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A Totally Serious Cultural Investigation Into Sand, Citrus, and Suspicious Levels of Cheerfulness If you’ve never experienced a “Bright & Beachy Workshop” hosted under the banner of the Citrus County Chronicle Events, allow me to paint the scene. Imagine Florida sunshine that feels aggressively optimistic. Imagine craft tables arranged with the confidence of someone who owns at least three hot glue guns. Imagine pastel everything. Then imagine a room full of adults voluntarily choosing to glue seashells to wood plaques while sipping lemonade and discussing font choices. Welcome to paradise. Or at least, the laminated flyer version of paradise. This is the Bright & Beachy Workshop—a gathering that dares to ask the bold question: What if coastal decor… but make it participatory? And honestly? I’m here for it. First, Let’s Talk About Citrus County Energy 4 Before we dive into the glitter (biodegradable, of course), we must acknowledge the setting: Citrus County , the charming Gulf...

How a 40-Year-Old Arts & Crafts Chain Ended Up in Chapter 11 While Everyone Was Busy Making Vision Boards There was a time when walking into an art supply store felt like entering a secular cathedral. The smell of paper. The faint chemical tang of acrylic paint. The unsettling realization that charcoal pencils are both very expensive and somehow still dusty. These places were not built for speed. They were built for wandering . For touching things you absolutely did not need. For convincing yourself that buying a $38 sketchbook would finally unlock your creative destiny—only to later use it as a coaster. And yet here we are, watching Artist & Craftsman Supply , a 40-year-old arts and crafts chain founded in 1985, file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while the internet calmly suggests you buy 72 acrylic paint tubes for $19.99 and have them delivered before dinner. This is not just a bankruptcy story. This is a story about how creativity became content, how patience ...

Ah, the holiday season in central Wisconsin. The air is crisp, the roads are slick, and your bank account is one “Hallmark moment” away from a nervous breakdown. But fear not, Stevens Point. Between now and Christmas, your local artisans, bakers, and candle-pouring magicians have planned a blizzard of markets that promise handmade gifts , warm beverages , and—let’s be honest— mild existential dread wrapped in glitter . So grab your thermal socks and emotional support coffee mug, because we’re going on a snark-filled sleigh ride through every arts and craft fair between Amherst and Plover. You’ll emerge broke, over-caffeinated, and covered in glitter—but hey, that’s the true spirit of Christmas. 🧶 November 15: Fall Makers Market at Krogwold Farm — Where Rustic Meets Risky You’ll find this cozy event tucked inside a barn at 10379 County Road V in Amherst. “Wander the barn,” they say—because nothing screams holiday cheer like trying to look festive while dodging a suspiciously territ...

By Someone Who Has Smelled Enough Hot Glue to Know Better Every year, like clockwork, the end of September rolls into New Hope, Pennsylvania, and with it comes a glitter-dusted tidal wave of oil paintings, ceramic mugs, and more artisan jewelry than you can shake a sterling-silver bracelet at. Yes, dear reader, it’s time once again for the New Hope Arts & Crafts Festival , a two-day showcase of creativity, community spirit, and the faint but persistent aroma of funnel cake grease wafting across the Delaware. This year marks the festival’s 31st anniversary —three decades of turning a high school parking lot into a temporary art mecca, and perhaps an eternal question: How much macramé is too much macramé? (Spoiler: the limit does not exist.) A Little History: From Small Gathering to Glitter Juggernaut The Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce first launched this festival back when “Jurassic Park” was still in theaters and the internet was something you accessed via a phone cord. ...

Ah, Camp Arts & Crafts – Session 8, where dreams are made, fingers are glued together, and someone inevitably cries over spilled paint water. Set against the stunningly suburban backdrop of North Creek Community Center in Montgomery Village, this August 4-8 extravaganza promises everything your child needs to unlock their inner Picasso… or at least their inner kid-who-likes-gluing-googly-eyes-on-rocks. For the bargain price of $285 for residents (because apparently just living there makes you special) or $310 for non-residents (because, you know, outsiders ), your child can experience a weeklong journey into glitter-fueled madness. Summerween: Because Why Should Halloween Have All the Fun? This year’s theme is Summerween , which sounds like the lovechild of a pumpkin and a beach ball. It’s August, it’s hot, and the last thing you want to think about is your neighbor prematurely putting out a plastic skeleton – but at Camp Arts & Crafts, they’re leaning all the way in. Imagin...

Break out your glue sticks and champagne flutes, crafters—there’s a corporate merger in the glitter aisle! In a move that has all the excitement of a Jo-Ann Fabrics clearance sale but with more press releases and fewer felt pumpkins, Golden Peak Media has officially acquired Creativebug, and the arts-and-crafts community is about to experience the most high-thread-count synergy this side of Pinterest. That’s right. Golden Peak Media—the folks who already produce more DIY content than a retired schoolteacher with a blog and a Cricut—have added Creativebug to their crafty kingdom. According to the press release (a literary genre known for its unbridled enthusiasm and complete lack of sarcasm), this merger will inspire even more glue-gun-wielding aficionados “throughout their entire creative journey.” Translation: get ready for more subscription models, more cheerful how-to videos, and possibly more unsolicited emails reminding you to “craft your best life.” Let’s break down what this m...

Ah, springtime in Middletown. The sun shines, the birds sing, and a suspicious number of grown adults prepare to sell you whimsical "Live Laugh Love" signs crafted out of reclaimed barn wood. Yes, friends, it’s that magical time of year when the Middletown Arts Center throws its annual Spring Arts & Crafts Festival — an event so lovingly homespun that even your grandmother’s basement feels edgy in comparison. Mark your calendars: May 10, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., you too can wander through a labyrinth of Etsy-in-real-life booths, clutching a melting ice cream cone while pretending to contemplate the deep spiritual significance of a hand-poured soy candle that smells like "Beachwood Mist and Regret." Best part? Admission is free! Because honestly, charging you to peruse beaded jewelry inspired by an acid trip someone had in 1978 would just be rude. Let’s Break It Down, Shall We? The Vendors: Dozens — yes, dozens! — of vendors will hawk their wa...