Ideas for Craft Activities around Basingstoke
Why not encourage your elderly friend or loved one to take up a new craft activity to help them keep active and meet new people
What’s the best way to provide mental stimulation and promote creativity, while also meeting new people and getting valuable social interaction? How about taking up a new craft hobby?
Crafts are absorbing and can help to slow the decline of cognitive function, boost blood flow, and improve dexterity in fingers and hands.
Most handicrafts involve minimal moving about, so they are highly appropriate for anyone with impaired or restricted mobility.
Attending a craft workshop also gets participants out socialising and meeting new like-minded friends, while potentially re-discovering or awakening a hidden talent.
When the weather turns a little cooler, no need to hunker down indoors for another long boring day – find something interesting and creative to do, and book yourself a place!
Ceramic Painting - The Pottery Stable & Coffee Shop
How about taking your loved one out for a bit of peaceful ceramic painting – or just for a nice cup of coffee whilst watching others paint?
The Pottery Stable & Coffee Shop is located in a peaceful, rural venue near Tadley. Explore your creative side by selecting a ceramic item to paint – choose from a wide range including mugs, plates, ornaments, coasters, dog bowls and more. Prices range from £13 to £25 and include glazing.
Lesley will be on hand to help and guide you, or just let your imagination run riot! Personalise your item as a gift for someone, or keep it as a memento of your crafty day out!
If you don’t fancy painting, just watch the aspiring artists at work whilst enjoying coffee and cake in this relaxing countryside setting. Alternatively, if you can’t get to the studio, Lesley will parcel up the required items for collection so that you can paint at home.
The Pottery Stable is open Friday to Monday from 10am, with late night workshops every other Friday 6pm-9pm. The floors are clean and level with an adjoining accessible toilet. Note the building can be a little chilly in winter, so Lesley has blankets available if required.
The studio is located at Church Brook Farm, Church Brook, Tadley RG26 4AY. It is off the bus route so you will need your own transport to get there. There is plenty of parking opposite the studio but the car park is unmade so may be a little uneven and muddy in wet weather – we suggest dropping your passenger off at the studio door and joining them after you’ve parked.
Contact Lesley on 07500 776 210 or email [email protected]
Needle Felting - Janet from Home Instead
This craft is thought to have evolved in the 1800s. Crudely, it involves repeatedly poking a needle into a ball of wool to create shapes; the needle has multiple barbs, and the poking action agitates the wool fibres, causing them to bond together and enabling you to create a three-dimensional object made of solid fabric.
Here’s a brief tutorial to give you a flavour: Needle Felting for Beginners
The craft helps to stimulate co-ordination, improve dexterity, promote emotional wellbeing and provide stress relief.
The course is presented by one of our own care professionals, Janet. At the end of the project you will have a unique, organic, hand-made item to be proud of – and maybe a new hobby which can be easily continued at home.
Projects generally take 3-4 hours, depending on the complexity of the item and the dexterity of the student. From your first session you will be able to hand-craft your very own palm sized dog, cat or teddy bear etc. The finished items can be personalised, and make fantastic gifts.
For more information or to book onto a session please call Janet on 07540 975094.
The course is held in Petty’s Brook Road, Chineham, Basingstoke RG24 8RW
Pottery Painting - Pots to Doodle Do
Who said pottery painting is for kids? Stand aside….
Pots To Doodle Do is a pottery painting studio in Cliddesden, just around the corner from the Village Pond.
It’s an activity for people of all ages and abilities. Tracey, the owner, tells us that you pay only for the item(s) you choose to paint.
So…. what will you decorate with your own unique design: a pot, a plate, a vase? Here are some examples to give you inspiration.
To book your appointment for a fun painting session call Tracey on 07900 692858 or fill in her contact form
Pots to Doodle Do is located in The Old Village Shop, Church Lane, Cliddesden, Basingstoke RG25 2JQ
Inspirational Craft Hobbies - Hobbycraft
Hobbycraft Basingstoke offers a vast range of instore art & craft workshops, such as macramé, knitting, crochet, painting, fluid art, wreath making, etc, etc. Whatever old or new craft hobby takes your fancy, you’re bound to find the support as well as the materials that you need here.
