Scrapbooking

Let's sketch Alexandra Palace! Bit of a schlep to the outskirts of town this one but totally worth it for the views of the city and the utterly stunning venue that is Ally Pally! Meet outside the main entrance in the car park. Nearest Train Station: Alexandra Palace Completely free of charge, no need to sign up, bring a friend! Feel free to drop in for the whole two hours or just short while if you'd prefer. Look for the tall ginger fella sketching away as the central meetup spot, but feel free to roam as far and wide as you like and sketch anything you damn well please! Please bring your own sketchbooks and pens/pencils. The plan will be to meet at 1pm, sketch for a couple of hours and meet back and chat at 3pm. There is a lovely foyer in the middle where we can grab a coffee afterwards, hopefully the weather is good! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- About Sketchbook London Every week we will choose a location around the magnificent city of London and draw people, buildings, pigeons, bins, anything you want.... No payment, no pressure, no need to sign up, just show up and draw for a couple of hours. All levels, abilities and professions welcome, bring a friend! Zero pressure to interact, network, impress in any way, this is just a way to get out and about and appreciate the joy of urban sketching and all the weird and wonderful creatures that inhabit this thriving metropolis. I am a storyboard artist working in animation and I am happy to discuss sketching techniques or give feedback on any work but this is by no means an exclusive event for artists, all are welcome :)

Basic Ideas: 🌞 📚☕ Any books sitting there collecting dust? Some holiday gifts? Or it’s a book that has changed your life that you want to share? Feel free to bring book(s) to discuss or swap, we usually have more books than people in the end, so feel free to pop along just to have a chat as well. Aiming for every 4 weeks book swap meetup. Note: The event is free to attend, so the only cost for you will only be buying a drink at the location, so coffee/tea/beer etc.

Welcome mums to be to our weekly Present in my Pregnancy Gathering. This is a space where we pause, appreciate and remember to enjoy our pregnancy journeys together. **First up - Mum & Baby Time** * Journaling * Memory recording What to bring - a journal or phone for writing, a sketchbook or phone for recording memories (I use canva) **Second Up - Helping Each Other** * Discovery swaps - sharing ideas and tips What to bring - nothing **Third Up - Time Out** * Sharing Circle - listening to each other * Craft Activity - open craft for relaxation eg knitting, sewing, colouring, drawing * One Intention What to bring - everything you need for your craft I’m really excited to meet you and for this space to open up. I need it so much and hope we can support each other to make it happen 🙏🏽🤰🏾🩷. Why is this a paid event? The truth is Meet Up charge a hefty fee for setting up a group. I hope the fee is low enough to not stop anyone coming but also enough to cover the monthly organisation cost of running this lovely space. Thank you for your support 🙏🏽. Option to pay by PayPal as well.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-traditional-upholstery-weekend-40/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-traditional-upholstery-weekend-40/) ⋆⋆⋆ If you would like to get stuck into a project a bit more traditional than the drop-in dining chair seat that we tackle in our [‘Intro to Upholstery](http://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/workshops/upholstery/)‘ workshop, this chance to make a footstool you will own forever is the very thing for you. Over two full days, an experienced upholsterer will fast-track you through the wonderful world of upholstery and help you build a fabulous footstool using traditional methods. Choose from our selection of top fabrics, or bring your own, and squeal with delight when you see the gracious cabriole legs that your footstool will be fitted with. Don’t worry about lugging a heavy piece of furniture around town, you can leave your work at The Goodlife Centre between classes if you choose. Plenty of guidance in a small group with a great tutor. To upholster your own chair see our project-based upholstery course – [Bring Your Own Chair to Upholster.](http://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/upholster-your-own-chair/) *All of our upholstery classes are for absolute beginners. It doesn’t matter which one you choose to take first. Each technique that is offered is part of all the processes that every upholsterer has to learn.* **KEY PROCESS: TRADITIONALLY BUILT AND SEWED** Before the advent of foam in the middle of the twentieth century, the only way to make wooden seats more comfortable was to build up layers using available materials. The small fabric footstool is built from layers of woven webbing, hessian, vegetable fibre, animal hair, and calico and is sewn with specialist needles and stitches. Although this method is more labour-intensive than the modern method of using foam, it is much longer lasting and preferred in more expensive pieces of furniture. Use fabric of your own, or use one of our luxurious upholstery fabrics at the centre. The use of all tools and materials is included. We also have a selection of tools and materials that we use in our workshops for sale at the Centre for you to continue your new hobby at home. Beginners welcome. **Course Dates:** This course is run over a weekend. Saturday & Sunday 10:00am – 5:00pm.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-woodwork-wood-stool-weekend-11/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-woodwork-wood-stool-weekend-11/) ⋆⋆⋆ Suitable for absolute beginners. Enjoyable for everyone. One weekend workshop. 10am – 5pm. By popular demand – a content-packed two-day basic carpentry woodwork course spread over one weekend. Beginners will be given plenty of help and more experienced students may work at their own pace. Make your own pine wood stool and take it home with you to be admired by friends and family. This is a great starter workshop that introduces the skills of how to measure accurately, cut precisely, and join planks together using dowels. In addition to this, the legs- made from class broomsticks – are connected to the base using a ‘wedged through tenon’ which is a classic woodworking joint and produces a very strong and pleasing result. The tools used include handsaws, chisels, planes, and spokeshaves and you can even get a chance to try an old-fashioned ‘bit and brace’ drill if you choose. If you are contemplating our longer ‘[Carpentry for Beginners](http://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/beginners-carpentry/)’ course, this can be a great way to gain confidence. Beginners will be given plenty of help and more experienced students may work at their own pace. If your knowledge of woodwork is a feint but a fond memory of CDT or carpentry at school, you are in the right place. Our experienced tutor will guide a small group through the design and making of an elegant pine stool using traditional hand tools. The workshop focuses on jointing wood with dowels, using and caring for a plane and chisel, using spokeshaves, and drilling with an auger. Intrigued? Come and find out more. All personal protection and the use of tools and materials are included. This workshop takes place over one weekend: 10am – 5pm.

