Local artist Rose Kulak did an fabulous job this year replacing our Science Week in-person eco-dyeing workshop with a take home kit. Over 20 families collected the kits from us. I know I’ll never look at sour grass (oxalis) now without thinking about the amazing colours it can produce in a dye bath.

As a follow-up Rose has now put together a second kit that is an introduction to contact printing with natural dyes … onion skins, eucalyptus leaves etc. The kit includes all the materials you will need along with a step by step instruction sheet … it will make a wonderful weekend or mid-week project.

If you emailed us previously for one of these kits please pop in and collect it this week. If you haven’t put your name down but would like to collect a kit and have a go please email us here.

And thanks again Rose for sharing your skills. What a great community we live in!

With COVID restrictions easing we’re quite excited about planning a little neighbourhood gathering to kick off the Alphington Open Studios weekends.

For the first time we are going to have our salon exhibition open at ACC open from 5-7pm on Friday 26 November. Pop past for a glass of wine and some nibbles. Admire the art … buy some art as a gift for yourself (you deserve it) or a loved one! Have a chat to us, to the artists and/or your neighbours. We’ll set up inside and out in the garden to abide by COVID restrictions.

Put it in your diary and come along for a low key, fun, arty neighbourhood evening. Kids can play in the garden … fingers crossed for the weather!

If you are an artist that would like to participate you can register here. We welcome emerging and established artists.

Families came along on Friday to join in our garden program and decorated some gorgeous tins and potted up some cuttings for our street seed library. If you are passing by and would like a rosemary plant or some Vietnamese mint for your garden you might like to collect one this weekend! Cute hey?

This year Children’s Week runs from 23-31 October and celebrates the talents, skills and achievements of children, and their right to connect with others and respectfully share their views.

This year’s theme is ‘Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others’. 

To celebrate Children’s Week, we’ve made a series of neighbourhood pop-up playstations that engage the senses, capture the imagination, and encourage creative expression.

Look out for them on the street outside ACC and at the Wingrove Street shops. Our playstations all have different themes to suit different interests and are designed so children can stop for a play by themselves or if the choose, share the experience with a friend.

Our playstations are just one of over 115 free Children’s Week events supported by the Victorian Department of Education and Training. You can also check out other events taking place across Victoria at www.education.vic.gov.au/childrensweek.

Keep your eye out over the long weekend for this super cute covid-safe neighbourhood play experience.

This year we are again super pleased to receive funding from the Department of Education and Training to deliver a Children’s Week neighbourhood activity … and here’s a sneak peak at one of eight playstations that will be out on the street as part our efforts to promote creative and imaginative play and create opportunities for children to play by themselves or with others as they choose.

How cute are all these little snails? Lee made them from polymer clay and shells donated by Shirley

Take a stroll past ACC and the Wingrove Street shops to check out our snail world … and the other seven playstations we’ve created as well - from Wednesday!

And what about these pot plants with appendages? Gorgeous.