Duty manager, Lucy, told us that they currently offer 50 instore and online courses and are always adding more to their portfolio
If you are looking for inspiration, why not explore Hobbycraft’s long list of workshops, or pop down to the store to discuss with someone in person, and find the craft activity that best suits you.
For more information, or to book yourself on a workshop, call 0330 026 1071 or use their workshops contact form.
If you prefer, you could visit any local craft store for inspiration – perhaps purchase some items or even a kit to craft at home.
As Hobbycraft say: “Inspiration can strike at any time!”, so if you know where your skills lie then stock up on everything you need and look out for your next project ideas.
Hobbycraft Basingstoke can be found on Winchester Road, Basingstoke RG22 6HN
Drawing and Painting - Creative Art Classes
Is drawing or painting something you have always wanted to learn, or is it maybe something you did years ago and would like to get back into? Would you like to learn or re-acquaint yourself with these skills with a group of other like-minded and supportive people?
Do you admire artwork and paintings, and wish you could do it yourself? With a few lessons, using a variety of techniques, you could indeed create a masterpiece of your own.
Owner Carrie explained to us how Creative Art Classes offers fabulous 10-week art courses, three times per year, where you can learn how to draw / paint or hone the skills that you might already possess. They cater for any adults, from total beginners to those with some expertise, and will provide all the necessary materials – so all you have to do is to book and turn up.
The Basingstoke classes are on Mondays and each session lasts around 3 hours. The sessions are recorded so, if you miss a class for whatever reason, you can catch up at home. The sessions are held in the Viables Community Centre.
These brilliant courses fill up fast, so if you are interested please don’t delay, book by going to their Contact Us page.
Get out there and meet like-minded people in an ambient and safe setting.
Creative Art Classes can be attended at the Viables Community Centre, Harrow Way, Basingstoke RG22 4BJ
Flower Arranging - Buds Floristry
Buds Floristry, in Wootton St Lawrence just outside Basingstoke, specialises in creating beautiful and unique wedding and event flowers. They offer a bespoke and professional service, using the highest quality flowers; here are some of their creations. However, of more interest to us is that they also have a flower school.
We met with owner and designer Anna White; Anna has been working in flower arranging for 17 years, and has been specialising in wedding floristry since 2008. Anna showed us the small comfortable workshops where she creates her masterpieces and teaches the art of flower arranging.
Anna would be pleased to guide you through the basics of floristry, or to give you tips if you are already experienced. Her sessions last three hours and include the creation of two pieces of your choice; sessions can be one to one, bring a friend or bring the family, they are arranged at times convenient to you, and Anna will provide all flowers and tools etc.
This is such a fragrant & rewarding hobby, and Anna can give you any hints and tips you need to display your flowers to their very best advantage.
For more information or to book a place contact Anna White on 07842 109 665, email [email protected] or complete her contact form.
Pondering…. Someone recently sent me several bunches of flowers with all their heads cut off. Do you think I was being stalked?
Buds Floristry can be found at Manor Farm, Wootton St Lawrence, Basingstoke RG23 8PE.
Arts and crafts are fun activities which we have all loved since our infancy. Messy or ordered, being creative is an enjoyable way to promote hand-eye coordination, colour sense and concentration, and develop a sense of wellbeing and achievement, whilst also gaining valuable mental stimulation.
Crafting also builds confidence and self esteem – which is so important as we age.
If your elderly friend or relative is reluctant to participate in craft activities, why not suggest that you’d like try something new, and would really appreciate their company!
Would your elderly friend or relative like more support to help them continue to live independently in their own home? We could continue your good work by providing care at home to support them in their new hobby, providing companionship at home or help around the house, taking them out, or if needed helping with personal care.
For more information please ring our friendly Basingstoke team on 01256 840 660 or email us on [email protected]