Welcome to yet another edition of “Why Wasn’t This Place Around Years Ago?” This time we’re talking about Be Craftful, a relative newcomer to downtown Fanwood that has enamored countless crafty kids and adults in our area.

In a nutshell, Be Craftful is a children’s toy store, party place, and creative space for children and adults. Launched in 2013 by husband-and-wife team (and Fanwood residents) Amy and Demian Boroff, Be Craftful immediately filled a void in Fanwood for a store that sells unique birthday gifts and favors, offers personalization, and hosts parties. The idea for Be Craftful came to Amy while she was involved with the McGinn school PTA. “I attended a craft fair with my daughter, and the idea of having a storefront where people could drop in to make gifts for others came to fruition.”

What makes Be Craftful so different from any other toy boutique is its aptly named “Craft Pit,” where patrons can hand-craft their own creations using the oodles of art supplies in the shop. According to Amy: “Our craft pit is usually active with drop-in crafters, Girl Scout Events, camps, birthday parties, ladies BYOB nights, kids-only events, workshops, classes and community events. We encourage crafters to have fun and use a lot of glitter!” I love the idea of making a giant mess in someone else’s place! The craft pit is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm during the week, 10 to 4 on Saturdays, and 11-3 on Sundays. Amy suggests that you call ahead or check their website/Facebook to make sure there isn’t a private event during those times. There’s a small seating fee to use the craft pit, as well as a charge for whatever item you want to make, such as a birdhouse, wooden mask, canvas tote bag, the list is endless.

Be Craftful offers several art classes for children of various ages, including “Storytime Crafts” and “Three-Dimensional Art.” Adults can enjoy themed art and craft nights. Every third Thursday of the month is  BYOB Ladies Night from 7-9 pm–gals have already made cute wine bags, painted wineglasses, memory cubes, and memory boards. Amy says that Ladies Night has become such a big hit that they now offer private ladies craft nights for businesses or friends wanting a relaxed night out.

Looking to get a breather from those kids of yours?? Be Craftful hosts a Kids Only Drop-Off event every last Friday of the month. These themed events, such as last month’s Luau, are from 6:30 to 9 pm and give parents a well-deserved night out while their kids get to enjoy an artistic environment and make new friends. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather pay for my kid to make cool art than pay a babysitter to watch my kid play video games! Starting next month, Be Craftful will be introducing a pre-teen night as well as painting parties at the store.

Birthday parties at Be Craftful are truly something special. Kids get to create not one but two crafts at every party (so basically, each kid leaves with 2 handmade party favors!), and all you have to bring is dessert, everything else is provided. Amy and her staff customize everything according to your theme, right down to the music playlist. Some popular themes have been Frozen (duh!), Despicable Me, Harry Potter, Rock and Roll, Construction, Pinkalicious, Pirate, Princess . . . really anything you can think of can be turned into a crafty party.

And let’s not forget the boutique side of Be Craftful. I just love shops that carry items you won’t find in a typical big-box store, and Be Craftful is just such a store. You can find craft kits, construction toys, funky puppets, room decor, baby gifts, personalized items (many done while you wait!), craft supplies, and even furniture, all from high-quality, hard-to-find independent brands. Some cool items we spotted: body crayons, a customizable knight’s shield, and DYI kits created by the Be Craftful staff, such as make-a-fairy-wand kits. Be Craftful will gift-bag your purchases for free. And to add to the convenience: they provide curbside service for quick pickup, and even offer local delivery!

You can find Be Craftful at 250 South Ave in Fanwood. Tell them we sent ya!