COVID-19 Update
Due to the Government’s new COVID-19 guidelines we have had to suspend the Cody Makers workshops for the foreseeable future. We will update this page as soon as they can resume.
Hello Makers
December is here – Happy Holiday season for lots of people, a month to share food, gifts and good cheer!
If you are buying gifts for friends and family, do consider small independent retailers and crafts people. There are lots of alternatives to shopping in the malls – look out for local craft fairs and makers markets. You could always try your hand at making your own gifts and cards – handmade gifts are a great way to get crafting, use your hands and spur creative thinking. A slice of home baked cake shared with a neighbour is a great way to start the Festive Season. Or come to a Cody Makers Sunday Workshop to get crafting and learn some new skills.
Makers Update
Last month we made our own fancy papers using scrap paper and old book pages. Any old paper can be recycled back into a pulp and used to make handmade sheets which you can decorate with petals, leaves and other natural materials. We added coloured paper to get different results and sprinkled in some sequins and words!
I will use these papers for junk journaling and Christmas card making, the finer pages could be potato printed and used as wrapping paper. All great ideas for the Frost Fair which will have its own separate blog post – coming soon!
Getting ready for the Frost Fair involved lots of pom pom making and shredding fabric for rag wreaths. We looked at making decorations from materials that we already had and with minimal use of plastic and glitter. The results were nature inspired and had a rustic, junky look just right for Cody Dock!
I have always loved Advent Calendars so I was inspired to construct an Advent Tag Tree. Handmade tags are a great way to squeeze a tiny bit of crafting into your day, they don’t have to take long to make and you can develop any kind of theme with your tags. Use paint, collage, crayon and fabrics – the slow stitching involved in these tags is a sure-fire way to unwind.
Come along to the Tag Making workshop in December to get started. We crafted 24 tags with the idea of tying a tag to the tree for each day of Advent.
In preparation for the Frost Fair, one of the large directional signs in the picnic area needed some attention – a great job for Cody Makers! We stripped all the flyers and posters off, gave it a coat of paint and devised a fun way to create ‘What’s On’ lettering – watch this space for a full update.
Our Craft Assistant Hardev has been hard at work making a sign for the Volunteers Hub – here’s a sneak peek before it’s put in place:
How You Can Join Us...
Wednesday Volunteering
10am – 1pm & 2pm – 4pm
Wednesdays offer a volunteering opportunity to join Cody Makers as a Craft Assistant and help Abi during the making sessions. 10am – 1pm and 2pm – 4pm.
Contact [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.
Sunday Workshops
11am – 3pm
Sundays are crafty meetups with tea and chat! Come and learn a new skill like knitting and weaving or maybe you’ve always wanted to junk journal or try painting?
These stand alone Sunday workshops are a chance to develop the artist in you and meet like minded crafters. See what’s on offer on the Cody Maker’s calendar.
Workshop fee: £6 to cover costs.
Contact [email protected] for more information
Meet Abi
I am the ever curious crafter guiding you through our making journey – always willing to try out new projects in order to pass ideas on to you!
I ran with scissors from an early age, playing with timber, nails and discarded shoe boxes, painting and fixing the world around me.
As an adult I make stuff for Theatre, write plays and stories for TV and continue to craft. I have landed here at Cody Dock in order to re-wild my brain and explore how to blend found materials and sustainability with crafty techniques. Come and join me!
Instagram:Â @jitterbug65
Website:Â www.abibown.com
Sunday Workshop Calendar
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the Government’s new COVID-19 guidelines we have had to suspend the Cody Makers workshops for the foreseeable future. We will update this page as soon as they can resume.
Do book up for the Sunday workshops in December – cards, tags and wreaths in time for Christmas!
November 28th
Frost Fair
Join us for festive food & drink and craft workshops!
December 5th
Cards & Tags
Bring your handmade paper – we have card, collage, paint, and all manner of paper craft to make Happy Holiday cards and Tags.
December 12th
No workshop
December 19th
Rag Wreath!
CANCELED
This month’s Cody Makers is brought to you by…
The brambling
Winter visitors with a taste for nuts. Flocks of brambling head to the UK each year, escaping the Scandinavian snow and taking advantage of the food on offer in our woods.
Holly
Mature holly trees can grow up to 15m and live for 300 years, its dark, glossy leaves remain green year-round.