Have you heard of Craft City, Michigan?

We're sorry. Really we are. We haven't ever intended to make anyone feel awkward, and if you have, please accept our apologies. If your child has refused to come home at their designated pick-up time, we apologize for our inner-smile and freely accept responsibility. We have every intention of helping your child feel readily comfortable in the workshop so that they can get to the work and play of getting to know their own creativity and capabilities. We do it on purpose. Some cry out ("oh, Mom!", "not yet!" or "I told you not to come so early!") and some may actually cry. Some kids feign sleeping from fun-exhaustion on our window seats or in our library. And one recently did an incredible mime-rendition of a baseball umpire's gesture of the safe call through the window to signal their parent that they just weren't ready to go home yet.

It can maybe explained this easily-- it is a second home for many of us. We like working here. We spend a lot of time here, and so it feels like home. We even have some dirty dishes, just like home (or at least like my home.) Be it a class, a camp or our after-school program, the time that we spend together in this colorful and comfortable place that generally smells really great has crafted some great memories and has knit quite a community. So while we really are sorry if it has ever made you uncomfortable, we are really glad that your child has been that comfortable.

Recently a friend in our creative community asked me for the name of the paint color that we used on the first floor of the workshop. A few months later she asked how we keep our table legs so level. The first question I understood (it really is a lovely blue), but the follow-on question not so much.....until she told me about Craft City. Craft City is an art room in her vacation home in Union Pier, MI outfit to replicate our workshop as closely as possible, including the tables, stools and brand of all-purpose cleaner. We knew that her child liked her time with us-- she told us as much in embroidery stitches. But this! Well if that isn't a compliment.

So yes, we humbly and sincerely accept responsibility for our role in this, but you need to own your part. This little house of fun, or Fun House depending on the day, wouldn't be anything, anything at all, without you.