Has anyone taken up something new?

I have done a few decorated cakes and recently (with the aid of YouTube) learnt how to make sugar paste roses. I needed them for a cake for the wi party and enjoyed making them. I shall try carnations next.

Thanks Anno I play the piano but wind/brass instruments are completely alien to me (except for the recorder). Hey ho, nothing ventured???

Good luck with that, Anya. You must be a good musician already to have the confidence to take up a new instrument.

[hm] darling daughter took it up. We banished upstairs with a mute for practice!
When I was young I played the violin.
My brother called it the vile din, and the Alsatian howled every time I tried to practice

No not going to blow my own trumpet yet Anno apparently the band has spare instruments I can use for the time being. I mean how hard can it be? It's only one note at a time.

I was having second thoughts Jane but you've just given me an incentive.

Oh goodness - better get some lip salve in! And start doing facial exercises! You will end up with a beautifully toned face and jawline. maybe we should all take it up!

Your own trumpet, Anya?

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew....and volunteered to learn to play the trumpet as our community band has no trumpet players any more

Painting with awful results! Also cross stitch with a similar outcome....
Also a gruesome adults painting/colouring book. Artists in my family did not include me!

I have started dress-making classes one afternoon a week. I had a new sewing machine a few years ago, really to turn up new clothes that are always too long in the arms and legs department (I'm just under 5'tall)
I have made firstly a bag for my granddaughter to keep her PE shoes in, then I went to make her a little skirt that she loves and wore to a party; twirling around in it.
I made a huge bag for a leaf collecting machine to hang in the garage, as OH and I kept falling over the blasted thing as it couldn't stand upright.
Now I'm currently sewing a loose summer top with elbow length sleeves that can be worn over t-shirts and blouses, for when it is too warm for jackets or coats. I started the classes in September, they are always busy and chatty. It's a great way of making new friends as well as putting my redundant sewing machine to good use. I will have next term off, before returning in September. The summer term is to return to my other love gardening.

See my blog this month, I tried quilting and am thoroughly enjoying it.Such a contrast with writing, my first love.

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Well ... if anyone wants to know what the Grannies are up to they should read this thread - and be very impressed. Has anyone else come to the conclusion that this work lark is overated?

Like so many others I started (thanks to a certain craft sales TV channel) card making. Well to be honest I was ill just before I retired and at first could only watch but later got into the craft. I was not really my thing - although it was very therapeutic so I got back into sewing, knitting, crochet, the original decoupage and on and on. I am very easily tempted.

Eventually I realised I had to cut this down to one or two crafts so I have - Christmas . I make presents for Christmas (I love handmade Christmases) Christmas decorations - I have gone mad for red work this year and cooking and preserving for Christmas hampers. Oh, and making memory books for younger members of the family as presents of course. I have no doubt the means to making Christmas will change slightly next year but at least I have pinned my hobby down to one thing

(someone asked for photos - I previously put a few on the "Celebrate Alfie's Christmas" thread, sadly I haven't improved in the photography field yet.)

I have sung a couple of folk songs at our pub folk night. Not on my own, not brave enough, but with a friend. I love folk but I don't have a wonderful voice and don't carry a tune very well, but it was great to contribute to the evening. We'd practised a bit and had our words on paper and everyone there is very kind. I hope we can do it again and I hope that the day will come when I can do it on my own.

I have recently started making rag rugs. My mother used to make them in the fifties, as a way of using up old bits of fabric to make hearth rugs for the kitchen, and I saw (an old, well-used) one in an exhibition at the National Coalmining Museum so I thought I'd have a go. I have so far managed to "recycle" several cast off tee shirts and polo shirts (both do which are very good as they don't fray), some of my old dresses, and my SIL's dressing gown, making a very colourful rug for my grandson's bedroom. I was surprised, after I started, to find how many people still do this for a hobby and there are some beautiful examples.

I submit 3 pieces of my artwork in the Open Art Exhibition in our town every year. Last year I engraved a Celtic design into a sheep's skull. I'd not done it before & not sounding as tho I'm boasting, but it was really beautiful. This year I wanted to try something new again & got a book about fusing fabric. It's reading like gobble-do-gook at present. Has anyone ever used this technique? If so, how the heck do you do it? Any help appreciated. No pressure but I've only got til end of September!

Reported. It's those beads again.

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I have just joined our local village Drama group. I loved acting at school but have never done anything since. (My Mum always said I liked the sound of my own voice!). My Dad was an actor when he was young and my youngest DD followed in his footsteps, so maybe it's in the blood; I am absolutely loving it but have one problem - I can't remember a thing, not even a phone number without writing it down, so it will have to be a walk-on part or Prompt

Most people, when they ride horses will do anything to stay on them. My approach to riding was very White Knight'ish. The slightest bit of danger [ie breaking into a canter] and I'd just bail out over the side . I gave up while I was still in one piece [my dream of being the first woman to ride the winner of the Grand National in tatters]. Having retired last autumn all I've taken up is staying in bed as much as possible .

HollyDaze

A few years ago, I decided to learn one new thing every year.

Year one: I took golf lessons - and hated it, every single boring minute of it and have never played it again since.

Year two: horse riding - I couldn't even get on the blasted thing without being given the little steps that children have to use . I don't even like horses so no idea why I even thought I'd learn!

I've given up and now enjoy whatever comes along as I seem to be sadly lacking in the planning department.

Nothing new for me apart from Loom Band bracelets. Followed some Youtube turorials for more complicated ones on a rainy day last week.

I would love to have a go at wood turning pompa, but there must be a limit to the number if useful items one can find homes for.

I very recently took up watercolour painting, very enjoyable.
I had not intended to start a new hobby. The owner of a local art cafe had bought his teenage son a woodturning lathe. he new I was a woodturner and asked me to help him get started. I gave him some lessons. The owner wanted to pay me, but that's not my way, so he gave me art lessons instead - a new hobby was started

I have also got back into aero modelling after a few years break.

You can buy some beads to make a beautiful necklace or jewelry
www.eozy.com/catalogsearch/result/?cat=0&q=beads