A new year means new goals – new ambitions, new plans or maybe new skills.
Opportunities are coming up for you to learn from the masters of many different crafts, whether it’s practical, a creative outlet or a survival skill.
If you want to expand your wilderness skills, Lime Hollow Nature Center is hosting a class Jan. 11 where you can learn how to cook on a campfire.
Attendees will learn to harness a campfire, and make food using both primitive and modern techniques, the Lime Hollow website says. You’ll also learn how to make cooking utensils, and dessert.
You can learn two skills in one sitting at the Cocktails & Candles workshop Jan. 11 at the Cortlet Corset building. Laura Pfister, who also co-owns Crown City Curiosities, will guide participants through making a seasonal cocktail and mocktail.
While sipping your drinks, Ashe Martin, co-owner of Crown City Curiosities, will guide attendees through making two soy wax candles using seasonal herbs and scents. All materials for both activities will be provided.
“We thought ‘we have both of these skills, why not put them to use?’” Martin said.
At the Virgil Community Living Center, you can learn to weave a chunky blanket on Jan. 18. Attendees should bring six to eight skeins of chunky blanket yarn.
The new year is the perfect time to come out and learn something new, said event organizer Teresa Baker.
“People should come out to the center to pick up a new skill because it is fun!” Baker said. “They can bring a friend, meet new friends and acquire a skill set they could do at home.”
A representative from Talk Rot, a gourmet mushroom farm in Tully, will teach a gourmet mushroom bucket cultivation workshop on Jan. 21 at the center.
“Individuals will learn how to cultivate mushrooms in buckets,” Baker said. “They then will be able to take these buckets home and grow the mushrooms right in the comfort of their own home, and be able to harvest and eat mushrooms they grew themselves.”
Mosaic is a very versatile art form you can learn Jan. 25 at the Mosaic Mirror-making Class, and then transfer your skills to other projects, Martin said.
“When you’re creating a mosaic, it’s like doing a backwards puzzle,” she said. “It’s extremely therapeutic being able to break stuff and make something beautiful out of it. There’s a lot of benefits of being able to turn off your brain and build this backwards puzzle.”
Attendees will learn basic mosaic techniques and tools, how to choose and cut materials and how to design a mosaic pattern.
You can learn to whittle Feb. 8 at Lime Hollow Nature Center. Attendees will learn to create a wooden cup called a Kuksa, which were created by the Sami people of Scandinavia, and traditionally hung from the belt, the Lime Hollow website says.
They will also learn safe knife use, how to use a hook knife, sharpening techniques and wood selection.
