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Friday, December 31, 2010

Heart-Felt Hogmanay wishes!


A very happy ending of 2010
and a very happy beginning of 2011
and health and joy and peace
throughout the ages to come to you all

Thank you for being part 
of this our wee Making Space adventure
gifting your skills and hours
and your renewable resources

looking forward to see our skills grow
and the light of the maker of beautiful things
in the eyes of all ages


 {pics of torchlight procession: copy right and courtesy of Cheryl, a Making Space fan in Edinburgh! }

Round the fire


Our wee gathering round the fire in the Arts Centre is now already 12 days ago! Apologies for the long delay - but it is that time of the year, where time stand still and one can try as hard as one will... it is time out of time..

So, 12 days ago: Playing the homemade puzzle "Snow-white" kept the little ones endlessly enthralled, as did the cookie cutter felt heart and things and the award giving to wee Andrea, as the one who has been longest around with Making Space Penicuik (sorry, hands were too busy to make pics of all that this time!). Sarah's newest creation, the red squirrel was another star of the show:


If you like to see a couple of more pics, go to the end of out December Twinkling album
http://picasaweb.google.com/the.weaver.here/DecemberTwinkling#

It was nice being in West Street with our last event of the year, with the cosy fire upstairs and the good food downstairs that venue gave comfort to all ages present, todds, kids, teens, and the grown-ups - under our rainbow felt banner amongst the evergreen...

Friday, December 17, 2010

wee seasonal gathering tomorrow



HI everyone

I know it is short notice, but almost everything these days with us here happens with short notice and blossoms :-)
If you are free and fancy it - it would be lovely to see you tomorrow by the fireside between 2pm and 4pm upstairs in the Penicuik Arts Centre, Weststreet, for a wee seasonal gathering with bring and share potluck refreshments, music, stories and games (all bring and share)

It is free, and if you can, a donation for room hire would be great.

All are welcome, bring friends, pass this here on.

Oh, and we would love you to follow us now also on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Making-Space-Penicuik/182837171730809?v=wall


oh, and yes we are havinng the usual craft session tomorrow, too, in townhall before that, usual time, 11.30 - 1.30
c u there and here

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Big Saturday - bold makers 'young' and 'old' - Penicuik & Bush


Christina will bring the inkle looms down next year, but the maker spirit was big and bold today both in the townhall and later at the Christmas party in the Forest Research Centre, Bush.

In the townhall we needed 3 tables today, and we lost count of the many hands making merry midwinter decorations - and even more impossible to capture the many little christmas deccies and cards that resulted.





Sarah has started now to get really into business with her 3D animals, such as the 3 polar bears and the mouse here (note the exquisite antlers!) all giving away that she not only researches scientifically & accademically the big beasts, prehistoric and contemporary,  but also in terms of making 'real life' felt toys. She has now several orders for dinos and bears! Luckily she also brought her animated dinos for the delight of the very little ones, to give them (or their mothers!) a break in watching over those quick very little hands all too eager to do needle felting!!



For more of the story of today's Making Space in the townhall you best visit our December photo album ( from pic 18 to pic 56!), and also for seeing some of the action in Bush later in the afternoon (pic 57 -72). Watch out for and read the captions!


The Xmas party input at Bush seems to have been a success too
with even more hands round the huge table doing everything from sticking felt stars and glitter on cards, doing cookie cutter shapes and free 3D shapes, to actually making their own felt, via wetfelting a design of their choice on prefelt.





In talking with a wide range of people today it became clear again how big the scope is for combining science learning with felt craft: shapes and forms can quickly be created, flat or 3D, plants or beasts, and athmospheres of nature, throught the unique vibrancy and texture of wool fibre (and silk we used today, too, a different feel again!)

A new tree for the Forest Commission!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Inkleloom weaving possible this Saturday - as well as felting

Would you like to learn how to make belts like this?
You might be getting a chance to have a go tomorrow with Christina Suttar, a local hand weaver - here seen in her studio weaving at her big 10 shaft loom.
What's an 'inkle-loom', you are asking? Well, just wait and see, come and see tomorrow - if the busses go to bring Christina over from Rosslin.

