About this Event
We’re rounding out a weekend of celebration themed classes (in honor of Monster’s sweet sixteen birthday!) by rediscovering a vintage party craft last popularized in 1950s America. Join artist Robert Mahar and learn how to make festive surprise balls - consisting of small treats and trinkets, jokes and candies artfully concealed in hundreds of feet of crepe paper streamers and then decorated as elaborately or as simply as you like. Lucky recipients are showered with fun as they unroll their surprise balls, revealing the goodies you’ve selected, and creating a happy mess! It’s a gift and an activity all rolled into one.
Learn techniques, tips and tricks to successfully create your own surprise balls. Instruction will also cover numerous ways to stylize the exteriors from silly to sublime. This project is highly customizable and once you learn the basic construction methods, you’ll find yourself recreating the fun at home – for every holiday and festive occasion! Get inspired - check out Robert's Pinterest board of surprise balls to see how others have styled and decorated their versions of these fun novelties.
All materials are provided and included in the cost of the class - and these kits are so good! Each one includes: a rainbow assortments of crepe paper streamers, premium crepe paper for exterior decoration, stock paper for design details, structural supports, confetti, a thoughtfully curated selection of 20 festive small treats and sweets, a sheet of jokes, tacky glue, template sheets and all necessary tools to use on-site. Robert will provide a sweet selection of vintage inspired items to include in your surprise balls (enough for everyone to complete at least two!) but if you have favorite small scale items (think tiny charms, novelty jewelry, stickers, notes on paper, little hard candies, etc.) you’re encouraged to bring them to the workshop.
Ages 18+
This class will take place at Monster. Our address is 1716 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107. It's at the intersection of 17th and NW Market Street - kitty corner from Mighty-O Donuts.
Please arrive about 15 minutes before class begins.
If you cannot attend class for any reason, we will offer an exchange to another class currently on our schedule up to 48 hours before the class. After that time, no refunds or exchanges are issued out of respect for our teachers who purchase and prepare supplies based on the number of attendees.
Our current Covid protocol is that anyone attending an event can email us at [email protected] to let us know they prefer that people wear masks up to 72 hours before the event begins. Your request is anonymous to all the other participants.
Attendees will receive an email before the class to let them know If masks will be required.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Robert Mahar is a California-based artist and educator who teaches thoughtfully researched and developed hands-on projects based in historical craft traditions. He’s also a proud contestant alumni, and subsequent associate producer, on NBC’s crafting competition show Making It with Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. With an education in studio arts and art history, he has worked in a variety of creative fields including 13 years as an appraiser of modern and contemporary art. Learn more about Robert, explore his video tutorial archive and shop his collection of curious embroidery samplers at robert-mahar.com.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Monster, 1716 Northwest Market Street, Seattle, United States
USD 80.00