Learn Something New

We heard on the radio that for the school holidays kids should take a week to learn something new.

Suggestions were made for cooking, cleaning, bike maintenance – or building a bike.

But, what about teachers? School holidays aren’t much of a holiday for teachers because you are preparing for next term or teaching holiday programs, but, if you could carve time out of each day in a week to learn something new what would it be?

Learn to Sew?

• Peppermint Magazine’s Sewing School has a great range of DIY patterns to get you started.
• You could follow along to some #memade fashionistas or try reworking preloved items by following makers on TikTok, Instagram and Youtube.

Some of our favourites:

• Quilt Coats – These are absolutely everywhere. Here are a couple from the many tutorials found on the internet: All Kinds Studio & Karoline Skandimama DIY.
• Wandy The Maker: repurposes old into new for his label but is also incredibly generous in sharing DIY for all. He has a playlist of videos called ‘Upcycled’ on In The Know and is on Instagram @wandythemaker & TikTok @wandythemaker where over 6 million people have seen his videos.

Learn Ballet?

• Poise, posture and lengthening. Reignite old fires with adult ballet. A week is definitely pushing it, but you could easily get started by following an online tutorial or two to know whether you would love to attend in-person classes.
• Many dance schools now offer adult classes, check out your local schools to see what’s on. Perhaps try and couple of Youtube tutorials, like this series from Ballet Based Movement to see if its for you.

Try Junk Journaling?

• What do teachers have an awful lot of? Stationery, papers, bits and pieces of this and that. Rip it, cut it, stick it – from fabric to cereal boxes. This seemingly hodge-podge art-making can be meditative & fun.
• Something you may have only considered for kids is a serious business for ephemera lovers. A new hobby that brings the joy of childlike crafting. Remember, everyone has an innate ability to be creative in different ways, maybe this is for you?
• Our feature artwork is by @minniedean45.
• Journal pages to gain inspiration from are: @the_candlelit_journal, @scrapasion or join an online art journal community like @getmessyartjournal

Learn to Rollerskate?

• Okay, so roller-skating on four wheels, inline or side-by-side, has become a phenomenon once more. Mums, and dads, who remember flying around rinks and car parks as kids are buying skates and making dates to relearn old tricks.
• Debbie here has an effective Learn to Skate video that helped a couple of the team step into a rink with their heads held high as they joined the kids at a Saturday morning lesson. It seems that kids and 40-somethings are on equal par for taking up floor space at the locals rinks these days. It’s cheap for a two hour session with skate hire and relatively painless if you invest in some padding – knees, elbows, head and…learn how to land safely.

Maybe a week is too little time and you want to seriously want to push yourself a bit more.

Why not try something new for 30 days.

Previously we were told it takes 21 days to change a habit, but now 30 is the magic number to allow new habits to sink in.

It might be as simple as taking a daily walk, eating less sugar or getting those 8 glasses of water in. Maybe you want to write a book.

Practice makes perfect. Daily practice, as we all know in the performing arts, is a tried and true way to embody learning a new craft or skill.

Happy Winter Holidays everyone!! Stay safe, rest and recuperate. We appreciate you!