We will also do some felting, too, again, as this seems to be such a favoured actvity for all ages, but Ruth, Sarah and Vithen have to leave at the back of one tomorrow to get to Bush where they will facilitate felting for a Christmas party in the Forest Research Nursery.
We are planning to make some of these, amongst other things:
midwinter garland made from felt shapes using cookie cutters
(Picture courtesy of our woolcraft friends at Galgael)

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Visiting the Advent Spiral event in Carlops



In a time of white out and magic
there are tracks of deer and fox and hare
that move and muse us in the open plain


for the full story of the day read on here:

"Part of Making Space - an integral part really - is to go with the seasons and the gifts and wonders it brings for tools and inspirations to get creative, making space for celebrations and making it beautiful. In this new Album you will find pictures from different celebrations in the local communities that have been inspiring and uplifting. Do you know of any seasonal event you found inspiring? Please get in touch with text and/or images."

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Furry Gingerbread man and warm snowmen: boys in action!

This Saturday red cheek boys were getting crafty with dry and with wet felting!
The cookie cutter star and gingerbread man were an invention we should get the young artist patented for !
and the snowmen and greeting cards are just the beginning of what is waiting to come.
The wetfelted pieces here
have been hard work and beginners' pride, and will be cut into stars and fish and other secrets to be drawn here.
The green reindeer from gran Marion sadly never made it onto the camera, as there was so much action spread out over the hall (wet felt rolling on stage, for instance), the camera hands could not keep up. Nor could the hands of the volunteers keep up with stringng the cut felt stars into garlands yet
or maybe it was because the hands of Sarah just can not help it producing 3D creatures like the mouswe hiding here :-)
In the background can be seen felt christmas cards and a cosy den for the toddlers to play under with the felt toys.

We did go to the town centre afterwards in the hope for meeting old friends and singing - but as the council had cancelled the singing there was the meeting of friends that kept us warm.

Phew, lots of home work to do before next Saturday and the outreach then to the Bush Nursery after the townhall!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Its starry night time this Saturday in Penicuik Town hall

Come along tomorrow, between 11.30 and 1.30, to make some felt stars, and paper stars for your home in this snow starred nights as we prepare for a long winter!

Keep warm, everyone, and keep shining, and see you tomorrow that way, too!

We are planning this time to make the star-felt as wetfelt from scratch, and string it up with handspun threads.



There will also be soup for you in the townhall, as well as the usual yammie cakes!

Oh, and by the way: at 2.30pm, there will be Carol singing in the town centre to mark the switching on of the Xmas lights.

Children's Advent Garden in Carlops this Sunday

Advent Spiral from Kleas

Ever heard of the "Advent Spiral"? It is a lovely seasonal custom for the time before Christmas to prepare children of all ages for the turning of the year, and bringing light into our souls and into the world.  Found a lovely picture from blog as seen and linked above.

But why does it appear here? Well, there is one down the road from here on Sunday, 5th December:


3.45 in Carlops

PCAA Concert tomorrow, Sat. 4/12/2010

Not all events are cancelled due to the snow!

Tony Furtado will be playing at the West Street Arts centre.

Thought we give him a pluck here, to see whether our readers can be persuaded to be warmed and lit up by his tunes!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

a fond fare thee weel to Vibusha


With a golden dragon and his chick, a co-creative felt poach depicting a sunny Scotland (golden like the autumn nature's corner she did with the kids),

a co-creative cake and many pictures to remember us by,


a special card from wee Andrea,
and a special Watercolour Felt book, Vibusha is now on her way back home to the sommer beaches of New Zealand.

If truth be spoken she would have loved to stay here, part of this caring sharing community of fibrecraft enthusiasts of all ages. Esp as by some fluke no kids were part of the party this Saturday - probably all gone to the Panto in same building?

We will all miss her sorely, her calm creative presence and caring sharing. The picture to remember the last session with her by are here, at the end of this album; And we hope we have learned enough from her ways of being and working with the fabulous fibres inherent in children and in wool, ways that bring out the best in all.

