Tag Archives: Family Friendly

Edmonton Things To Do: 4Cats Arts Studio Clay Party (Summerside Location)

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The entrance to 4Cats Arts Studio Summerside.

This is a quick shout out to 4Cats Arts Studio in Edmonton’s Summerside area. Run by Michelle, this is one of the few locations that is still independent of head office. Although it probably caters mostly to camps for children and kids events, workshops can be booked for adults, too. They offer painting (acrylic or splatter), pouring, and clay parties (and sometimes clay wheel classes) for the older lot.

My bachelorette clay party!

Since I’ve never been much of a bar goer, for my bachelorette, my bridesmaids planned an afternoon at 4Cats Arts Studio where we were to create sloth mugs/planters molded out of clay. Eight of us attended at a cost of $25 per person. The large group table was laid out with settings for each of us. Once we’d all taken our seats, Michelle led us through the process from start to finish while her assistant handed out extra supplies.

Stations laid out with supplies for our project.
Ready to mold my block of clay.

The project was one that anyone could do. We didn’t have to master the use of a clay wheel. All we needed was clay, templates, a rolling pin, water, a brush, a pointed tool, our hands, and some paint.

Tips:

  1. Roll out the clay by putting your body weight on the middle of the rolling pin and not by using the handles. It’s a lot easier. Make sure the clay stays about half a centimeter thick, and don’t manipulate it with your hands too much, otherwise it’ll dry out and crack.
  2. To join pieces, use the scratch and slip method. Take the pointed tool and scratch X marks on both of the pieces at the points where they need to come together. Apply a little bit of water to each side and they should stick. Use your fingers to gently meld the pieces by “erasing” the joints. For hard to reach spots, take a bit of water and a brush to close up the crevices.
  3. If you want an interesting texture, roll the clay out over the canvas and use the canvas side as the outer part of the cup. You can keep a more rustic feel by leaving the clay unpainted, so it stays rough and textured as opposed to smooth and glossy when it’s coated with paint.
  4. The grey colour of the clay will actually turn to an off-white colour after it’s burned in the kiln. If you like the white, you don’t have to paint it to cover it up.
I opted to keep texture from the canvas on the outside of my cup.
I left everything unpainted except the nose and the eyes.

While we had selected the sloth pattern for our workshop, Michelle was nice enough to show us a number of other possibilities. Most of my friends still stuck with the sloth (every single one looked unique), but a couple of them ventured out and made a bunny or a dog instead. Because of the nature of clay and the fact that our cups still had to be fired in the kiln, we weren’t able to take our creations home right away; I’m definitely looking forward to seeing all of the finished products when they’re ready though.

My friend Michelle was so quick and hers was so perfect!
Ashley made a bunny since it’s her favourite animal.
Lisa made a dog like her puppy Melvin. Alexis’ sloth was super cute, too.
Lilla made an adorable girl sloth.
Kirsta decided to give her sloth a tan coat.
Amanda’s made her sloth a bit bigger.

Ultimately, it was a really relaxing activity for about two hours. Admittedly, each person was kind of in their own world at times, yet the ambiance is perfect to gather a larger group for a catch up while crafting. We were warned that the clay could get messy. But, with the provided aprons, we all managed to keep our clothes clean. Our hands were the only things that got a bit dirty (don’t wear your jewelry while manipulating the clay); however, a quick rinse with water was enough to remove any residue.

Gathering inspiration from the others and just concentrating on our pieces.
Fully invested in our own pieces.

I’m not sure if 4Cats Arts Studio is still pre-scheduling many adult workshops into their calendar. Nevertheless, if you’re interested in setting something up for an event or just a fun meetup for your friends and family, it’s an excellent and creative option. Michelle is a wonderful host who provides great instruction and keeps things spirited throughout.

Edmonton Things To Do: Design A Sign by Paint Nite

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The products of our Design A Sign night.

A few years ago, Paint Nite infiltrated Edmonton’s night life. Taking over bars across the city almost every day, it was a great way to dip one’s toes into the creative realm while hanging out with a friend or two. Combine that with drinks or food, and it was a pretty perfect evening, if I do say so myself.

I was obsessed with Paint Nite, wanting to sign up for one after another. In fact, I enjoyed the practice so much that I ended up purchasing my own portable easel, canvases, brushes, and acrylics so that I could work on art outside of those occasions, too.

Even owning all of the materials needed to do the same thing in the comfort of my home, I still attend them every so often. Simply put, it’s a fun time. As the Paint Nite brand has expanded, so have their event offerings.

