crafts

Joann Fabric and Crafts announced in February that it will close all stores nationwide – including five in Alaska. As a result, crafters on the Kenai Peninsula are wondering where they’ll buy art supplies once the busy Soldotna store closes.

Last week was the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge’s annual Fish Week celebration, held each July to commemorate the region’s salmon population through educational activities. With the help of the Kenaitze Indian Tribe, the refuge hosted a salmon leather-making workshop as part of the week’s festivities.

Located just behind Arby’s in the heart of Kenai is Madly Krafty, a one-stop gift shop specializing in hand-crafted goods. Custom-made coffee cups, ornaments, woodworking and t-shirts are just some of what the new store has to offer.

The Alaskan Artisans and Crafters Guild opened in Kenai in May. The store sells work from more than 80 mostly local crafters.

When warm and wet, birch bark can be folded into baskets — a container for berries or a cradle for babies. But when it’s not fresh off the birch tree,…