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Excitingly, this month we are launching a new project #whoopwhoop So read on for info, news, dates for your diaries and more. Stratton Flaggery: Fluttering Through Stratton’s History You may know that Making Place is based in glorious Stratton, on the edge of Cirencester (and if you didn’t, now you do). Stratton is an old community. We even have an entry in the Doomsday book! But Stratton is also eclipsed by its famous Roman neighbour, Cirencester. So at Making Place we have decided to do something about that and launch a new creative history project this year in collaboration with the Cirencester History Festival. If you’d like to get involved, read on…… Making Place is seeking sewists, crocheters, knitters, felters, quilters and textile makers of all kinds! This year we are particularly seeking creative people from or connected to Stratton who would like to take part in Stratton Flaggery: Fluttering through Stratton’s History. The project will provide lots of opportunities for small or bigger creative contributions from individuals and families which will be shared as a series of flags and banners around Stratton during October half term 2024. Join me, and fellow Maker & Mender Rebecca from The Corinium Museum, on Monday 29th July at Stratton Village Hall from 6.15 - 7.15pm to find out more. And visit the project page here to register your interest. The Big Lunch The Makers & Menders were out in force at Cirencester Town Council’s Big Lunch. Thanks to many of you who brought your projects to work on in the Making Place gazebo, alongside our friends from Repair Cafe, Clothes Swap and Ciren Workbench. We encouraged members of the public to ‘have a go’ at Rag Rugging using old t-shirts and sari scraps, demonstrating how to avoid landfill and make something beautiful. We also helped people make hand printed labels to celebrate their 2nd hand, handmade, mended and swapped clothing. Makers & Menders Our regular monthly meet up is coming up at the end of July. Stick Sunday 28th July 2 - 5pm in your diaries if you would like to join us for a lovely unstructured afternoon of creative skill sharing, project ideas and making & mending fun. Til then M&M's Jay xx 
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Hello All
It's been a while since the last Making Place Newsletter but, hey, if it was too regular it wouldn't be "irregular" would it ;-) Much has happened at Making Place Central: new partnerships in the offing, inspirational Road Trips to Gloucester, Stroud and Billingham and at least 2 Makers & Menders Sessions since I last wrote to you. A tribe of 10 Makers & Menders loved visiting Gloucester Resource Centre and The Long Table in Stroud recently to explore these fabulous organisations on our doorstep. And I went on a wild research adventure with my best Fest-buddy Loz of Callous Creations all the way up to Billingham in the North West to meet Annie Sloan (of chalk paint fame) and Wayne Hemmingway - Red or Dead, for those of us old enough to remember, and founder of the Festival of Thrift. An inspirational weekend ensued and I returned with new thrifty skills, many second hand wins, and a myriad of ideas which I've carefully placed in the Making Place 'Fridge' to keep cool until the time is right to bring them out! And of course so much is happening in the world around us which serves to sharpen my focus and, at times, pull the rug out from under me. When I look out into our chaotic world it increases my sense of urgency, panic and overwhelm: "look how much needs doing; it all needs to happen now; how on earth can I do anything that will make a difference?" Do you feel that too? The risk in this heightened state is to freeze, to hide away and to do nothing. Or to perceive that what one is trying to do is way too little way too late. It was in one such 'pulled rug' moment I was sent this profound and moving piece co-authored by Bayo Akomolafe and Marta Benavides - The Times are Urgent: Let's Slow Down that I really wanted to share with you. It reminded me that what we are doing - coming together to share our skills; making and mending together, supporting and amplifying everybody's inherent creativity - is a radical act. Making Place is as much about connecting a community in a spirit of exploration and curiosity as it is about using our creativity and skills to come up with whatever is needed and to fix what is broken. In Bayo & Marta's words "In [these] circles, our hands will be occupied with the serious business of reclaiming territory, creating value, and reconnecting with others....". So I invite you too, in 'rug pull' times, to consider yourself part of a movement of change. By coming together authentically and creatively we are seeding the potential for the new and the hopeful and the beautiful. Look around. Really look. What colours, patterns, potential do you see? Take time. Pay attention. Turn up in your own skin, not the ill fitting costume that others might expect. Chat. Pah to plastic let plants prevail. Be wild. Be weird. Be kind & curious. Questions are the key to the new. You can't know all the answers. Revere the artists. Laud the Makers & the Menders. They own the future. Be one. And now.... upcoming joy in the form of the Scrubditch Care Farm Christmas Fair! Some of the Making Place Makers & Menders are looking forward to taking part again this year and will be selling their wares. It's always a fantastic event with loads to see, beautiful gifts to buy, yummy local produce and all of it in aid of this special local charity, so please do pop along on Saturday 2nd December if you can. Hi all If, like me, you landed back into a different pattern this week - having spent the summer holidays balancing kids/attempting to work/keeping your creative spirit alive/your house in some semblance of order - then you may, like me, be feeling like the holiday season is truly over despite the sun trying to tell us otherwise. And it's a bit sad isn't it? However, I think creativity holds the answer to keeping the brilliant chaos and excitement of summer alive. So here are a couple of ideas to keep you bouncing into the Autumn. Go to a