Workshops With Recycled Materials
Schedule for 2020 to be announced soon!

This series of workshops demonstrates projects that use scavenged materials and are great for:
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 *. Teachers:   these projects can be replicated using free or almost free materials and are appropriate across age & ability levels 
*. Anyone planning big celebrations:   we'll show you some great ideas for making decorations!
*. Anyone looking for ideas for group activities:  take these ideas home for your next gathering
*. Anyone looking for a fun "something to do:" outside: come join us under our "small top"




Bunting, Banners, & Garlands
Across time and place, people have draped strings of small shapes for either functional, spiritual, or celebratory events. Come make one!  We've got lots of beautiful fabric scraps to re-use (thank you, Waters & Brown), as well as string, paint, & construction techniques. 





Stretch Wrap Flowers 
Springtime means that acres of stretch wrap is coming off of boats.  It is great stuff!  We've got a simple technique to show you that will turn a piece of stretch wrap into flowers that are as weatherproof as, well, plastic stretch wrap.  They make beautiful outdoor decorations and look just like porcelain!






Whirligigs
We invented the term, "whirligig," and define it as a "bouquet" of  plastic water bottles that have been painted and cut into spirals.  These things bounce, move, go boingggg!  They are all the fun and colour and delight of balloons but so much kinder to the environment! 
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​Steamjunk
The underbellies of early trains are a marvel.  Paint some plastic trash, cobble it together and you get an effect that mimics old-school machinery in delightful ways.  We've got some great techniques for making these parts and pieces.  Bring an old pair of safety goggles, or a hat to create a piece of steamjunk art that you can wear home!  






Dahlias Dahling!
Dahlias are a mathematician's flower.  They are structured, logical, you can see their patterns of growth.  Join us for this technique of structured flower-making. All you left-brainers:  there is counting and planning and measuring involved!  Such order!  It helps if you can sew a few stitches by hand but it is absolutely NOT necessary.  


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Peonies, Pom Poms & Prom Dresses
I categorize a whole realm of handmade flowers as “pom poms.”  The technique for making them is the same as making pom poms for ski hats ("toques" where I come from).  These are some of my favourite flowers to make.  They become these fluffy show-stopping creations that I use as the centerpieces of most of my work.  The technique is always the same, but varying the materials gives so many options.  We use thrift-store prom dresses as materials.

​Crumplestiltskin Hats:  Part One - Basic Shaping
"Crumplestiltskin" hats are party hats made out of paper grocery bags.  Join us for this workshop in the art of crumpling, rolling, and shaping paper.. Take away a wearable art piece that is lovely in its basic, raw paper color.  

​Crumplestiltskin Hats:  Part Two - Embellishing
Annie, git yer glue gun!  Bring back your hat from Crumplestiltskin Hats Part One, or shape another on site.  Folks, this day is all about piling on the embellishments.  Anything that can be attached to a paper bag hat is fair game!  You may want to leave small pets at home.  Bonus:  if you've attended any of our earlier workshops you'll have some great skills for making embellishments.