May 03, 2011
Craft Shop offers wide variety of summer activities
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Sometimes it seems school is barely out for the summer before the kids are complaining they’re bored because there’s nothing to do.
The Student Center Craft Shop at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is offering a big new lineup of summer workshops and activities sure to chase away boredom for children and adults.
You can learn how to make your own worm farm, create a website, edit photographs, make silver and glass jewelry, knit, sew, or even fashion pottery or stained glass.
The Craft Shop is sponsoring a wide variety of summer sessions for youngsters, many geared specifically for ages 7-12. Children can enjoy drawing, painting, woodworking, knitting, sewing (ages 12 and older), and creating at the pottery wheel.
The popular Kids’ Art Summer School returns as well with two weeklong sessions, June 20-24 and July 11-15. Each afternoon during the school, youngsters ages 7-12 can check out some of the shop’s favorite activities including sculpting, making pottery, woodworking, printing, creating with duct tape and making jewelry and wax hands and even take a field trip to the University Museum.
The Arts Story Lunch is also a set of two weeklong events. Open to kids of all ages, sessions are June 20-24 and July 11-15. Children can enjoy lunch from various Student Center eateries while hearing stories of art and art creators.
Adults and older teens will find an assortment of summer craft options, too. You can learn to repair bicycles, develop a Google webpage, do Japanese brush painting, mat pictures, edit photos do woodworking, paint with acrylics, and make stained glass, ceramics, silver and glass jewelry, fused glass jewelry and ceramics.
All ages are welcome to try their hand at slip casting and creating a worm farm. Stop by any Friday evening, June 17 to July 29 between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. for Happy Hour at the Craft Shop. Everyone is welcome to enjoy assorted activities including card making and getting henna tattoos. You can also make pottery with clay, going for just $1 per pound.
Walk-in Family Night is set for 5-8:30 p.m. on June 30. Bring the whole crew and enjoy crafting together. Prices vary depending upon the activity but start at $2.
The Craft Shop also offers private lessons for piano, voice, guitar, beginning violin, beginning mandolin, mat cutting, ceramics, drawing, painting, bike repair, silk screening, sewing, knitting and much more with prices ranging from $12 to $15 for a half-hour lesson. Various services including picture framing, laminating, parties and group activities are also available at the Craft Shop.
The public as well as the SIUC community is welcome to enjoy the assorted workshops and activities at the SIUC Craft Shop, located in the lower level of the Student Center.
You can find the complete Craft Shop summer schedule as well as details about the times, dates and costs of the workshops and activities online at www.siucstudentcenter.org/craft-shop. You can also call 618/453-3636, email craftshp@siu.edu or visit the shop’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1637196301 for additional information.