The Fabulous Craft Hub

Hannah and Pip from The Craft Hub run their Make and Take Club for 5-11 year olds (and their parents/grandparents) at The Hub on the Green on a Monday at 4pm. This week everyone made air-dry clay models with a Spring and Easter theme. Hannah popped them in the basement to dry and I went down to have a nosey. 

 The Craft Hub organised a Christmas craft Swap at the end of last year and are following it up with a Charity Craft Swap on 8th March. We want as many people as possible to come along and support it. There will be tea and cakes too and a raffle (we are still collecting raffle prizes if you have any unwanted Christmas presents, homemade pickles, homemade creations or other goodies at home).

SAVE THE DATE!

Sarah Hewlett will be running a fabulous self-help workshop for anyone who would like techniques and tip on easing stress and anxiety

Friday 9th March
2pm-3:30pm

SAVE THE DATE - more information to follow soon.

Sweet Caroline. Loving a bit of Neil!

It's choir at the moment with birthday cake. Peter and his Magic Carpet Community Choir are brilliant. I love it every week and it just keeps getting better. Being here gives me the same feel good factor that the television program The Choir did.  When Peter first started this choir I joked that he would be our Gareth and he has turned out to be exactly that. Bringing 20-something strangers together and producing such magic and fun in five weeks takes a special person. 


Straight after choir at noon Lisa Purchase has her Contemporary Crafting Sessions which gives the same feel good factor but using craft. Lisa is such a star. Last week she ran a wonderful family crafting session for half term. This week we are back to adult crafting but we still have the flapjack. 


Ooooh Peter has just pulled out Sweet Caroline... it doesn't get better than this! 

Thank Yous

The good news is that Margaret Morris Movement on Mondays at 2pm-3pm is going to carry on into March. Sheila was testing the water at the hub and all has gone well so if you would like to know more, get in touch or go to www.hubonthegreen.net


I had nobody come to my coffee time today. That rarely happens (three times in 5 months) but it is sad when it does. I made a few signs, did a quick tidy and sorted out the new freecycle box which contains baby magazines and a baby bouncer (thanks to Em). If you have anything you would like to go to a good home then please feel free to pop it in the box. 


Make and Take was so lovely today. We were using air dry clay to make Eastery models which are now drying and next week we are going to paint them. Pip brought in pancakes for everyone to celebrate pancake day eve. Make and Take Club is for children aged 5-11 years and their parents or grandparents. Every week there is a different crafty theme and Hannah and Pip from the Craft Hub have such great ideas. It is a lovely relaxed group and the perfect way to start the week (Mondays 4-5pm). Go to www.thecrafthub.co.uk for more details. 


Tomorrow (Tuesday) at the hub... 


10-12noon Peter & his fabulous choir return after half term. Just pop along. It is £5 a session. refreshments available and you can stay on for coffee time if you would like to.   


12noon Coffee time and contemporary crafting with Lisa. Just pop along. It's going to be lovely tomorrow. We have three new people starting.  


1:45pm The Under One Roof heuristic drop in group followed by free play and rhymes. Just pop along. For more information go to www.hubonthegreen.net


Beg, Borrow and Steal!


I would love an unloved magazine rack.
We would love any unused knitting needles (any size) to teach people to knit.
We would love any unwanted Christmas presents (or other presents) for our raffle in aid of Oxfam International Women's Day on Thursday 8th March. 


Thank yous


A big thank you to Darren for the donations from his family for the Oxfam Raffle.
A big thank you to Sue for spreading the word about the hub and for putting up posters for the Oxfam Crafty Swap.
A big thank you to Arabella for my slice of lemon and polenta cake from Real Food. Arabella says it will change my mind about polenta and it is THE BEST. I have the kettle on and I will feed back in a bit. 

Sophie's Play Morning - today...

Sophie's play time and coffee morning this morning was magical. She had painting, play, instruments and singing along with lovely people and lots of chatting and relaxing. Well done Sophie for organising and creating another great event at the hub.

We also had a visit from Penny who was spreading the word about her organic vegetable collection scheme. You can collect your vegetables from the hub on Fridays if you order with Penny. Handy or what?

And here are Cameron's last half term models before he heads back to Hampshire. Cameron's Dad Nigel has been such a help at the hub this half term as well as good company. We will miss them both next week. 

Just a warning and a quick favour to ask. The seagulls on the green are being really pesky and quite vicious. Please don't let your little ones eat on the green when they are in their buggies or walking along as the gulls have been swooping down and stealing food (including my eccles cake which is unforgivable). It is quite a shock for a grown up and, as well as being filthy yucky creatures (you can see I am still fuming about the eccles cake incident), it's enough to cause a life-long scaring both physical and emotional. I keep meaning to put a poster up on the door as you leave (Davy's clever idea) but another day goes by and it hasn't been done. A reminder would be appreciated whilst we are in the hub...Davy??? 


Have a fabulous weekend everyone and I will see you all on Monday for Baby Yoga, Coffee time, MMM and Birthing Classes.