festival for free Summer hols might be over but the Fest's haven't stopped. My passion for outdoor art is born out of the democratic space it inhabits - on streets and in parks where we wander when we want - anyone might happen across something unexpected and amazing for free, even if they are someone that's never stepped foot inside a theatre or art gallery before. There are still some magnificent, free outdoor arts events on the horizon this year and Outdoor Arts UK have a myriad of options for us here. Run away to the circus Having worked for a number of very happy years in a circus school (no....I can't balance on anything, hang from anything or flip, but I can juggle 3 balls badly) I'm always super happy to see Giffords arriving in Cirencester. And if Giffords is not enough circus for you, coming up soon just down the road in Bristol is the Circus City Festival which programmes amazing, thought provoking, funny, unexpected shows. From a circus edition of Tess of the D'Urbervilles to the acrobatic adaptation of Chris Hauton's award winning children's book Oh No, George! it's a rich and joyful programme for all ages. Learn a new creative skill There isn't a month that goes by without me making something - current project almost done: I'm nearing completion of my 'Up the Arts' macrame panel at last. And I'm already yearning to get my fingers into a new skills this Autumn so I've been swooning over a myriad of options. Prema Arts Centre's is one of my 'go to's' as they always have a great selection of one-off and regular workshops: from Bath Bombs to Fascinators; to silver rings and socks. The choice here is immense. And a bit closer to home, I noticed that the wonderful Becky Kimberley is running an series of evening workshops at The Bothy starting 20th September, introducing lino cutting and exploring seed shapes through pattern, collage and print. Contact Becky for more info and to book [email protected] If you have more ideas to keep creative juices flowing this Autumn I'd love to hear about them! Crafty Bundles If you came along to our recent CRAFTY BUNDLES event during New Brewery Arts fabulous summer Craftival, you'll already know about the huge buzz that swapping unwanted arts & crafts materials created. It was magical to meet over 50 'Bundlers' who donated items they no longer wanted, shared their stories, and left the space with inspiring new to them materials and tools. Many members of the general public joined us too and we were chuffed to hear that we tripled the usual footfall of our perfect hosts, New Brewery Arts, on the day! We rehomed 287 items and left over materials and tools have already gone to, or are soon destined for, organisations doing brilliant creative things locally including Sunflowers Pre-school & The Churn here in Cirencester; Can't Sit Still who are starting Creative Clubs for autistic girls and non-binary young people in Cheltenham and our recycle/reuse partners Gloucester Scrap Store. We will be putting more Crafty Bundles events in the calendar once we've reflected on the valuable feedback we've received and worked out when, where and how the next one will happen, so do watch this space for more info in due course. Makers & Menders Our regular monthly meet up is coming up really soon at Stratton Village Hall, on Sunday 17th September from 2.00 - 4.30pm. It's always a joy to welcome everyone to the space and I'm excited to see what projects will be joining us too. And it's a special one this month.... Makers & Menders is ONE YEAR OLD! Please wear your party togs if you are coming along (and wear them anyway even if you're not able to join us #partytogseveryday). There will be cake - there's always cake - there will be extra cake. The session will be Pay What You Like as usual. We suggest £6 per person as this ensures we cover the costs of our room, refreshments and admin costs. If you can afford a bit more it helps make it possible for someone to come that might not have the money this month. And if we make a surplus this builds a pot for extra things like paying for Scrap Store Membership for the group, or specialist materials to play with, or fuel for a trip. Pay What You Like is our way of supporting each other and keeping our sessions running without the need to rely on start/stop project funding. If you aren't able to join us, don't worry, you can follow along on the Insta @itsmakingday and we'll be back in touch before you know if with more thoughts, ideas and opportunities to connect. With love Jay xx  Hello All It's a hive of activity at Making Place central as we gear up for our contribution next week to the magnificent 'Craftival' programme at New Brewery Arts in Cirencester. Have you attended anything yet? Are you coming along to any of the Making Place events at Craftival? More of that later but first, indulge me, here's a bit of 'Jay Waffle'. I'm thinking more about risk this month, mainly due to two extraordinary people I've connected with over the last few weeks. One is a great buddy with whom I invented and ran a landscape festival in Yorkshire many moons ago. They now run a climbing wall & run extreme marathons. The other is an acrobat, aerialist and Circus Director who I've been supporting to write a funding application for their forthcoming show. It is common for one to find themselves 30' up a sheer wall holding on by their finger tips, and the other to be dangling from a harness in the sky making beautiful shapes in the air. Both of these magnificent humans share an attitude to risk that is way beyond what I can handle in my day to day. So what makes it possible to take these risks? While we're all looking at that fabulous aerial artist, or gawping at the climber high up the wall, perhaps we are not noticing the anchor-person on the end of the rope, or the riggers that placed & safety checked every piece of equipment. There is a powerful relationship between the risk taker and the supporter/sidekick here. And what's this got to do with Making & Mending? Well, I realised that without my 'anchors' and 'riggers' creating the conditions for me to inhabit my creative self and take my own artistic risks doing anything becomes nigh on impossible.
