Here's something a little bit special for the coming month. How much of the world can we share the love with by making a heart, taking it to someplace special and photographing it? Eddie at ACC has started this group on her blog http://roued.com/greyduckling/a-world-in-love/ along with a Flickr group http://www.flickr.com/groups/1600626@N21/ where we can share our images and locations. I have already fallen head over heels in love with this idea. Loads of us at ACC can knit and crochet, but how many other crafts can we represent in this challenge? Cross stitch, redwork, embroidery, patchwork, papercraft, weaving, felting, typography, jewellery making, carving, hardanger, lace ... who knows.
Do contribute, either directly to the Flickr group, or via Eddie's blog, or even the group she's set up on Ravelry.
Get your mates on board, and let's see if we can represent a World in Love.
I'm just reading our post from January 15th 2010. That was the first official meeting of A Crafty Coffee and what a meeting it was. We counted 18 attendees that day, and saw so many projects on the go, it was such an exciting time.
Do you think we have maintained the buzz that surrounded that first meeting? Are we as welcoming as a group as we were that first Friday? Do people still enjoy coming to A Crafty Coffee?
Over time, I would always assume that the initial flurry of excitement would wane and that the numbers would tail off to a core clique of people. To my amazement and glee, the opposite is true of A Crafty Coffee. Our numbers have increased significantly. Upon ordering the bubbly at the bar this morning, I didn't know how many glasses to ask for but I was told that the rough head count was 34. 34!!! That's THIRTY FOUR people crafting away, bumps, babes and pre-schoolers in tow for some, all manner of life's ills in tow for others, but there we all are. 34 represents about half of our actual members, some people attend more sporadically, others are there week after week after week.
As for whether or not we are welcoming, that is hard for me to personally testify to because I have not arrived as a newcomer at any stage. What I can say though, is that people tend to come once, and come back. I can barely think of two people who have tried us out and not yet returned, and one of those has been in touch to say that she felt really welcome but that with a stolen bike, car in the garage, and the early arrival of her wee son, she's not been able to make it back YET. In lieu of her attendance, she sent us this pic of her precious bundle, the 'thing' she is most chuffed with creating so far this/last year. He's just 1 week and 1 day old today. Aw.
In terms of whether people are still enjoying ACC, I would say the numbers speak for themselves. But more than that, today, at our little party, more than one person made a point of telling me that it was the highlight of their week. A couple of us vowed that we would not work on a Friday as it is so important to us. And Ruth has twice gone out of her way to share really encouraging stories demonstrating why ACC matters so much.
On January 15th last year there were so many projects to take in. It is wonderful to be able to share now that Coffee(Emma)'s cardi is complete, as are Liv's tree decs, my bear, Paula has taken her crocheting from strength to strength and I couldn't possibly count how many WsiP have been brought, shared and completed over the last 12 months. I asked for members to share photos of some of their works, here is a small selection ...
And now to today.
We have had a wonderful birthday celebration with cupcakes enjoyed by all, prosecco or sparkling elderflower for bubbles and a proper giggle. We welcomed Barbara (the group is never the same without her, what a massive personality) back with her new babe, we're doing well on small people to cuddle up with these days. {4 babies and counting, several toddlers and the odd poorly school child on occasion.} Trago Lounge were as welcoming and accommodating as ever they have been, permitting us to partake in these little beauties and generally waiting on us hand and foot ...
And, on top of all that, we still made time for a spot of crafting. Here's to the next 12 months.
Preparations have been underway for the last few days to mark A Crafty Coffee's 1st birthday. The lovely Pip at Trago Lounge very kindly permitted us to bring birthday cupcakes. I was worried about doing them out of sales, but let's face it, we bring in masses of business each Friday morning and so often people stay on for lunch. Anyway, we're not planning on bringing out the cupcakes until about half ten, that way we can share in a glass of fizz (either boozy fizz or sparkling elderflower) to mark us reaching this milestone.
So, what have I managed in terms of prep? Well, I researched some cupcake decorating styles and found some 'yarn frosting'. Fancy. http://www.momlogic.com/2010/08/crafty_cupcakes_edible_yarn.php This inspired me. My darling friend Thaya (who has now moved to NZ) bought me the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook at Easter, sadly, this was also when my oven stopped working. I've had this stunning book, full of the most beautiful food photography and tempting recipes for the entire time we were without an oven, how cruel is that? There must be something special in the timing though, we got a new oven just before Christmas and never has it been more needed than now. I have whipped up Lavender cupcakes with lavender 'wool' icing, silver balls and lavender flowers, Ginger cupcakes with ginger coloured lemon 'wool', stem ginger and sugar strands, and Vanilla cupcakes with pink vanilla 'wool' and sugar butterfly sprinkles. Never let it be said that I don't know how to throw a birthday party. My only concern now, the night before, is that 36 will not be enough cupcakes for A Crafty Coffee and the Trago Lounge staff. I am seriously considering nipping out to buy eggs to make a batch of Coffee cupcakes just in case. Would that be one step too far?
I am rather hoping the post from tomorrow's ACC will be a photofest of everything we have achieved this year, if not, perhaps it will be full to bursting with us lot eating cake and drinking flutes of fizz?
What were your highlights of 2010? What are your aspirations for 2011?
It is so easy to get caught up in the negatives, I don't know a single person who didn't have something to struggle through in 2010 but writing it off as 'a bad year' seems a little unfair to me. You may have noticed from the year of blog posts that Coffee and family have had a particularly trying year, yet even they can find highlights to speak of!
In terms of crafting, my highlights are lengthy. Completing the three bears at the beginning of the year for Aurora, Naomi and Leya is a big highlight. All three bears (named Star, Biscuit and Pearl) have been gratefully received and are being well loved.
Making Naomi's 'Go Anywhere Blanket' was a real labour of love. I learned so many knitting techniques, but in order to finish the blanket off I needed to learn to use the sewing machine too! To help with this, I made a few strings of bunting (for my new Bell Tent) and a few child sized aprons. This really boosted the confidence and, whilst I know the blanket is imperfect, I am thrilled with what I have learned and would know what to change to make some improvements.
I hope that other A Crafty Coffee members have achieved as much as I feel I have. The year has flown by and I am amazed at how many different works I have seen going on around me. Another highlight has to have been the work you all put into the sale(s). Raising over £1600 in the end, we sold everything from jewellery to candles, cross-stitch to scarves, baby blankets to tree decorations and everything in between.
To be a part of this, and to watch a group pull together in support and love, has been a huge privilege. I know, I know ... I've gone all sentimental on you. But seriously, as a group we have supported each other through parenting trials, ill-health (both physical and mental), pregnancy and early baby days, bereavement, sick loved ones and much much more. Who would have thought at the outset that a craft group could serve that purpose?
I have crafty aspirations and life aspirations. For now, I will share that Isobel started to teach me to crochet this morning. She was tutoring at least two others that I noticed, hence, New Year, New Craft being the title of this post.
With all of that in mind, and considering my personal aspirations for 2011, it is worth thinking about what the aspirations for ACC should be this year. • ACC on a Friday morning will continue exactly as it always has, a group for people who craft/want to craft/want company and are available on a Friday morning. A Crafty Coffee meets a need in our local community! • I imagine that we will hold another sale later in the year. • I hope that we will have an away day or trip of some description. • There is a mooted idea of some kind of craft course/tutorial sessions whereby we can pick up a new skill.
I wonder how much of the above we will be reporting back on in January 2012 ...
In addition though, being as so many of us are either christians (small 'c' intended), interested in the big life questions, or spiritually minded, we would like to set up a secondary group where we can explore faith in more detail. This group will meet on a Wednesday between lunch and school pick up and will probably happen in homes. All are welcome, but we recognise the need for this to be separate to ACC as, while we all have craft in common, we may not have spirituality in common. The group will be a safe place where we can have discussions, ask the questions we've never been brave enough to ask without feeling stupid, explore what the bible says about life in general, explore who we are, who/if God is etc. It is not necessary for attendees to have an active faith, an interest in chatting about the bigger things in life is all that's required.
So, not wishing this blog to be an 'all about me bag', I ask that you will send your craft photos of 2010 to acraftycoffee@yahoo.co.uk so that we can publish them in our First Birthday Blog next week. Mmmm cake ...
Well, Crafty was not alone for the NYE crafting. In fact she wasn't even able to be there as, with a broken down family car, she and the rest of the Crafty Clan were having to make a torturous train journey (several changes) to the friends with whom they were spending New Year's Eve.
It was a small and select group that gathered for the last A Crafty Coffee of 2010, but, as ever, we drank coffee, ate the Trago Lounge's beautiful breakfasts and pastries, talked and talked (a lot about how our Christmases had gone - some good, some bad), crafted and admired each others' creations. I'm afraid I (Coffee) was feeling pretty low (I'm going through a bad patch with my bipolar disorder) so please forgive me if I miss anyone out or get anything wrong.
It was lovely to see Sarah, who is still very under the weather. When I arrived she was snuggled under a wonderful log cabin knitted blanket, which is her current WiP, so I settled down with her with my blanket squares. We were joined by Claire who quickly got stuck in to her Humphrey's Corner cross stitch (which I have my eye on as my youngest LOVES Humphrey). Sheena came and wowed us all with yet more scarves. (We'll need to have another sale sooner rather than later at this rate!) Several presents were underway: Susan (with her lovely daughter in tow) was crocheting a beautiful purple scarf, Celia (with 'gorgeous as ever' boys with her) a lovely hat, and Carol (who had manage to arrive child-free :) ) a smart jumper for one of her boys.
It was a quiet end to the year, but one that involved coffee, crafting and, most importantly, deepening friendships. See you in the New Year everyone!
