Niamh in full flow!

The last story came through little Niamh, with perfect poise and control, fluid and fiery, the story unfolded leaving us all enwrapped in mystery.

Having watched us for 3 months telling stories and moving the handmade puppets and boats through the handmade landscape has had an therapeutic and empowering effect on all.

Shirley had baked really beautiful looking gingerbread men which tasted even more gorgeous - which we found out we watched her enact the gingerman story with Tina.

Although we were just us today for that last day, and although we really missed everyone being away on holiday, we were deeply impressed to see how grown ups and kids alike had come on since we started: telling stories freely, performing to an audience, sharing and showing.

THANK YOU EVERYONE. 

LETS PICK STORY SCAPE UP AGAIN 

AT THE FESTIVAL

IN THE YURT

IN SEPTEMBER.

Last Summer Story Scape Session today

Don't miss today's last Summer Season Story Scape session in library.
We bring to you and create with you today :

1. The Gingerbread Man with Tina and Ramona
2. The Sunshine Story with all of you and Anneruth
3. More wee teasers with Jenni and Anneruth for the Magnus Fin story sessions to come in the yurt at Craigiebield and in the library at the Arts Festival, first week in September

And of course songs and all that with Ramona!

Looking forward to see you soon

Papermaking and Felt Scape Cave and Kyrgystan felt at Bankmill

Mandy Mills from 'Making paper second nature' offered Papermaking sessions in the last remaining papermill building, the Bankmill, at the Esk River. (For more info on the Bankmill project go here: http://www.bankmill.co.uk/)

I wonder which special poem, picture or story will be put on this fine sheet of handmade paper?



Meanwhile outside, Shirin from Kyrgyzstan demonstrated how to make a felt sheet design from her homelands:

We are very much looking forward to have her come back to do felting with us during the Arts Festival soon in September. For a few more glimpses of Shirin's felts visit https://picasaweb.google.com/the.weaver.here/FineFeltsInFife.


The recess in the wall served as a perfect display cave of our Making Space Story Scape creatures and characters. And it looks like they were inspired to come to our last Story Scape session on Friday coming, 29th July, in the Penicuik Library, 2-3pm :-)

Tomorrow: Paper making at Bankmill

Joining forces with Bank Mill tomorrow, everyone!
Just 3 minutes walk from Town hall!
See you there.

Katie Morag, the Farmer and the grape, and Magnus Fin

We are still waiting for the proper blog post to be written, but meanwhile, as time flies fast, would you like to have a look at the pictures from the second last Summer Story Scape sessions and see whether you can make out the stories and their characters?
Plus maybe vote for your favourite picture here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/the.weaver.here/TheLast2SummerStoryScapeSessions
 and listen to a bit of the song Ramona made for the  Katie Morag Story:

and here is a bit of the interactive story of the farmer and the giant grape:

practising for this week's Story Scape

see more pics of this Story Scape practise session: pics # 108 -118

This Friday (15th July) will be our second last summer Story Scape session in the library. Don't miss it! Jenny and Tina are working hard in preparing it, and we are hoping that this week's stories will delight many of you.
So come along....
sing along

Oh, you want to know what the stories going to be? Ah!  Well....

See that red haired little girl in front of the house?

Yes, it's Katie Morag again, with her poor old one-eyed teddy, whom she puts through a rough ordeal. But why? And will he survive?

Come and see and hear, as we work and play together bringing tangible warmth and colour to a favourite story.
There will also be another story Jenny and Tina are preparing for Story Scape this week, but maybe we keep you wondering? Come and see! 2 -3pm in the Penicuik Library.

And ! There just might be Anneruth starting to tell you a little bit about Magnus Fin, the forth coming hero of our September Festival Story Scape, for which we are preparing during August. If you are interested to help shaping this venture, please get in touch. 07818 061918

1000 Origami Cranes?

A precious gift: an origami crane

Our Saturday crafting in the community session was in Bankmill today, where Rose taught how to make one of the most famous Origami Crane.

Wikipedia tells us:

Thousand origami cranes (千羽鶴, Senbazuru^?) is a group of one thousand origami paper cranes held together by strings. An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. The crane in Japan is one of the mystical or holy creatures (others include the dragon and the tortoise), and is said to live for a thousand years. In Japan, it is commonly said that folding 1000 paper origami cranes makes a person's wish come true. This makes them popular gifts for special friends and family.

Thanks Ann, for the link!
Aye, it would be a bit of a challenge to make 1000 cranes! Wonder whether one would be allowed to count as one if one does it as a group of people ;-) ?

for more pics click here, photos #97 - #106

In any case: we would like to ask Rose to repeat this session during school time when there are more people around. It was real fun! The good side of having only a few folks was: one had time for more of a natter today, catching up, planning the festival in September, and get spoiled with cakes.

The next Saturday "Crafting in the Community" session on July 23rd, by the way, will also be in Bankmill, with proper paper making.

See you there!

Making Space in Bankmill Open Day tomorrow - with Origami

 Our Making Space crafting in the community session will be held in Bankmill tomorrow where there is Open Day and where Ulla has organised an Origami workshop. Why not stroll down to the Mill and try your hands on this.

Paper-folding is a wonderful hobby, and a wonderful group activity... and for kids it has so many benefits socially and for the developing mind, but I just love it because you get to make cool stuff - with only a sheet of paper!

It's incredible to watch an ordinary piece of paper transforming into a three dimensional form, and the more complex the design, the more incredible this process becomes... (http://www.origami-fun.com/)

Want to know a bit more about the Open Day tomorrow?

Roger writes in the

Open Day Programme

On Saturday July 9th, we begin a weekly series of Open Days at Bank Mill. In July, the dates are Saturday July 9th and 23rd, and  Sunday July 17th and 31st, with public access from 11 am to 4 pm.

Please spread the word and encourage all your friends to drop in for a visit, perhaps making it a focus on a walk or cycle ride along the River Esk railway path......

New Page for our forthcoming Arts Festival

Inspiration from Katie and the house that made space for the 

Prestonpans Tapestry Creation

The above picture is from a venue in the 3Harbours festival, an ever growing community arts festival in East Lothian which is inspiring us to invite you all to take part in September, 3rd - 11th for the

find out more on http://makingspacepenicuik.blogspot.com/p/updates-on-penicuik-arts-festival-2011.html