Crafts - By Magali Ellis and Scrap-Circle

Let me ask you a question. What size page do you use to do some scrapbooking?

When I first started, I used 12”x12” pages and albums. However, since then, I have made albums in other sizes, 7”x7” and 8”x8” to be precise. They were special albums, given as birthday and Christmas presents to my children and containing layouts with pictures of the first weeks of my grandchildren. Soon enough though, I returned to 12”x12” pages. To this day, this is by far my first choice!

I have noticed a new trend in scrapbooking using standard A4 size paper and card. I do not know why I had not thought of using that size before, especially as good 12”x12” albums are becoming more difficult to find. A standard A4 size makes a lot of sense and there are plenty of different types of albums and files available in most shops to store the layouts.

It is strange to change size, isn’t it? Maybe it is the blank page syndrome that authors face? I do not really know where to start when using a different size. I find myself running out of room and getting the proportions all wrong. It definitely takes a while to get used to it. My other problem (or excuse) is that I like putting several photos on my layouts, so a smaller page proves to be quite a challenge. However, I must admit that I am intrigued by scrapbooking on an A4 and I would like to try it out. Maybe I will use it to record my next holiday photos. It could be a self-contained album. Maybe I will try it out on my next craft retreat. After all, I always encourage my delegates to try something new. I guess I should lead by example!

A weekend retreat is ideal, as there is plenty of time to craft and that should give me some time to think about proportions. I could also print my photos on a smaller format than a standard 6”x 4” so I can still have several photos on my layout.

Weekend craft retreats offer a special time where crafting, laughing, chatting among like-minded people and eating cakes count! You can craft till late in the night or start really early in the morning. It is a wonderful time when somebody else is preparing lovely meals. We meet at Grafham Water Centre in Perry, Cambridgeshire, and our craft room overlooks a gorgeous lake. The dates for our retreats this year are 21st-23rd April, 13th-15th October and 8th-10th December.

The ultimate treat is our Craft Cruise: ten whole days to craft to your heart’s content! Check www.scrap-circle.co.uk for more information and details on how to book.

Ideas Hub Chelmsford - Exhibitions at the Art Place: More than Just an Art Scene

When we visited the empty retail unit that would become The Art Place for the first time and saw the long wall, we knew instantly what we would do: an art gallery! This had to be the most asked-for local art need in our community feedback, and finally we saw a way that it could become a reality...

Fast forward 2 years and you have a few days left (ends 20th March) to come and enjoy a high quality photography exhibition by a renowned international (Ukrainian) photographer, Oleksandr Nesterovskyi. He has featured on the BBC, exhibited in London, and been a finalist in the 2016 Art of Building Architectural Photography Competition. In his words, “I have been doing photography since 2009. I prefer landscape, abstract and concept photography. The main goal of creating works is purity and harmony scene in a frame. Most of my works were created in the territory of my beloved country of Ukraine, some of these works were published in various publications, devoted to photography all over the world. My work has taken part in collective and personal exhibitions both in Ukraine and abroad (Great Britain, USA, Germany, France, Australia, etc).

“During a full-scale invasion, returning home from an overseas trip, I ended up in the suburbs of Kyiv, in the town of Bucha (since December 25th), I witnessed terrible events and the war crimes of the Russian army. I joined the resistance forces. Unfortunately, then I ended up in occupation - expecting the worst. But later, together with my family, I managed to get out of the occupation. Now I am part of a volunteer movement, an instructor teaching our military to use UAVs, this is a matter now taking up most of my time. I plan to return to photography as a main activity after our victory.”

This exhibition has been organised by artist Elena KhomutovaMiller who has worked relentlessly to support Ukrainian creatives in Chelmsford.

One of our upcoming exhibitions in June will be led by myself based on a passion of mine. It will explore how climate change affects the natural world and contributes to biodiversity loss. Titled Earth 23, it is a collaborative exhibition that will feature paintings, prints, sculptures and clay models from artists of all ages. 10% of each piece sold will be donated to The Rainforest UK to help endangered wildlife and develop their conservation work. Please contact me if you want to be involved.

Our exhibitions are important to promote artists’ well-being, support social causes and local events, and empower under-represented communities. Our Young Artist of the Month wall is dedicated to under 25s to nurture budding talent.

If you’re interested in hosting an exhibition of your own work, or to empower your community, please email the gallery team at artplacegallery@ideashubchelmsford.org. If you’re looking to exhibit photography, please email photo@ideashubchelmsford.org.

To know about new exhibitions and our work, please search for us and follow us on social media.

Indigo Moon Communications Manager

Interior Design Tips for Your Home - By Tania

This month we are focusing on the most used room in the house the kitchen. When it comes to kitchen design, there is more to it than meets the eye...

Function: How many uses does your kitchen have, Is it also used for homework, dining or socialising?

Flow: It’s important to get the flow of the kitchen space right. Think about the position of the appliances, Is everything where you need it?

Lighting: Planning the lighting needs to be done early on. Aim to shed light on the parts of the kitchen you regularly use, such as cookers and work tops. Pendant lights are versatile and ideal for the kitchen or above the dining table area.

Flooring: Consider the practicalities as well as the look, durability, and expense. Natural stone floor tiles can be costly, Consider wood flooring eg, engineered oak, or a great alternative is herringbone luxury vinyl flooring which looks like a real wooden floor (LVT) at a fraction of the cost.

Dark or light flooring? The rule of thumb is a contrast will work better, dark floor and light cupboards or vice versa.

Storage: Think about what you need to store. Do you have a lot of crockery or glass? Do you need more drawers than cupboards? Are you looking for a pantry cupboard to store all your ingredients? Pantry cupboards are incredibly popular right now. Kilner or glass jars are great to store dry items, they can also look good if they are on display.

Furniture: Room for a sofa or armchair? How many people will sit round the kitchen/dining table - can it be extended for dinner parties or Christmas? Dining chairs can be uncomfortable if the seat area is not padded, so maybe a combination of chairs and a bench. Accessorise with cushions, throws and sheepskins in the winter.

Clear the Decks: Keep the clutter off the countertops for clean lines and a more minimalist look.

Smart Ideas: A charging station. Create a docking drawer with a hidden charge station ready to top up your appliances. Perfect for keeping your smartphone and iPad out of sight.

Herbs and Plants: Add a touch of green to brighten up your kitchen and also give you fresh and fragrant herbs to add to your favorite dishes.

Entertaining: Consider how often you might entertain and how many people will you invite over. Is it going to be just drinks and nibbles or for a dinner party? Maybe a combination of events. A built-in wine cooler is a great place for cooling the fizz and adds a extra feature.