Maui No Ka Oi!

Hi All! Just a reminder that our Kahului Ben Franklin Crafts is having their Annual Spring Craft Fair this coming Sunday, May 3 from 9am - 2pm on the first floor of the parking structure in Queen Ka'ahumanu Shopping Center.

Last Fall, I was supposed to be at the craft fair but the week before, of all things, I caught chicken pox! And I got it from taking the vaccine to prevent getting it! How you figgah? Anyways, I'm happy to say that I'll be there on Sunday, so please stop by and visit all the crafters who make such awesome stuff! Then, come by the Ben Franklin booth  to do a make and take!

Thanks for stopping by today and hope to see you Sunday!

Mixed Media Weekend is here!

Mixed Media weekend started early for our employees. We had a product training session yesterday and there was so much creativeness flowing!

 We had some great project using Bella Boulevard's Star Student Collection. A really fun piece using a great wood surface.

We got to play with the Big Shot Plus and the new Ink Sheets, So, many things you can do with these!

Bo Bunny showed us their new sticky stencils and glitter paste! Love that bling!

We got to play with the amazing Minc foiling machine. It's so cool, the possibilities are endless!

We also got to make some jewelry with Wyatt from Beadalon. He is so fun and a really great teacher.

We even got to craft with a celebrity, the super cool Kelly Purkey!
So, don't forget, you can have fun like us by joining us for the free make and takes and signing up for one of the available classes. Check out the schedule here

Have an awesome weekend at Ben Franklin Crafts!

If You're a Crafter, Clear Your Weekend Calendar!

I hope you saved Friday and Saturday for crafting! Just in case you didn't see today's Star Advertiser, here's the schedule for our Free* Make it and Love It craft projects on Oahu (* Free while supplies last) Plus, Beadalon will have the same Make It & Love Its in Hilo on Monday, April 27 and in Kahului on Tuesday, April 28, both days from 9:30 - 11:30 am!

Don't forget we also have some awesome classes that you can sign up for with some really cool projects!

Friday night is Kelly Purkey's Good Stuff Mini Book from 6 - 7:30 pm or

Beadalon's Glamour Bracelet, also from 6 - 7:30pm

Saturday is Sizzix's Deena Ziegler's On the Cutting Edge class

from 5 - 7 pm

 

And on Sunday we have Bo Bunny's Garden Journal Card Box and cards class from 9 - 11am or your last chance at Beadalon's Glamour Bracelet from 12 - 1:30 pm

All of the classes will be held at Mapunapuna Ben Franklin Crafts.

Thanks for stopping buy today and hope you can make it to our exciting Mixed Media craft weekend!

Don't Miss Out!

There's still time to sign up for our classes during the Mixed Media 2015 event this weekend! Here's the line up:

Friday night,  4/24 Beadalon's Glamour Bracelet with Wyatt White from 6 - 7:30 pm at the Mapunapuna Bead Shoppe. The class is just $25 and you are going to leave with a beautiful bracelet and tools worth over $60! (Wyatt's Sunday class is sold out, waiting list only.)

Also, on Friday night is Kelly Purkey's Good Stuff Mini Book! Kelly will be using good stuff from her new Clearly Kelly line for this awesome project. Class is from 6 - 7:30 pm inside the Joy of Crafting Studio next to Mapunapuna BFC, class is $40.

Sign up for Saturday night's the Cutting Edge with Deena Ziegler! For $25, you'll make some awesome projects and learn all about the new great stuff Sizzix has come out with. The class is from 5 -7 pm at the JOC studio next to Mapunapuna BFC.

Then, wrap up the weekend with  Bo Bunny's beautiful Garden Journal collection project. For $25, you'll make four gorgeous cards and a beautifully decorated box to put them in. This class is from 9 - 11 am at the JOC studio next to Mapunapuna BFC.

All class sign ups are at Mapunapuna Ben Franklin Crafts. I'm taking some, hope to see you  in class!

Time for our Second April show!

We have some fun projects for you on the second April Joy of Crafting show!

Julie from Enchanted Lake BFC is back with a great idea for Mother's Day. An easy beaded bracelet.

Next , we have a new face to the show with Amber Harrison from Market City BFC.

Amber shows two different techniques that she uses on a glass Ivy Bowl centerpiece. We'll learn about glass etching and also using stencils with Alcohol Inks!

Then, Colleen is back with an easy crochet lei. It looks really great when you use the ombre yarns like Colleen did!

Thanks for stopping by today and hope you'll have a great week!

Oh, my Gee! Time to SHINE!

So excited that the Heidi Swapp Marquee Love letter kits have finally arrived at our stores! I know we're going to have a lot of FUN with these!

 

What's great is that each kit comes with a template for cutting out background paper for the inside of the letter/symbol. I really loved using the adhesive backed glitter paper to decorate the inside of my letter. Plus, the glitter sheet is such a good deal because it's huge, I think it's 12" x 24"! Or, you can just paint it, glitter it, whatever your heart desires!

And, each letter/symbol has it's own instruction sheet for adding the lights! It's really easy to put it all together, Keep Calm and Shine on!

Geee, what will I spell out?

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you share what you make with these awesome letters, too!

HM High, We Love it, too!

It was really great to see HM High Stickers chosen as one of the 5 things the Star Advertiser Loves about Graduation.

Since their debut last year, HM High stickers have been a hit!

 Hawaii peeps have been using them for so many different projects, like graduation, of course. It's so easy to make a lei by attaching a pack of HM High stickers to a lanyard. Alumni like them for their class reunions, too. Hawaii people always love a good party and we have lots of school pride.

photo courtesy of Osaki Creative

Hilo High really loved their logo design. So much, that they used it for the school's new gym floor!

