Art ala Carte

Thank you for the overwhelming amount of support and love about the Sharing Spree deal. Here is our official decision, made due to the amount of customers/people who have expressed that they would rather get a refund from them then lose us in the community. If anyone has an issue or concern with this please feel free to call, email or message us. Thank you for your understanding and interest in helping us thru this.

To the 32 members who have already redeemed their certificate and received cards, please continue to use your memberships as normal.

To the 60+ that have not turned yours in yet. Please call your credit card companies and banks to dispute the charges.  It is a well known scam and all of the customers have been able to get their money refunded. Art ala Carte will honor your spree by selling you a membership at the $39 price. Or you can use it as a $39 coupon towards a birthday party or family membership.  We talked to a professional bank representative and found out it is a FEDERAL LAW that the banks must return the money, because goods and services were not received.

Businesses that have been affected by sharing spree have put out numerous financial costs to keep up with the demands of the spree holders. In our case supplies, the additional staff and business hours.

Many of you have asked how you can help. Though prideful, I wont turn down an opportunity to keep this space around for the kiddos.
-Supply drive: we are in need of things you have around the house- Army men, game pieces, polly pockets, paints, paint brushes, baby food jars, coffee tins, shoe boxes, happy meal toys, small blocks, construction paper, plastic utensils, cds/dvds, floppy disks, records, large egg cartons, dowels, frames and vases.

Please show support to the other businesses affected by this: Curtis-E Carpet Cleaning, Lake Oswego & Happy Valley Adventure Bootcamp and Saunte wellness center (the young girl sara is offering a $20 manicure to help her recover her costs lost in this ordeal).

♥ Aria, Qianjin, Keilani and Keno.

AAC is a one of a kind creating experience.  This concept is unique and we are the only art studio with an “all you can make” art bar (crafted from salad bars)  With out visiting the space it is hard to visualize what we are all about.  The amazingly talented Shelby Brakken Photography beautifully illustrates our space, mission and concept.

Thank you Shelby for so wonderfully capturing the concept of our studio.  <3

Valentines Day is tomorrow and really had me thinking of all of the people/community members I love.  I would not be growing in this space with out them.   I wanted to give each and everyone LOVE and appreciation.  It is super important to me to always tell the people you love and respect just how much they mean to you.  What better day than the mushy-gushy Valentines day If I forgot anyone…my sincerest apologies.

 

My beautiful family: My mini manager/7 year old daughter Keilani is the inspiration for every move I make and every breath I take in life.  She is the main reason behind AAC and I love her to the moon and back.  My soon to be husband and step son are the most wonderful men on planet earth and I am lucky to be have a partnership with them that supports my efforts and endeavors.  My mommy and big brothers who are the bestest in the world.

My lovely staff/volunteers: I already love Qianjin so much, she brings amazing energy to the space and I really needed it.  Sarah, Crystal and Aurora who help out when ever I need an extra hand.  I could not do it with out you.

Customers: I cherish each and every person who comes into the space and allows me to share moments with their family.  The extreme regulars/supporters who have turned into friends; Alyssa, Jen, Shelby, Susan, Heather.  Thank you so much.

My close friends who always support me: Parker, Des, Alexis, Amanda, Myranda, Alice, Katie, My sister Tiff, Lola, Drea and Gloria.  Your belief in AAC means so much.

My bankers at Key Bank: Thank you for the supplies, sponsorship, words of encouragement and being all around awesome!!!

Sponsors/Contributors: Breaking Ink Tattoo in Hillsboro, Community Montessori School in Lake Oswego, Coffee Kids in St Johns, Hoot-n-Annie on Barbur, Camp Hollyhock in Sellwood, K12.com, Jade Tea House in Sellwood, Tansy Dolls, Nectar in Westmoreland, Le Cookie Monkey in SE Portland, Crazy4Buttons, Portland Wraps and Bishops.  Your contributions, fundraisers and sponsorships mean so much to me.

37people: For showing a random act of kindness when we were going to close down.  I literally would not be open in NE Portland if not for the love/support/financial assistance they showed last year.

Pdxkidscalendar.com, Nw Kids Magazine, Metro Parent ,Chinook Book: For bringing our concept and events to the community.  For working with a small budget and always taking interest in things we do.  LOVE you guys.

Shelby Brakken and Oh Happy Day Photography:  For taking such incredible photos of the space and capturing what we are all about.

Love, love, lots of love is the theme!  HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE!!! 

 

 

Every First Friday of the month is donation basis only.  From 10am-5pm there is no set open studio fee.  Pay whatever you would like or contribute supplies, recycled goodies or volunteer hours. The First Friday promotion/program is very important to the studio for a few reasons.  AAC strives to make our studio space a community space accessible to all families.  To be able to provide art time and an activity at whatever price range a family can afford keeps up with this mission.  Our other mission is to promote the importance of recycling/upcycling.  Everyone has items around their home that can be used for new purposes.  The ability to contribute supplies, furniture, recycled goodies and cleaning products to a community space allows the community to feel involved and excited to take ownership in the space.  A lot of families have expressed that they would be embarrassed to bring a small donation, ANY size donation is appreciated and needed.

 [You can help the studio in other ways too.  Checking in on Facebook and Four Square...Yelping about your good experience or inviting friends to the next visit! ]

I cannot think of a better sponsor for this monthly event than PDX Kids Calendar.  Their help/support of the studio since the beginning has really helped us get to the next level.  They are a respected resource for families, so it means so much to AAC to have their backing and promotion for this event.  They have helped develop the concept of First Friday and found many ways to make sure it is a success for everyone.  They have a love for Portland Families and small businesses that is evident in every thing that they do.

The types of things we look for on First Friday:

Small toys- [Happy meal toys, army men, figurines and polly pockets]

Easel paper [on the roll]

Barbies- [for fashion design]

Scotch tape and duct tape

Bows and gift bags

Baby wipes

Baby food jars

Small boxes and altoid tins

Picture frames

Washable paints and paint brushes

Glue and hot glue sticks

Hot glue guns

Stickers

Thanks to the amazing generosity of the community and a loving stranger…(read blog post below)…
We are MOVING!!! Our building was sold and we had to either raise funds to relocate or close. So happy about our new home in NE Portland.
We will be closing our Sellwood Location on November 21st. (Please say goodbye to our first home with us!)

On December 1st we will reopen at 319 NE Wygant on corner of MLK. (Behind PACE and next to Tears of Joy’s offices).

We will be changing our hours to fit with the new neighborhood and meet our customers demands!

We will be open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10am to 5pm (staying open later for the after school crowd).
Saturday-Sunday Noon-5pm (Adding Sundays due to popular demand).

Join us at our new space!!! Thank you!!!

It all started with a tweet:

 

It was retweeted by a kind hearted follower and art supporter.  A few minutes later someone named @37people contacted us about helping out.   After some email correspondence about how to donate online, I linked him to our Indiegogo, an online donation site to go towards our relocation costs. I was already grateful that a complete stranger even took the time to acknowledge our business and offer to donate.  I expected a $20 donation and if I was lucky…$50 to cover what was lost.  I thought surely $50 would be way too much to expect from a stranger and I did not want to be greedy.

Less than 15 minutes after speaking with him email came through from Indiegogo.  Yes.  @37people covered the $50 that was stolen….37 TIMES!  A donation of $1850 posted to the account.  Exactly what was needed with 6 days left to go and a fear that I would lose the business I put my entire heart into.  I have never received anything so touching in my entire life.

I had no idea you could cry, scream and laugh at the same time of doing cartwheels through a tiny art studio.  This anonymous angel is from New York who apparently makes it a hobby to help out and “pay it forward”.  The 37 people blog is all about a mission to promote “random acts of kindness”.

I could barely sleep.  I was smiling until my face hurt and my heart was pumping with ideas now that I could be confident that my passion would continue on.  Despite the fact that I had to be up at 6am to set up for KidfestNW, I stayed up til 3am taking notes in between crying and dancing.

I woke up to even better news.  @37people went a step further to Blog about our studio, share our indie gogo and challenge its readers and followers to also contribute.  The original “retweeter” Alison, a school teacher from Portland, then began pushing this challenge via twitter.

http://37people.blogspot.com/2012/10/arts-and-craftiness.html?spref=tw

The donations came pouring in.  Ten here, twenty there.  What meant more than the money being donated were the comments and support that went along with it. 

