This Month's GAZETTE
| Issue N3 | Dec 2024 |
Issue N3 | 2nd Dec 2024
WINTER AMUSEMENTS
Here in the northern hemisphere, the air is cold and we are getting cozy. This month we are looking at beautiful ways to slow down and enjoy the season. We would love to hear what your favourite traditions are.
Here are some ideas collected over the years, including from members of the Time Foragers’ Club. Ideas that help us enjoy story over stuff…
go out on a daily walk with Mrs Goose and notice the changes in the season, the colours and the sounds, maybe take along a small sketchbook
set up a hot cocoa bar or plan to take some out in a flask on a woodland adventure
make rose hip syrups or find more recipes here
eat traditional treats the whole month (don’t wait for Christmas Day)
create a music list that you love and dance to it - indulge in the music, if there are carol services near you, why not attend
set a timer for 25mins to declutter with that same music on (so that January is lighter), you might find some treasures to put into tiny tins!
start wrapping gifts as early as you can and make the bundles part of the decoration - if you have a mantelpiece, place them there
make animal gift tags (last year, Helen made this video here which explains her process making hedgehog gift tags, or watch this club’s co-creating zoom call replay where Helen explains how she makes barn owl gift tags)
keep drinking water and take care of your skin throughout the month
live in the moment, as much as you can, enjoy the little mundane moments, if journaling helps you with this, journal a lot
go on a scavenger hunt (plan it, they can be so fun)
play games (ask around for ideas, Erin from the club suggests the game “Dictionary”, a word game in which players guess the definition of obscure words)
get a seasonal jigsaw out
make lists to avoid overwhelm and delegate specific tasks if need be
take time out if you feel sensory overload - carve out time to be alone
prepare all the cozy ingredients you love in one special place (consider having a box or a tray): fair isle socks, Scottish blankets, candles, books, old letters, old photographs, some greenery from the garden or a forage treasures, an advent devotional, a journal, some hand creme, maybe some mints
What would your ideas be to enjoy story over stuff this December? We’d love to hear your top ideas.
MONTHLY REPORT
Windows in ART competition
Congratulations to Ela and Clara for completing the window challenge in the November gazette. They will receive a free month subscription.
Visual Wanderings in Italy Co-Drawing Meeting
On Monday 4th November, members of the club met with co-host Charlotte Hamilton and together drew scenes of Italy. The group had a delightful time and created some stunning work. It was fun for Helen to talk about the Italian retreat she will host in 2025 and for Charlotte to chat about her retreat in 2026.
Shelly Marlott said: “Fantastic meet! Love love hearing about everyone's adventures of the world…”.
Leslie Macleod said “It was fabulous! Thank you!”
Winter Woodland Concertina Co-Creating Meeting
On Friday 15th November members of the club met to create a winter scene concertina with co-host Mel Chadwick. Everyone did an amazing job.
As well as her gorgeous Advent Calendar Course, Mel now has a Winter Woodland Concertina course which you can purchase and enjoy at your own pace. Perfect cozy winter activity.
Tiny Tinned Treasures Co-Creating Meeting (Free event)
On Friday 22nd November we met with Margaux Kent to collect and make tiny treasures for little tins. We talked about time capsules, gifts, lettering and much more. The video is available to watch on replay and is free for all. We hope you enjoy it and get creating!
See more on this in this co-creating session with Margaux Kent here.
Pick and Mix INSPIRATION
Tiny Tinned Treasures Co-Creating Replay | Time Foragers’ Club on YouTube
Bookbinding at Home | Peg and Awl on YouTube
Tour of an Art-filled Home | The Modern House on YouTube
Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300-1350 | MET on YouTube
Artist insights Peter Keegan | Jackson’s Art on YouTube
Paul Cezanne and the Genesis of Cubism | Best Documentary on YouTube
Coco Chanel, the Orphan Who Revolutionised Fashion | Best Documentary on YouTube
Beatrix Potter : The Secret Life of A Victorian Genius | Absolute History on YouTube
POET’s CORNER
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
MEETINGS
Monday 2nd December - 7pm BST | The co-creating meeting this month will be focusing on gift tags. Carve this time out to create your own gift tags for Christmas and/or the rest of 2025. Each to bring their own projects. At the beginning we will quickly discuss what we’re hoping to achieve and then come back together in the end to celebrate our achievements. Helen will show some previous gift tags she created last year. You can watch the hedgehog gift tag post here to see her process. If you’d like to try that method, you’ll need to factor in time for the base paint to dry. Helen has a slightly different project for her gift tags this year so she will share that and what she hopes to achieve during this session. This meeting will last 1h and will be recorded.
Tuesday 10th December - 7pm GMT | The co-drawing meeting this month will be held in partnership with brilliant illustrator Kayla Stark. Check out her work, she has a fabulous Substack. Together we will look at beautifully atmospheric images from the movie Little Women. You may be interested in watching the movie prior to this but this is not essential. The important aspect is to enjoy drawing or painting the scenes. We will have a quick peek at a few images with warm up drawing exercises before moving on to longer times. Members must bring materials they feel comfortable using. All levels welcome and celebrated!
Monday 30th Dec - 7pm GMT | To mark the end of 2024, the co-journaling society will be held from your own spaces, kitchen place, living space or studios via Zoom, to spend time reflecting and writing, or visual journaling too. All club members to appear with their favourite materials. There will be a few prompts on screen to get you started, should you need them. You may choose to keep the screen off, this meeting will be recorded.
NB: To sign up to all of these meetings, go to the Time Foragers’ Club Chat (exclusive to paying members) and click on the Luma invite to receive the zoom link.
CLUB EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVES
If you missed them, paid members can view a few videos to catch up on this month…
Winter Woodland Concertina Replay (with Mel Chadwick)
Visual Wanderings in Italy Replay (with Charlotte Hamilton)
From Haarlem to Doncaster Replay (with La Scarlatte)
NY in the Autumn Replay (with Samantha Dion Baker)
Thanks for reading the 3rd issue of the Time Foragers’ Club gazette!
Tiny Tinned Treasures: Don’t miss the Replay post with lots of links and ideas shared by other participants and members of the club. It is free as a Christmas gift, you are welcome to watch it and share it!
Italian Retreat News: spaces for the retreat in September 2025 are filling up. We’d be so delighted if you’d like to join. It might be a good time to mention it to Santa in your letter! Find more info here for him!
Next month: New Year’s journaling, nature observation and maybe even a plein air sketchbook challenge!
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season.xx
Just watched the Beatrix Potter documentary. Thank you for the recommendation! Have you seen the film Miss Potter? It's a film I can rewatch many times.
Magical. Thank you for showing us the way…