Join us for our monthly series where **Offline Women Explore the Royal Parks**, visiting one of the eight different royal parks each month. The fourth walk in this series will be through **Greenwich Park.** This is a dedicated, phone-free, quiet space where you can disconnect from digital distractions and reconnect with nature and each other. It is a simple way to enjoy the park and engage in real conversation. We will have plenty of time to talk, share stories, and get to know one another without any digital interruptions. Leave the event feeling energized and refreshed, with a heart full of good conversation and the peaceful feeling of a walk spent in great company. Follow us on [WhatsApp](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCZyvCD38CTaXBpQ72V) to get early tickets for our upcoming events.

Hi all If you are interested in joining an Ottolenghi potluck, look no further! Join us for an afternoon of delicious food and great company 🍷🍴 I’ve created a separate event page for our meetup - you will need to RSVP and pay to confirm on here: [Link to event page](https://partiful.com/e/WSOtSPiPVJuzT6KKr8UD?c=R0YXGgJv)

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/diy-in-a-day-drills-348/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/diy-in-a-day-drills-348/) **⋆⋆⋆** Learn the basics at this fast-paced but relaxed one-day workshop. A perfect starter for all those annoying jobs around the house that you feel you should be able to tackle…if only you knew how. We know it’s frustrating to wait for it to be done and then get charged for it and we understand it can be a bit daunting to head into a wall with a power drill. Pick up the skills to hang curtains, blinds, and simple shelves on any wall. Learn to drill into wood, brick, tiles, or hollow walls with confidence. We will show you how to judge what is behind the walls before you drill. An enjoyable ‘ hands-on’ one-day workshop that covers many of the common aspects of basic DIY. If you have just bought your home and have realized it didn’t include a landlord to fix stuff, or just don’t want to rely on someone else, this day is for you. There is plenty of time to practice on several exercises over the day. The workshop also covers hanging pictures and heavier objects like mirrors, cupboards, and flat-screen TVs. You will learn how to hang a hook, fix a baton, and then a pair of level shelf brackets. Finish off the day learning how to fit shelves into awkward alcoves – a handy skill you can use to fit work surfaces too. Learn how to select the correct drill bit, wall fixing, and screw to secure things confidently. The day will also include a chance to fill small and medium holes in wood and walls to prepare your surfaces for painting. Along the way, we show you how to remove old wall fixings and what to do with the ones you can’t. This a fun fast day with plenty of tools to try and lots of advice on which tools to have in a basic toolkit. If you are thinking of upgrading your drill, you can test all of the ones we use and feel more knowledgeable about what you want to buy. This course is especially suitable if you are not handy or if you are able, but not that confident, about tackling small but important tasks in your home. We will also suggest how to tell if a task is appropriate for DIY or GSI (Get Someone In). You will take home a set of skills that will last a lifetime. All tools and materials included. Perfect for beginners.

