Yesterday I spent the morning in Rockford at the Farm Bureau at Horticulture for the Holidays workshop.  There were about thirty gardeners present.  I wasn’t sure where I was going and left early.  It was closer than expected and I got there about an hour early.  They were just unloading supplies from their vehicles to set up and so I joined in and helped set up.

I met Megan who is one of the master gardeners in Winnebago County.  I also ran into Candice who I have had many classes with in the past two years, and who was to be one of the presenters on this day.

Kathy unloaded her car load of goodies.  She had baked nutbreads, cookies, brownies and strudels.  I got the job of cutting the bread into slices.  We got the goodie table set up and folks started arriving for the workshop.  I decided since everyone was so busy, I would be the cashier.  Megan had left her list of attendees on the printer at home.

The first lady who signed up gave me her copy of the receipt and I used this as my ledger to keep track of who paid and who attended prepaid.  Megan was very pleased.

Our first workshop was presented by Candice who gave us a brief presentation of herbs. She discussed varieties of herbs, how to preserve them and how to use them.  Questions raised and answered, we then proceeded to make three different herbal products.  We made an Energizing Facial Scrub using corn meal, oatmeal and herbs (I chose rosemary), Moisturizing Body Scrub, using coconut oil, sugar and herbal oil, and a Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub, using brown sugar and pumpkin spice.

I had the stuff all over my hands and went to wash them.  My hands felt so velvety soft and moisturized.

We took a short break and had snacks and coffee and then came back to Kathy’s presentation where she showed up how to make an origami photo book.  I was in awe and I don’t awe much at all.  It was so cute and I couldn’t wait to make my little booklet.

Of course I had to screw up right away.  I used my Winnebago County Extension office pencil (free gift) and the blue ink came off on my paper when I tried to press it flat with the edge.  And then I folded one too many times.  Oh well, it’s just paper.  (That is what Kathy told us in the beginning.)

New paper gotten and I opened my instructions this time.  I had to catch up with my neighbors.  I had such a nice time making this little project.  I haven’t finished it as yet but stopped by Michael’s after the workshop to get some supplies to make another when I do finish this one.

It was fun going around the room and seeing the results of other people’s projects.  I met some really nice folks and look forward to my next workshop.