SpielWerk Toys

2010-11-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, make your own gifts!

Come join us at SpielWerk Toys NoPo for three Handmade Toy WerkShops, just in time for the gift giving season!

Each craft will be sent home in a little gift box, ready for safe keeping or gifting giving. We can't wait... WerkShops are fun!

Dates and Times:

Sunday Dec 05, 2:30-3:30pm

Sunday Dec 12, 2:30-3:30pm

Sunday Dec 19, 2:30-3:30pm

Location:

SpielWerk NoPo

3808 N Williams Ave #121

Cost:

$5 per puppet

Click here for information

2010-10-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

5th Annual Traditional Sugar Skull WerkShop Event

Sugar Skulls are a traditional Mexican folk art used in the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos. In honor of this ancient tradition, we decorate traditional handmade sugar skulls with colorful glue, beads, feathers, foil, and sequins in memory of our loved ones whom have passed..

Please join us at either location for some festive fun before Halloween evening events begin. Free event. All ages. All materials included.

Halloween –– Sunday, October 31 1:30-3:30 pm

Feel free to come dressed in your costume!!

SpielWerk

2010-10-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

A Glipse of our Fun this Summer!

We had so much WerkShop fun this summer. We played at the Cirque du Cycling event––decorating everyone's bike with the help of SCRAP and making streamer bracelets. We got to see everyone at the Mississippi Street Fair, making playful streamer wands and festive masks. We even got to team up with Laughing Planet Cafe in Woodstock to make old school milk carton balloon boats with kids and parents while listening to awesome local bands like Y La Bamba and the Monarchs.

We look forward to many more fun-filled summers to come. Thanks to all who came to share in the fun!

SpielWerk

2010-08-17T13:36:00.001-07:00

2010-08-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

Toys for Haiti Thanks YOU!

Just a quick follow-up and THANK YOU again for the dolls and items that you all donated and crafted for Hatian children a few months ago. We just found this beautiful picture on our Facebook page and were completely moved. SO beautiful and heartwarming.

Thanks to all that made this possible... We can't wait to do more crafting like this again!

SpielWerk

Cirque du Cycling 2010

2010-06-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks for coming down to visit us during Cirque du Cycling this year. We had so much fun, raised money for AYOS, made some awesome masks, crowns, and wrist ribbon streamers, met some cool peeps, and thanks to some help from SCRAP, smothered those family ride bikes with some pretty elaborate dress-up... Yay!!

2010-05-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

Toys for Haiti - Donation Doll Making Class

Tonight!
Tuesday, May 11th
7:00-9:00 pm
Gossamer Fiber Arts
Again, we're joining creative forces with Gossamer Fiber Arts to make loving dolls for Haitian orphans. A local midwife will maker her way to Haiti this Friday to live among the children of a Haitian orphanage and volunteer her skills, time and love to more than 50 children, as well as the surrounding community.
The dolls we're making for her to take with her are simple and made of natural materials. They'll only take a few hours of your donated time, but will provide years and years of comfort and play for a child who truly needs it. For young children and babies, a doll not only provides a tool for imaginative play, but also a way of connecting and finding love and comfort in hard times.
We hope you'll come and thank you for your help and donations so far!

Hosted by SpielWerk Toys & Gossamer Fiber Arts

Held at: Gossamer 2418 East Burnside St.

$ 3-5 donation for materials

http://www.spielwerktoys.com

http://www.gossamerfiberarts.com

For more information and ways you can help please see the following links:

http://www.midwivesforhaiti.org

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Midwives-for-Haiti/93950558462

http://www.mercycorps.org/haiti

http://nest-midwifery.com

SpielWerk Update - She Saw Things & Toys for Haiti! 04.30.10

2010-05-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

The link to our latest email letter––She Saw Things Mama Photo Sessions, Toys for Haiti, and Happy Mother's Day!... Send us an email if you'd like to receive these letters right as they go out. http://www.spielwerktoys.com/update_4-10_III.html

Donation Drive for Haiti Orphanage

2010-04-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Toy Donation Drive for Haiti

A local midwife will be traveling May 14th to Haiti to live in an orphanage and provide care for at least 50 young ones. These children do not have toys to play with, and are in great need of other basic supplies too.

We will be donating jump ropes, balls, and other traditional playthings, but we ask that if you have any gently used (and well-loved!) toys at home that can be shared that you please bring them in for donation. These toys need to be small and light for travel purposes, and appropriate for ages newborn to 12.

We have donation boxes at both locations, and will be collecting through May 10th. A list of other needed items follows.

Also, through May 10th, any new items purchased for donation at either of our stores will receive a 20% discount.

