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“Everybody has huge creative capacities as a natural result of a being a human being. The challenge is to develop them. A culture of creativity has to involve everybody not just a select few.”
Sir Ken Robinson – Out of Our Minds (2011)
Just when you thought Rubik's Cubes where invented just to drive you crazy. Who woulda thunk that art could be made of those crazy-making cubes of color. The human imagination knows no bounds...visit the site for more magic...
It's been quite a while since I did some crafting and posted it here, but recently I finished something that Kukcrafters started - I have finally completed a shadow puppet prototype that I'm satisfied enough with, and it will become the basis of the new 'Puppets in Melbourne' characters that I'll be selling next year.
This final prototype reflects a whole year of designing and testing, and I'm glad to say, ups the professionalism of my work a whole lot.
You can find more pics and a video here.
Details
We will be meeting at the Warrandyte Bakery at 11:30am and travelling to Sticks Winery 179 Glenview Road, Yarra Glen. We plan to be there at 1pm. We will probably have lunch and then get arty farty and commune with the artists. After that, afternoon tea is a possibility, as is visiting some uber op shops, art and books shop.
Download the 54 page artist studio travel guide guidebook for the Yarra Valley, and your pocket companion to the Yarra Valley Open Studios weekends here http://yvopenstudios.net.au/download-a-guidebook/
Cost Free (excpect for your personal costs for food and other purchases)
So please RSVP by emailing Toula at chiefofstuff@kukcrafters.com
For those who cant make it, you may want to consider crocheting flowers for our soon to be announced Crochet Beautification Program (ie adding crocheted flowers to a yukky urban spot that could do with a bit of zshoozshed beautification)
Here are some video turotials to get you started:
Since installing over 600 paper cranes in our Greville Street store window in April, we see people smiling, laughing and enjoying our cranes every day. We want to share the crane love with you!
From the 7th September until the end of the month, we will be folding many, many paper cranes.
Our aim is to fold 1000 origami cranes and raise $1000 for charity. Join us – we’ll show you how to fold a paper crane in exchange for a gold coin donation. If you don’t want to fold your own crane, we’ll give you one - for a gold coin, of course!
We will be donating the proceeds from Crane Fest to Prahran Mission, Horn of Africa Famine Relief, and Japanese Tsunami Recovery.
An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. The crane is considered a mystical or holy creature, and is said to live for a thousand years. In Japan, it is commonly said that folding 1000 paper origami cranes makes a person's wish come true.
Our crane makers will be offered a Japanese incense sample pack to take home. There will be other festive happenings in store, including some birthday celebrations later in the month!
Please join us from the 7th September until the 30th September at Metta Scents, 111 Greville Street Prahran and fold a crane for a worthy cause. Metta Scents is Melbourne’s only specialist incense store, stocking the best 100% natural incense in the world.
For more information, phone Kim Wood on 0400 015 659 email kim@mettascents.com or visit www.mettascents.com
Toula: How did ‘slow coaching’ come about?
Kim: Slow coaching is something I would have loved to have myself a few years ago. It didn’t exist, so I created it!
It’s easy to become disconnected from your own internal guidance system and to buy into someone else’s priorities - their ideas of what is important and urgent. We are constantly bombarded with messages from the outside world about the things we need and what we must do. Media, workplace, family, friends and even social media all contribute to the noise and conflicting demands. Many of us live in a state of permanent low-level stress – depleted and fatigued. We know what we ‘should’ be doing, but it seems too hard, or we’re too busy to make those changes.
Slow coaching helps you to reconnect with your own internal wisdom, to recognise what isn’t serving you, and to focus on the things that nourish and strengthen you. The right choices become clearer and easier.
Toula: What do people get from slow coaching?
Kim: Slow coaching is about restoring your connection to your own wisdom and resources, rediscovering the strength at your core, exploring your senses, and nourishing your heart and soul. It focuses on peace, simplicity, and developing a calm and quiet mind. It reminds you that you are not broken, you are resourceful and whole, and that when you slow down to listen, you know what is really important to you. It is about learning to live from the inside out.
Toula: How does it work?
Kim: Slow coaching is a relationship that provides support, exploration, encouragement, challenge and celebration. This happens face to face, by phone or email, depending on what suits you. Drawing on established coaching methods, but without a rigid structure, slow coaching meets you where you are now and honours your own wisdom about what is right for you.
