Christmas Crafting - make your own gifts

Gertrude Tlou of Umbrella Studios (087 7498039 gertrudetlou@eircom.net) and Anna Browne (087 2222562 or annambrowne@gmail.com) offer you the chance to enter the world of hand made gifts, and realise your dreams of a better Christmas. They will teach you to make a selection of goodies which will delight, amuse and please your nearest and dearest. Choose from a selection of Bath bombs, bath bags, Heat pillows, Neck gaiters, christmas decorations, granola, chocolate macaroons, truffles, Cookie mix in a jar, and go home with recipes and instructions for all of these, and the confidence to make them at home yourself. In addition you'll learn to make gift wraps, gift cards, and cute Origami gift boxes, using recycled materials.


Remember last Christmas? Fighting traffic, stuck in shopping center parking lots? Fighting with the other harried shopper over the last Bath set at the chemist on Christmas eve? Wracking your brains trying to remember who you forgot? Snarling at the family when it's supposed to be such a happy time of year? And then realising you forgot someone very important in the stress of it all? And knowing deep down that you have missed the spirit of Christmas....

This year can be so much different. Imagine a serene day spent learning new crafts, with interesting new people - picking up tips and tricks for creating personalised homemade gifts, and wrapping them in your own individual style?

Imagine spending the last few days leading up to Christmas, relaxed and basking in the knowledge that you have already made all your gifts. Or enjoying the last minute party you have been invited to, knowing you have a unique gift for the hosts in your stockpile. Imagine the appreciation you'll see on the recipients faces, when they see that you have taken the time to make something especially for them? And, best of all, imagine not being in fear of your January credit card bill!


'Make and Bake your Christmas Presents' will be held at Mullingar Educate Together NS on November 7th (leaving you lots of time to put your skills into practice before the holidays), running from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Cost is €75 euro, and all materials will be provided.

Making Natural Costmetics in Carlow.

Just back from a great weekend in Carlow. Headed down straight after school on Friday, so arrived before it was dark - that will be a luxury for the next few months. Staying with our friends Cathy and Martin (and Holly the dog - she doesn't have a blog, but she is the most popular with my kids), so lots to talk about in the Art and ecology area.


On Saturday, a friend of mine - Nicola Browne, who blogs at Clasheen, had organised for me to teach my Natural Cosmetics course at her studio.

Lots of interesting people attended - I should have taken some photos, but it was all a bit of a rush to get to Martin's opening at the Norman Gallery. Course participants went home happy with 4 or 5 bath bombs, various ointments and balms, a bath bag, and a handmade origami box to hold their goodies. That was the surprise hit - everyone that sees them falls in love with them - especially children, and they are a cinch to make. All were delighted that they had lots of ideas and techniques for making lovely hand made Christmas presents for all their friends.

Looking forward to teaching the same course here in Mullingar in Belvedere on Nov 24th (10:30am- 1:00pm) , and METNS Dec 5th (7:30pm-10:00pm)

Mullingar Advertiser

Got a good write up in the Mullingar advertiser this week - welcome if you're here because of that. Hope you enjoy the rest of the blog.

The list of courses is here- get booking :-)

Off to Carlow

Spending the weekend in Carlow, teaching a make your own natural cosmetics course...

Food Preserving course starting tonight

Looking forward to my first Food Preserving course - beginning tonight. I have a syllabus prepared, but the class needs will lead us to different places than what I have imagined. I'm excited to find out what they want to focus on!