. My 7 year old daughter had so much fun she didn't want to leave, and her eyes lit up when the owner mentioned there is a class for making bath bombs.
The Art and Craft Room is a wonderful place to not only make your own artwork, but also memories! Check it out, and you'll see what's so special about it.
