Michaels Offers New Classes, Free Events for National Craft Month

    IRVING, TX, February 23, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Creativity will be in the air throughout the month of March as Michaels, North America's largest arts and crafts specialty retailer, celebrates National Craft Month with new classes and a large slate of free and low-cost craft events for kids and adults.

The celebration begins on Wednesday, March 2, when Michaels marks the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss with a bookmark-making event. Kids ages three and up can make colorful, themed bookmarks for free from 10 a.m. to noon at all U.S. and Canada Michaels stores. Other workshops include a DIY wedding invitation demo on March 5, a fine arts make-it take-it on March 6 and a bead event on March 20. A complete schedule is available at the Michaels website and Facebook page.

"National Craft Month is a great time to find inspiration, try a new product or learn a new skill for free," said Michaels' Chief Marketing Officer Paula Puleo. "Our March events will give families a fun way to spend time together, and cover a wide range of projects, from kids' crafts to jewelry making to scrapbooking. There will be something new for everyone in the family."

During National Craft Month, Michaels adds jewelry making and knit/crochet to its roster of classes, which also includes fine art, scrapbooking and cake decorating. Artists can sign up to learn the hottest techniques in jewelry making, knit/crochet their own fashion items, complete an acrylic painting in just one class, or try a scrapbook series that teaches the latest scrapbooking techniques over a four-week course. Local stores can provide times and dates.

National Craft Month was first celebrated in March of 1994 and is currently sponsored by the Craft and Hobby Association. The month serves as a reminder of the joys and benefits of crafting and to encourage people to try crafting or a new skill for the first time.

In addition to the classes and events, Michaels provides inspiration through hundreds of project sheets through its website, with hundreds of crafting project sheets and DIY webisodes with Michaels Creative Expert Jo Pearson, as well as handy crafting tips on its Facebook page and Twitter feed.

About Michaels
Irving, Texas-based Michaels Stores, Inc. is North America's largest specialty retailer of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall decor, and seasonal merchandise for the hobbyist and do-it-yourself home decorator. The company currently owns and operates more than 1,045 Michaels stores in 49 states and Canada, and over 140 Aaron Brothers stores, and produces ten exclusive private brands including Recollections, Studio Decor, Bead Landing, Creatology, Ashland, Celebrate It, Art Minds, Artist's Loft, Craft Smart and Loops & Threads. For more information visit www.Michaels.com

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