Wow. Fully expecting to be just me and my youngest, I was both surprised and pleased to see a large table full of ACC folk when we arrived in Trago. My Little one got compliment after compliment on her outfit which left me feeling very smug indeed as we'd had a full blown row over her refusal to wear a hat atop her wet hair. I persuaded her into her (much requested, long owned, but unworn) black sparkly trilby and won the opportuity to prove that old addage, 'Mother knows best'.
So, mini me brought along her knitting bag and knitted more rows than her Mum who spent far too much time talking. We pulled crackers and wore the silly hats, shared the dodgy jokes and the kids played with the naff toys. I saw mostly knitting and chatting going on, but there was also a certain Mrs K who was simultaneously eating her way out of a hangover and attempting a cross stitch, most impressive. A really good friend of mine who has moved to Grenwich to study jazz came in and joined us. Bizarrely, when Jilly came in, he got up to say 'Hi'. It was like some comedy sketch when we pointed at each other and said, 'how do YOU know Jilly?'. It turns out she is his godmother. Funny old world. Celia popped in just as I was leaving, unwell herself, with recovering children but a poorly hubby, JUST to share that she did indeed finish the socks! Well done Celia.
The mood was high, there was a definite sense of anticipation for what lay ahead the next day (what with it being Christmas Eve) and a certain sense of calm before the storm. It was particularly lovely that both Crafty and Coffee were able to be in attendance, what's the betting I'll be going solo on my NYE crafting? It was lovely to be able to wish Pip (Trago Lounge's manager) a personal 'happy Christmas' as he has been so wonderful in accommodating us over the past year (almost). Pip is the only member of original Trago staff who remains since the opening. We are getting used to the new faces, and they are certainly getting the hang of us which is fab.
We will be marking our first birthday next month, almost certainly with cake. I love birthdays, I always find them to be great times for reflection and ambition, like personal new years. Expect the birthday blog to be full of reflections and hopes for what ACC could have in store for the future.
For now though, I hope you all had a Christmas that suits the way you are and the way you like to celebrate. A Crafty Coffee, or at the very least Crafty, WILL meet on NYE, usual time and place.
Sorry for the lack of blog last week, we had snow days so I didn't fancy the icy pavements + 2 miserable children making for a fun A Crafty Coffee session. That said, we did get a lot of crafting done at home so all was not lost. Oh, and I fitted my lardy backside into a roasting tin to go sledging so the snow worked out to be fun too.
This morning there were a few table's worth of crafters again. Some of us are making Christmas gifts and Lisa very kindly blanket stitched two of the decorations I am making for a friend while I finished off a hat for my brother-in-law.
Apparently Celia has made one whole sock now, so I decided to insult her again by saying she'd never have them both done in time for Christmas. That ought to get her shifting. Coffee (Emma) is on blanket squares, as is Ali. Isobel appeared to be crafting conversation, Karen ... I didn't notice because I was far to busy admiring her strawberry tea cosy! Carol finished off a knitted dinosaur which Liv's little K took quite a shine to, Liv was working on another mega scarf (when she should really have been sewing ribbon onto the tree decorations she started in January), Lisa on a crocheted scarf, and a few others were beavering away on projects that I failed to observe. Chantal popped over for a quick natter before getting to 'work' over in another area of the Lounge, they had a home-workers group in this morning as well as us lot.
After a while, a full mug of coffee drained, and a few rows of hat completed, Priya came in with baby Kezia (5 weeks). Kezia is a tiny dot of a baby (6lbs 6oz), she is utterly gorgeous with loads of hair and her Mum is looking absolutely amazing. Motherhood seems to suit Priya and, even with a difficult start to the whole feeding routine, she appears to be very grounded in her role and very able to shrug off the well meaning advice of others in order to do what's best for her and her family. It was such a pleasure to welcome Kezia today, and even lovelier that she and Priya sat with Alison who was knitting a 'daddy bear' for her little girl with only four weeks to go until her second baby is due to make an appearance.
I do hope this post makes some degree of sense? I am sat here freezing in my front room, not daring to put on the heating for just me, and struggling to concentate ... whoops.
Anyway, I will try to add some pics of my latest items, and hopefully those of other ACC members next week.
We meet for coffee and bring along any craft project we may be working on at the time. Some of us are teaching others to knit. Some of us are learning to sew, cross stitch, embroider, the list goes on.
If you have spare 'materials' you are prepared to share, do bring along some for people to try their hand at something different. And, if you have never made anything before, come along empty handed to see if making is your thing.
The group is open to anyone of any age who is available and interested in attending. Our primary aims are to forge relationships, and of course to share in each others' expertise and delight in each others' creations.
Here's something a little bit special for the coming month. How much of the world can we share the love with by making a heart, taking it to someplace special and photographing it? Eddie at ACC has started this group on her blog http://roued.com/greyduckling/a-world-in-love/ along with a Flickr group http://www.flickr.com/groups/1600626@N21/ where we can share our images and locations.