My heart has never been so filled with gratitude and joy.  I cannot remember a time I have felt more proud, amazed and happy.

When this Indiegogo closes we will have enough to relocate to our new space and keep the studio going..  The best part is we have 2 more fundraisers in November with the generous support of our friends and small business neighbors.  Now because of this great bump in the right direction we will be able to offer space to non-profits for little to no cost, provide free birthday parties to low income families, and make an impact in the community.  Maybe even pay off the debt we owe to our advertisers (Sorry guys!)

I have always believed in paying it forward.  Always been grateful for everything I have ever received.  But also thought this sort of kindness would never be shown towards me.  I built AAC out of a dream, a leap of faith and my small savings account.  To know people care about my efforts and share my love for the community means so much to me.

Thank you to all the donators.  The supporters  The people who believe in me.  The people who love and appreciate the mission and concept behind this.

 

 

 

We were very honored and excited to be featured at the Portland Saturday Market for kids activities to celebrate the Oregon Days of Culture.  Reid Decker the Market Manager informed us that we were the smallest business to be invited!

Since this was one of the larger projects we were able to do and one that would bring us lots of attention, we thought we should do something for the community.  We partnered with our favorite non-profit The Good Neighbor Center. (http://goodneighborcenter.org).

They are an amazing shelter that allows homeless families to stay together in small apartment style rooms for up to 6 weeks.  We decided that their adorable garden and play area could use a play house.  This would be symbolic of the home the families were working so hard to get back into.

This project had 4 main goals:

1. Raise awareness about our studio and the shelter by having a public art project.

2. Showing the importance of upcycling by using a salvaged play house saved from the dump.

3. Provide the kids of the market a chance to discover art and express themselves, while feeling good that the house would be going to a great cause.

4.Show the children at the Good Neighbor Center that the community is behind them and that they are special.

There was an added bonus when we arrived.  We met a really great woman named Linda Chase who is working a different job every week for a year.  She is writing a blog, making a documentary and writing a book.  Her blog about the day can be found here: http://www.oneweekjob.com/usa/week-7-promotions-pr-assistant/

Loading up the salvaged play house.  The streets to the market were closed so we had to park on the Burnside Bridge and carry piece by piece down and set it up by the fountains.

Just starting.

So colorful

The final masterpiece in its new home.

Thank you Heidi and the other volunteers for sharing the day with us.  We were so thankful you allowed us to create something for you.

Like The Good Neighbor Center on Facebook to follow their projects and find out how you can donate time or things for the families!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Good-Neighbor-Center/178684652143264

Your number one source for what to do, where to go and how to save money in PDX is offering yet another fine service to the families of Portland.Come in for open studio every first friday of the month and it is only $2 per child. They pick up the rest of the bill for ya!
AND it gets better…it’s FREE with a donation of art supplies (aka junk drawer stuff). One paper shopping bag full gets a child in FREE!!!Bring in: cds, disks, army men, costume jewelry, corks, small tins, polly pockets or other small toys, barbie shoes, game pieces, gift bags, christmas ornaments, bows and other treasures!

BOOKMARK to keep up with events, deals, reviews and more. www.pdxkidscalendar.com

LOVE them on Facebook for constant reminders and updates! www.facebook.com/PDXKidsCalendar

After speaking with an amazing mother with a wonderful “special needs” son.  I had discovered that some parents check websites to see if their children would be welcomed in the environment.   It never occurred to me to have to post this information on my website.  I was ignorant to the fact that some community environments and children related activities actually put boundaries or outcast some people.  ALL CHILDREN and ALL ARTISTS are not only welcomed at Art ala Carte but they are nurtured, supported and safe in this space.  Our open based art is a great concept for children with sensory or texture aversions.  Children are welcomed to make art at their pace, make a mess and we gladly accommodate any special arrangements needed to make the children and parent comfortable.  If you specific parking arrangements, special requests or need space reserved for a sensory play group please call or email anytime.