Scrapbooking

**Bookable via our website ➡️** https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-woodwork-flip-lid-dovetail-box-6-evenings-53/ ⋆⋆⋆ **Course:** Intro to Woodwork – Flip Lid Dovetail Box **Duration:** 6 evenings 6.30-9pm /6 afternoon 2.30-5pm or 2 days 10-5pm / 5 evenings 6-9pm / 5 afternoons 2-5pm **Next start date:** Check our website: https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/intro-to-woodwork-flip-lid-dovetail-box/ **Suitable for:** Confident beginners. Some basic woodworking experience is useful for this course but not necessary. **About:** Using a fusion of hardwood and softwood, this six week evening course will teach you the fundamentals of woodwork and give you an opportunity to use classic hand tools; brass backed tenon saws, sharp wood chisels and delicately honed vintage wood planes. An absorbing course for confident beginners and a enjoyable learning experience for anyone with a little woodworking experience. Using a fusion of hardwood and softwood, this six week evening course will teach you the fundamentals of woodwork and give you an opportunity to use classic hand tools; brass backed tenon saws, sharp wood chisels and delicately honed vintage wood planes. This well proportioned flip lidded box is constructed of European Redwood using a single dovetail joint at each corner and the fitted hardwood lid is attached to the base by a handmade ‘dowel’ peg hinge. The project will familiarise learners with many classic woodwork techniques and is taught with patience and enthusiasm by Andy Nicholl, who has devised this informative and challenging project. You will take home a treasure to treasure and we hope it will enthuse you to learn how to make many handmade woodwork projects in the years to come. If your keyboard weary hands have been needing a skill to fulfil and satisfy a yearning desire to create something you can hold, come and join us in our well equipped and inspiring workshops and discover the wonderful world of woodwork.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-traditional-upholstery-evening-37/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-traditional-upholstery-evening-37/) ⋆⋆⋆ **KEY PROJECT: TRADITIONALLY STITCHED AND SEWN EDGED FOOTSTOOL** *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.* 6-week workshop. Thursday nights. 6:30pm – 9pm. A perfect course for a beginner. Jumpstart your knowledge of traditional upholstery skills and methods. Over six Thursday evenings, experienced upholsterers will guide you through the wonderful world of upholstery and help you build a fabulous footstool using traditional methods. You can leave your project at the centre in between classes. 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. Our small fabric footstool (above) 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. This is the method used in many traditional chair seats, so once learned, you can apply this method to your own projects. We provide everything for the workshop, from the wood frame to the set of natural beech wood legs that are included for you to paint or stain as you wish. Choose from our selection of top fabrics, or bring your own. You will need about a metre of fabric and you will not need it until the final class. The use of all tools and materials is included. We also have a selection of specialist upholstery tools and all the materials that we use in our workshops for sale at the Goodlife Centre for you to continue your new hobby at home. Beginners welcome. This course is run on a Thursday evening over 6 consecutive weeks. 6:30pm – 9:00pm

We're excited to invite you to ***our next Meetup***! Join fellow graph enthusiasts, Neo4j developers, and members of the AI community as we explore how graphs, knowledge graphs, and context engineering can unlock smarter applications and better answers. We look forward to connecting with the community to exchange ideas on graphs, tech, and AI - join the discussion! Session 1: **From Weak Assistants to Super Agents** Sefik Serengil, Senior Software Developer - Neo4j Session 2: **The Latest on Working with Agents** Baptiste Fernandez, DevRel - Tessl A synthesis of data, experiments, and developer feedback on how to build with agents and steer them in practice.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/clothes-making-altering-workshop-6-mornings-4/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/clothes-making-altering-workshop-6-mornings-4/) **⋆⋆⋆** Do you want to jump into making your own clothes but have never used a pattern? Do you wish to copy a beloved piece of clothing? Would you like to learn how to adjust your own pattern to fit just you? Learn how to take body measurements, read and alter a commercial pattern to fit, lay out and cut fabric and construct a finished garment to a high standard using one of our Janome 525s or Bernina 1008 series sewing machines. During the sessions of this small group of learners you will gain confidence and improve any sewing skills you already have. If you have never used a machine, we can guide you through making a simple garment from a purchased pattern. Bring your own pattern or use one of our small selection. If you have sewing experience but want to start creating your own patterns, you can learn how to create a bespoke piece of clothing. You can also bring a piece of clothing to alter or fix. We supply the basics and the calico you will use to make a ‘toile’ (an inexpensive mock up) to save you ruining your chosen final fabric. Along the way, talented tutor and seamstress will teach you lots of techniques and tips to ramp up your sewing passion. This is a perfect class if you have been teaching yourself so far, or if your last project was made a long time ago at school. **Suitable for:** Suitable for beginners, enjoyable for those with experience. A good level of English and basic math skills are useful. **Next start date:** Check our website for more dates: [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/clothes-making-altering/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/clothes-making-altering/)