I have previously tried Plant Nite (terrarium building) twice. While I always leave hopeful that my miniature gardens will survive, sadly, I’ve come to the realization that I’m probably not meant to be a plant mom. I just do not have a green thumb at this point in my life and I can’t continue to spend the money on something that will ultimately die.

Alas, the makers of Paint Nite introduced Design A Sign locally sometime last fall. It’s not exactly game changing or anything. There are already a few other businesses that run similar types of parties, but they tend to charge between $70 to $100 per person. Paint Nite is $65 plus tax each, including the $20 material charge. They also regularly offer discounts through their website, so it’s easy to participate for less than that. If you can’t find a discount directly from them, purchase a Paint Nite Groupon. Although they state that they’re for Paint or Plant Nite, I’ve tested it and the voucher is applicable towards the total cost of Design A Sign when redeeming.

Kirk and I went to a Design A Sign night with another friend in December. It took place at Sixty 6 Bar N’ Grill inside Londonderry Mall. It seems like all of their upcoming events are happening at the same location (hopefully they’ll expand to other area around Edmonton as this is quite out of the way for us).

Waiting to get started with our stencils and wood.

We arrived early to get some food before things officially launched. The host saw us and asked if we were there for Design A Sign. When we said yes, she allowed us to pick out our pieces of wood and to save spots at one of the prepared tables. I guess for this particular event, the place where they had purchased the wood had made a mistake with sawing the pieces as some were a tad shorter than they should have been, but we got to choose first, so it wasn’t an issue for us. The cuts we selected were technically stained, too, so they already had a nice tint to them.

Once we settled in for Design A Sign, we each had to join our two slabs of wood together using flat metal braces, screws, and an electric screwdriver on the backside. We also received tiny screws and a little hanger to attach. When that was done, we flipped our now larger boards over to work on the front.

My cup of silver stain.
Waiting for my stained wood to dry.

We were instructed to select a colour of paint from the many options available. I filled a small 1.5″ diameter cup with a few millimeters of acrylic and then I topped off the cup with water. Stirred together, it created a wash that I applied with cloths to the wood. The makeshift stain worked quite well, especially when using darker colours. I chose a silver paint that was much more subtle, leaving a nice shimmery sheen visible when the light hits the wood just right.

Removing the bubbles from the stencil.
Peeling away the top layer to reveal the stencil underneath.

When the base dried, I then took my stencil (selected in advance when purchasing my ticket online; there are dozens of different signs to choose from) and peeled the paper backing from them. It left an adhesive that allowed the stencil to stick to the wood. Any card I could find was then used to push out the air bubbles. TIP: Upon pulling the paper backing from the stencil, try to keep the full stencil together. Don’t allow the cutouts to come up with it. By ensuring that it’s in one piece, it’ll make things much easier later.

 

With the stencil now attached to the wood, I could then peel off the cutouts to reveal the design. Do a thorough once over to make sure that all of the parts that should be taken away are gone. Since I had chosen a saying, it took me a while to get mine ready. The text was the most difficult part to work with because I had to make sure the center of letters like an ‘a’ or an ‘o’ didn’t go missing. Finally, with the necessary areas of wood completely exposed, I began to paint.

Metallic gold and silver stars are highlights of my sign.
The final colour scheme of my sign.

The paints were awesome as they dried quite quickly, blended well, and were great for layering. We also had a number of different paint applicators at our disposal (the white makeup sponges were the best). I used an ombre technique, so the colours of the font faded from one shade to another. I went for touches of metallic throughout as well.

Once the paint dried, I removed the majority of the stencil.
Then, I carefully took away any parts of the stencil that remained.

When I felt satisfied with my work, I waited a bit longer for the paint to truly dry (our host also had a fan set up for people to use, if they were impatient about the drying process). Then, I went for it. I lifted a corner of the adhered stencil and peeled. TIP: Be careful when you do this though. I didn’t realize I was pulling it off going with the grain of the wood, and the stencil ended up lifting up slivers of wood with it, meaning there are spots of my sign with lines and no stain. It’s not super noticeable, but I know those flaws are there. As soon as I figured that out, I switched to peeling from an opposite corner and I was much more successful. No more wood came off.

From start to finish the whole activity took about three hours. The three of us had an excellent time and I was itching to register for another Design A Sign event right away. It’s a chance for anyone to express their inner artist without the pressure. I find these nights to be really relaxing and just enough out of the ordinary to make it feel like something special.

