AR Workshops…a DIY Crafts Boutique
Are you familiar with AR Workshops? For us creative sorts, it’s a dream come true! This chain of DIY Crafts Boutiques throughout the US caters to DIY-ers with a wide variety of home decor diy projects. Perfect venue for a girl’s night, birthday party, shower and date night.
If you are a regular reader of Nourish and Nestle, you are probably a ‘maker’ of some sort. You either love to make delicious meals in your kitchen or have a favorite hobby of creating. You may relish the opportunity to make thriving container gardens or may get excited to make your home a warm and inviting place for your friends and family through your many diy projects..
I know that those characteristics fit me to a ‘T’…I am always looking for my next diy crafts or diy project and typically have a queue of ‘ooooh, I want to do that!’ ideas several pages long.
All this to say, when I discovered that an AR Workshops was coming to town, a mere 5 miles from my home, I was over the moon excited and have been eagerto to tell you, my fellow makers, all about them so that you can get your ‘making and doing’ fix on as well.
In case you aren’t familiar with AR Workshops, these Boutique DIY Studio Hands-On Workshops that offer mixed media workshops for home decor diy crafts, parties, design and styling skills have been popping up all over the country for the past 6 years. Currently there are 77 AR Workshops in 24 states…pop over here to see if they are near you.
My new friends, Lisa and Ed Ferguson, brought AR Workshops to Wilmington after Lisa’s sister kept telling her of this fantastic DIY Crafts Workshop Boutique that she just knew Lisa would love. Several months and many hours of hard work later, Lisa and Ed opened just before Christmas, 2017.
The concept of AR Workshops is simple…you peruse the exhaustive crafts project ideas on the their website, pick your favorite project and they cut the appropriate stencil and the wood for the project. In addition to wood diy projects, there are several canvas projects as well.
All you do is show up, with refreshments if desired, and put your project together.
All the power tools and paint you could possibly need for a diy projects are there…in addition to experienced hands-on help if necessary.
My crafting girlfriend Laura joined me recently at AR Workshop and we each came away with a gorgeous wood tray. It was the perfect girl’s night out…we brought our favorite wine and some appetizers and spent 3 hours chatting and building.
Obviously, it’s a great venue for a crafting girl’s night out, in fact my daughter and I are doing another workshop tonight! But, it is also a great date night destination. My husband and I will be heading there soon to make a wedding gift for a special couple.
The night we were there we were joined by a group of nurses and a wedding shower party.
And while it’s only March, it’s not too early to get a start on your diy projects Halloween, Christmas gifts or Christmas decor. I am chomping at the bit to make some of their seasonal projects!
Each project can be personalized with the colors you choose and the family name. You let them know in advance and they have the stencils cut. Once you get there, your hardest decision will be choosing what paint colors to use.
While still at AR Workshop, I went over my tray very lightly with their sander to distress it just a bit.Before I used it, I sprayed my tray with a clear, non-yellowing polycrylic that I had in our garage. This will protect it from any beverage or food staining.
The tray I made was the large size, but there was also one a bit smaller.
If you love the idea of a night out creating any number of lovely diy crafts or home projects, bookmark this page or pin the following image for your future reference.
Thanks again for spending a few minutes of your busy day with me today. Please know that you are appreciated and that I welcome each and every comment that comes my way. If you want to make sure you don’t miss future content, pop your email in the beige box up on the right or click here. I usually send out 2-3 emails a week, so I won’t inundate your inbox…believe me, I’m sensitive to an overflowing email inbox!
Printables and knit patterns are available to all of my subscribers in the Subscriber Benefits Library. I will continue to add patterns and printables to this page as we go along.
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So, if you’d like to get in on the ‘subscriber benefit’ action, simply subscribe to Nourish and Nestle here or using the form on the right sidebar. It’s towards the top a bit. I have sent all my subscribers the link to the Subscriber Benefits Library, but if you missed it or misplaced it, drop me a line.