Toula: How did you come to be doing this?
Kim: I completed a Certificate of Professional Coaching in 2007, thinking it would help me to communicate more effectively with my team and the rural General Practitioners I worked with. I was so blown away by the effectiveness (and fun) of coaching, that I resigned my position as non-profit CEO to start my own coaching & consulting business. Over the last four years I have coached many people, including business owners, entrepreneurs, managers, CEOs, primary and secondary school principals, health service providers and artists.
Toula: What is involved and what does it cost?
Kim: The full cost is $500.00 (plus GST) per month. A month of coaching consists of some face to face sessions, some phone and email contact, assignments and other fun stuff! The composition of the program will be developed to suit each individual. There is no charge for the initial, introductory session.
Toula: Kim where can people get more information?
Kim: People can contact me on ph 0400 015 659, or email
The website (which is still in its embryonic stage) is www.slowcoaching.com.au
Click here for WeekendNotes write up on KUKS and Trial and Error workshop.
Origami Workshop
by Trial & Error Studio
www.trialanderror.com.au
Sunday 21 August 2011
At KUK head quarters we are beside ourselves with excitement because the uber clever paper gals Cyndi and Sara from Trial & Error will be conducting a special creative paper workshop for us at the next KUK Maker's Day on Sunday 21st August 2011. They will chat to us about what it is like to run a creative enterprise and show us how to make the classic paper crane, a heart and baubles that you can use for all sorts occasions.
Time 1-2.30pm (but stay on till 4.30 to make stuff)
Cost $15 waged & $10 concession
(includes tea & coffee & venue hire but please feel free to bring a plate to share)
Bishop's Parlour
Abbotsford Convent
1 St Heliers Street
Abbotsford 3067
Melbourne
(see map of Abbotsford Convent attached)
PLACES ARE STRICTLY LIMITED SO... Please, pretty please RSVP
SMS 0408376470
EMAIL chiefofstuff@kukcrafters.com
FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/kukcrafters
TWITTER @kukcrafters
Want to help?
We are a growing community and we need you to get the word out. So if you would like to help you can:
Want to become a certified KUK?
Join at www.kukcrafters.com/how-to-join
Just over a week ago, I was questioning myself and asking, “what the hell was I thinking”. Saying it out loud so that my brain would finally listen!
I was about to put my heart, my passion, my life out there to be seen, and I didn’t know if I had the courage to follow through with it! Well that was what my nerves were saying anyway.
For the last few months I have been planning and creating my first solo exhibition from photos I took in NYC in January when I was there. Whilst I was visiting New York for the first time in my life (something I have wanted to do since watching Breakfast at Tiffany’s in my early teens) it dumped 18 inches of snow, so the backdrop for some lovely photos had been created! Thank you Mother Nature!
I’m a keen Social Networker and so as my days unfolded, I was able to share my experiences with my followers and friends on Twitter and Facebook. Another app I loved using was Instagram. With all of these applications I was able to send photos back to Australia and show everyone what I was up to. The comments I received about my photos were tremendous and some people mentioned I should have an exhibition to show my work. So that is what I did! Part of the exhibition was a selection of Black and Whites but I also had a wall of iPhone photos that I had married up into 16 Tryptycs. (a fancy word for threes)
The whole New York thing came about because my amazing husband surprised me with a trip to the city suggesting that 9 days would be long enough to take some photos. For me, any time in the city that never sleeps would be fantastic! So with my books on how to photograph New York (also a present from my hubby) I followed my dream.
So that brings me to now! As much as I was really nervous about opening night, my exhibition went incredibly well. Some amazing friends travelled to Melbourne to share the experience with me and it was great to have so much support from friends in Melbourne who have encouraged me and believed in me. Some even bought a few of my prints!
I am so pleased that I got to share my experience of New York with a few friends, I guess in a similar way we use to share slides in the 70’s (but not as boring I hope) Putting your heart out there isn’t as terrifying as I had thought, and there is something to be said about going through the experience of exhibiting your work. Showing a piece of your heart is not as scary as I thought it would be!
Mel’s exhibition will be available to view on her website where you can also purchase prints as well. Website is www.melissahobbs.com
Mel’s twitter handle is @MELHOBBS
Facebook is http://www.facebook.com/MelissaHobbsPhotography
Instagram is melhobbs
