We would like to thank all of the families that attended our Martin Luther King Day event. We had record attendance this year, and at our Franklin store we raised a lot of money for the School system through donating a portion of the proceeds from each doll. If anyone regrets having misssed it, don’t fret  we will do it again next year!

Do you think dolls are only for girls? In our studio we find that doll making is popular with boys, too. Here are 3 reasons why: 1. Making dolls is a tactile activity that helps develop fine motor skills. From drawing faces and other details that reflect personality, to creating costumes from fabric, felt, ribbons and buttons, children enjoy working with colors and textures in the process of creating a doll. 2. Dolls can be turned into any character – think pirates, ninjas, and monsters, for some typical ‘boy’ themes, although we’ve seen boys make cuddly baby dolls, too. Both boys and girls enjoy creating characters for imaginative play. 3. There’s always a bit of magic in creating dolls. By the time a doll is finished, it has become very personal - a reflection in some way of its creator. It’s a satisfying experience for everyone. Join US On MLK DAY, January 21st, 2007 we will be holding our annual Children of the World workshop.’s how it works:Choose a soft doll body (some have bear and bunny ears) and draw on it with special markers to create any character you’d like. Find a piece of fabric that appeals to you from our selection of prints that reflect the cultures of Asia, Africa, Indonesia, South America and more. Make a costume from our patterns for saris, ponchos, kimonos, dresses, and dashikis. In less than an hour, you’ll have created a doll you can play with for years to come – or give to a child who will treasure it. Learn more here

It’s that time of year again – for weird, spooky, creepy Halloween fun and joyful, silly Day of the Dead celebrations. New at ARTBEAT this year are beetle jewelry (made with real iridescent beetles – they’re quite beautiful!), Mexican skull mirrors and tiny papier mache skeletons, and temporary tattoos in dozens of designs, from snakes and spiders to henna flowers. You’ll also find face and hair paints and other costume helpers, including Pirate and Princess Brain Noodles. Read on for more ideas, including Halloween activities for the kids and Day of the Dead skull decorating for adults. We hope you have a fun and safe Halloween!

Halloween Crafts in the ArtbeatStudio
Visit the ARTBEAT STUDIO any weekday to decorate a marvelous mask, paint a gruesome skull, or sand paint a spider or haunted tree. And join us the next three Saturdays at 3:00 PM for Spooky workshops: Glow-in-the-Dark Skulls, Spooky Night Candles, and Make Your Own Monsters 

Flower Skull Decorating
(adults and teens) ARLINGTON Monday, October 22, 6 -8 PM FRANKLIN Wednesday, October 24, 6 PM – 8 PM 6 PM Day of the Dead was Mexican artist Frida Kahlo’s favorite celebration. This beloved holiday celebrates life with images of dancing skeletons and skulls decorated with flower and vine motifs. Join us in the Art Cafe to make life-size skulls adorned with funky floral French Decopatch papers that seem to melt right onto the bone.
NEW! NIGHTMARE SNATCHERS!!! Furry and fearless, friendly but ferocious, these handmade journals are perfect for writing down and drawing out all that scares, frightens or worries. You have only to recite the spell, record your woes, then mark your page with their long tail and your faithful friend the Nightmare Snatcher will eat all of your fears away! Whatever monster may haunt you, from the long-legged-beasties that go bump in the night, to the bullies in the broad light of day, the ancient pages of these loyal friends wait patiently to gobble them up and hold them fast. So, which Nightmare Snatcher will you choose? Available in our stores, or Purchase ONLINE

SILK COSTUMES Sarah’s Silks offers a line of pretend play and dress up outfits made from beautifully colored silks. From capes and wizard hats to butterfly wings and simple playsilks, Sarah’s Silks are a wonderful alternative to the polyester costumes that fill the stores this time of year. Sarah’s Silks are perfect for Halloween, and will last for imaginative play all year long. Available in our stores, or BUY ONLINE

WE’LL HELP YOU GLOW IN THE DARK ARTBEAT has the tools you need to make this Halloween a night to remember. Fabulous Phosphorescence: Glow-In-The-Dark Paper, Chalk, Paints, Light Sticks, and Sculpey clay. Creepy Stuff: Flies, Frogs, and Ants, ‘human’ skulls, and Jello brain molds. Haunted Couture: Wands, Tattoos, Henna Kits, Fabric Markers, Black and Orange Felt, and Day of the Dead Coloring Books. Not to mention everyone’s favorite, our cuddly Ugly Dolls. Perfectly horrible! Choosing the Right Face Paint Whether your skin is baby soft or as hard as nails, there’s a face paint that’s perfect for you. When you need a gentle face paint choose our Lyra Aquacolor Crayons. These easy-to-use, richly-pigmented crayons are water-soluble. You can wet them and draw directly on the skin, or pull color from them with a wet brush. They don’t itch,and they rinse off easily with just water. These same Aquacolor Crayons are a favorite art material that can be used throughout the year, making them a great value. For a stronger opaque paint, choose our tube or pan Face Paints (made by Lyra or Klutz). Apply them with a damp brush or sponge for a durable, vibrant color that will wash off with soap and water. The most durable face paints (our Klutz Body crayons – also made by Lyra) are cosmetic grade and are applied directly to the skin without water. They are oil-based and need to be removed with cold cream or another cosmetic remover. All have been tested for skin safety. You can create great body art even when you don’t feel artistic! Our safe henna kits and temporary tattoo books offer lots of skin decorating fun. Our Klutz face and body painting books help you color everything from full-faces to kneecaps. And it’s OK to keep it simple: sometimes a single design -like a star on a cheek – is all that’s needed to bring a costume together.