Festive Header Competition 2020

 

For the third festive season in a row, Taff Rocks is running it's festive header competition. The winning entry (in addition to some awesome prizes) will be used as our Facebook group's header image for the 2020 season!

Reusing Amazon Gift Bags

 

Image credit: Amazon

We are upcycling, reusing, repurposing, recycling all Amazon style gift bags throughout the year!

Many of us receive our birthday, festive or others gifts from Amazon. If you receive a gift wrapped by Amazon, or maybe you already have and you don't want the gift bag they / it arrives in, would you consider donating it / them to us?

👉 This is a year round venture, not just for Christmas 👈

Whilst we are continuing to accept all Amazon style gift bags, now that we are back up and running, we have a greater need for bags of the following size as they have proved to be in high demand:

• 29cm x 23.5cm approx.

• 37cm x 26cm approx.

For the regularly updated page on this topic, please visit here

Our full list of Halloween video Tutorials

Happy Halloween to you all. Below you will find a list of our full series on Halloween rocks for 2020! Enjoy

It's been a while!

It certainly has been a while since we've updated our readers here! We haven't abandoned you or these pages, so what have we been up to?

Preview of Newsletter Article - August 2020

The following article was published on the August newsletter:

It's Competition Time!

Are you interested in being in with a chance to win this pack of paint pens? Open to members of Taff Rocks only.

For more information, rules, what to do, how to enter and information on what qualifies as membership etc, please click 'Read more' below.

Read more »

Paint a Positivity Daisy

Spraying Your Rocks with Lacquer

Let's Paint A Rainbow Using A Stencil

This weeks YouTube tutorial shows you hot you can paint this wonderful rainbow rock using a stencil.

You ROCK!

 

Our recent craft pack project has shown us that the support we have is as strong as ever, if not stronger!

Special Update - Craft Bag Project

This dreadful pandemic has thrust us all into pastures unknown! After only a few short weeks from idea to reality, we are now rolling out our free craft bags for our members in the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale communities.

Workshops Online? Just a thought

Taff Rocks are looking at various alternatives to community based workshops. This is one that Niki is currently looking at.

Video 'Meeting Rooms' are a new 'thing' from the owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, but you don't need an account with any of these to participate.

There'd be strict rules from our side though:

• Meetings would be by invitation only - link via email
• By appointment only - Perhaps following a request. Then a number of participants could be invited at the same workshop.
• Children must bring their adult!
• One-to-one meetings could be possible, but children must always have an adult present! And at all times!
• And any others to ensure safety of all in the 'room'

Rather than us go into details, please watch this video from the CEO of Facebook and leave your thoughts below this post.

This is just an idea right now as there are far too many video messengers out there and we cannot possibly download and use them all.

We could try other possibilities but with so many video conferencing applications out there, it's not feasible right now. 

Please note, these thoughts will be public.

Taff Rocks on YouTube

These difficult times have meant we have started to utilise our YouTube channel. 

Workshops cannot run right now and this was our best solution to help our faithful members and supporters.

How To Paint Your First Rock

In these difficult times for everyone, we have plucked up the courage to start utilising our YouTube Channel and started to prepare videos with us in. Until now, we've only shared slideshows with text.

Supporting Our Community Amid the COVID19 Outbreak

Taff Rocks has been supported by our local community for best part, if not all, of a year now and, during these difficult times, we have been wondering how to help our members. Here is what we have done:

Would you be interested in a rock painting craft pack?

Taff Rocks, like many organisations similar to ours, are looking into how we run. It is not possible right now to run as we have been.

We are starting to look into providing craft packs for the community. Which, with a successful funding bid, could even be free!

If you live in the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale area and are interested in these free packs, or know of someone in these communities who would be, please read more here and register your interest >>>

Homemade Tic Tac Toe

When you have a moment, use a little time to create your own game of Tic Tac Toe, which you and your family can all join in.

If you don't have rocks to paint, check out the other options below and, if you don't have material to make a bag, I've included a game board you can print out on card or paper and use.

