Shoppers browsing Kensington Valley Outlets near Howell can now build their own mini-bouquet out of beaded flowers, thanks to a new Bloom Bar from local business owner Crystal Coulter. The do-it-yourself station lets customers pick five miniature flowers, a jar and filler to assemble a tiny arrangement to take home.
Coulter owns Crystal Makes the Things, which she launched in 2024, according to Livingston Daily. The Bloom Bar is her latest addition, allowing customers to make mini-bouquets from pre-made beaded flowers rather than starting from scratch. Shoppers also get to choose between a magnetic or non-magnetic jar to hold their finished creation.
From Magnets to Mini-Bouquets
Crystal Makes the Things didn't start with flowers. The outlet's report notes the business initially focused on selling magnets back in 2024 before Coulter began making her booths more interactive in 2025 with do-it-yourself pens and keychains. The Bloom Bar represents the next step in that evolution toward hands-on crafting experiences for customers.
Coulter has been a crafter since childhood, and her business has since expanded beyond a single table setup. Per the same report, Crystal Makes the Things now appears at craft shows and stores throughout Howell and Highland, where Coulter herself lives.
Where to Find the Bloom Bar
The Bloom Bar station is set up at MI Unique Art inside Kensington Valley Outlets, a venue MI Unique Art describes as a place where Michigan artisans can showcase their talents. The outlets are located at 1475 N Burkhart Rd in Howell, according to Kensington Valley Outlets. A second Bloom Bar location is available at Granny's Attic in Highland, giving customers two spots to build their own arrangements.
Coulter says the response so far has been encouraging. She told the outlet that customers are responding well to the beaded flowers, and that watching shoppers get excited about making their own creations is her favorite part of running the Bloom Bars.
What's Next for Crystal Makes the Things
Coulter isn't stopping at flowers. She plans to create a bag charm bar as her next interactive offering, and she'd like to eventually expand the business into parties and other events beyond her current retail and craft-show setup.
Her calendar is already filling up. Coulter is set to take part in a paint-your-own ornament workshop at MI Unique Art on October 31, followed by the Happy Holidays Craft Show at Kensington Valley Outlets on November 27-28 and the Winter Whimsy Marketplace in Howell on December 12.
The Bloom Bar's arrival also fits into a broader pattern of craft-focused events popping up around the outlets. Kensington Valley Outlets hosted a series of themed craft shows in 2026, with an online jewelry store organizing four separate events featuring crafts, vintage goods and natural beauty and wellness products, as Livingston Daily reported earlier this year. Those shows were also expected to include psychics and card readers, adding to the growing mix of maker-focused activity at the Howell-area shopping center.