And now....Craftival! Makers & Menders We're delighted to be part of Craftival for our Makers & Menders session this month, taking place at New Brewery Arts, Cirencester, in the Gallery on Tuesday 15th August, at 7pm. I know some regulars have already booked to come along, and will make our new joiners feel very welcome. If you are looking for a social space to bring your making or mending project, or some inspiration to get you going, come and join the tribe! You can book here and I'll send you more info about what to expect. "Makers & Menders sessions are a positive thing on my calendar which I look forward to. I like to think of [you all] as my "tribe". As usual the session will run on a Pay What you Like basis. £6 per person helps us cover the costs of our regular room, nice refreshments, insurance and administration behind the scenes. If you are able to pay more this helps someone that might not have the funds this month to keep coming and connecting. If we generate any excess ££ this starts to contribute into a shared pot to do other things like buy materials to play with, or go on a trip together. So Pay What You Like is our way of supporting each other to find inspiration and keep our sessions reliably running without the need to rely on start/stop funding from other sources. Crafty Bundles Craftival is also host to our inaugural Crafty Bundles Art & Craft Materials Swap Event on the 19th August between 1 - 4pm, also in the beautiful gallery at New Brewery Arts. So excited about this, and looking forward to meeting everyone who has signed up to take part (over 50 people to date - hoorah!). The more the merrier, and there is still time to get involved - register your interest and I'll send you more info. Crafty Bundles aims to energise a circular arts economy by moving on items that you no longer need or want in order for them to have good use elsewhere. If you are feeling 'de-cluttery', this is a perfect opportunity to avoid the bin with 'too good to throw away but I don't want it' items, and inspire someone else that could put it to good use. So I do hope I'll see some of you in actual-real-life very soon at one of the Making Place events. If you can't make it this time you can follow along on Insta @itsmakingday where I'll do my best to capture what we are up to (new app....LifeLapse....so fun, watch out for results soon on my Insta feed!). Meanwhile, please remember to say thanks to your Anchor Person or Rigger - they're awesome! Wishing you a creative fun filled month ahead. Sending love Jay xx  Witam wszystkich (hello everyone)
I'm just back from an amazing visit to Krakow, Poland. WOW, what a brilliant city! I'm not a great traveller so it definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and pressed lots of 'anxious' buttons: flying, not knowing what's where/who's who/what's what, city crowds, and entertaining teenagers (OMG!) However, I did it and I loved it and it's reminded me just how important (vital) it is to take oneself out of 'the everyday' so we can open ourselves up and move beyond where we are. It's in these more challenging spaces that we learn, we understand more about ourselves and the world around us and we open ourselves up to new thoughts and ideas. It's made me think about what this means for our Making & Mending. I would be rich if I had a Polish Zloty every time someone said "I can't draw/I'm not creative" when I mention I work in the arts! For too many people the idea of creating something feels like a momentous, risky and unachievable challenge. So I truly applaud the bravery of everyone that pushes into that unknown creative space - the blank piece of paper waiting for a first mark, the picking up of a new tool and using it for the first time, the trying of a new technique just to see what happens. Out of this vulnerable exploration comes something new in the world, new understandings and new potential - all power to that, we certainly need it. Our next Makers & Menders session is fast approaching. This month will be at Stratton Village Hall on Friday 28th July, with set up from 7pm (we're usually ready to go by about 7.20pm) until 10pm. Please don't forget to book which you can do here. As always the session will be on a Pay What You Like Basis. It would be brilliant to see you with a project you are working on. And if you are stuck in that challenging 'don't know where to start/don't know what to do' space, the rest of the group is on your side and will have lots of ideas to help you get going. As usual, I'll bring along a range of books, materials and tools you can use and my recycle project this month is cardboard signage and rubber printing for the forthcoming Crafty Bundles (see below) at New Brewery Arts - you are welcome to join me in that. Crafty Bundles is on Saturday the 19th August and aims to inspire people to root through cupboards, dive behind sofas and deep into the back of drawers to find art & craft