Create a personalized gift at Color Me Mine
If you're into giving something this holiday season with a little more personal touch, there are several spots up and down the Randall Road corridor where you can create that perfect gift.
One that's relatively new to the area, and new for many this holiday season, is Color Me Mine along Randall in Geneva.
The store has been around for about a year, but this is the first year at Christmastime that many are heading inside to create their own personalized gifts. The business is in Geneva Commons, right near the Starbucks and California Pizza Kitchen.
Color Me Mine has everything from mugs to huge platters that you can paint and personalize. Many choose to put handprints or family members' names on them as a keepsake for mom or grandma.
The business, 1306 Commons Drive, also offers classes to help you along. Leading up to Christmas, they'll be hosting a ladies night and holiday mug class on the next two Thursdays, Dec. 10 and 17.
On Fridays, Dec. 11 and 18, Color Me Mine in Geneva will be hosting holiday mug classes from 7 to 9 p.m.
For the kids, there will be a class on the Art of Giving Dec. 16.
The week of Christmas, there will be a Santa's Workshop from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 21, for painting Christmas presents.
For parents needing to do some last-minute shopping, there also will be a Parents Night Out from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 22.
You don't need to attend a class, though, to create a gift. There are plenty of times you can just go into Color Me Mine during open studio time and make your masterpiece. But employees say you'll want to head into the store at least a week before Christmas because it takes time to prepare the items for use once you're finished painting.
For information, call Color Me Mine at (630) 262-9000.
New space to create
While there has been a Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store along Randall Road in Algonquin for some time, the new store is now open with even more crafts, classes and supplies to create homemade gifts this holiday season.
The business opened last month at 2391 County Line Road, near Best Buy and Potbelly Sandwich Co., in Algonquin. The previous store was located to the north, near the intersection of Randall and Algonquin. It closed to make way for this new store.
If you step into the new, bigger store, you're greeted with Christmas everywhere.
There are pre-made crafts and gifts, as well as the supplies you need to make ornaments, garland, personalized yard signs and more for everyone on your Christmas list.
The new Jo-Ann also has classes for creating this holiday season. For example, for kids there is a class that will teach you how to make Mason jar snow globes. There also are sewing and knitting classes, and everything you can dream of for the type of gift you want to create.
Call Jo-Ann at (847) 458-0545 or visit joann.com/.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from South Elgin to Batavia. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or at (847) 894-5036.