BUSY HANDS WORKSHOPS
Looking for DIY projects or to learn more about trades in both craft and industry? We will have a unique lineup of experts in the field related to everything from carpentry, papercutting, leatherworking, blacksmithing, puppetry and more.
Anishinaabe Puppetry
Date: Saturday, July 22 2023
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Project: Indigenous Puppet Show, Music, and Stories aimed at families
Price: $15.00 plus tax per person (Click Here for Tickets) includes program, museum admission and light refreshments.
Family Discount: $35.00 plus tax for 5 people or less – Call 1-519-393-5315 for discount.
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
In the spirit of the upcoming PuppetWorks! Festival from August 3-6, Stratford Perth Museum will have special guests from the Healing of the 7 Generations Group and Urban Nish, who will be keeping their hands busy with a puppet show of the creation story. This program will include a meet and greet with the puppets; demonstrations of some Anishinaabe songs and dance; and how it all ties in with our clan animals and nature! These animal puppets and other traditional dolls, are incorporated into the workshop to help everyone understand the teachings and language of the Anishinaabe peoples and our diverse local Indigenous heritage.
Vermicompost Bins
Date: Saturday, August 12 2023
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Supplies: All Included by the Worm Wrangler – Rubbermaid bin to house your worms, shredded cardboard bedding, red wiggler worms, and hands-on setup of your compost bin
Project: Make your own Vermicompost Bins.
Price: $100.00 plus tax (Click Here for Tickets)
Please Note: More than one person can attend to create the compost bin but 1 Workshop Pass will only provide enough supplies for a single bin.
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
This how-to vermicompost workshop is perfect for anyone who is interested in reducing their food waste footprint, creating nutrient-rich compost for their plants, or just wants to learn more about red wigglers. Come learn how to vermicompost! No experience necessary – all are welcome.
During this workshop, you will learn about the benefits of vermicomposting, how to set up a vermicomposting system, and tips for keeping your worms happy and healthy (and your worm bin for getting gross). We’ll set up your new vermicompost bin together, talking about each part that goes into it and how to manage each component going forward.
Workshop Leader: Worm Wrangler: Amanda Hunter
Amanda Hunter is the Worm Wrangler! She has both an M.Sc. and B.S.A. in soil science! Amanda’s passions lies in exploring soil health and ecology, minimizing contributions to landfill, and sharing about composting with kids and adults. She thrives on empowering people to make positive changes in their community and the environment. Vermicomposting lies at an interesting intersection of soil, environment, community and curiosity. Amanda’s favorite thing to do is teach people about vermicomposting and how they can use it in their own lives to reduce their environmental impact.
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Past Workshops
Illuminated Manuscripts 101: What’s with All the Rabbits?
Date: Saturday, July 8 2023
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Supplies: All Included
Project: Illuminate and decorate a Shakespearean Sonnet
Price: $20.00 (Click Here for Tickets)
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
Humans have been decorating things since pre-history, and shows no sign of stopping. A popular art form from the days of early writing is illumination, the art of decorating in and around written text. In this workshop, we will play with calligraphy, find out why there are so many rabbits being naughty in medieval illumination, see samples of illumination from around the world, and explore the crazy creatures that appear in prayer books and tomes, as well as create your own decoration around a sonnet in preparation for a Shakespearean celebration at the museum for Stratfords of the World Event and the Stratford Festival’s Spamalot production in 2023.
Workshop Leader: Desirée Kern
Desirée Kern is an artist hailing from Southern Ontario, specializing in several different media and genre including heraldry and surrealism, fantasy and more, and is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, which has groups all over the world, joyfully studying and recreating parts of pre 16th century life. (The good parts.) Desirée shares drawing, heraldry, art history and surrealism with everyone she can. She is also an avid kayaker, traveller, and shenaniganizer. Fair warning to those in attendance – there will be jokes, the occasional strange story or tangent, and possibly the worst of unapologetic puns. (Ye be warned.)
Leatherworking Workshop 101
Date: Saturday, June 3, 2023
Time: 1 PM – 3 PM
Supplies: All Included
Project: Belt
Price: $60.00 (Click Here for Tickets)
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
Throughout time, people have always struggled with the same problem. How do I stop my pants from falling down around my ankles, embarrassing me in public? Our solution today is not that different from what it has always been – a belt. Leather belts come in all shapes, sizes and designs, but have been used as long as we’ve had pants to hold on our waist. While they haven’t always been made of leather, belts are just one example of something that was made by hand. Learn the basics of making a belt by hand, and come away with your very own belt so that you too can avoid the eternal problem of your pants falling down.
Workshop Leader: David Gotlieb
David Gotlieb is a historical leatherworker specializing in reproductions of belts, pouches and other leather items from daily life. He recently moved to Perth County, and is a local member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, which has groups all over the world specializing in recreating pre 16th century life. David has taught leatherworking classes throughout southern and eastern Ontario, as well as in the US. He has researched and reproduced historical leather dyes, and has made everything from belts and pouches, to axe sheaths and rawhide shadow puppets.
