Festive Crafts come to the Discovery Centre
By Sarah Watson
Events Officer, Rye Harbour Discovery Centre
Christmas is coming early to the Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve with crafty ways to get into the festive spirit.
For the fifth year, we're hosting our Festive Makers Market on 22 and 23 November.
Showcasing over 20 talented local artists and makers, stalls will offer beautiful gifts from homeware, ceramics, decorative glass and woodenware, to jewellery, prints, greetings cards, gorgeous knits, naturally-dyed clothing, handmade chocolate and even poetry commissions.
Entry is free and our Discovery Centre café and shop will be open as usual, offering a warm welcome and more opportunities to get ready for Christmas.
Later in November, you can learn how to use natural plant materials to create beautiful, seasonal, printed cards at our absorbing Christmas Card Monoprint Workshop.
You’ll discover how to layer colour and shapes to create a collection of your own original prints and four finished cards, ready to gift.
Then in December, we're hosting a cosy and relaxing Christmas Decorations Felting Workshop.
Trained textile designer and tutor, Aimi Rifat, will teach you needle-felting techniques to create three hand-made, nature-inspired, Christmas decorations to take home.
Previous participants of Aimi's felting course said: "Relaxing creative and fun. Could have stayed all day!" and "I learnt so much about felting... Excellent teaching."
Finally expert Ukrainian florist Lidiia Khramenkova will be sharing her passion for festive arrangements in her Christmas Wreath Workshop.
The class will use fir sprigs, coloured foliage and seed heads to make a stylish natural wreath to decorate your home. Embellish your unique decoration with a gorgeous cotton fabric bow, maybe even a tinkling bell, a Ukrainian symbol of peace and unity.
Flowers and wreaths are part of traditional Ukrainian culture, and Lidiia likes nothing better than helping others get creative. As one workshop attendee put it: "Absolutely loved it! Thank you! The one to one support. The location, interacting with others! The quality of the wreaths and teaching from Lidiia!"
See what else is happening at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve