craft corner

Provided by House of Mercy House of Mercy is hosting a free beginner level distressing furniture class on Friday June 17 from 5:30-6:30 p. m. The instructor, Eddie Hacker of HTG Estate Liquidators, is providing the refinishing supplies free of charge for patrons to create their own masterpieces. Participants must bring their own furniture piece. The size of the piece is important due …

Provided by House of Mercy House of Mercy is hosting a free Wreath Assembly class using silk flowers on Friday April 15 from 5:30-6:30 p. m. The instructor, Iaenz Pospolita, is providing all of the supplies free of charge for patrons to create their own masterpieces. Pospolita is a master artisan of wreath making. Although this class will feature Christmas wreaths, …

Provided by Prince William County Public Library System January 1 – January 31, 2016 Want to see your artwork in books all over the greater Prince William area? Enter our bookmark contest, sticking to the theme “Life Jumps off the Page @ Your Library.” PWL  Visit web for full description and click here for a printable entry form (also available …

Story and Photos by Amanda Causey Baity My children are terribly picky, so to make them all happy, there are times that I bake separate dishes for them during the holidays. Mini-pies are a perfect way to get children of all ages actively involved with holiday baking and helps them independently create their own desserts. Using Mason jars in your baking efforts add a little …

Story and Photos by Amanda Causey Baity Halloween is a great time to treat your family and friends to homemade goodies and just have fun. Bring all these elements together for a Halloween party that’s as fun for the kids to enjoy as it is for you to put together. I am an avid crafter which makes party planning fun for me. …

Photos and Story by Amanda Causey Baity These days it seems like everything has a chalkboard on it. It’s hard to not get sucked into the fad, which can give you unlimited space for ever-changing creativity just by painting a wall in the house or the front of your fridge with chalkboard paint. This versatile product can let you turn just about anything …

Photos and Story by Amanda Causey Baity If you’ve been inside a nursery recently, or spent any time on Pinterest, you’ve probably seen some version of a miniature garden. Mini gardens are a whole cottage industry now, with classes and clubs and a cult-like following. Fairy gardens are closely related, and are simply miniature gardens “tended” by small replicas of mythical fairy creatures. These gardens …

by Amanda Causey Baity Although National Kite Month took place in April, as long as the wind is blowing and the sun is shining it’s always a great day to fly a kite. Every time I think about loading up the kids for this activity, I immediately think of “Mary Poppins,” one of my all-time favorite movies. The iconic “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” musical …

Story by Kristina Schnack Kotlus Photos by Amanda Causey Baity Winter can get real boring, real quick. It’s gray, it’s cold, it’s miserable. Kids are just hoping for a snow day, and parents are just hoping for the forecast to be wrong so they won’t have to call the backup sitter list. Even Olaf the Snowman is dreaming about Miami Beach. This time of …

By Amanda Causey Baity Family game night is an excellent opportunity to put down the cell phones, turn off the computer and video games, and gather everyone together. Parents and children are able to spend some much-needed downtime reconnecting and creating memories. Making a habit of game night also keeps the lines of communication open, especially as children grow older. Whether you are just starting …