So, I decided to write a 2013 review. I wrote it for myself, to see what i'd been up to, to honour and celebrate the adventures. It felt like a quiet year for BIG adventures but many smaller adventures and wanderings made it a wonderfully rich year and i'm grateful for every single one of them.
So, here it is, i wanted to share it with you!
Some workshops I delivered
A whole series of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Repair workshops for Edinburgh Council, in wonderful Libraries across Edinburgh. I created a simple drop-in workshop where children and adults could come along and create a super simple piece of upcycled jewellery. you can read a blog about it here
Creative reuse crafts workshop with Lothian Association of Youth Clubs members
An Upcycled jewellery workshop with lovely students from Edinburgh Uni Art Society and also one from my wee studio.
Craft workshops with carers and carees through VOCAL and Ca(i)re
Nature inspired workshops at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh
Collaborations I leapt into with gusto
Connect to Nature Connect to self- a series of creative adventures- August 2013- with Morwhanne Woolcock. For every person who took our Connect to Nature course, we had a tree planted for them in the Calidonian Forest, Scotland. 17 trees in all. Our community emerged reconnected, having created and noticed the beauty in their nature spots.
We are delighted to be running this workshop again in March 2014 just i time for spring!
Find out more and book YOUR place HERE
Designed and launched a brand new Swap Shop in St Margarets' House, studio building.
Places I visited
Argyll- Auchindrian township- an gorgeous little place which is the last surviving example of a Higland farm township. They have been struggling for funding this year and are in danger of closing. So if you would like to make a donation you can do so here.
Norway-Lindesnes Kystkultursenter, Ramsland- A glorious sunshine filled time, making new jewellery, having daily adventures on coasts, boats and lighthouses, or just simply hanging out with new friends eating sardines.
Oxford- Art-in- Action- I was very very lucky to have the chance to have my work on display at Art-in-Action. A place where some of the best craftspeople demonstrate their skills. I was invited to help my friend Catriona Mackenzie glass with her stall and got a wee corner of my own into the bargain. :) I got lots of lovely feedback and sold a few pieces of jewellery that made people smile.
Bristol- where I met Morwhenna Woolcock in person for the first time! :) whoop!
St Kilda- an epic adventure to an incredible place! The further west point of Scotland, about 100 miles of the west coast of the mainland. It was a rough journey there and my poor tummy was never so happy to arrive anywhere! Most importantly it was precious time spent with my lovely Dad.
Videos I created
mini 'animations' of my random collections of plastic bits
red collection
deo tops
Connect to Nature: Connect to Self & Trees for Life- The Highland Adventure- a video celebrating our connect to nature course and our day visiting Trees for Life at Dundreggan Estate, meeting wild boar and planting trees.
things I learnt, tried and loved
How to embody my inner Craftivist @Craftivist Bootcamp with the fabulous Sarah Corbett of Craftivist Collective
singing in a flash mob- twice!- once in front of a room of people eating lunch, then again in Waverly station! We almost got kicked out but carried on regardless.:) so much...slightly nerve-wracking fun!
Helped cooking a meal with ingredients originallly destined for the bin with Foodcycle Bristol
using my other senses to find my way- with the guidance of 2 lovely ladies from Embercombe
These last 3 adventures were made possible through Edinburgh Do
others wonderful things
going to see the Lion King and
going to Jupiter Artland with a friend and her son. Days of peaceful delight outdoors, playfulness, and awe-inspiring spectacle.
All the time I spent in nature
foraging for wild garlic, three cornered leeks, woodruff, brambles and rosehips, using them in our cooking and learning even more about foraging with Fi Martynoga and her book - Scotland's Wild Harvests
Touching brand new leaves on the trees- the delicate newness is so precious and gave me a deep sense of possibility.
Walking barefoot- so fresh and invigorating
Spending the day with inspiring artists from Imaginate, Neil from Wild Journeys and Dougie of The Dark Mountain Project. We learnt about the power of whakapapa and stood knee deep in the waters of Loch Katrine while Dougie read The peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry. A deeply peaceful and joyful day
Reconnecting with my childhood playground and rediscovering the wonders of the wild
and so much more...
I'd love to hear about the magic moments in YOUR 2013 where you allowed yourself to explore your curiosity and learn new things about yourself...or even what you've been thinking about doing recently but haven't leap in yet... head over to my facebook page and we can chat there
embrace the possibilities today
jaimie xx