Simple Spider Tutorial

This simple little spider will be at home an any bugline, critter conga or even Halloween! He's so easy to create.

Easy Bird Tutorial

I adore this simple, little bird shape and you will too. Practice on a little piece of paper first if you prefer. You can even cut out a template to use and paints loads!!!!

Funky Chicken Tutorial

This funky, farmyard chicken is easier than it looks. You can change all the colours if you wish, to make an even funkier and unique chicken.

Ant on a Rock

This little ant has to be my absolute favourite! You can create your ant in whatever colour you desire, I've used orange and brown.

Finger Painted Ant Tutorial

This cute little fingerpainted ant is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face. It's simple for little fingers too, although, as it's black paint, it can be messy.

April Daily Challenge

Outdoor rockin' may have been postponed, but kindness hasn't! Keep on creating!

For each day in April, using the suggestions below, create a piece of rock art / artwork and share it on our  Facebook group each day. If you start later, that's fine, you can either play catch up or add a few suggestions to one creation.

How To Create Your Own Dragon's Egg

Creating painted works of art is a little difficult right now so, try this wonderful Dragon's egg. It's unsuitable for outdoors but will look amazing indoors.

Positivity Daisy Tutorial

"The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do." [Kobe Bryant, American basketball player]

Which is why I am sharing with you this tutorial of wonderful little flowers of love and positivity!

All Public Workshops Postponed

In light of the current public health issue, Taff Rocks have postponed all public rock painting workshops and public gatherings until further notice.

April workshops POSTPONED!

In these times of uncertainty, social distancing, self isolation etc., Taff Rocks deeply regrets that we are postponing all workshops until the end of April 2020.  

Free Critter Conga Exhibition 2020

Do you remember the amazing Ynysowen Beeline exhibition of 2019? No? Then check out the video below. 

For 2020 we want to create a Critter Conga and smash last years targets and eventual number of exhibits.

Here's the low-down:

Nicola's Fundraiser for Taff Rocks

On the 20th June 2020, Nicola, one of our co-founders, will undertake one of the biggest challenges since she did the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge over ten years ago.

She openly admits that her fitness needs work and will be working hard on this, with support from her coach, from now until the walking date. So this is going to be one, big trial for her, but she is determined.

Our Fundraising Platform Is Changing

Since Taff Rocks began, we have used the Golden Giving fundraising platform for all our online secure fundraising and donation needs. This platform prides itself on its #ethicalgiving

Recently, Golden Giving released a new platform, branded as People's Fundraising. They have made major improvements and it's looking good. This new platform will be developed more than the Golden Giving platform, although they will both run side-by-side for the foreseeable future.

Wood Cookies / Slices as Canvases

Rocks, as a canvas, totally rock! But every once in a while, you might need something else. One of our co-founders recently tried these as part of a project for someone. Wood 'cookies' or slices. Check them out ...

Fuzion Paint Pens

February's Taff Rocks Tuesday

Our next Rock Painting workshop is on:

OPCreativ Paint Pen Review

Here at Taff Rocks HQ we like trying out new pens, then giving a review to help you make a decision on a purchase. We were very excited when we found these fineliner acrylic paint pens on Amazon ...

(This publication has been updated with a video review from a young workshop user)

Artistro Acrylic Paint Markers - Medium Tip

Pilot Pintor Paint Pen Review

How on earth we haven't published a review on these pens yet is a mystery!

2020 Diary of Public Workshops

Here is our diary of events for 2020. 

Why & How am I missing out on Taff Rocks Facebook posts and updates?

Some of you may have noticed that you are missing out on, possibly, essential updates and posts from Taff Rocks, either from the page or the group. Why is this? What have we done? And how can you help us and yourself?

We've done a little research and tried to make this not that boring, but, also, it still might be.

Some Fun Taff Rocks Word Searches

Below are some fun word searches for you to download and complete, there are currently only three, one for each level, but we plan more:

• Level 1 - Easy
• Level 2 - Intermediate
• Level 3 - A little harder

If you have a list of rock related words you'd like to see in a new word search, let us know.