Friday night was the last workshop before a little holiday break and what a great group to end the studio's August line-up with. Since starting the workshops we have met so many amazing people who have shared their evening with us and created beautiful pieces of art while enriching us and our family with their enthusiasm, wonder and eagerness to create. So let me say thank-you to all of you who have supported studio50's launch of the maker's workshops and have made them a success!

Our makers on Friday were an enjoyable mix with a mom and daughter team, a sister of a maker who had come out to an earlier workshop and a friend who is now a veteran maker. Small, quaint and such a pleasure.

They picked out their boards and got right to the sanding. I really should add "free workout" to the description for this workshop and any of the others that require intense sanding because this crew was working it :)

Next was a little designing and shaping of the boards. Some of it was done by cutting, sanding, drilling or a combo.

After their vigorous workout everyone was ready for a little R&R and some refuelling and it was a lovely evening to sit out back and enjoy some intriguing conversation about parenting, living, piercings and tattoos.

For the last few tasters menus I have been loving the way of the artisan pizza! The combos are endless.

Bree cheese, mushroom, pear and basil pizza was a tantalising hit, paired with a bowl of warm roasted tomato soup, topped with dill and feta cheese. In honour of watermelon day I offered the fruit on bamboo sticks and sprinkled it with basil, mint and feta cheese and then drizzled with a balsamic and maple syrup glaze. For dessert I used our bounty of freshly picked blueberry in a dedicated shortcake with a whipped cream and blueberry salsa middle and topped with whip cream, cardamon and a slice of peach. The tasters menu wouldn't be complete without a sampling of the raw vegan truffles of hazelnut chocolate and white goji and lemon.

Everyone got there second wind and headed back into the studio to give all the boards a light sanding after letting the pieces dry from a wipe down with some water, and then they oiled them up and watched the final transformation.

Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people.
Nicholas Sparks

( this board had a high glare due to the natural sheen in the wood topped with the oil, so I will have to take another picture of it to show it's real colour tones, which are a beautiful mix.)