About
R e e f
Make & Do
About me
I have always been a maker. It was inevitable really as my mum was an art teacher as well as a great cook and so I grew up in a home where we made things rather than buy them: costumes, clothes, dinners... everything really. I grew up thinking this is what everyone did.
Over the years, I have tried countless workshops and classes. When we moved to Norfolk I gave up teaching so while we all got settled I had lots of time to myself and was eager to find fabulous workshops and classes to do here. Unfortunately it really wasn't easy: I cannot tell you how many hours I lost trawling the internet and FB looking. In the end, I got so fed up I decided to invite some of my new friends and neighbours round for some making instead!
First up was making beeswax wraps. 18 ladies in my kitchen grating beeswax, melting resin and and then cooking the wax wraps in my oven - what could go wrong? I learnt a lot of lessons that day and at the ad hoc workshops that followed but just as I was getting into my groove covid arrived and that was that!
As Covid was all settling down I started getting emails from people who had booked workshops before lockdown: when will workshops start? I need to get out! I resisted for a while as the idea of lots of people in my home was not appealing at that point but eventually I was ready to test the waters. Three weeks before the end of summer term I advertised three workshops and they were all full in days! Clearly everyone really was ready to get out and do some making.
So, after end the term, on a high after successful workshops, I went for it! I spent the summer holidays building my website which involved much stress and swearing! I invited a group of artists and makers who other recommended to come and run workshops alongside my stuff and when the boys went back to school in September I was up and running, hosting a workshop most weeks and slowly (thankfully) things grew from there.
Fast forward five years and here we are with a fabulous community of artists, makers and ever growing number of guests who all love nothing better than making and doing together. So many friendships have been formed over the years. I am hugely grateful for this community of warm hearted people who I get to share my time with and learn so much from. This sense of community was not something I had anticipated when I started Reef Make & Do but I absolutely love it and get so excited when new guests really get what we are about and love it too.
I very much hope that you will be one of those people.
Useful information
At Reef Make & Do we mostly offer one day workshops ranging from 4 to 7 hours. We sometimes offer longer 2 or 3 day courses.
Most workshops are run in my home. We have three dogs here at Stonegate Farm - they love a good workshop and will always be at workshops.
Our workshops are taught by really lovely, fabulous people who have all been thoroughly checked out by me. Most of them are artists or specialist tutors but some are also self taught.
Workshop days always include refreshments and cakes as well as a two course lunch - all made by me. All food requirements will be catered for and everyone gets to eat the same food.
When we need more room or we are running a workshop that is REALLY messy then workshops may be a Wiveton Village Hall. I am currently looking for a new venue to hold my cookery workshops.