Edmonton Things To Do & Event Review: Christmas Glow

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Lit up displays are found throughout the Christmas Light Gardens

If you follow any other popular Edmonton bloggers on social media, it’s likely that you’ve already heard of this. But, Christmas Glow is new this year, and it’s touted as the largest indoor festival of its kind around the city. I was fed a paid post on Instagram back in at the end of September. Since they were offering a discount (approximately 35 per cent off) as an early bird deal, I decided to grab a couple of tickets for me and Kirk to attend on my birthday. At $35.88 for both of us, I thought it might be worth the visit.

Santa’s Reindeers

Flash forward two months later, and it was finally here. We drove all the way to the Enjoy Centre in St. Albert on a Thursday night, hoping we’d make it for our timed entry (we chose the 6pm to 7pm slot). When we turned on to Riel Drive, everything slowed to a crawl. The venue does have a decent amount of parking, but cars were also lined up and down each side of the street. Thankfully, we managed to find something along the road. Thus, we walked a couple of blocks to get to the building. Although, once in the vicinity of the parking lot, we did notice a handful of spots, so patience may reward you.

Upon entering the building, we turned to our right towards the Moonflower Room. That’s where Hole’s typically holds a lot of large events. Plus, in the summertime, it’s where they run their garden market. All in, there is 60,000 square feet of space available, and Christmas Glow used every bit of it, including the greenhouse that is usually blocked off from the public whenever I’ve been there.

This is in the Christmas Light Gardens. Look at the reflection in the glass ceiling!

As we approached the door, I noticed that there was absolutely no one waiting to get inside. Three or four staff were standing about just looking for something to do. One of them eagerly waved us over, and, without even looking at the date or time on our ticket, she scanned them and told us to have fun. The minute we stepped through the threshold, I was overwhelmed. The place was insanely packed with people. They had fit in a few food stands to the left of us, so there were multiple lines snaking around. In the very middle of the main area was a grouping of tables where patrons could enjoy live entertainment on stage. Every single seat was occupied. To the right was a gift shop that seemed to belong to the Enjoy Centre. All the way at the very back of the room was the Glow-camotive, a small train that circles around it’s allotted zone.

I loved the interactive hanging lights.
It’s so beautiful with the lights reflecting above as well.
The area even had a backdrop wall for photos.

We attempted to zoom past all of that without tripping over anyone, and entered the Christmas Light Gardens. Cordoned into different areas, there, you’ll find a licensed bar, interactive hanging lights (this was quite magical, especially with the reflection in the glass ceiling), Santa, glowing swings, mistletoe, light up hopscotch, a horse-drawn carriage, Disney-themed princesses, a musical light tunnel, and numerous other displays. Totaling over a million LED lights, it’s quite impressive. I certainly appreciated the work that went into it. Kirk and I got some pretty great photo ops in there. However, it was also over crowded. They say that they’ve sold tickets using time slots to help control that issue, but once people are in, they can stay as long as they want, and it seemed to me it was getting busier and busier as the night progressed.

Look for the mistletoe in the Christmas Light Gardens. Nice spot for a kiss!
I quite enjoyed the personality of each penguin in this display.

Many of the children were super excited (I understand; I was a kid once, too), and that’s okay. Yet, I was practically mowed over by a few who weren’t watching where they were going, so needless to say this wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. With everything mentioned above, as well as a Magic Castle Playground and an area to write letters to Santa, Christmas Glow is definitely geared heavily towards families and kids. That’s not to say that it’s an absolute no go for childless adults (to the organizers, please consider adding adult nights in the future!). It’s just probably best for those with a lot more patience than I possess. I was only able to handle this for about an hour and then I had to go. I simply want to be honest about my personal feelings towards the whole thing. I’m glad that I went and had the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out to be my favourite event.

We rarely have photos together.

It wasn’t a total loss though, I did find something in the pop-up Christmas Market that was anchored by The Makers Keep. Kirk bought me the cutest print, titled “High Flyer,” of a narwhal flying with the help of a bunch of balloons from art and stationary company, Paper Canoe. That was a lovely birthday present.

Me with my new print from Paper Canoe!

If my thoughts on Christmas Glow haven’t deterred you from going, you can still buy tickets through their website. It’s running until January 19. They are closed every Sunday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. The rest of the time, they’re open from 4pm to 10pm Monday to Friday, and they start an hour earlier at 3pm on Saturdays. From December 10 to 12, they continue to offer discounted tickets at 25 per cent off available with promo code EDMONTON25. Dates that remain after will be regularly priced ($22.99 per adult; $16.99 for seniors, and children 4-12; free under 3 years of age; $69.99 for a family with 2 adults and up to 3 kids/seniors). You’ll also save a couple of bucks by ordering online versus purchasing at the gate. Happy holidays!

Edmonton Things To Do: 4Cats Arts Studio

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Me with my finished piece.

