We started the Twelve Days of Giving Crafts on 12/12 to boost the holiday spirit. I have been collecting leftover class materials from the year and packaging them as Take and Make project kits for patrons to share or enjoy at home. The Christmas Bells rang in this idea and became a popular feature at our welcome station in the Southeast Steuben County Library. Keep your eyes peeled for this special treat basket on your next visit inside the building. Take one kit to use or pass it along as a gift. Be sure to tag us @ssclibrary on social media and mention #CreationStation ❤

Beeswax Fabric Wraps have become very popular way to swap out plastic wrap and stay environmentally conscious. This was an in-demand class before the pandemic hit, and one of our last in-person classes hosted inside the building. The surplus of supplies are now packaged sweetly for your enjoyment. There are tons of lovely tutorials to follow. My favorite is from Crafty Patti and I based all of the instructions and ratios using this tutorial. The wraps you create are reusable for many months, and can be refreshed with more beeswax, pine resin, and jojoba oil when necessary.

Another package of Take and Make kits I just released are Air-Dry Clay Star sets. I 3D printed star cookie cutters, rolled out the clay to a thin layer, cut out the stars in various sizes, then poked a hole in a point of each star so it can be hung. After allowing the clay to get leathery, I pressed lace onto the surface for a patterned texture.

After allowing these stars to dry completely on a flat surface for several days, they can be painted or sealed. I recommend acrylic paint with very little water. Perhaps my clay was not dry enough, but in experimenting with surface patterning, the clay started to mix with the pigment. I decided that abquick application of paint with low water content and minimal touching of the surface gives best results. If the weather were warmer, I would have taken a quick cover approach with spray paint.

I’ll work with these stars for awhile longer until I reach a finish that suits my style. I am aiming for a shiny, yet antiqued appearance. These stars will be strung and hung on a sturdy branch as rustic decor. I was inspired by this cute craft from Think Make Share, but wanted to experiment with a medium other than paper. The results will be revealed next week.

First Tuesdays from 6:30-8pm will be your new favorite time in the new year. Join our modern take on a crafting club where we create the latest trend and learn to make all the things. Snacks to nosh and adult bevies are optional! Sling your hot glue guns and wield your crochet hooks, it’s going to be a fun venture. Supply suggestions will be provided. Participants will collect materials at the library.

The stockings are hung by our chimney with care. If you want to make a stocking like the ones above, follow this link for a detailed tutorial. For our friends interested in sewing, I have a new addition coming to the 2021 library’s activities calendar. Sew Wednesdays will be every SWOM (Second Wednesday of the Month). These sewing tutorials will premiere on the library YouTube channel at 7pm. Grab your notebooks and a bowl of popcorn as we walk you through the process. Stitch up a sweet project each month following along with a tutorial from the Creation Station. Remember, the library has sewing machines you can borrow to use at home! Mark your calendars for January 13 where we will make Travel Pincushions.

More new programs will be popping up soon, but don’t be shy! If you have a suggestion for a class or request a specific Take and Make, drop a comment or email. We look forward to hearing from our followers.

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!