This looks like such a fun thing to do. I wish we had one near me. And your tray looks beautiful!
Thanks Angie…loving that tray. And made a box last night! Great fun and keep your ears open…I’d imagine there will be one coming close to you soon. Heck…you could open one up!!!
Hugs, Lynn
Wow, I had never heard of them and it turns out there are two within 15 miles of me! I’ll have to check them out. My daughter and her husband just bought their first home and it would be fun to make something for her to have when they move in. Is it terribly expensive? There are no prices on the website.
Hi Carolyn, different projects have different prices. I made a box last night that I was about $45…but some of the larger framed wood signs are more expensive. The thing to keep in mind is that all of the tools are there, all the paint, EVERYTHING is there so you don’t have to buy those yourself.
There are some great projects for new homeowners. I’m planning on making either a lazy susan or a try for our nephew who is getting married this summer. Lots of home signs…just so many great ideas.
Let me know what you end up making.
Hugs, Lynn
What a fun idea for girl‘s night out!!
Cindee…it was soo much fun for a girl’s night. I’ve been twice now and both times there were ‘parties’ of some sort going on while the crafting was going on…champagne and wine was flowing…as well as great apps for noshing. Highly recommend it.
That looks like so much fun, Lynn! A great way to spend time for any DIY newbie or pro alike! I’m going to see if there’s one near me!
Oh Good Robin…you would have a blast. And they have projects for kids too…so you could make it a family event!
I absolutely LOVE your emails!! They are FULL of great ideas and all I have to do is just click! I had no idea there was an AR Workshop in my area and now my daughter and I are planning a trip there together! Thank you for all that you gather together to send out to us 🙂 I must have missed the part about the Subscriber Benefits Library… I don’t have the password. If it is still available, I’d love to be able to access what I know is surely a treasure trove!
Thanks again, Lynn… I am always delighted when I see “Nourish and Nestle” in my inbox!
Aw Nelli…you just made my day!!! Wowza! I need to keep you on auto-dial so I can call and get a ‘Feel Good Nelli Fix’ whenever I might be having an ‘eh day!
So thrilled that you and your daughter will be enjoying an evening at AR Workshops. My daughter and I had such a nice time last night.
I will email you separately with the password for the library…not to worry.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write in your very encouraging message…Truly…it’s messages like yours that keep me going.
You rock my friend!
Hugs, Lynn
What a fun concept! Maybe they will spread in to Canada soon!! The convenience of having everything you need right at your fingertips is amazing! Definitely a fun night out!
I so agree Maureen…and since I’m not the neatest crafter…it’s nice not to have to clean up my space. Plus…they have tools I don’t have like the nail gun. Hope they come your way.
Hugs, Lynn
Hi Lynn,
II always enjoy getting your weekly emails and will tell my 2daughters in Wilmington about this new place. Thanks for all the greats ideas each week.
You are so welcome Barbara! How did I not know you had two daughters here? Did you tell me that already? Yikes…I hope you didn’t because then it’ll be more evidence that I am slowly losing my mind!
And definitely tell your girls. They will love it.
Have a great day my friend.
Hugs, Lynn
This is a wonderful article. Thanks so much for your feedback! It means the world to us.
We are so happy for Lisa and Ed, the owners of the AR Workshop Wilmington franchise.
We love how your piece turned out!
Best,
Maureen
You are so welcome Maureen. I have so enjoyed my two visits to the Wilmington AR Workshop and my new friendship with Lisa. She has a fantastic staff and their shop has a warm and fun vibe. I’ll be back soon!
Have a fantastic day.
Lynn
I sure hope one comes to my area. I know that this would be a place where my friends and I would spend a lot of time. It looks like such a pretty place too. Thanks for sharing this with us and your tray is beautiful. I need one.
Hey there friend…you would LOVE it! When you come visit me we can go to the one here.