Showing posts with label art classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art classes. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Herbal Creativity Spa Weekend

Herbal Creativity Spa Weekend: Valentine

The pinnacle of the dark, dreary days of winter is a purgatory that rests between Christmastime and Spring… February. Installed into February is a day that is supposed to be a celebration of “Love”. Many lament the commercialisation of Valentine‘s Day, and resent the high expectations and sadness that come with so many of our holidays.

Traditional Valentine’s expectations dictate that one should enjoy chocolates, give expensive gifts, and be in love. Well, let’s take some of the good from those traditions and embrace them! Even if you are single, you deserve some chocolate. Actually, you deserve more chocolate. Feeling a bit bloated after a winter’s eating? This is an opportunity to sharpen your skills in making HEALTHY treats. Herbal-infused organic chocolate truffles, anyone? Or perhaps a cup of Healthy Hot Chocolate? True love. Love is in a good cup of tea, a soothing bath that invigorates the spirit, or a beautiful hand-made gift box to hold treasures.

The brains behind the Fleurbain concept, Tammy Schmidt, Clinical Herbal Therapist and Natasha Henderson, visual artist and arts instructor, are offering an Herbal Creativity Spa Weekend workshop in February. There is an option to take one or both days during the Herbal Creativity Spa Weekend, on Friday the 11th from 7 to 10pm and Saturday the 12th from 1 to 4pm.

Friday night, we will enjoy a relaxing glass of wine (or herbal tea) with some dessert treats and fine cheese. Participants will learn how to make an herbal Love Potion. The Love Potion is a special euphoric herb that is distilled in a vodka base. Everyone will get to take home a sample of this to try themselves! Tub Teas are all the rage, and for good reason. What could be better than infusing your entire body in an organic, herbal bath that is designed to soothe the body, mind, and spirit? Participants will learn some of the properties of the herbs used in this special Valentine’s Tea Bath, and take home a sample. Finally, we will make a Boudoir Gift Box, a gift box made from scratch that will be decorated with fine fabrics, papers, lace, and beads. It will be suitable as a gift box for chocolates, jewellery, fine treasures… and can be re-used to hold your favourite special things.

Saturday afternoon starts off with a healthy, delicious beginning. Participants will learn how to make Healthy Hot Chocolate (yes, this version is truly healthy), and enjoy a cup. While sipping our treat, we will make organic chocolate truffles, which will be flavoured with high quality, organic herbs for unique flavours. These are perfect to tuck into the Boudoir Boxes made the previous evening. Then we will think about the physical and mental well-being that a good bath brings, and make a felted soap loofah for our next bath. These soaps combine sheep’s wool with a high-quality Ginseng or Evening Primrose soap to be an exfoliating and moisturising addition to your bath. Finally, we will create a batch of Love Tea to take home and enjoy.

All courses use the finest quality, pure and organic ingredients. Take one afternoon or evening for $75, or treat yourself (or a friend!) to both sessions for $135. Location of workshops will be in a Montreal artist’s studio, converted to a Valentine’s Factory for our workshops. Please email fleurbain(at)gmail.com for information and registration.

Monday, January 3, 2011

New Workshops in January and Spring Break...

Hi folks! Just a quick word, if you are in the Montreal area you might like to check out my website for just-announced workshops. I have workshops for adults, teens and kids. Here be the link. Hoorah!

Also please note that I offer workshops for groups of adults, kids, birthday parties... anyone who needs a productive and fun, or team-building activity please contact me. I will be studying in the field of Art Therapy soon, and am applying all that I learn to my basic fun workshops, too. Cheers and a happy new year to you all!!!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Update On Some Stuff!

You know, I just came to a realisation about 15 seconds ago as I was pondering "what to write" here. I don't have a cartoon to post, I am too lazy to find/insert photos or something... I have a dash of a hangover and really just want to noodle around on the keyboard and share something. Something like an "update" on what's going on in my life. No, not everything... THAT's what occurred to me about a minute ago, now. (Back on topic!)

When I had started a blog, a few years back (I managed to erase years of writing, serious attempts at Art-Reviews and even Music ones when I erased my Myspace account... oh well...) I knew that I couldn't write about my work-place. I didn't want to lose a job, get sued, any of that stuff. Now, as a self-employed person, I can do that! So... I must say that my boss is very lenient. She lets me take breaks, start, finish my work whenever I feel like it. If I want to research galleries at 2am and call that work, it's ok! The only issue I have with her is the amount of pay she provides. However, with this excellent working environment and tons of perks... I can't complain.

In addition to my self-employment, I am looking for work. Perhaps work that has fewer perks than my self-employment provides... but higher pay! A little above minimum-wage would be fine. Or a lot more. Whatever. Honestly, I would work up to full-time, but am hoping for part-time. I'll keep you posted on what happens in this realm... I have applied for a couple of jobs, have talked to folks at a couple of places.

I am looking for work in the fields of art/design, embroidery, fashion, illustration, photography, costume design, vegetarian food-prep, light house-keeping, daycare, teaching, art instruction, and general office-help. I should find something... I am sure there is much more that I am qualified/able to do, just don't know that these industries/jobs exist. It's a huge world out there!

I taught a couple of sweet children how to make felt, then drew, painted, and sewed with them for a few days last week. The day-camp idea is fun to do. Yes, it can be draining... however it is rewarding to work with children! I like it.

I currently have an exhibition up; I've sold a couple of paintings through it. I am hoping to have a "closing" or "finissage" party, in September for this show. Worst case scenario, we have a party. Best case, one or two more paintings sell!

I am looking for a studio-mate, in order to cut down costs a bit. I have talked to some people, and so far no luck. I do have another coming on Monday, who is a serious artist, and I am hopeful.

I just realised that this is not well-written, or planned, or edited or... well... sorry. Hangover and I really really need to go through my storage-closets, clean and find some things I am missing. This blog-post is a little like that, digging in and finding what's there. Examining it. The trick is to sort this all out, and put it into place.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

New Studio... Courses Offered Soon!!!

I just went by my soon-to-be-new-studio today. Saw the friendly land-lady again, paid the rest of May's rent... and got the keys!!! I didn't think I'd have access 'til May, but Landlady is nice. Happy happy!

So in the next couple of days, I will be heading over there with tape-measure and papers and pen in hand. Like any time that I start in on a new space (for example, back in 2002 when I bought my home in Courtenay, BC) I like to make a little "dream-map" of what I imagine things could be like there. I want to set this place up well, so that I utilise the space to its best. Shelving, extra lighting... things that will make it all the better.

I will be teaching courses in this space for kids, teens, and adults. The courses will be administered through the Salamander Arts Centre, but people can contact me directly, too. There will be courses in felt-making, painting, and mixed media stuff. The kids' courses will run mostly in the summer, and the teens/adults right through 'til Christmas. When I have the exact dates and times worked out, I'll provide a link to the lists. In the adult courses, we will make things like felt scarves, felt coasters, felt purses, felt beads, felt cat-toys...

The painting course for adults that I will offer is one that I had designed a few years back, and offered in the Comox Valley... however there was never enough interest in it then. I am hoping that in all of Montreal I will find 4-8 people who would like to "Add Depth To Painting"! It will be a fun course, despite the dry name. Depth is a good, good thing!

Anyhow, I must get on to packing things around the home that will be transferred over there, now. Soon I'll get movers to come and haul furniture and etc for me, so I need to get a-boxin' up. I'll also need to shift stuff from my old, shared studio space to home in the next couple of weeks...

Busy, happy, exciting time! Really, living the dream.