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• In preparation for Christmas, <a href="https://westindiaquaycentre.co.uk/">West India Quay</a> in the Docklands had arranged a number of Festive Workshops where you would learn the skills you needed to create some amazing homemade gifts.
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• Our first stop was <a href="https://www.browns-restaurants.co.uk/restaurants/london/west-india-quay">Browns</a> for a wreath making workshop and we arrived to find a gorgeous table set out with wreath hoops, twine, snippers and glasses of prosecco.
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• Hosted by <a href="http://www.columbiacreative.co.uk/">Columbia Creative</a>, we were given a quick demonstration and then set loose on a table filled with fir branches, pine cones and foliage
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• Columbia Creative prefer to work with natural materials, so everything we added to our wreath would be biodegradable.
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• Once we had wrapped the fir branches and sprigs of foliage around our wreaths equally, it was time to get creative and add pine cones and bows.
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• I was thrilled with our finished wreaths and the smell of pine was lovely.
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• There was a short break before the next workshop, so we made our way to Pizza Pilgrims for lunch.
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• It was then time to head back to Browns for a candle making workshop with <a href="https://www.earlofeastlondon.com/">Earls of East London</a>.
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• The table was now set up with a tray of candle making jars and pots which looked like a chemistry set.
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• Earl Of East then explained the basics of candle making to us and how scents work together, passing around scents to smell and chocolates to taste to demonstrate.
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• Once we had all the background information we needed, we were sent off to mix the oils we needed to make our chosen scent.
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• We then set our wicks, mixed our scents with melted wax and then left our candles to set.
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• An hour later, our candles were ready and smelling amazing. We made a Smoke & Musk candle which smelled of spices and campfires, which we used on Christmas day with our TV playing a scene of an open fire in the background.
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• Our final workshop was Terrarium making with Jar & Fern at Pizza Pilgrims.
• The tables had been set up with everything we needed when we arrived and after settling down with cups of tea, Jar & Fern talked us through the history of terrariums.
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• The prospect of a plant that only needed watered every few months was very appealing, so we popped on a pair of rubber gloves and got stuck in.
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• Our terrariums were large mason jars which we started by filling with stones and a layer of activated charcoal which would help with drainage.
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• Things got a little messy as we started adding the soil and separating the plants, using a cork to get everything nice and level.
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• It was then time to get creative and pick out which plants we wanted to add, arranging them in our jars with a layer of moss and small stones on top.
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• Our final terrariums looked beautiful and we left West India Quay with a bag full of crafts, ideal to add a touch of festiveness to our home and give away as Christmas presents. For information on upcoming workshops and events at West India Quay, <a href="https://escapetowiq.com/">check out the website!</a>
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