**PLEASE NOTE:** The location is: **The People's Letters Bookshop** Address: **395 Cambridge Heath Rd, Cambridge Heath, London E2 9RA** ✨Hi all, Let's Get Crafty is back! ✨ Join us for an afternoon of arts and craft at The People's Letters Bookshop. We will provide yarn, needles, hooks, clay, colouring pencils and books, origami paper, etc, or you can buy a colouring book from the store. You're also welcome to bring your own projects along. The bookstore provides a separate and private space for us which is perfect for us auties and ND folk. The store also provides free hot drinks. Accessibility: the store has an accessible entrance and toilet. The People's Letters is a worker-led, cooperatively run bookstore and community event space in East London. Help support what they do: https://peoplesletters.org/support https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/VyYX6pPn Support us: Please support us on Kofi so we can keep providing more free events in the future! https://ko-fi.com/neurodissidentcafe *Please only RSVP if you can make it.* If you cannot make it anymore, please be sure to update your RVSP so we can adapt accordingly. Please do not come if you have not RSVPed.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/diy-in-a-day-basic-electrics-35/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/diy-in-a-day-basic-electrics-35/) ⋆⋆⋆ **Suitable for absolute beginners** A one-day introductory workshop to help learn the first principles of DIY electrics in the home. This short home electrics workshop covers the most common requests that homeowners, landlords and tenants want to know more about in their homes. Explained in simple terminology, and with practice on fiddly -but unplugged in – electrical fittings, learners can leave feeling less wary about this familiar but invisible energy and confident about safely tackling the essential electrics at home, without requiring any ‘Part P’ certification. First principles are explained in a clear and simple way, without complicated formulas or equations. Learn how to assemble a simple lighting circuit with an inline switch, using inexpensive hand tools. This forms the basis of understanding how the wiring behind your switch plates and ceiling roses fit together. See how to test and avoid faulty wiring when performing simple repairs at home. Look under the ‘bonnet’ of your consumer unit (Fuse box) and understand what it’s connected to and how to turn the supply off and on. Understand the basic wiring system in your home. Practice changing switches to dimmers, look behind socket plates and understand how to change ceiling pendants. Stay safe in your home by finding out what you can and can’t do yourself without any certification. If coming to our workshop in Central London is not possible, then why not try our on-demand basic electrical course online?

LIGHTS ACTION CAMERA!!! Calling all you big kids! Not only is this workshop fun, it is serious business as well! We're bringing out the toys today - we have ideas for a couple of setups prepared for you, and we also have extra action figures and Lego minifigures for you to collaborate and create! And we have **SMOKE AND DRY ICE EFFECTS** and maybe some sparks (!) depending on the location. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN * Camera settings * Creating depth * Focus and composition EQUIPMENT * Any camera or mobile phone * Kit lens 18-55 or equivalent OTHER ESSENTIALS * Dress appropriately for the weather * Optional: a plastic bag to kneel on TRAVEL * As usual check the TFL website for any issues that may delay your journey CONTACT * Alex 07956 264049 VENICE PHOTOGRAPHY WEEKEND - Oct 2026 [https://www.meetup.com/londonphotographicopa/events/313109095](https://www.meetup.com/londonphotographicopa/events/313109095) UPCOMING EVENTS [www.meetup.com/londonphotographicopa/events](http://www.meetup.com/londonphotographicopa/events) Photo ©Jane Lilley

