Michaels, North America’s largest arts and crafts specialty retailer, will host a series of free and under $3 Father’s Day gift-making events featuring unique projects such as Duck Tape wallets, foam can hugs, T-shirts, picture frames and more.

The workshops start Saturday, June 5, and will take place on weekends and weeknights leading up to Father’s Day so moms can bring in the kids to make creative gifts for Dad.

- Saturday, June 5, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Kids can capture favorite memories of Dad with their own build-a-book from Klutz. Ages 3 and up welcome. FREE while supplies last.
- Saturday, June 12, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Kids can create a camo-style frame for Dad’s favorite Father’s Day photo. Ages 3 and up welcome. FREE with purchase of $1 wooden frame.
- Sunday, June 13, 1-3 p.m.: Kids can personalize an ordinary coffee mug to create a unique Father’s Day gift for Dad. Ages 3 and up welcome. FREE with purchase of $1.99 mug kit.
- Tuesday, June 15, 6 – 8 p.m.: Dads can keep their drinks super cool this summer with a one-of-a-kind, hand painted can hug. Ages 3 and up welcome. FREE with purchase of $1 can hug.
- Thursday, June 17, 6 – 8 p.m.: Kids and dads love versatile Duck Tape, and Michaels will show kids how to make Dad a colorful tape wallet that’s durable, creative and flat-out cool. Ages 6-12 welcome. FREE while supplies last.
- Friday, June 18, 6 – 8 p.m.: Kids can give Dad the gift of creativity with a handcrafted T-shirt. Ages 3 and up welcome. FREE with purchase of a $2.50 T-shirt.
- Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Kids can express their feelings for Dad with a handcrafted, heartfelt Father’s Day card. Ages 3 and up welcome. FREE while supplies last.

“Kids will have as much fun making gifts as the dads will have receiving them – especially the Duck Tape wallets, which are so popular right now,” said Michaels Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Paula Puleo. “Michaels has lots of ideas for kids of all ages to make memorable, personalized gifts that show Dad how much they care.”

Other creative Father’s Day gift ideas include a Duck Tape tie, a personalized BBQ apron, a desk organizer or a wooden tool caddy. Michaels has ideas and instructions for more personalized and affordable Father’s Day gifts at www.michaels.com/fathersday.

About Michaels
Irving, Texas-based Michaels Stores, Inc. is North America’s largest specialty retailer of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall decor, and seasonal merchandise for the hobbyist and do-it-yourself home decorator. The company currently owns and operates more than 1,020 Michaels stores in 49 states and Canada and over 140 Aaron Brothers stores. For more information, visit www.Michaels.com.

Media Contact: Kristen Kauffman or Alexandra Elliott
(817) 329-3257
kristen@spmcommunications.com
alexandra@spmcommunications.com

Midcentury Modern Design and Art Deco are highlighted by a Parzinger and Paul McCobb collection from a Rye estate including a pair of gorgeous Tommi Parzinger torchieres, a large Parzinger dining cart, and a George Nelson for Herman Miller Wall Unit. Manhattan estates provided pieces by Dunbar, Robsjohn Gibbings, Gerard Gallet, and Paul McCobb as well as signed Danish pieces. Another standout is a classic Edgar Brandt Wrought Iron Chandelier with Daum Nancy Shades.

Decorative Arts are led by two large c.1920 R Lalique Bowls, Meissen, an unusual Tiffany Studios bronze box, porcelain plaques, Limoges, a collection of Daum, a large Herend dining service of over 200 pieces; a large Royal Copenhagen Aluminia Faience service; Royal Worcester; a collection of Wedgwood jasperware and basalt; and unusual English and American Art Pottery.

Antique and Traditional Furniture Highlights start with a collection of exceptional and older Louis XV and XVI-style marquetry, ormolu, and marble-topped commodes, cabinets, vitrines, and chiffonieres; a Louis XV-style giltwood settee with a pair of matching chairs; 19th Century Cellarettes, Chests, and Secretary Desks; a Baker Chippendale-style Highboy, Pairs of Lingerie Chests, Leather Sofas. and Club Chairs among two hundred lots of fine furniture.