materials that no longer serve them. I hope Crafty Bundles will help to energise a local circular arts economy by encouraging people to donate what they don't want and get inspired by what others have shared. I like to think of it as a creative movement to reduce waste and help fellow Makers & Menders navigate the cost of living crisis. Excitingly, things are starting to arrive already. If you haven't registered your interest yet you can do that here. I'll also be looking for a small team of volunteers to help on the day. If that's you, please drop me an email and let me know you're up for it: [email protected] I'm looking forward to seeing you soon M&Ms. If you can't make it in person to any of our gatherings don't worry, you can always follow along on Insta @itsmakingday Meanwhile I encourage you to take a creative risk this month and see what newness it brings. Sending love Jay xx Firstly, a very warm welcome to our new subscribers this month. It's lovely to have you here. I'm writing hot (literally - so humid this morning!) on the heels of a Makers & Menders Road Trip where an intrepid gang went to explore Site Festival in Stroud. There are events on until 24th June so still time to go. We enjoyed exploring the work of some amazing artists and makers at a few of the Festival venues including SVA and Hawkwood College. Most important for me though was the sense of connection that we build every time we meet, whether on our Road Trips or at our Makers & Menders sessions. There is such power in shared exploration; the chat in between what we are doing; the curiosity about what we are experiencing and about each other, our passions and challenges, and how getting into our hands helps to bring balance. New ideas and possibilities always emerge from these moments which is super exciting. I remembered the gentle hour at the end of our day spent wandering the beautiful grounds of Hawkwood. And in the extraordinary landscape I was reminded that our making and mending can also be about protecting and connecting to the natural world around us: what materials are available to us here, how can we reuse and recycle what we don't need, how can our making practice be both sustainable and regenerative? I'd love to continue these conversations with you all as we meet, make & share together. So to a few bits of Making Place news..... Makers & Menders: our next session is coming up really soon on Sunday 25th June at Stratton Village Hall. I'll be setting up the room from 1:30 if you fancy popping along to help. Otherwise I'll see you from 2pm - 4.30pm. As always, the session will run on a Pay What You Like basis and booking is essential. This primarily helps me to know how many cakes to bring ;-) but also gives you the option to share what you are interested in so I can help build connections. I'll bring tools, materials and project ideas that you can have a go at. Do bring your own projects to work on too and, if you choose, to share with others who might be looking for a bit of inspiration to get them going. New from this month I'll be setting up a Micro Gallery table. If you have made something that you are proud of and would like to show off to the group, do bring it along to put into the Micro Gallery for the duration of the session so we can all enjoy it. Crafty Bundles: you may have started to see New Brewery Arts advertising their brilliant Craftival Event which takes place this summer. Makers & Menders in August will be happening in the NBA gallery as part of the event and I'm really excited to be hosting the inaugural Crafty Bundles Craft Materials Swap on the 19th August. This idea has been keeping cool in our Project Fridge since last year, so it's brilliant to bring it out and make it happen! So now is the time to start looking in the dark corners of your arty crafty spaces to see if you have any materials that no longer serve you. You can donate anything you don't want or need in return for 'spending tokens' which you can use to find new-to-you things. For lots more info about how Crafty Bundles works, and to register your interest in taking part, have a look on the website here. Can't wait to see you soon. 'Til then, then. Jay xx  Hi all I'm writing this while listening to the Blue Tit chicks who have hatched this week in our little bird house. Ma & Pa Tit moved in before I'd had the chance to renovate their broken roof and repaint back in April. We then had epic rain storms where their new dwelling was battered, splattered, blown and smashed against the wall. Having survived that, they realised they'd moved in next to a drum studio - our garage where they hang is where my son practices. The fact that they chose to stay anyway fills me with joy - they are clearly raising Rock Chicks! Their house will definitely get a Mending Makeover as soon as the Rock Chicks have fledged. With nature bursting forth all around I've been excited to see & hear about nature inspired M&M