The last time you made something.. ( SMU Artdicted Workshop 2011 )

.. can you remember when? 

As the world grows severely dependent on technology and gadgets, we are leaving behind the most traditional (and sometimes, most fun) ways of making things.

Now when we think of how an item is made, what comes to mind is sweatshops in a rural part of China, child labour and whirring machines. It wasn't always like this.

Since working full-time on AiClay, I have had the opportunity to create with my hands everyday. Looking at the world around me, I wanted to remind people that our hands aren't just good for clicking mouses or punching keyboard keys.

Therefore, I was really psyched when an arts club (Artdicted) at one of the local universities (SMU) approached me a few months ago, and asked if I was willing to teach a miniature food workshop for the students, as the last event they're holding for 2011. I was more than willing, in fact I was tending much towards the extremely honoured and excited end of the spectrum. ♥

So after much bouncing around in excitement, I got down to planning and shopping for my very first big workshop. Logistics was pretty crazy, and I was still buying brushes and needle tools on the day before the workshop! There were 12 students who turned up, a huge number in my books! 

Brought down my pasta machine, along with the supplies I usually use and some miniatures to show them the unlimited possibilities of the craft. The students were so cute, they started an orderly queue for the pasta machine even without any instructions from me. :)

I must admit my throat kept closing up and there were some butterflies in my stomach in the first half hour, but we all soon warmed up and the participants were well on their way on making their own basket of miniature bread! 

Some of the proud bread-bakers, snapping photos of their first miniature foods. ♥

I also had my good friend D (blue-shirt lady below) and my boyfriend JY come down to help me out and they were amazing! JY had to drive me and my crazy barang (toaster oven, luggage filled with supplies) down despite being on a tight schedule himself. And D, she was kept busy with setting up the many worktables and sending miniature breads for baking in the oven. Both of them also took turns taking photos of the workshop. ♥ 

I handed out feedback forms at the end of the workshop, and when I got back home after a celebratory dinner and pool session with JY, I got to reading all of the feedback. And they were all terribly heart-warming, so many of them who took time to write a good long paragraph.

There were those who learnt a lot about what goes on behind creating miniature foods, those (the guys) who were surprised at how much they enjoyed it and that crafting wasn't just for girls, those who wanted to eat their own creations (lol), some who were just thankful for the crafting intervention in their otherwise busy lives.

I would be putting up some of the testimonials on the workshop tab (yes notice the tabs at the upper column?) soon! 

If you've attended SMU Artdicted Workshop 2011 with AiClay, I need to thank you for joining me and being a part of this great milestone for AiClay's workshops. And the Artdicted team, and my lovely assistants. ♥