!–paging_filter–pGiven Seattle’s current love affair with all things artisanal and old-fashioned, the arrival of the Kalakala Co. Animation and Mercantile should perhaps come as no surprise—but it’s a nice one. The brainchild of local animator Drew Christie (best known for his painstakingly drawn old-timey cartoons, featured regularly on a href=”http://www.nytimes.com” target=”_blank”NYTimes.com/a) and his longtime romantic and creative partner Amanda Moore, the shop/animation studio serves as a fount of inspiration for wannabe animators and fans of all things drawn by hand. Located in quaint Langley on Whidbey Island and named after the iconic ferry, Kalakala Co. offers animation workshops ($300; scholarships available) and endearing animation kits, crafted by Christie and Moore, which include a story sketchbook, a cutout puppet and a pen (BYO camera; $35)./p
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p“We want to show people that animation is an amazing way to express yourself and your ideas through moving artwork,” Christie says. Or as Moore puts it, “We want Kalakala Co. to be the Johnny Appleseed of animation.” The shop also sells the couple’s colorful, limited-edition, screen-printed tea towels, totes and baby onesies. Catch free in-store screenings of Christie’s films during Langley’s first-Saturday art walks, and mark your calendar for April 13, when a compilation of his work will be screened ($5 to $7) at neighboring Clyde Theatre. Then set pen to paper and bring your own stories to life. Open daily 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 221 Second St., No. 8; 360.221.0161; Facebook, “a href=”https://www.facebook.com/KalakalaCOShop” target=”_blank”Kalakala Co Mercantile/a”nbsp;/p