Mosaic Club Fun

Got to be a short one today, off to Lime Walk House to grout their mosaic:

But in the meantime, I need to recover from mosaic club this morning. My sides hurt with laughing! 

It never ceases to amaze me, the range of topics discussed around the table; interesting, scary, deep, funny. What I did notice, was that when someone is in the 'mosaic zone' they will miss most of a conversation but just one word will bring them back to real time. This can have either a mildly confusing or hysterical effect! Needless to say, it was the latter of the two today. Though I hold back divulging details about the well known, high street, adult only store which brought forth much merriment!

As I am thinking of bringing a dog into the family, various ideas as to the breed came up.  Once everyone was settled with everything they needed and their chosen brew, we did a bit of 'googling' but I'll blog that separately.

This took us to the www to research images and I was very happy to show one of my ladies how to use dropbox as she expressed a desire to further delve into the artistic creation of 'grotesque birds'. We were laughing too much to consider reprimanding Kevin when he said he was used to the company of grotesque birds on a Wednesday morning! 

I love the diversity of designs produced during Wednesday morning workshops: house numbers, dogs, dragons, hedgehogs, foxes, Italian City scenes and Toucans (Guinness!)

Marvellous Maker's Macc

The Creative Space Studio at Maker's Macc

Heritage Centre, Macclesfield

Do you know what I think of when it comes to the bi-yearly 'Maker's Macc'? Vibrancy.  Yes - vibrancy, colour, texture, diversity. I LOVE it!

This little poppet's mosaic is a PERFECT example of just that! Can you believe this young lady is just 6 years old? A natural tesselator if ever I saw one!

I love introducing mosaics to new people and facilitating families to create together.  

Here are three mosaic Christmas Tree decorations produced by a client at a workshop a couple of weeks ago.

There are some places still available on Saturday and Sunday 13th and 14th December for either an adult only workshop or a family workshop.

Hope to see you at one of them :-)

September Smiles

I love September! Children are back in school and the grown ups can come out to play.

It was so nice to see my regular ladies again and our newest addition to the group - all working on something TOTALLY different!

The new Yogi teas were a hit - ginger and orange but I think I might just have to get some of the chocolate tea in. Yum.

I have promised to make my ginger and banana loaf for next week so I might just have to get some fresh bananas today so they will be just right for baking at weekend. It's always best left to mature for a couple of days.

No soup recipe today - I am trying to work out how to still do soup on Wednesdays. It will come to me but in the meantime, I've put a little recipe at the end of the blog - a nice sauce to accompany chicken and steamed potatoes.

Did I say I'd missed my gang?

Georgina working on her ladybird. 

Can't wait to see her new project, starting next week!

Do ducks eat fish? Sue's mallard might!

Bridget's White Nancy is coming along nicely - loving the sky!

Anita's  tray is beginning to look delicious!

I felt like to doing a little dance before - the sun was out, brews and  biscuits were on the table and chit chat was flowing.

We did, as always, get to discussing food and I promised I would share my recipe for my favourite quick sauce:

To serve 2

1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons natural yoghurt

1 teaspoon English mustard

1/2 teaspoon honey

Mix well and serve in a sauce bowl on your plate.

I love this with baked chicken breast, steamed beetroot and potatoes, served with green beans and cauliflower.  

See you next week!

Barnaby Banner for the Craft Cafe

The Barnaby Craft Cafe Crew decided that we would create our own Craft Cafe Banner. 

So, we set a date, put together our heads and materials (there MAY just have been a little wine and cider involved too) and had a fun, fun evening!

Is that your phone?

While we were waiting for Helen B to arrive, Helen W and I were chatting and a telephone rang. 

I ran to the office to answer it and Helen held up my phone "it's here!" she called. 

Great - I grabbed it but it wasn't ringing. But Helen's coat was.  

"You must have the same ringtone as me, then" she said. 

"Can't remember!' laughed I. 

"Ring it and find out" she suggested

"Why not?" said I.

And I did. And it wasn't. It wasn't even remotely similar.

Maybe it is just as well there is no video evidence of that as we were practically crying laughing, barely unable to stand!

Still, we did compose ourselves and got making...

There was still more laughter throughout the evening... 

 With the rare serious moment...before I mentioned that the upside of being a vampire would be that you would have all those extra years to craft. But Helen W did come up with rather a good point that there hasn't actually been any recording of a vampire who was known for her badge making prowess or knitting skills....hm, maybe 'Twighlight' should be worried, I can feel a new story coming on...

Hmm...wonder why that wine is blurred?

We WERE working...honest!

We decided to make everyone badges with my new badge making machine. As Helen was cutting her badge background I thought I would take a photo. 

I've always loved Helen's unique style and if I didn't like her so much could be a teeny tiny bit envious of how stunning she always looks. 

So when I said that I liked the way my shelves looked behind her, I actually meant that her presence enhanced the whole image...

I suppose I just kept digging the hole but she very kindly forgave me and we believe we have invented a new job title for someone...'Shelf Enhancer - do YOU have THE look?'

 I absolutely ADORE the funky spider which Helen W made.  He's SO cute!

I had such fun making the flowers, frog and worm

Helen B's Butterflies and ladybirds are FABULOUS and I just loved the 'knockability' test she gave them.

So here it is, finished. Lots of recycled materials, laughter and fusing of friendship later. We hope the Barnaby visitors like it!

Thank you so much for coming last night. I thoroughly enjoyed it  and  think we should do it again, soon!  Thanks Helen B for the lift home.  See you soon!

x