Fine art features a selection of modern and midcentury art from Man Ray, Willy Mucha, Alexandre Delay, Alfonso Ossorio, Jean-Robert Ipousteguy, Rudolf Marschall, Page Cary, JWS Cox, William Charles Palmer, Gianfranco Baruchello, Sybil Walker, and Franz Bueb, a friend and portraitist of Jacqueline Onassis. Older works include a William Edward Norton marine oil, decorative bronzes, and signed French miniatures.

Silver highlights include a magnificent Sheffield Sterling centerpiece, a 330 troy ounce Sterling, a large .800 Silver Judaic plaque, and flatware from Alvin and Gorham as well as pieces still arriving or being catalogued at press time

Carpets include a Deco Chinese Carpet in good condition, Persian Carpets in smaller sizes, and room-sized rugs.

Estates have continued to pour in from across the Greater New York area from collections built with a discerning eye,” said Ronan Clarke. “Based on their depth, we’ve already packed this sale with great quality..”

Clarke will be auctioning these estates Monday June 7th at 6:00 pm. Full onsite previews are available Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, 12:00 Noon to 6:00 pm. For more details, see its website at www.ClarkeNY.com or call 914-833-8336.

Clarke Auction Larchmont, Westchester’s Premier Auction Gallery, conducts catalogued sales monthly featuring distinctive fine and decorative arts, antiques, exceptional furniture, oriental rugs, sterling silver and mid-century modern. For further information, please contact us at (914)833-8336 or ccauctiongallery@aol.com.

 Didriks will provide tablescapes for all eight locations of the inaugural Boston Junior League Uncommon Kitchens Tour on June 5, 2010.

The inaugural Uncommon Kitchens event is a self-guided walking tour of Boston’s most exciting and beautiful kitchens designed by the city’s most prestigious designers. Winding its way through the distinctive neighborhoods of Beacon Hill, Back Bay, and the South End the tour offers a peek into distinctive Boston homes and an exciting glimpse at the latest trends in luxury appliances, custom cabinetry, counter tops, and paint colors.

Uncommon Kitchens Tour Co-Chair Kristin Hunter said “The tour gives visitors exposure to the very latest in kitchen decor and the work of Boston’s top designers. Partnering with Didriks and Faxon Green floral design allowed us to add the finishing touch to the tour environments.”

Didriks owner Jonathan Henke said “Partnering with the Boston Junior League Kitchen Tour was a great honor and an opportunity for us to display how well the tableware of different manufacturers we offer come together in the home. Providing tableware design for eight very different settings was a refreshing challenge.”

About the Junior League of Boston
The Junior League of Boston is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The proceeds from the tour event help fund the Junior League’s mission-based programs to improve the lives of women and children in Boston.

For more information on the Uncommon Kitchens Tour visit http://www.jlboston.org

About Didriks
Didriks helps customers create inspired home environments with their collection of home furnishings, accents and outdoor furniture. Didriks provides attentive, personalized service, including free shipping. Didriks carries the highest quality teak and stainless steel outdoor furniture, designed and manufactured by Barlow Tyrie. Didriks also carries Belgian linens from Libeco Home, Chilewich woven vinyl mats, dinnerware, fine pottery and cookware from Simon Pearce, iittala, Heath Ceramics, Match Italian Pewter, Mauviel, and other fine brands. For more information, call 617-354-5700, see the showroom at 190 Concord Ave in Cambridge, MA (M-F 10-7, Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5) or visit the web site at www.didriks.com.

Contact:
Jonathan Henke
617-354-5700

Didriks helps customers create inspired home environments with their collection of home furnishings, accents and outdoor furniture in Cambridge, MA. For further information contact us at (617) 354-5700 or www.didriks.com.