So, when you're thinking of what to do this graduation, stop by and check these stickers out!

Thanks, for stopping by today and hope your week is going great!

Seahorsies and starfishies..

She's stamping seahorsies and starfishies by the seaside, try and say that five times really fast! Okay, maybe you should just come and make one of the necklaces!

This is my Make and Love project for Enchanted Lake Ben Franklin's Selfies by the Seaside craft event, this Saturday, April 18 from 10 am to 2pm. Actually, it's not, it'll have a bead dangle added on, too.

Lots of seaside theme crafts to do, so come and join the fun! Hope to see you there!

Last but not least! Mixed Media class

We have one more class offered during our Mixed Media weekend.

We're really excited that Kelly Purkey will be teaching a mini book class featuring her new product line collaboration with Hero Arts, Clearly Kelly!

 

The mini book class is called Good Stuff!

Here's a sneak peek of a page, looks like a lot of fun stuff!

The class will be held on Friday, April 24 from 6pm - 7:30 pm at the Mapunapaun Ben Franklin Crafts ( Joy of Crating Studio)

Come and join us for this fun class!  Sign ups at the Mapunapuna store.

And don't forget to save Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25 to join all of our vendors with fun make/takes. See you there!

On the Cutting Edge!

Yes, Sizzix designer Deena Ziegler will be teaching an exciting class and sharing many of the new Sizzix products with you at our Mixed Media event! Her class is on Saturday, April 25 from 5pm - 7pm at the Joy of Crafting Studio next to Mapunapuna Ben Franklin Crafts. Again, this class is only $25 but you're going to play with so much stuff!

In this fast paced class, you'll have a chance to try out all of the new Sizzix accessories and create three stunning Beach/Sea themed cards. Sizzix's new Ink Sheets, extended Magnetic Platform, Precision Cutting Pad all add ease and new possibilities for cutting and designing with their Thinlits dies. Be the first to create with Sizzix' brand new Fold-a-long Cards and the exciting new technology of Drop In Card Dies.

Hurry sign up today, there's limited seating for this class! I think it sounds like a super fun class, I think I might sign up for this one, too!

Another Mixed Media Classes-

Today, I'll tell you about the class offered by Bo Bunny! The class will be held on Sunday, April 26 from 9am - 11am inside the Joy of Crafting Studio, next to Mapunapuna Ben Franklin Crafts. This class is only $25 and you will have an amazing amount of supplies to use. Sign up at the Mapunapuna Ben Franklin Crafts.

In this class, you will complete a beautifully decorated card box and four personalized cards using BoBunny's new Garden Journal collection! You'll be able to add your own unique touch with their new Glitter Pastes and Pearlescents.

"It's the thought that counts, but the presentation makes a big difference!" This project makes a great gift for someone dear or a keepsake treasure for yourself! I think it would be an awesome Mother's day gift, don't you?

Tomorrow, I'll share a little more about another class offered by one of your favorite companies!
Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you can join us at our Mixed Media event!

 

Mixed Media 2015!

So super excited, our Mixed Media event is back and we have some fun crafting planned for you! The event starts Friday, April 24  with some make and takes from a number of vendors. They will be rotating amongst the four Oahu stores. The make/takes will continue on Saturday, April 25, too. (Beadalon will be doing make/takes in Kahului and Hilo the following week)

The fun part is there'll be some classes that you can sign up for, too! All classes will be held at Mapunapuna BFC.

On Friday night, you can make a Glamour Bracelet with Wyatt White from Beadalon or a "Good Stuff" mini  book with Kelly Purkey!

On Saturday, after the make/takes, Sizzix will be holding a class with their designer Deena Zielgar!

And on our last day of Mixed Media 2015, you can make a beautifully decorated box plus four matching cards with Bo Bunny! You'll also have another chance to hone your jewelry making skills with Wyatt as he offers the Glamour bracelet in the afternoon.

I'll showcase each class project this week starting with Wyatt's Glamour Bracelet today.

You will learn wire wrapping techniques from Wyatt White, a 33-year Jewelry Professional and the inventor of the patent-pending, award-winning 3D Bracelet Jig.

 

In the class, you will learn how to make a bangle bracelet using 1/10 silver filled wire and adorn it with 14 crystal beads. You will learn the proper use of a bent chain nose pliers, flush cutters and other tools. You will finish the bracelet in class and will receive an instruction manual that you can use for personal and professional use in the future. While the class is open to all levels of jewelry making experience, it is only open to adults.

The class fee is only $25 and each student will receive a 3D Bracelet jig, 18 gauge 1/10 silver filled round wire, 24 gauge Artistic Wire- silver plated round wire, 14 crystal beads and an Artistic Wire Straightener tool. The value of the products you will receive is over $60!

Class size is limited, so sign up today!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope to see you at Mixed Media 2015!

April Showers Brings May Flowers!

You know that old saying...well here's my twist. April brings Showers of craft ideas with a new Joy of Crafting episode. They may not be flowers but the lei are close!

Our first guest crafter is new to the show but if you've been over to Enchanted Lake, then you already know Julie Bolos!

Julie shows us how to take mason jars and create them into a fun Grad Cap centerpiece!

Then, one of our favorite lei makers, Gloria Arias from Pearl City, gets us ready for graduation and other celebrations with an overview on four types of 3-straw lei!

From Mapunapuna, we have Colleen Mossman, who shows us how to make a cute grad cap favor out of cardstock. These would go great with Julie's jars!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you get a chance to catch the show! Happy Crafting!