I smiled at the number of email I received yesterday reading, “Why doesn’t my Target/community/country have Frida Card Day? No fair!” Guess what? It easily could.
Follow these easy steps and you too can have an organized crafting community, no matter where you are:
1. Find a space. Maybe your church, local library, YMCA, local bookstore or Rotary Club has a place where you can meet.
2. Figure out what you want to create. Frida cards? You can find a slew of her stamps here. And here. This is a great paper resource. Visit your library for art books to have on hand for ideas. (You may also want to consider asking your local Target or Wal-Mart for funding. They have gobs of community dollars and are often looking for ways to spend them. If you have a multicultural art project you are presenting to the community — score!)
3. Send out an evite and let your friends know when and where to show up. (Or better yet, use your fancy new stamps to lure them to the event and send a simple postcard invitation.) Ask them to bring friends, paper and envelopes to share and their creativity. Post a notice at your office, church, bagel shop, gym, favorite craft store, bookstore.
4. Bake something sweet to share. Show up early. Set up your stuff and wait. If you organize it, they will come. And if you organize it, I want to hear all about it. You want Frida? Make it happen!
One of my resolutions this year is to create my community. Tomorrow night, I’m hosting my first “community” dinner. I’ve invited a bunch of friends, left it open for their friends to attend too and sent out a menu. I’ll have plenty of food and I expect plenty of great conversation in return. And then, we’re going bowling. I hope to do these sorts of meals once a week as a way to get to know my neighbors, mingle with new folk and spend time with the people I love.
~K