I'm off to decorate mum's sachertorte. It's a birthday weekend here :)

Friday at the hub

Sophie is running a group tomorrow with Mum Tracey: "Tomorrow's play session from 11am-12noon should be okay for all ages up to... at least 7... maybe 10. Sponge printing and craft for older ones. Activities until quarter to 12 and then we will set up for coffee and do some rhymes. £1.50. 50p for siblings. Donations for refreshments. X"


Then at 12noon - 1:30 I will have our usual coffee time with flapjack (it's in the oven) and the odd custard cream :) which Amy must be kept away from. Penny will be at the hub to answer any questions on her new vegetable collection scheme in collaboration with Shillingford Organics. 


At 2-4pm it is the Women's Network's Beat the Blues Session. 


There is no Tai Chi tomorrow as it is half term which makes me very sad and I will miss it terribly. I will be at home trying to remember my mountain top but I don't hold out much hope. 


Dates for your diaries...


Friday 24th February Penny's How to...Knit Workshop with Liz and Victoria too (I hope). 12noon -1:30pm. This is the first of Penny's How to... sessions with Penny's Transition Exeter hat on. It will run during our usual coffee time so just pop along.  


Thursday 8th March Crafty Swap for Oxfam International Women's Day organised by Hannah and Pip of The Craft Hub. 10am-1pm

SPRING CLEAN YOUR CRAFT STASH FOR A WORTHY CAUSE!

Local craft collective, The Craft Hub, in conjunction with the Hub on the Green, are hosting a wonderful morning of Craft Swapping in aid of Oxfam's International women's day.

 Check your cupboards, attic and drawers.  Do you have a welter of wool? Are your tins brimming with beads or buttons?  Are your fabrics in a flurry or your ribbon on the rampage?!  Its spring and time to clean out your unused stash. The Craft Hub are looking for local crafters keen to clear out years of craft supplies hoarding.  As a crafty collective, the organisers Pip and Hannah have first hand experience of how crafts can take over even the tightest spaces in the home.

Come along to the Hub on the Green for 10am, bring your stash and help to raise some money for Oxfam and celebrate International Womans Day (because we're worth it!).

Saturday March 3rd Our Cake and Craft Fair 10:30pm-4:30pm 
Saturday March 31st Our Cake and Craft Fair 10:30pm-4:30pm (This is April's fair brought forward)


I am looking for an unloved magazine rack for the hub if anyone has one they would like rehoming and a smallish round table for our reception area in the Health Centre which is the right height to sit around and write (i.e. not a coffee table).


A big thank you to Isabel who has given us a baby monitor which will make life so much easier. Sometimes I leave people waiting by the door of the health centre as I am sorting things out in the hub. I can take the phone with me but I can't take the doorbell. Someone (and I can't remember who) had the great idea of putting a baby monitor next to the intercom and carrying the other bit around. Genius. And Isabel has made it possible so no more apologising to people left waiting :)


And finally. We are holding a raffle at the Crafty Swap for Oxfam's International Women's Day. Only a raffle isn't very much fun unless there are some exciting prizes. So if you have anything to offer (and it doesn't need to be craft themed) then please do get in touch. I would really appreciate your support on this one. 

Wednesday at the Hub

On Tuesday it was his Auntie Penny who was photographer to the hub, but on Wednesday Cameron took over the role. 

These are Cameron's Warhammer models

Mum took on the role of knitting tutor 

Davy who was back from walking group...
the busiest one in Exeter this week apparently

Sophie busy knitting

The marble run is still the most popular thing...well done Sophie!

Why do people sit in a bookshelf?
We do have chairs 

Vegetable News...

Penny from Penny's Recipes is starting a vegetable ordering and collection service right here in the city centre. The vegetables are from Shillingford Organics and this scheme has the blessing of Real Food which is really important. See the sheet below for details (I have scanned it that why it looks a little odd) and phone or email Penny if you have any questions. I am really excited about this and looking forward to purple sprouting broccoli season :)

Collection Day every Friday 11.30-1.30 (please change on poster too)

Each weeks order form available from Friday - register online to be sent one each week at http://pennysrecipes.com/orgvegexe

Order and pay by noon on Monday (could go in Monday morning diary as a reminder with link to - http://pennysrecipes.com/orgvegexe

Pay by BACs - details on order form

Pay by cash - to Hub on the Green - (exact money please!) - envelope with your name and 'Pennys Recipes'

Tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Hub

Tomorrow at the hub: Gentle Hatha Yoga at 9:45am


Gentle Stroll with Davy from just outside the hub at 10:45am returning back at noonish for coffee. Usually they stop at a play park en route if there a little one with them and have a good gossip on the way


Coffee time/play time at noon-1:30pm everyone welcome. We have lemon scented play dough, toy boxes, the marble run and space. Its also knitting group tomorrow.




Then Babysign with Sophie at 2pm.


Come and join in hub-fun!

Crafty Half Term

Lisa's crafting this morning was just lovely. We had great children and keen parents and grandparents fuelled again by coffee and flapjack.

We had lots of half term visitors too. Some for coffee, some to see the roof, some recommended. All good.

It's now Babychino in the hub as it is every other Tuesday (alternating with another baby group). There is a lovely buzz of babies, preschoolers and mummies (no daddies today).