Recently, my friend and I wanted to get together to do something crafty. But, we didn’t know what. A number of events we’d found — everything from cross stitching to terrarium building — were just a bit too pricey. So, I did some digging. Eventually, I came across 4Cats Arts Studios.

The company, founded in Victoria, British Columbia, has been around since 2005. Within six years, they had franchised out their name and business structure to locations across Canada, the United States, and Australia. In the Edmonton area, there are now three studios. One is in St. Albert, the second is in the north of the city, and the third sits in the southeastern neighbourhood of Summerside (this is the one we went to).

They hold a variety of workshops for kids and adults where patrons can paint canvases, decorate mugs or bowls, create clay planters, or mould figurines. Prices are $25 per participant, but they offer two spots for $35 when registering together. Currently, it looks like a variety of sessions are available through to the end of June. Then, in the summer months of July to August, 4Cats will strictly be running summer camps.

The front of the studio/shop.
Big tables for kids to work on their projects.
Brushes galore!
Bottles of tempera paint can be purchased.
Clay figurine kits are one of their specialties.

The two of us ended up enrolling in a painting workshop called ‘I Dream In Gold.’ It took place on a Friday evening at 6:30pm. We bused it there from Century Park, which was quite convenient as transport stops right on the block of the storefront. Arriving a little early, we used the time to snap photos of the studio space. It’s bright and colourful, likely drawing the attention of the kids who come in for classes. There were rolled and stretched canvases tucked everywhere, too, probably awaiting pick up. 4Cats even has a number of branded products for sale, including tempera paints (regular and glitter), gold foil sheets, note books, figurine kits, etc.

Check out this fun room!

As the start time drew closer, we were taken to the back room. The three open walls (artfully splattered in paint) had been stapled with about a dozen square-shaped black canvas sheets. There were no chairs. This was standing only. If one isn’t too keen on putting their personal belongings out of sight in the adjoining area, I suggest wearing pants with pockets to hold phones and cards/cash (keep it light) as there isn’t really space to keep things nearby. Tucking items underneath the benches may be possible, but I didn’t try that. I decided to turn my jacket inside out and wrap it around my purse, letting those items sit on the bench below my canvas. It kind of worked for me. Still, there’s a chance of getting stuff dirty that way, so make a judgement call.

Other participants working on their pieces. They all turned out so differently!

Similar to Paint Nite, there is a host/instructor who will take everyone through the process of completing the piece step-by-step. She worked through faster and, when needed, she asked the participants to pause as she showed the next stage. This allowed us to go at our own pace while still seeing what was ahead. They actually had a number of  paint jars opened with a bunch of different colours available for use. Also, rather than brushes at 4Cats, for this workshop, we mostly used sponges to apply the colours. As a result, our hands were a total mess afterwards. To clean up, they had a washing station that consisted of a bucket of soapy water and a communal hand towel. I opted to use the sink in their washroom instead.

Our tray of glue and brushes to start with the foil.
The foil applied to my piece.
A close-up of the metallic gold.
My hands covered in paint and foil.

Once we were satisfied with our paint application, we grabbed some brushes, glue, and gold foil to decorate our canvases. I only used one metallic sheet, but several people opted to add more. The foil itself is super delicate, tending to break apart very easily as it’s manipulated. If there’s anything sticky on one’s hands, the gold will also stay there rather than adhering to the canvas. I do love how it brings dimension to the art though, and I’d be happy to try this medium again.

I think the whole workshop took a total of an hour and a half from beginning to end. Since the paints dry quickly, the art can be taken home on the same night. However, the canvas won’t be mounted or framed. Having it stretched on a wooden frame costs an additional $25 when the service is purchased the day of or $35 should one choose to return later. Leaving it behind for stretching means another trip back when it’s ready (my friend was told it could be about two to three weeks). I, on the other hand, chose to carry my canvas as is. I’ll figure out what to do with it on my own.

Considering the cost per person, 4Cats Arts Studio is quite affordable for a creative night out with friends or with the kiddos, especially if extra services aren’t required of 4Cats after the fact. It’s not really going to break the bank compared to many other crafty options in Edmonton, and it’ll get the artistic juices flowing all the same.

Edmonton Things To Do: Plant Nite

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Plants arranged in my sloped bowl.

Almost three years ago, I attended my very first Paint Nite with one of my best friends. What’s Paint Nite? Well, this company out of the States recruits artists/entrepreneurs in numerous cities to lead group painting sessions at local bars and restaurants. The premise is that attendees can grab a drink, order a bit of food, and then have a fun, uninhibited evening where creativity flows. After a couple of hours, everyone usually walks away, art in hand, feeling accomplished at their skills. I love(d) these events so much. I’ve probably been to at least a dozen and a half Paint Nites, eventually buying myself an easel, paints, canvases, and brushes to work at home, too.

