Saturday's Busy Cupcake Classes

We started yesterday morning with a Vintage Style Cupcake Class; using delicious lemon cupcakes, we concentrated on mastering new tools and techniques.

Using lustre powders, moulds, embossers we created lovely little buttons, brooches, flowers, butterflies and bunting in pale vintage colours.

In the afternoon we had a Stage 1 Cupcake Class, which covers baking, icings and decorations.

Everybody made lovely little decorations to decorate their beautifully baked vanilla cupcakes.

For the full photographs from the two classes please visit: 

Colourful Cupcakes Blog

Reflections after the Rain

A wet and rainy painting for a wet and rainy day!

Today was all about reflections in the rain, and Claire had bought some great images and photographs with her.

The majority of us liked the idea of this Venice arrangement. 

There was a large amount of drawing involved at the start which kept everybody very quiet.

We created a rainy, slightly stormy sky, that had some movement in it.

Alot of people hadn't painted people before, so Claire showed us her peas and carrots technique, and we all agreed that umbrellas were much easier than faces!

We did a watery background of the buildings in the background, and then concentrated on our complicated lamps!

The Gondolas and posts help you realise exactly where you are.

At the end, we looked at the reflections in the water on the flagstones, and carefully "washed" them in.

It was a long session today, most definitely one of our hardest classes this year, but the results were amazing, well done everyone.

(Please come back!)

Our classes are almost sold out for this term, I have:

2 spaces on Mixed Media - Thursday 18 October

2 spaces on Putting Life into Still Life - Wednesday 14 November

1 space on Beginners - Thursday 15 November

We are planning our Spring Classes, dates and subjects will be out soon, if you have any requests, please let me know.

Vintage Style Cupcake Class

We had a really enjoyable time making Vintage Cupcakes last week.

Using pastel shades and various icings, we learnt how to use moulds, embossers and lustre powders.

The cupcakes looked very pretty with their buttons, bows, brooches, flowers, butterflies and bunting!

There is another Vintage Cupcake class this Saturday 13 October, from 11am - 1pm.

Photos from the Class

Beginners Watercolour Class

We had our first Beginners Class of the term yesterday.

A great group of 8 artists, new to Treetops.

Claire and I really enjoyed the day - the sun was shining, the paintings were wonderful and there was alot of giggling!

After a busy morning of practicing with the paints and water, our artists laid down their first two washes to create a gorgeous golden hue, just in time for lunch!

Delicious pomegranate, cranberry and honey salmon.

(Courtesy of Fay Ripley!)

***

Below are the finished paintings.

Don't forget these are from complete beginners, amazing!

Above is Claire with the paintings in mounts, displayed for our gallery and feedback.

There are just a few spaces left this term on our watercolour classes:

1 on Reflections After the Rain - Thursday 11 October

2 on Mixed Media - Thursday 18 October

2 on Putting Life into Still Life - Wednesday 14 November

1 on Beginners - Thursday 15 Novemmber

2 on Crisp Winter Morning - Tuesday 27 November

All the classes run from 9.30am - approx 3pm.

They cost £70 and this includes of all your materials, a 2 course lunch with a glass of wine, teas/coffees and home-made biscuits throughout the day.

To book: 01635 44850

Aga Class - Effortless Entertaining

Sarah Whitaker was here this morning for a popular class titled "Effortless Entertaining".

Sarah's demonstration covers how to use the Aga whilst creating delicious food as she shows us around the Aga, showing us exactly how to roast, simmer, bake etc.

Above is a delicious mushroom risotto with parmesan, no more standing by the oven stirring, pouring in stock, stirring etc, in "Aga-Land", it all gets measured and then popped inside the Aga.

These are roasted carrots withs smoked paprika, a great combination.

We also had a leg of lamb with a delicious creamy sauce, a stilton cheesecake that can be used as a starter, pesto bread and a gorgeous velvety chestnut and sweet potato soup. 

One of the puddings today was a pecan and ginger tart, it smelt amazing.

Sarah always brings her travelling shop, with lots of useful kitchen and Aga goodies, as well as her recipe books.

In two weeks time, her new book will be published:

Effortless Aga Cooking 

Sarah returns to Treetops on Friday 9 November for Christmas Aga, to book please contact me.

Misty Sunrise - Watercolour Class

First Watercolour Class of term.

Claire put together some great images and ideas from a student suggestion of "Misty September Sunrises".

It was quite tricky; not much drawing, a lovely first wash and after that we had to work hard at using plenty of water, keeping our fresh pale mists that we had created, whilst adding strong tones. 

The pictures had to have a definite background, middle ground and foreground.

When all the paintings were put together at the end for our gallery, they looked fantastic .... and beautifully misty!

If you are tempted to give Watercolour a go, we have a place left on our Beginners Class on Thursday 27 September and also on Thursday 15 November.

We have a new class "Mixed Media", also with Claire on Thursday 18 October.

4 spaces left on Crisp Winter Morning, Tuesday 27 November.

And for something different with a twist on Wednesday 14 November, we have "Putting Life into Still Life"!

All classes run from 9.30am - approx 3pm.

£70 includes all of your materials, 2 course lunch with a glass of wine, home-made biscuits and refreshments throughout the day.

Cupcakes Hen Party

I had a great Saturday afternoon with Bex and her Hen Party.

There was definitely a Pink theme going on!

Chief Hen made the beautiful aprons for them all to wear.

To see their wonderful cupcakes, visit the Colourful Cupcakes Blog

There are lots of Cupcake Classes coming up, dates are on the blog.