There’s never been a better time to learn to sew! Sewing machines are becoming increasingly affordable, while clothes, accessories and homewares are getting more and more expensive.

Brush up your skills, or learn new ones with Carousel Sewing School, based in and around Glasgow. Their programme of lessons for October and November looks like this:

DRESSMAKING (Beginner) (Skirt)
4-week block – Cost £ 95
Saturday mornings 10am – 1pm on
29th Oct, 5th Nov, 19th Nov and 26th Nov

Contact carouselcreatives@gmail.com for more information on location, availability and future sessions, including a half day crash course to get you up and running!

There’s something for everyone at Albert Drive Studios this autumn.

Mixed Media Drawing Class Tuesday 25th October – 13th December 2011

Mixed Media Drawing Course for all abilities

During the course we will be exploring various drawing techniques, using a variety of media and in the main we will be drawing from organic forms.

The classes are held in the relaxed setting Attic Billard Room of the studios.
The course runs from Tuesday, 25th October until 13th December, 2 – 4pm
Fee £90 and includes most materials and tea/coffee.

To book your place contact Hilary on 07805 346 314.

Come Dine with Us at Albert Drive Studios

Here at Albert Drive Studios we are excited to be launching Come Dine with Us, a private dining experience hosted by Hilary and Eta, enthusiastic well seasoned cooks.
The first dinner on Saturday 12 November 2011 will reflect the season and consists of a welcome aperitif, followed by three home-cooked courses and includes wine with your meal.

The menu will be:

Uncle Bobby’s spiced apple and parsnip soup served with soda muffins
Marmalade glazed cooked ham with pumpkin, chestnut and cranberry risotto served with a side of autumn coleslaw
Gingerbread and custard and
Brandy snaps and orange cream

Cost £20 per person
Places are limited to 12 diners

Be the first to join the Come Dine with Us experience –
Note your interest to Hilary on 07805 346 314 or albertdrivestudios@googlemail.com

Life Drawing Day At Albert Drive Studios -Saturday 22nd October-10am – 4:00 pm

Life Drawing Day
At Albert Drive Studios

Saturday 22nd October

10am – 4:00 pm
(Soup Lunch included)

Only £35

Book your place on a fun full-day of figure drawing at the studios.

Whether you’re a beginner with no experience of life drawing, a dab hand just wanting a refresher or a student preparing a portfolio, there’s nothing better than the experience of working from life for improving your drawing skills.

To book a place (subject to availability) please email lifedrawingglasgow@gmail.com

Our very own mafia member, The Life Craft, has moved to new premises in DeCourcy’s arcade. For a full schedule of activities, check the website or become a friend on Facebook.

Are you a keen crafter looking for inspiration for the festive season? Glasgow Craft Mafia has a number of tickets to give away for a crafting extravaganza at the SECC next weekend (27th-30th October). This show has a large area of finished crafts as well as lots of tempting notions and supplies. There’ll be a number of live demonstrations of traditional and modern crafts, and plenty of exhibitors to browse.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets for the show, simply post here and tell us about your favourite ever handmade Christmas present. Please put your Twitter username or email address in your response so we know how to find you if you’re a lucky winner. Closing date for entries is Monday 24th October at 6pm BST.

If you’re not a lucky winner, book your advance tickets and find out more at the official website: http://www.ichf.co.uk/hobbycrafts/

Our very own Gaia Noir will be sharing her fabulous eco friendly clothes, steam-punk accessories and funky dreads with you at Granny Would Be Proud this Sunday. She’s promising a range of handmade goodies to suit very budget and we know you’ll love her work.

With Granny promising mulled wine, carol singing and lots more festive fun throughout the day it would be very bah humbug of you to miss it. We don’t need to mention it’s the last weekend before Christmas do we and presents still need to be bought?

So why not get down to The Hillhead BookClub, 17 Vivicombe Street, Glasgow on Sunday 19th December between 12noon and 7pm and say hello to Gaia Noir and the the other stallholders.

Finnieston is fast becoming Glasgow’s new hotbed of independent shopping with two new shops just opened, both catering for lovers of handmade and quirky gifts.

The Shop of Interest opened doors a couple of weeks ago and is already doing great – why not pop in for a browse of their wares including products by GCM members Much Too Fun and Asking For Trouble? You’ll find them at 1058 Argyle Street, opposite the Hidden Lane.