projects underway. Petals have been pounded to make prints; there has been forest-based mindful photography; cordage from nettle stems; nature inspired felting. Brilliant! A small band of Makers & Menders went on a Road Trip to Cheltenham this weekend. Research was on our minds as we visited the Mimmo Studios monthly Clothes Swap. Not only did we all secure some lovely swaps to revamp our wardrobes but we also picked up lots of ideas to inform the Clothes Swap Taster that will be part of the Craftival event at New Brewery Arts this summer. More about that to come nearer the time. With Making & Mending in mind, we also ventured over to The Wilson Art Gallery where a fabulous crew of young activists from Planet Cheltenham were inspiring all comers with mending techniques that we can all use to keep our clothes out of landfill, and re-energise much loved items. Inspired by the Planet Cheltenham Youth Group I'll be bringing along my Sashiko needles and thread to start a mend on a pair of jeans when we meet..... .....which could be really soon! Our next Makers & Menders session is this coming Saturday 27th May, setting up from 1.30 and running until 4.30pm at Stratton Village Hall. As always, if you'd like to come along you are hugely welcome. Bring a project if you are working on something, or come along and see what others' are up to. I'll have materials to play with, tools to try and a 'Recycle/Reuse Project of the Month' to have a go at if you fancy it. Can't wait to see you Makers & Menders! With love Jay xx PS One of my favourite macrame supply shop is closing down (boooo) which means there is 60% off all stock at the moment (hooraaaay) Here's the link if you are interested: Artsy Northeast Micro training: Macrame string, cord, rope or braid? Macrame String - Single strand that isn't 'plied' (plied is where 2 or more strings are twisted together). Best for small projects like jewellery and weaving e.g. for the warp threads. Macrame Cord - Plied to form a thicker strand, usually in varying widths. Good for detailed hangings and for brushing out into a fringe. Macrame Rope - Thicker than Cord, usually 2, 3 or 4-ply (i.e. 2, 3 or 4 cords plied together). Good for heavier pieces that are weight bearing e.g. seats, lampshades. Will fray. Braided Cord - fibres are woven into a cord that won't fray or unravel. Holds it's structure well, easy to tie and untie without loosing the structure of the cord, but rubbish if you want a fringe.  Hello my friends I'm composing this to the drip, drip, drip of April rain. I know the plants and the pond are happy, but....really! I'm therefore delighted to have our session coming up on Friday this week - 7.30 - 10pm, at Stratton Village Hall - so I have your sunshine-y faces to look forward to seeing, regardless of what the weather brings. As always, do fill in the booking form if you're planning to come along. It's been super busy at Making Place Central since I last saw you. Our bunting and signs helped to add extra sparkle to the Cirencester Clothes Swap where we rehomed 280 items of clothing, donated a further 340 to local charities - saving them from landfill - PLUS raised £330 for the Disasters Emergency Committee for the Turkey Syria Earthquake Appeal. Thanks to all those that helped with the bunting and our papercut/stenciled signs which looked ace and helped raise awareness of the global challenges of over consumption of clothing. A Makers & Menders Task Force enjoyed a great trip to the Jolly Super Things Craft De-stash event a couple of weeks ago. While we *might* have spent a few quid restocking our craft supplies, we also enjoyed some seriously good coffee & great conversation. More road trips I say....ideas welcome. And my specific mission was to add to my research for how we might run a Making Place Craft Swap event here in Ciren. It was great to re-meet Jenny from Jolly Super Things (turns out I ran a paper cutting workshop for her a lot of years ago) and fantastically useful to meet and chat to De-stash stall holders. You'll know by now that Making Place has recycling and re-use at it's heart, along with making MAKING as accessible as possible. Rehoming unwanted craft supplies ticks all those boxes and I'm delighted that our inaugural Crafty Bundles Swap Event will take place as part of 'Craftival' at New Brewery Arts on the 19th August. SAVE THE DATE! START CLEARING YOUR CUPBOARDS! We have much to discuss then on Friday, as well as get into our fingers and enjoy some quality making time together. I've already heard that there a few people keen to try out some beading, and Laura has brilliantly secured some cast-off tiles for us to play with. As always, do bring a making or mending project you'd like to work on or share, and there will always be plenty of materials and creativity in the room to inspire you if you are stuck for ideas. Can wait to see you. Much love Jayxx  |
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