**Get your creative flow going with a Sunday Afternoon Maker Meetup!** Whether you are looking to carve out dedicated creative time, wanting to get a lingering project across the finish line, or just looking to chat with fellow local makers—this is the space for you. 🧵 **What to Bring** Bring any art or craft project you are currently working on, as long as it is portable and quiet. Think: * **Yarn & Thread:** Knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, hand-sewing, mending. * **Paper & Sketching:** Sketchbooks, adult coloring books, watercolors, bullet journaling. * **Digital:** Tablets, iPad drawing, laptop writing/design. * *Please note: Because we are meeting in a shared public space, no power tools, sewing machines, or high-odor materials (like strong solvents or spray glues), please!* **📍 Where to Find Us** * We will be meeting at **Columbus Metropolitan Library - Martin Luther King Branch** in **Meeting Room 1**. Room is reserved under **CBUS Maker Meetup.** **⏱️ Timeline** * **1:00 PM:** Arrive, grab a seat, get settled, and do a quick round of introductions so we can see what everyone is working on. * **1:15 PM - 3:00 PM:** Open maker time! Chat, craft, relax, and swap creative ideas. **⚠️ A Note on RSVPs** Space for this first meetup is strictly limited to 10 spots. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP to "Not Going" as soon as possible so someone on the waitlist can grab your spot. We ask that you try to give at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel. *** **We can't wait to meet you and see what you're making! All skill levels welcome.**

The theme for May is Thriller. • The book we will be discussing is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. (determined by votes from April Book Club. Let me know if you'd like a free digital copy of the book) • This event will be at the main library. Feel free to come whether or not you've started or finished the book. • Small snacks will be provided. You're welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Let me know if you’d like to volunteer to bring snacks or drinks for the group.

**Let’s kick off our very first CBUS Maker Meetup!** Whether you are looking to carve out dedicated creative time, wanting to get a lingering project across the finish line, or just looking to chat with fellow local makers—this is the space for you. 🧵 **What to Bring** Bring any art or craft project you are currently working on, as long as it is portable and quiet. Think: * **Yarn & Thread:** Knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, hand-sewing, mending. * **Paper & Sketching:** Sketchbooks, adult coloring books, watercolors, bullet journaling. * **Digital:** Tablets, iPad drawing, laptop writing/design. * *Please note: Because we are meeting in a shared public space, no power tools, sewing machines, or high-odor materials (like strong solvents or spray glues), please!* **📍 Where to Find Us** * We will be meeting at **Columbus Metropolitan Library - Karl Road Branch** in **Meeting Room 1**. Room is reserved under **CBUS Maker Meetup.** **⏱️ Timeline** * **1:00 PM:** Arrive, grab a seat, get settled, and do a quick round of introductions so we can see what everyone is working on. * **1:15 PM - 3:00 PM:** Open maker time! Chat, craft, relax, and swap creative ideas. **⚠️ A Note on RSVPs** Space for this first meetup is strictly limited to 10 spots. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP to "Not Going" as soon as possible so someone on the waitlist can grab your spot. We ask that you try to give at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel. *** **We can't wait to meet you and see what you're making! All skill levels welcome.**

Big Ohio Book Con "A convention for book lovers all over Ohio (and beyond)! Author panels, signings, bookish vendors, meet & greets, and more!" Featuring more than 100 authors, more than 50 bookish vendors, and plenty of exciting activities throughout the event! Travel with fellow book lovers or meet us at the event. Park for free at the Medina Convention Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, Ohio 44256, then hop aboard one of the free shuttles whenever you’re ready for your next bookish adventure! The convention spans three neighboring locations, giving you even more to explore and enjoy.

Let's stroll the artists' booths and enjoy some of the festival's opening day! The Columbus Art Festival features a wide and vibrant range of visual art from local and national exhibitors, plus, live music, and all kinds of food and refreshments, along the waterfront downtown. (The featured painting is by Columbus Arts Festival exhibitor, Joe Engel - joe-engelart.com)

Welcome, readers! Our May read is **_Kindred_ by Octavia E. Butler.** The story follows Dana, a Black woman living in 1976 California, who is suddenly pulled back to a Maryland plantation before the Civil War. She learns her survival is tied to a white slaveholder’s son. Forced to move between centuries, she must endure the brutal realities of slavery while fighting to hold on to her identity. Tense, intimate, and unforgettable, Kindred explores how the past refuses to stay buried. Looking forward to discussing with everyone! We will meet at Zaftig Brewing Co in their event room in the back. We are welcome to bring in our own food, but **drinks must be purchased at the bar.** Happy reading! 📖

Let’s meet and wander the galleries! General admission on Sundays is free.