The following is a list of other much needed items:

Receiving blankets

Ibuprofen

Tylenol

Antacids

Prenatal or multi-vitamins

Please join us also on May 4th from 7-9 pm at Gossamer Fiber Arts on Burnside for a CraftWerk Social making soft and cuddly velour bunting dolls for the younger children at the orphanage. We ask for just a $3-5 donation to cover some costs (collected at the door).

http://spielwerktoys.blogspot.com/2010/04/toys-for-haiti-donation-doll-making_29.html

http://www.gossamerfiberarts.com/

Toys for Haiti - Donation Doll Making Class

2010-04-29T17:20:00.001-07:00

Toys for Haiti - Donation Doll Making Class

Tuesday, May 4th, 7:00-9:00 pm
We have joined forces with Gossamer Fiber Arts who will be hosting a doll making class at their space on Tuesday, May 4th from 7-9. These simple dolls made of natural materials will only take a few hours of your donated time, but will provide years and years of comfort and play for a child who truly needs it. For young children and babies, a doll not only provides a tool for imaginative play, but also a way of connecting to what it means to be human. The therapeutic and reciprocal nature of dolls is that they provide comfort while the child learns what it means to love and care for another.
Have a fear of larger projects? Don't worry we have smaller crafts too!

Hosted by SpielWerk Toys & Gossamer Fiber Arts

Held at: Gossamer 2418 East Burnside St.

$ 3-5 donation for materials

http://www.gossamerfiberarts.com

For more information and ways you can help please see the following links:

http://www.midwivesforhaiti.org

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Midwives-for-Haiti/93950558462

http://www.mercycorps.org/haiti

http://nest-midwifery.com

2010-04-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

The link to our latest email letter––Mama Mini Photo Sessions, Play Again documentary Raffle Tix (lots of awesome prizes!!), and Happy Hour... Send us an email if you'd like to receive these letters right as they go out. http://www.spielwerktoys.com/update_4-10_II.html

Toys for Haiti

2010-04-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

Dear SpielWerk Community:

In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, there has been an overwhelming wave of aid and support from around the world. Of all the struggling populations in Haiti, pregnant women, infants and very young children are most vulnerable and at greatest risk for poor medical care, hunger, homelessness and low mortality rates.

Midwives for Haiti http://www.midwivesforhaiti.org is an organization that relies on volunteer midwives from around the globe to travel to Haiti and give their time, money, love and energy in order to serve those that are most vulnerable. Their mission is to serve the pregnant women of Haiti, but also to provide education to Haitian women who would like to become midwives.

One of our local community members will be traveling to Haiti on May 14^th to provide her services as a midwife and we would like to support her efforts! The children in the Orphanage where she will be staying are in dire need of many things, including much needed comfort. For a child that has lost so much, a simple gesture showing that someone cares can make a world of difference.

We have joined forces with Gossamer Fiber Arts who will be hosting a doll making class on Tuesday, May 4th from 7-9. These simple dolls made of natural materials will only take a few hours of your donated time, but will provide years and years of comfort and play for a child who truly needs it. For young children and babies, a doll not only provides a tool for imaginative play, but also a way of connecting to what it means to be human. The therapeutic and reciprocal nature of dolls is that they provide comfort while the child learns what it means to love and care for another.

Please consider joining our efforts.

The SpielWerk Crew

CraftWerk Project #1 Finger Knitting

2009-08-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

Keeping your kids busy and engaged need not coast you an arm and a leg. Wonderful for car rides, trips to the market, at a restaurant, airplanes, or anytime you are waiting or sitting for a long time.

For this simple activity you will need:

1. Fingers

2. Yarn or string

3. A little patience if you are teaching children under 4 yrs.

Step one:

Take your ball or length of yarn/string and loosely drape over your thumb and pointer finger. Make sure you leave a "tail" end (the end not connected to the ball of yarn/string) so there is something to hold onto.

Step Two:

Make a slip knot by crossing the tail over the string still connected to the ball.

Step Three:

Hold the tail with your pinky finger and with your thumb and pointer finger grab the string connected to the ball and pull through.

Step Four:

Pull string to make the loop a little smaller and repeat steps one through four until your Finger Knitting is as long as desired.

To End:

Simply cut the the string connected to your yarn and pull through.

Have fun!

xo,

The Spielwerk Crew

Welcome!

2009-08-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the SpielWerk blog!

We are new to the blogging world, but have seen so many wonderful and inspiring blogs that we thought we would try our hand and connect with our community online! The plan is to post some of our WerkShops in a DIY format, give product highlights, and general rants and raves when the mood hits. Oh, and events and sales too!

We would also like to hear from you! Project ideas, product recommendations or reviews of your favorite school or activity your kids.

So again, welcome and thanks for taking a moment to check us out!

xo,

The SpielWerk Crew