Pictured is the front room of My Creative Joy, a new studio located at 211 Main St. in Owego, N.Y. The studio offers creative craft making classes for adults and children, including soap making, chalk painting, beading and jewelry, to name a few. New classes start in September. For more information, visit their website, mycreativejoy.com, find them on Facebook, or call (607) 972-5158. (Provided photos)
Pictured is a book planter made from a re-purposed book, one of the many creative craft projects that can be made at My Creative Joy, located at 211 Main St. in Owego, N.Y. New classes start in September.
Pictured is a re-purposed pallet wood, hand-painted welcome sign with burlap flowers, one of the many creative craft projects that can be made at My Creative Joy, located at 211 Main St. in Owego, N.Y. New classes start in September.
Nestled in the heart of Owego’s historic district is a new studio that offers creative craft making classes for adults and children. Opened at the end of June this year, “My Creative Joy” allows visitors the opportunity to show their artistic side by completing craft projects on-site. Owners Kristie Kreis and Michele Barnes are excited about their new business, where they get to share their crafty knowledge and teach others premier projects.
Kreis shared, “My Creative Joy is a business where visitors can make it, take it and love it. We also hope everyone leaves a class feeling a little more joy.”
Located at 211 Main St. in Owego, N.Y., the My Creative Joy studio is next door to V.F.W. Post 1371 and right across the street from the Tioga Theater. On the first floor of a renovated house, My Creative Joy offers its visitors a homey atmosphere to have creative fun.
“Making time to create” in a home-like atmosphere is part of the appeal of My Creative Joy, which helps relieve the worry about selecting the right supplies and materials, and setting up and cleaning up afterwards, all of which is left in the hands of the class instructors.
Classes offered at My Creative Joy include soap making, beading and jewelry, chalk painting, wire wrapping, soutache, arm knitting, candle making, and silverware art, to name just a few. Applying many ideas from Pinterest pages, classes at My Creative Joy bring to life today’s contemporary craft projects. Whether your interests lie in revamping an old suitcase into a table utilizing chalk painting methods, repurposing old drawers into flower planters or giving your old furniture a “shabby-chic” vintage makeover, along with countless other ideas, My Creative Joy makes your dreams for creativity a reality.
Kreis explained, “We all have ideas begging to be created, but very few actually get done. At Creative Joy, you will see your ‘someday’ projects come to life.”
Kreis and Barnes were inspired to develop their business after Christmas in 2014. Creators of hand-made gifts for family and friends for several years, Kreis, a Tioga County native and graduate of Owego Free Academy, and Barnes, also a photographer who moved to the area about 15 years ago, thought the area was in need of a studio like My Creative Joy.
The My Creative Joy studio is open for visitors to stop by every Friday from noon until 4 p.m., where examples of the owners work decorates the front room, including chalk-painted furniture. Customers can also browse items for sale such as homemade soap and a selection of bath and body products. Additional sale items will be made available in the future.
Classes for adults and children are currently offered two days per week, including Saturday. With a class size of four to ten, new classes are starting in September. As a creative twist, kids can participate in a class at the same time a parent is attending a class. Kreis and Barnes also hope that My Creative Joy becomes a place where friends can meet up for a class, and parents and children can plan a unique birthday party.
A list of classes will be available on the My Creative Joy web site, mycreativejoy.com, or on their Facebook page. For information, call (607) 972-5158.