And here are some more of her gifts today for us:



And remember - you can also watch Vibusha in videos on  "Felted Friends"  and "Mother Earth weaves her autumn blanket"


Best wishes, Bushy, for your summer weaving down under. We are looking forward to some warm wind from there as nature wraps her white blanket round us now!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

NEW: a calendar

We have added now a calendar to this blog.

 You can access it from left panel, or from the 'what's on' page, or just here now.
See it Ok?

If you have any events you would like to log and be see here, too, - just let me know

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The BANKMILL appeal



READ MORE HERE

about the full picture and give us your feedback: what do YOU think? What appeals to you?

The meeting in the townhall tonight was very well attended, and there will be another meeting soon building upon what the PCDT initiated with your input. You can see that this intensive longterm project can go a long way to build more pride of place here as well put Penicuik back on the cutting edge of our transition times:
it is all part of the greater picture of today and joined-up effort with fun and fibre as well as soundness in building and planning is how community in times of economic crisis can become very inventive in sourcing solutions.

Wnat to see how other communities are doing it at present? Well, have a look here, in Ireland, where the UK and IMF, etc is bailing out yet another bank, and where there vibrant other things happen, too:
http://www.fada.ie/
"Here you will find a wide range of views and inspiring activities, sobering information and fiesty discussions representing the growing number of initiatives around Ireland."
http://transitiontownsireland.ning.com/

Why am I posting Ireland links here? Well, I just find their websites a very good blend of fun and soundness, and folks in full action...
Have a look and lets hear what you think.

and,  by the way, the draft lease for the Penicuik Community food project is on the PCDT table!
Hm, now where the snow comes! Well, gives us time to put some extra spice into Bankmill clearing, both physically and financially. So, come along to townhall on Saturday, and sign up for a different Making Space, the space for making Bankmill work for you and your children.

We'll keep you posted as best we can - meanwhile have a look at the embedded and uploaded document below or go to here http://www.makers.org.uk/paper/bankmill

THANK YOU


Saturday, November 20, 2010

at the Edinburgh Steiner School Christmas fayre

Vibusha managed at last to visit the Steiner school and wow what an occasion this year's advent market was! We had only very little time, but saw some very precious and practical clever things out of wool!

Hear and see the full story here on the Craftfayre album from pic #36 to No #65.

Spinning and stringing

The intricate art of stringing tiny beads was well mastered by Toni and his 3 girls, and a number of people young and 'old' got stuck in under their guidance (and the playful eyes of dinosaurs!)


At same time another circle gathered around Catherine spinning by drop spindle and wheel
Can you be einticed enough now to check out the full story via our photoalbum, pics #64 - #82 ?
Catherine brougt many different kind of fleeces to show and share


Lucie mastered the art of drop spindle spinning  in less than an hour!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Special Saturday this week: beading and spinning in Townhall

This Saturday, the 20th of November, we will have two special guests making a contribution to our Making Space Penicuik Sessions in the townhall from 11.30 am to 1.30pm:
Catherine Freeland, local spinner and weaver (seen above in Valleyfield house at one of the recent Arts Festivals) will demonstrate and teach handspinning on the wheel and on the handspindle.

And Tony Dore
has prepared his beading loom to make beautiful things with you like these:
bookmarks
bracelets
ear rings
Beads will be provided at material costs!

Do come along and have a go at making space for making beautiful things, discovering the magic of ancient crafts, and weaving community.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

PCAA Craft fair in Penicuik

Poppy from Peebles and her felt galore stall
The halls upstairs and downstairs were buzzing today as local crafters and artists got busy displaying their goods for the eager crowds. Check it out a bit in our Craft Fayre album pictures # 26 to # 35.
Lovely and inspiring to see all their works. Shame Poppy doesn't sell in the PCAA, though!

A wee Making Space contingency gathered downstairs on stage with a playful display of felt creatures (and need I mention the stars of the show? Wooly Dinosaurs which Sarah could have sold by the dozen!), the spinning wheel and god's eye weaving, as well as spontaneous dry felting.

See the full set of snapshot on the "Now in November" Album from picture #40 to picture #62. We were actually quite busy as well as able to catch with lots of folks at last.