A big part of our mission at Bartlesville Public Library is connecting people with opportunities to foster individual growth. One of the ways our library does that is offering unique arts and crafts programs for adults.
Being creative improves your mental health by reducing stress and anxiety levels. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment and will help you meet new friends who share similar interests. And you have a neat art or craft project to take home with you!
A wreath-making class was held at the BPL in May of 2019 and was so well received that staff decided to begin hosting a free monthly “make it and take it” craft class for adults. Since that time, local crafters have gathered once a month to create jewelry, tote bags, journals and bath bombs and have been introduced to how to use a sewing machine, create fun cutouts with a Cricut, and the basics of calligraphy. The classes have been such a success that it was decided to hold both an afternoon and an evening event.
Many of the ideas for projects come from an online service in which the BPL subscribes called Creativebug. In fact, any patron with a current Bartlesville Public Library card has unlimited access to the thousands of classes on the site. Videos are produced by creative experts who bring a lifetime of proven teaching methods to the latest craft and art trends, along with the basics every maker needs to learn. Classes including art and design, sewing, quilting, paper crafts, knitting, crochet, food and home, holiday and party, jewelry, kids crafts and more. New classes are added every month and even include downloadable patterns, templates and recipes where applicable. Viewers can tune in for a short craft video, participate in a month-long challenge or refine their skills by participating in the Daily Practice Series.
It’s easy to get started. Just go to the Bartlesville Public Library website at bartlesvillelibrary.com and on the main page log on to your account using the barcode on your library card. The password will be the last four digits of the phone number that is linked to your library account. After you have logged in, scroll down to Online Info & Services on the left side of the main page and click on Creative Bug. On your first visit, you will need to set up an account by entering your name, email and creating a password. That’s it! You can then click the button for “see latest classes here”, choose from a category, or search for a particular class or subject in the search bar. After you have created your account using a web browser you can download your favorite classes to take on the go with the Creativebug app, now available for iOS 10.0 or later and Android 4.4 and up.
Classes are held on the third Tuesday of the month, at 2:00 and repeated at 6:00. Participants must call the Local and Family History room at 918-338-4167 to register.The class is free and all supplies are included.
Happy Crafting!