Then, early last year, ads for something called Plant Nite started popping up on my social media feeds. Succulents and terrariums are all the rage right now, and it seemed that the creators of Paint Nite were cashing in on the trend with new workshops. At the time, there weren’t any sessions happening in Edmonton, but there are now!

Groupon started selling vouchers for Plant Nite either late 2017 or at the beginning of 2018. I was eager to buy a coupon, so I could go. Yet, when I first checked out the available listings on the website, most of the events had already sold out and additional dates were uploaded at a snail’s pace. Eventually, more workshops were opened up and I was able to register using a Groupon deal (regularly $29; watch out for promo codes to receive extra discounts of up to 25 per cent off).

It’s important to note that, when signing up with a voucher, the base cost of the session ($45) is discounted from the total price. What remains to be paid at the end of the transaction is the materials fee and tax. It typically works out to about $17 on top of what was paid for the coupon. Also, watch out for ones marked as “Special” or “Fundraiser” as vouchers cannot be redeemed towards those.

The Almanac’s back room was the perfect venue for Plant Nite.

Like Paint Nite, Plant Nite events take place all over the city and surrounding areas, so choose a location that works best. A friend and I attended one at The Almanac on Whyte Avenue. It was an ideal spot as their whole back room was set up just for us. Tables fit about four to six people with supplies laid out for easy access. While the hosts could have zipped through the process, getting us in and out within an hour from start to finish, they took it step by step.

Drainage rock and soil are the base of the planter.

We found ourselves on a two hour journey, receiving an education on how to properly layer our planters: use a base that allows for drainage, top it with about an inch to an inch and a half of soil for water and root retention, carefully break off the old soil from the plants — sourced from an Alberta grower — to nest them into the fresh soil, and then decorate.

A trays of succulents were given to each table as they worked on their terrariums.

Each person was given three succulents for their terrarium: String of Pearls, Baby Jade, and Echeveria. I love these dessert plants as they’re hearty. But, I have to say that, after about a month taking care of my bowl at home, I’m slightly concerned about my String of Pearls. As cute as the little vines are, one strand is dying. I think the low baring roots are having a hard time grasping the soil without me covering up much of the plant completely in the dirt and sand.

A tray of decorations to be used at the end of the workshop.
Brushes and paints are provided to decorate river rocks.

The last part, decorating, was enjoyable as we got to visit a separate station where we were able to paint river rocks. They also provided a variety of coloured moss, rocks, sand, and figurines, so we could craft our bowls into something uniquely ours. Every single planter looked different. I opted to top mine with bright orange sand, a modernly painted rock, bunches of moss, and a little owl.

My friend’s adorable creation.

Before we left, we were given instructions on how to keep our terrarium healthy. Night one requires two squirts of water around the base of each plant. The next evening, each plant should get a tablespoon of water at the base. A week later, take it up a notch with an ounce of water per plant (I actually found it was a little much). Then, walk away for three to four weeks, checking periodically to ensure that the soil shows a soft soak (only the top half should be wet).

Cardboard boxes that had housed our empty glass bowls were handed out at the end of the night, providing a practical and stable way of carrying our creations home. Had anyone been questioning the materials fee before, I don’t think they would have again after seeing the amount of work that goes into Plant Nite. There are tons of supplies that the host and their assistant need to cart around, unpack, and carry out. It’s a bit ridiculous at how much they have to consider, but they really did an awesome job.

My finished terrarium with all that orange sand.

If I could change anything, I would have thought twice about covering the whole top of my bowl with sand. Although it gives it a pretty sheen, it tends to shift more easily. With a sloped glass bowl, water also runs right down over the sand before it sinks below causing water to pool on one side rather than soaking in evenly. To help avoid that issue, I usually hold the bowl in one hand so that the opening is flat and I do my best to water around the base of the plants, allowing the liquid to soak before I place it back on the table.

Time will tell whether or not I will be able to sustain this piece of living art. I’ll definitely do my best to keep it perky. In the meantime, my next Plant Nite workshop is scheduled for mid-June at Fargo’s.

There are actually a number of great events running through June. Surprisingly, tickets aren’t disappearing as quickly anymore, so it’s easier to partake now. I suggest grabbing a friend, family member, or a whole group. Along with beverages, snacks, trivia, prizes, and music, it’s an excellent way to bond, get a little dirty, and to flex one’s green thumbs (or lack of).