Christmas Crafternoon

Now I'm not crafty - in any sense of the word.

In fact I'm filled with dread when my daughter comes home from school requiring a costume for a school play as my sewing skills are minimal.  Sadly, sewing on a button is about the sum total of my needlework ability these days.

We didn't do sewing as such at school - by the 1980s it had been re-branded as 'Art Textiles' and involved me having to draw a cross-section of an apple and then re-create it as a pin cushion, using felt purchased from the now much-missed Button Boutique. 

But when my friends organized a Christmas Crafternoon in aid of MIND, the mental health charity, I went along to help.

In fairness, my contribution amounted to me doing a very good impression of Mrs Doyle from Father Ted - 'will you have a cup of tea, ah go on!' - but as this was something that I could do well, I rather enjoyed my role as tea lady. 

There was a wide variety of crafts that people could partake in if they wished, or they could sit and chat and enjoy the refreshments on offer, which included some lovely homemade scones, cakes and mince pies - they wouldn't have been out of place on Great British Bake Off!

It was a fabulous afternoon and £100 in donations were raised for MIND.

Christmas can be a difficult time of year for some people, particularly if they have mental health issues, and it was good to do something which raised money for those in need but was also enjoyed by the people who took part.

In fact, it was so successful that we've decided to do it on a regular basis.  You never know, I may graduate from tea making to learning to sew properly, or do decoupage or decopatch - whatever they might be!

Here's wishing all of you and yours best wishes for Christmas and New Year - thanks for reading.