Macrame Plant Hangers
Date: Saturday, May 20 2023
Time: 1pm – 3pm
Supplies: All Included
Project: Learn about Macrame and make your own plant hanger.
Price: $50.00 plus tax (Click Here for Tickets)
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
The art of Macrame has been around since the 13th century when it finds its origins in Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations. Since that time, the art form has been adopted and modified all over the world. In North America, the craft has been practiced since the 19th century and regains popularity about every 20 years with new trends to fit the times. In this era plant hangers are all the rage! Come hang out and learn the ancient skill of macrame with a modern twist to invite spring into your home!
Workshop Leader: Elise MacDonald
I am a self-taught Macrame artist from Kitchener. I have been running my own Macrame business for the past 5 years. I enjoy exploring everything macrame including new projects, and different patterns, and connecting with new people through the craft! I look forward to meeting you all in the workshop!
Beeswax Candle Making
Date: Saturday, April 29 2023
Time: 1pm – 3pm
Supplies: All Included
Project: Get the Buzz on Bees and make 5 of your own styles of Beeswax Candles – types listed below.
Price: $75.00 plus tax (Get Tickets Here )
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
The workshop will cover the basics of beeswax properties, handling tips, and wick sizing information. Each attendee will make a set of each the following candles to take home:
- One owl beeswax candle (poured into silicone mould)
- One votive beeswax candle (poured into metal mould)
- One miscellaneous small candle (various silicone moulds, participants will choose which one to use)
- A set of birthday or meditation candles (dipped candles, number of candles varying based on what the person wants to make)
- One rolled beeswax candle
Workshop Leader: Jodi Roth, Owner of Huckleberry Hives
Bees are my business! I keep honey bees and run a bee breeding program focusing on disease resistant and other phenotypic (observable) traits that indicate genetic strengths. I also produce raw honey, specialty flavoured honey, and beeswax candles, which I sell at markets and right on location at the main apiary site. My customers include local Ontario beekeepers who purchase bees from me as well as discerning locals looking for quality honey and candles.
The Weird Wild World of Heraldry 101
Date: Saturday, April 1 2023
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Supplies: All Included
Project: Learn about coats of arms, and design your own.
Price: $20.00 (Click Here for Tickets)
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
Heraldry is deeply connected to many modern concepts, and embedded in Canadian culture, official buildings and history. Boring? Not if you know where to look! Behind every shield is a story – some grandiose, some naughty, and some just plain weird. From medieval to modern day, this form of recognition has been with us for nearly a thousand years. Heraldry has a language all its own, and when you’re done, you’ll have your own shield and crest to take home with you, perhaps representing your own story.
Workshop Leader: Desirée Kern
Desirée Kern is an artist hailing from Southern Ontario, specializing in several different media and genre including heraldry and surrealism, fantasy and more, and is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, which has groups all over the world, joyfully studying and recreating parts of pre 16th century life. (The good parts.) Desirée shares drawing, heraldry, art history and surrealism with everyone she can. She is also an avid kayaker, traveller, and shenaniganizer. Fair warning to those in attendance – there will be jokes, the occasional strange story or tangent, and possibly the worst of unapologetic puns. (Ye be warned.)
Date: Saturday, December 3
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
Supplies: Included with Price
Cost: $20.00 per person plus tax
Christmas Papercutting 101
Treat yourself to learn a new/old art form this Christmas and have some fun with paper and scissors. This workshop will provide you with lots of opportunity to cut and create Christmas decorations/art and will show you tips and tricks you can use at home. This is a hands on 3hr course and will get you inspired! All the material is supplied and lots of options given.
Workshop Leader
Nelly Hofer is a local artist and illustrator that can turn everyday paper into beautiful works of art. She was a nominee for the Governor General’s Award for Children’s Illustrations and has illustrated four books. Her artwork is sold in museums, shows and online. www.atreeoflife.ca
Limited tickets available – click HERE for Tickets
Course layout
1. Welcome everyone, introduction and a short history of
the art of papercutting
2. Warming up your hands with making a paper star
3. Tools, folding and paper choices. Framing and glues.
4. Exploring different uses for the cuttings and materials.
5. Reduce and reuse. Tracing paper
6. Introduction to: Hans Christian Andersen 1805-1875 Story Teller and Papercutter. Samples and cutting
from the story The Fir-Tree Trees or stars
7. Finding your style by playing with paper and trying new things. Stars, Angels, Birds or Feathers.
8. Exploring paper cutting today. Showing samples. Answering questions.
9. Bonus, gift templates and card.
Date: Saturday, December 10
Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Stratford Perth Museum
Supplies: Included with Price (Excluding Container)
Cost: $20.00 per person plus tax
Holiday Arrangements Workshop
Spruce up your home with a handmade arrangement for the holidays. Add a little seasonal outdoors to your indoors and make some heart and homestyle centrepieces for friends and family with the help of workshop leader DeAnna DesLaurier. Bring your own container and mix in the decorative and natural supplies provided at the museum. Keep your Hands Busy with this creative workshop craft for a special gift. This is a licensed event (wine not included in the price).
Limited tickets available – click Here for Tickets
Sample 1