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This is the 2011 Gallery click here for: [2008 / 2009] [2010] [2012] |
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One of the first things we did in 2011 was spend a couple of weeks on a batik fabric painting project.
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| Batik
is a design technique where hot wax is applied to fabric. We spent some
time working out our designs, and here Matthew is waxing his design onto
his T-shirt.
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people chose to make a cushion cover instead, and here Hannah is using a
tjanting (the wax-application tool) and a drip-catcher to avoid making too
many wax splodges on her design.
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| Our
designs were done in marker pen on a piece of paper that was put
underneath the fabric, making it possible to simply trace along the lines
with the tjanting. John seems a little distracted by the camera, here -
keep to the lines, John!
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next stage is applying paint to the fabric. The wax acts as a resist to
the paint, meaning that the design will stay the original colour of the
fabric.
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Alison is at the beginning of filling her cushion cover with colour . . .
a daunting task!
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choice of colour is very important to bring the design to life. Here Marie
has chosen the second colour to complement the first.
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| Bernadette
is also working carefully on her colour scheme.
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| We
worked together, giving each other helpful suggestions (and, of course,
chatting away thirteen to the dozen whilst we worked!)
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| Michael
is virtually finished painting his design here, and John's T-shirt is
drying on the bench behind him.
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Alison's
mammoth task proved too much for her, so Hannah kindly stepped in to lend a
hand.
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Emma's
design has taken shape, with a lot of extra detail being added in the
painting stage.
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Here
Sharon takes over the painting of Mandy's cushion cover (Mandy couldn't
attend the group session for the second week of the project).
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And
here's a group photograph of everybody, showing their finished creations in
the best possible manner!
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In the spring of 2011 we spent an evening Ten-Pin Bowling in Preston.
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Sharon
shows Brendon how to launch his bowling ball down the ramp.
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Robert
uses a back-hand technique - he's done this before!
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Michael
is going for a more traditional method, as Matthew hopes for a 'strike'.
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Marie
is new to this, but shows that she's got what it takes - whilst Mark helps
Paul launch his ball.
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Emma
has a professional bowling style, whilst John takes his time sizing up his
position.
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Bernadette
shows that it's all in the approach . . .
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. . whilst Laura's method is much more gung-ho!
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In spring we also had another evening of drumming with 'Tidal Beats'.
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We
were able to try out djembes (African drums) and other percussion
instruments.
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We
listened to each other and tried to play together.
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Sometimes
somebody helped us to stay in time by playing a bigger bass drum as a pulse
- here Michael is taking that role.
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We
also had a go at playing rhythms with 'Boomwhackers', coloured plastic tubes
that make a great sound when they're hit against something solid.
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The
infectious rhythms and beats left us all with smiles on our faces!
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In July we spent an evening learning a variety of Circus Skills.
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We
started the session by trying to learn to juggle, using scarves and
beanbags. Alison is trying the scarves, whilst Debbie starts with two
beanbags.
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The
scarves move slowly in the air, giving you more time to think about what's
happening. Emma is trying to balance and move forwards on the 'Pedal-Go' wheels.
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Brendon
thinks that the scarves are better used for dressing-up!
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Emma
tries walking on stringed stilts . . .
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. . before moving up to the more difficult Chinese Stilts (with a little
help from pStan).
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Michael's
delighted at being able to spin a plate on top of a stick.
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Emma
rounds off her evening of fearlessly trying out all the difficult pieces of
balancing equipment by having a go on the unicycle!
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In August the group went on a residential weekend at Bendrigg Lodge Outdoor Activity Centre.
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On
the Friday evening we went for a short walk through the grounds of Bendrigg,
before sitting round a campfire and toasting marshmallows.
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Saturday
morning, up bright and early - we're all kitted out in waterproofs and
wellies ready to go canoeing.
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We
had three 'rafts' of two canoes tied together. We got into teams and rowed
from one end of the reservoir to the other and back, with a stop part-way to
get out the thermos flasks and have elevensies. Those of us who were brave
enough also had a go at 'walking the plank' between two of the rafts.
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Paul
looks very worried about whether Matthew's going to fall off the plank!
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In
the afternoon those of us who wanted to were able to have a go at the zip
wire. We were strapped into harnesses, clipped onto two safety ropes and
then told to jump off the top of this high wall!
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The
cable we were dangling from stretched to the top of a tall tower, and
springs stopped us slamming into the tower before we were helped to lower
ourselves to the ground.
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On
Sunday we went to the Kinross indoor climbing building. The first thing we
learned was the importance of a sensible and reliable ground team to look
after the ropes of whoever was climbing.
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We
then took it in turns to climb in pairs under the watchful eye of Karl, one
of our guides for the weekend. Here Brendon and pStan make the ascent.
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We
climbed the wall up towards Jenny, another of our guides, who was giving
encouragement and advice from above. She helped us over the top of the wall
and made sure our ropes were safe. Matthew and Mark made short work of this
climb!
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Climbing
in pairs meant that we could give each other help if we found it tough
going. Here Debbie helps Bernadette along.
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Here
Laura takes it steadily with support from Sharon, and is really proud of
herself when she makes it all the way to the top!
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Likewise,
Paul manages to climb to the top (with a little help from pStan) and gets a
real feeling of achievement.
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Lastly
we were able to try out abseiling, if we wanted to. Like when we used the
zip wire, we were in our climbing harnesses and fastened to ropes for
safety.
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Off
the edge, and down we went, letting the rope out through our fingers at the
speed we wanted to descend.
We had a brilliant weekend, trying many different challenging activities as well as enjoying each others company, and managing to live together without falling out too much!
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In Autumn the group spent a few weeks working on woodwork projects.
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Here
Chris is cutting parts out for his 'four-in-a-row' game, with some help from
Alan.
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When
the projects were completed, everybody gave them a coat of varnish to finish
them off.
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Looks
like Matthew is doing a really thorough job, with Bernadette doing a final
sanding-down.
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On
the last night of the woodwork projects we also made stick puppets.
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Here
Bernadette proudly shows off her wooden elephant, as well as her stick
puppet . . . who I assume is called 'Jake the Peg'!
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Paul
made a heat-operated see-saw that tips back and forth when a candle is lit inside
it, and Marie made a 'skyscraper' CD storage unit. She is also holding her
stick puppet of a cat, which blends into her jacket.
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Alison
made a 'four-in-a-row' game and painted the playing pieces red and yellow.
Brendan made a wooden flying dragon, as well as his stick puppet.
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Emma
had been ill and so missed all the evenings when we did woodwork, but was
back with us in time to make a puppet - and James was really pleased with
his completed fish place-mat.
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John's
wooden place-mat was a different style to James'. Michael made a storage box
for shoe-cleaning equipment which incorporates a small stool.
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Matthew
was delighted with his finished 'swimming man', who will spin and whose arms
will twirl round in the wind when put outside in the garden.
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