A powerful account of traditional Thai magick and a magickal vision quest for enlightenment and personal redemption written into the skin. Sharing his profound encounters with Thai magick during four separate pilgrimages to Thailand, writer, Buddhist shaman, musician and artist Sheer Zed details the intense personal initiations and rituals he experienced with the sect of Thai Buddhist magicians known as Ajarns. Traveling all over Thailand to meet with holy monks in sacred places, the author undergoes powerful Thai magickal rituals. Among these are the Gold Face Blessing, where gold leaf was hammered onto his face to form a mask, and a Satuang ritual, traditionally performed for returning soldiers, that crescendos with the release of 21 unruly catfish into the Ping River during a Wolf Moon. As Zed explores the cultural context of Thai Buddhist necromancy, he details firsthand the pain and transformation of his multiple talismanic Sak Yant tattoos, ritually done by hand by Ajarns in magickal inks, including one that spiritually transformed him into a tiger. He shares his experiences of intense Serm Duang ritual baths, the insertion of a gold Takrut needle into his arm, and a rare initiation to connect him directly with spirits. Revealing the extreme personal losses and traumas that led to his spiritual transformation, Zed shares how his initiatory experiences with Thai Buddhist sorcerers helped him destroy his destructive former selves and discover profound healing for his mind and soul. Exploring chaos magick, pop culture, and esoteric Buddhism, he also examines the artistic and occult influences that shaped him into a magickal practitioner—from the underground electronic music scene and the work of the Beat Poets to the writings of Aleister Crowley and the Buddhist Anarchism of Gary Snyder. This book: • Details the author’s profound encounters with Thai magick during 4 separate pilgrimages to Thailand • Explains the ritual process of the author’s multiple Sak Yant tattoos as well as other powerful magickal rituals and initiations he experienced • Shares how his initiatory experiences with Thai Buddhist magicians helped him destroy his destructive former selves and discover profound healing for his mind and soul

Please BOOK A FREE TICKET VISIT IN ADVANCE, on the British Museum website. This is to avoid queuing. I have a few spare tickets so you can message me with your email address or Whatsapp number if you want to use one of them. Meet on the seats in the Great Court opposite the information desk. The event is free to join. Please consider contributing contribute £2 toward the cost of the event and for my time. Alternatively, I can provide tuition at a cost of £10 for the session. All welcome! Please bring your own drawing materials. There are stools you can borrow. Please note MUSEUM POLICY - use a hand-held pad and only draw with pencils. We will draw in the galleries from 10.40 am. We will meet again in the Great Court Cafe nearest the Egyptian Galleries at 12:30 pm.

* **Screen Printing on Textiles (2 days)** * www.art-class-london.co.uk * Explore contemporary printmaking through a series of short, focused workshops led by artist and printmaker [Raquel Amat](https://art-class-london.co.uk/team/raquel-amat-parra/). Each workshop introduces a specific printmaking technique and can be booked individually. * Workshops take place in our North London studio, a short distance from Crouch End, Finsbury Park, Archway, and Highgate. * Suitable for beginners and those with some experience. * All basic materials provided. * **Screen Printing on Textiles (2 days)** – £125 9 & 16 May 2026 * 10AM -4 PM

**Bookable via our website ➡️** https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/intro-to-furniture-restoration-1-day-88/ ⋆⋆⋆ Revamp your tired woodwork. Get the Ra Ra back into your furniture – jazz up those car boot finds and old junk. Many of us own items that wouldn’t star on ‘Antiques Roadshow’ but are pieces that would benefit from a gentle sprucing up. In this one-day starter class, our tutor will walk you through how to tackle those forlorn but beloved pieces of less valuable furniture that need some tender loving care. You will learn how to apply a solution to a problem piece-whether it’s a white ring left by a cup or a scratch in the varnish and have hands-on practice of removing varnish and refinishing woodwork. You will also explore the world of glues and clamps to learn about tackling a wobbly chair and re-attaching loose trims and veneers. Please bring your own piece to work on. Lots of charity shops sell old boxes and shabby cabinets. You can pick up a bargain on eBay. We have easy step-free access to the centre and you can find a place to park fairly easily nearby. It may not be possible to finish your own work, but if it's a wobbly chair we can show you how to re-glue it back together and the tutor can help you identify what needs to be done. We don’t cover furniture painting on this day course. The use of all tools and basic materials is included. Beginners welcome.

Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you. We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well. Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.

Warning ⚠️ You may leave with… ✔ A decorated cake ✔ New friends ✔ Zero stress Our Sip & Cake Decorating Night is back this MAY 🎂🍷 📍 SE24 💸 Early Bird £5 OFF (before end of April!) Seats are limited & vibes are guaranteed ✨ 👉 BOOK NOW before it’s gone https://KDEcake.eventbrite.co.uk

CHANGE OF TIME!!!!!! Let's rendez-vous in front of the Lord Holland statue at 10 AM. There's a lot of great stuff here, the Kyoto Gardens in the middle of the park, the Orangery, The Dutch Garden, the Design Museum. A lot to fit in into 2 hours! Nearest Tube Stop: Holland Park 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 10am, sketch for a couple of hours and meet back and chat at 12pm. There are plenty of places around to grab coffee or a bite to eat, hopefully the weather is good so we'll be able to sit outside but if not we could consider ducking into a cafe. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- 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 :)

**Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis** ***Shortlisted for Women's Prize 2025*** *"By normal, you mean like you? A slag with a saviour complex?'* Nadia is an academic who's been disowned by her puritanical mother and dumped by her lover, Rosy. She decides to make a getaway, accepting a UN job in Iraq. Tasked with rehabilitating ISIS women, Nadia becomes mired in the opaque world of international aid, surrounded by bumbling colleagues. Sara is a precocious and sweary East Londoner who joined ISIS at just 15. Nadia is struck by how similar they are: both feisty and opinionated, from a Muslim background, with a shared love of Dairy Milk and rude pick-up lines. A powerful friendship forms between the two women, until a secret confession from Sara threatens everything Nadia has been working for. \*\*\* Chapters & Conversations is a space for fiction lovers to connect over great stories and lively chats! Whether you’re into literary fiction, contemporary novels, or fantasy worlds, we’re here to explore it all together. We’re hoping to meet fellow bookworms who enjoy getting lost in a good story and are open to sharing thoughts, laughs, and recommendations. At each event, we’ll dive into a chosen book, chat about characters, themes, and twists - above all, it’s about community, curiosity, and a shared love of reading! Stasia and Yana:)

Let's Crop!

**Our May novel is: *The Quiet Librarian* by Allen Eskens** **This month’s book is set in the 20th century and mixes historical fiction with suspense and thriller elements. It also centers on women’s stories and relationships. The novel is 368 pages in print or 8 hours and 12 minutes on audiobook.** Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared. Thirty years before, Hana was someone else: Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head\*\*.\*\*

**This month’s Creativity Circle is very timely. We will be making our own craft flowers out of paper, coffee filters, popsicle sticks, sparkles, cupcake liners, pipe cleaners and more! All ages welcome, show up as you can, bring a friend or a few if you would like to! Excited to see you there! Seats Limited. Held at the Westerville Public Library Meeting Room B.**

Join us for our May Book Club gathering where we will come together to discuss *[Cantoras](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)*[ ](https://caroderobertis.com/books/cantoras/)by [Caro de Robertis](https://caroderobertis.com/bio/) in a safe and welcoming environment. Make new friends who share your passion for books and connect with fellow LGBTQ book enthusiasts.

🌸 Mother’s Day deserves more than flowers 🌸 Join us for an elevated outdoor paint experience designed for creativity, connection, and unforgettable memories. ✨ Brushes & Brunch: Mother’s Day Garden Edition ✨ Beautiful garden vibes Brunch bites Signature refreshments Guided painting Soft music Luxury energy Whether you're celebrating your mother, your daughter, your friends, or simply honoring yourself — this experience is your invitation to slow down and create something beautiful. No painting experience needed — just bring your good energy. This is not your typical paint party. This is intentional. This is elevated. This is your moment. 🎟 Limited seating available to keep the experience intimate. Reserve your spot early https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brushes-brunch-a-curated-mothers-day-painting-experience-tickets-1987709930911

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! 📖