Just around the corner at 231 Berkeley Street, you’ll find Made With Love, a cute new deli complete with teeny gift shop. You can get a cupcake, a great cup of coffee and some handmade gifts all the same place. Look out for items by GCM members Lucy Jackson Designs and Asking For Trouble.

And don’t forget, if you’re in the area, the Hidden Pop-Up Shop is open til Christmas in the Hidden Lane and features a whole host of Glasgow talent.

Happy shopping!

Our very own Frayedattheedges is going to be at The Dennistoun Craft Fair on Saturday 27th November with lots of warm hand knits and funky brooches.

As well as lots of stalls with handmade goodies from local makers there will be a book signing with the author Paul Henke and of course a cafe.

It will be held at the Dennistoun New Parish Church on Armadale street (off Duke Street) between 11am and 4pm.  Craft Fair poster 1

To celebrate their festive production of Cinderella, Scottish Ballet are offering the chance to win an extra-special night at the the ballet for you and your fairy godmother/father, dinner and an overnight stay in a luxury hotel!

It could be anyone from a family member or a best friend to a teacher or workmate. Maybe they surprised you with a wonderful gift, drove you to your dance classes or helped you prepare for an important job interview – any act of kindness which transformed your life.

How to enter:

For your chance to win, simply explain who your Fairy Godmother is and what makes them so special. How you tell your story is up to you – it can be a story, poem, video, photo, drawing or anything you like!

Send your entry including contact details and your chosen city to FairyGodmother@scottishballet.co.uk with ‘Fairy Godmother competition’ in the subject line, or if you would prefer to post your entry, please send it to:

Fairy Godmother competition
Scottish Ballet
Tramway
25 Albert Drive
Glasgow
G41 2PE

The closing date for entries is Thursday 2^nd December 2010. Winners will be picked by Scottish Ballet’s own Fairy Godmother, with one winner in each city Cinderella tours to: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Scottish Ballet’s Cinderella opens at Theatre Royal Glasgow on 14 December and will run until 31 December before touring to Festival Theatre Edinburgh 12 – 15 January 2011, His Majesty’s Theatre Aberdeen 19 – 22 January, Eden Court Theatre Inverness 26 – 29 January 2011 and the Grand Opera House Belfast 2 – 5 February 2011.

GCM Members Much Too Fun have launched a Christmas pop up shop in The Hidden Lanes!

Along with other members of Glasgow’s Hidden Lane community there will be a wonderful array of gifts and goodies for you to buy such as Finch and Fouracre tenement kits, Isle of Skye hand poured candles, Obscure Couture jewellery, hand bound leather journals, Wonky Woolie knitwear, a selection of prints from local creatives and lots more.

The shop will be based in Unit 24a of  The Hidden Lane and open every weekday 12noon – 6pm and on Saturdays 12noon – 4pm.

Find out more over on Facebook.

Where and when?
This Sunday, the 14th of November, from 11.30 til 4.30, we’ll be rocking it Christmas-style at the wonderful Inver Cottage.  Pretty much all of your festive shopping can be taken care of in one fell swoop with a range of sellers offering jewellery, clothing, stationery, accessories and more.

Inver Cottage is well-known for its amazing food and beautiful surroundings, so dress warmly and make a day of it! You can find out more about Inver Cottage on their website: http://www.invercottage.com/

Who’ll be there?
Frayed at the Edges, The Rainbow Effect, Carrot Coriander, Asking for Trouble, Rosie’s Retro Styling and Glitterysah with be joined by two of Inver’s local suppliers, selling scarves and festive wreaths.

So come on down and choose handmade not high street this Christmas!

Mafia member Lucy from LucyJacksonDesigns will be on hand on the 7th, 14th and 28th of  November to show you how to design and make you own badges or bracelets. Pop along at 2pm on any of those dates and for £3 (materials supplied) you can either make something for yourself or as a Christmas present.

Or what about

If your children are interested in learning new crafty skills or improving them then Iona from Iheart… has an exciting 6 week course for them at The Life Craft. Starting this Friday at 4pm and running for 6 weeks she will guide them through the disciplines of sewing, knitting and cross stitch with a lot of fun thrown in.

Sadly this series of classes is strictly for children but I’m sure you’ll benefit from their makes too when they bring them home.

For more information please look at http://www.thelifecraft.co.uk/blog/ or why not pop in and have a chat with Vonnie and the team.